Monday, August 10, 2009

All about service... (June 20, 2008)

In my first post I mentioned that professor’s job responsibilities include teaching, research, and service. My second post discussed the complexities of teaching. Here I’ll talk about service.

Service can be performed at the college level, the university level, the professional level, or community level. At the college and university level it generally involves serving on a variety of time-consuming committees that sometimes seem to get little accomplished. They serve an important purpose, I suppose, but often serve in an advisory capacity only. Furthermore, getting a bunch of academics in a room and expecting to reach a consensus can be an exercise in futility.

Here is a partial list of committees belonging to just the College of Business:

  • Executive Committee
  • Executive-in-Residence Committee
  • Faculty Support Committee
  • Governmental Accounting Seminar Committee
  • MBA Administrative Committee
  • MBA Academic Committee
  • Promotion and Tenure Committee
  • Student Recruitment Committee
  • Tax Institute Planning Committee
  • Technology Committee
  • Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

Here is a partial list of university committees:

  • Academic Standards Council
  • Advising Coordinators Committee
  • Affirmative Action Grievance Committee
  • Affirmative Action Policy Committee
  • Alumni Board
  • Athletic Advisory Board
  • BAT and BUS Committees
  • Campus Planning Council
  • Campus Safety Committee
  • Communication Board
  • Computer Services Advisory Council
  • Council for Teaching and Learning
  • Curriculum Council
  • Distinguished Public Service Award Selection Committee
  • Diversity Committee
  • Environmental Science & Management Council
  • ERP Communication Advisory Committee
  • Faculty Professional Policies Council
  • Faculty Senate
  • Financial Aids and Scholarship Committee
  • First Year Seminar Committee
  • General Education Requirements Committee
  • GIS Oversight Committee
  • Graduate Council
  • Honors Committee
  • Idaho Conference on Health Care Committee
  • Judicial Council
  • Library Committee
  • National Girls and Women in Sports Day Committee
  • Readmission Committee
  • Records Management Advisory Committee
  • Research Coordinating Council
  • o Faculty Research Committee
  • o Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Committee
  • o Undergraduate Research Committee
  • o University Research Committee
  • Retention Committee
  • Student Affairs Judicial Board
  • Student Organizations Committee
  • Student Outcomes Assessment Committee
  • Technology Innovation Center
  • Technology Review and Information Group
  • Web Services Council

Some of these committees have subcommittees or task forces. In addition, there are search committees that must be formed whenever a new professor needs to be hired. And don’t forget that at least on faculty member must serve as an advisor for each student group, such as those listed below:

  • Alpha Kappa Psi
  • Beta Alpha Psi
  • COB Fellows
  • Finance Association
  • Marketing Association
  • MBA Association

At the professional level professors are often asked to review professional manuscripts for journals or conferences as well as review new textbooks. Some professors also write new textbooks. Other professional service activities also serve as journal editors as well as conference track chairs. We also serve on promotion and tenure committees for professors at our university or at other universities. We are also recruited to act as program evaluators for the academic programs at other universities. We may also serve on graduate committees for students working on their PhD dissertation or Master's thesis. This includes students at ISU as well as other universities

At the community level professors participate in organizations like United Way, Rotary, etc. We may also serve on various boards in the community.

In 2007 I reviewed 11 papers for journals and conferences, served as editor for a professional journal, served as IT track chair for a professional conference, was on three graduate committees, served on at least four college/university committees (and their subcommittees), served as a United Way coordinator, etc. Not bad for someone who doesn't work and play well with others!

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