Furman University
AC-8: Responsible Research and Innovation

A. Policy Background

The scholarly and creative activity of a faculty is vital to effective teaching at the college level and to the life of Furman University. In evaluating the overall performance of a member of the faculty, the department chair, the Dean of Faculty, and the Faculty Status Committee consider the following to be of major importance:  teaching effectiveness, which is the most important criterion; scholarly or creative activity; and institutional service.

B. Policy Statement

Furman University expects all members of the faculty to be engaged in scholarly or creative activity. The University also encourages each faculty member to engage in original research , but appropriate expectations vary among disciplines. The University provides substantive support for scholarly and creative activity as outlined in Policy 167.9.

C. Policy Details

1. The primary aim of scholarly and creative activity should be the enrichment of teaching at Furman.

2. Scholarly activity refers to those pursuits that increase one's knowledge about their discipline or related disciplines or that increase the body of knowledge of the scholarly community. Research, which is one type of scholarly activity, refers to pursuits that yield findings or interpretations which are to be shared with and critiqued by a community of scholars (either of one's discipline or of other disciplines). Creative activity refers to those pursuits that lead to the production or the interpretive performance of works of art for an audience.

3. Scholarly and creative activity is understood to go beyond the usual preparation of courses. Development of new courses and significant re-working or enrichment of current courses may be considered scholarly activity.

4. At Furman, faculty are encouraged to involve students in their professional and creative activity where appropriate. This type of activity is appropriate and valued as it can relate to both teaching and professional/scholarly activity.

5. Publication and presentation are important, and in some disciplines essential, types of scholarly and/or creative activity. The University encourages and supports the faculty's efforts toward publication and presentation as well as other forms of accepted dissemination as defined by various academic disciplines.

6. In evaluating a faculty member's scholarly or creative activity, the Faculty Status Committee and the Dean of Faculty will take into consideration the scholarly activity across disciplines.

ALSO

152.2 Evaluation of Probationary and Tenured Faculty

167.8 EXPECTATIONS OF SCHOLARLY AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY

A. Policy Background

The scholarly and creative activity of a faculty is vital to effective teaching at the college level and to the life of Furman University. In evaluating the overall performance of a member of the faculty, the department chair, the Dean of Faculty, and the Faculty Status Committee consider the following to be of major importance:  teaching effectiveness, which is the most important criterion; scholarly or creative activity; and institutional service.

B. Policy Statement

Furman University expects all members of the faculty to be engaged in scholarly or creative activity. The University also encourages each faculty member to engage in original research , but appropriate expectations vary among disciplines. The University provides substantive support for scholarly and creative activity as outlined in Policy 167.9.

C. Policy Details

1. The primary aim of scholarly and creative activity should be the enrichment of teaching at Furman.

2. Scholarly activity refers to those pursuits that increase one's knowledge about their discipline or related disciplines or that increase the body of knowledge of the scholarly community. Research, which is one type of scholarly activity, refers to pursuits that yield findings or interpretations which are to be shared with and critiqued by a community of scholars (either of one's discipline or of other disciplines). Creative activity refers to those pursuits that lead to the production or the interpretive performance of works of art for an audience.

3. Scholarly and creative activity is understood to go beyond the usual preparation of courses. Development of new courses and significant re-working or enrichment of current courses may be considered scholarly activity.

4. At Furman, faculty are encouraged to involve students in their professional and creative activity where appropriate. This type of activity is appropriate and valued as it can relate to both teaching and professional/scholarly activity.

5. Publication and presentation are important, and in some disciplines essential, types of scholarly and/or creative activity. The University encourages and supports the faculty's efforts toward publication and presentation as well as other forms of accepted dissemination as defined by various academic disciplines.

6. In evaluating a faculty member's scholarly or creative activity, the Faculty Status Committee and the Dean of Faculty will take into consideration the  scholarly activity across disciplines.

AND

152.2 Evaluation of Probationary and Tenured Faculty

Furman is a member of the First Scholars Network. https://firstgen.naspa.org/programs-and-services/first-scholars-network  

Furman participates on a national level through compliance with federal requirements (e.g, NSF and other agencies) to actively promote responsible research innovation, which includes the accessibility of scientific results and science education.

Furman also participates in CLASP (Colleges of Liberal Arts Sponsored Programs). CLASP's purpose is to provide a resource for sponsored research administrators at liberal arts colleges that will promote and strengthen the member's abilities to respond to research support and policy issues as they arise. The CLASP listserve serves that purpose by providing a forum where questions related to sponsored research concerns can be asked and answers are almost instant. There are well over 400 subscribing institutions.

Additionally, we have the following policy:

092.1 Responsible Conduct of Research Training Policy

A. Policy Background

In response to the America COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science) Act, Section 7009, effective January, 2010, all students and post-doctoral researchers supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) research funds are required to complete an education course in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) prior to receiving any financial support from an award. RCR training is also required for National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Public Health Service (PHS) grant programs with a training component that requires instruction in responsible conduct of research as noted in the Funding Opportunity Announcement.

 B. Policy Statement

Furman University’s Grants Administration Office requires RCR training for students and post-doctoral researchers prior to their receiving funds for any research related to any NSF/NIH/PHS funded grant or contract or immediately following any revision of the RCR policy in a way that affects the requirements for investigators, students and post-doctoral researchers.  If the university finds that an investigator, student or post-doctoral researcher is not in compliance with the regulations, the individual must complete RCR training again and come into compliance.

C. Policy Details

1. Participants.  Only students who are contributing to an NSF, NIH or PHS funded research effort as part of a current/active NSF or NIH grant shall be required to satisfactorily complete a training course on the responsible conduct of research.
2. Training Timeframe.  Principal Investigators (PI) are responsible for ensuring their student research assistants complete the training prior to when the student receives financial support from the award.
3. Training Method.  RCR training is available through the university’s online resource known as CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative). Online training through the CITI system satisfies Furman, NSF and NIH’s RCR training requirements.
4. Tracking of Training Completion.  Furman University requires that the completion certificate from CITI be printed out or saved as a PDF and sent directly to the Grants Administration Office where it will be entered into a database and filed appropriately for compliance. A copy of this certificate should be maintained by the individual completing the training and the PI.
5. Retention of Documentation.  The completed RCR training documentation form must be maintained by the PI and the Grants Administration Office for a period of at least three years after the conclusion of the award. 

A. Policy Background

Furman University has long supported the maintenance of the highest standards of professional ethics and responsibilities.

B. Policy Statement

Furman faculty are expected to meet the ethical standards and responsibilities of their academic profession.

C. Policy Details

1. Furman University subscribes to the American Association of University Professors Statement of Ethics.

a.  "Professors, guided by a deep conviction of the worth and dignity of the advancement of knowledge, recognize the special responsibilities placed upon them. Their primary responsibility to their subject is to seek and to state the truth as they see it. To this end professors devote their energies to developing and improving their scholarly competence. They accept the obligation to exercise critical self-discipline and judgment in using, extending, and transmitting knowledge. They practice intellectual honesty. Although professors may follow subsidiary interests, these interests must never seriously hamper or compromise their freedom of inquiry."

b.  "As teachers, professors encourage the free pursuit of learning in their students. They hold before them the best scholarly and ethical standards of their discipline. Professors demonstrate respect for students as individuals and adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and counselors. Professors make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and to ensure that their evaluations of students reflect each student’s true merit. They respect the confidential nature of the relationship between professor and student. They avoid any exploitation, harassment, or discriminatory treatment of students. They acknowledge significant academic or scholarly assistance from them. They protect their academic freedom."

c.  "As colleagues, professors have obligations that derive from common membership in the community of scholars. Professors do not discriminate against or harass colleagues. They respect and defend the free inquiry of associates, even when it leads to findings and conclusions that differ from their own. Professors acknowledge academic debt and strive to be objective in their professional judgment of colleagues. Professors accept their share of faculty responsibilities for the governance of their institution."

d.  "As members of an academic institution, professors seek above all to be effective teachers and scholars. Although professors observe the stated regulations of the institution, provided the regulations do not contravene academic freedom, they maintain their right to criticize and seek revision. Professors give due regard to their paramount responsibilities within their institution in determining the amount and character of work done outside it. When considering the interruption or termination of their service, professors recognize the effect of their decision upon the program of the institution and give due notice of their intentions."

e.  "As members of their community, professors have the rights and obligations of other citizens. Professors measure the urgency of these obligations in the light of their responsibilities to their subject, to their students, to their profession, and to their institution. When they speak or act as private persons, they avoid creating the impression of speaking or acting for their college or university. As citizens engaged in a profession that depends upon freedom for its health and integrity, professors have a particular obligation to promote conditions of free inquiry and to further public understanding of academic freedom.”

AAUP, Policy Documents and Reports, 11th Edition (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015), pp. 145-146.

2. Whereas the university encourages close faculty-student relationships, at the same time it expects faculty to maintain their professional role and to refrain from dating and/or sexual relations with any student enrolled at Furman, except when the student and faculty member involved are married to each other.  (See Policy 095.1, “Sexual Misconduct”)

3.  Failure to meet these expectations may be grounds for disciplinary action through initiation of a grievance proceeding (153.1,  Faculty Grievance Procedures) or imposition of sanctions ranging from a reprimand up to and including dismissal (131.5,  Due Process).