Department of Economics Manor Road Building Oxford OX1 3UQ Job Description and Person Specification Post Associate Professorship of Economics Department/Faculty Economics Division College Contract type Location Salary Social Sciences Corpus Christi Five years in the first instance, then reappointment to retirement upon completion of a successful review. Oxford From 44,620 per annum Closing date 30 October 2015 Overview of the post The University of Oxford uses the grade of Associate Professor for most of its senior academic appointments. Associate Professors are eligible for consideration through regular recognition of distinction exercises for award of the title of full professor. This promotion in status, which brings an enhanced salary, is dependent on merit and does not normally occur until some years after reappointment to retirement. In exceptional cases, where the candidate has previously established an academic standing at an appropriate level of distinction, the title of full professor may be awarded at the time of appointment. The University is seeking to appoint a full-time Associate Professor of Economics from 1 st October 2016 (an earlier start date may be agreed in some circumstances). The post is associated with a tutorial fellowship at Corpus Christi College. The role will involve undertaking independent research, together with teaching and supervision responsibilities for the Department of Economics and Corpus Christi. The Department of Economics is one of Europe's leading research departments and its members include some of the world's most distinguished academic economists. Founded in 1517, Corpus Christi is a close-knit and vibrant Oxford college, committed to academic excellence. The combined University and College salary scale ranges from 44,620-59,914 p.a. On appointment an Associate Professor will have at their disposal a computing set-up allowance of 2,500 and will be provided with an ipad. The annual personal research allowance is currently 2,500. Additionally the College provides substantial housing and research allowances.
In cases of particular merit, and subject to the agreement of the University s Senior Appointments Panel, it is at the discretion of the Head of Department to make recommendation for the award of an additional salary supplement above the stated joint maximum. Sabbatical Leave The University operates a generous programme of sabbatical leave. The standard sabbatical leave scheme enables Associate Professors to apply for one term of paid leave after 6 terms of service, or accumulated and taken as one year of leave after 6 years of service. Working Environment The post holder will occupy an office in the Manor Road Building. They will have full access to an excellent administrative support service dedicated to facilitating arrangements for both teaching and research. Additionally there is full access to IT and other facilities within a modern purpose-built building which accommodates faculty, postdoctoral researchers and research students. Queries about the post should be addressed to Miss Gillian Coates at gillian.coates@economics.ox.ac.uk or telephone: +44 (0) 1865 271088. All enquiries will be treated in strict confidence; they will not form part of the selection decision. Duties of the post The Associate Professor will be a member of both the University and the College community. She or he will be part of a lively and intellectually stimulating research community which performs to the highest international levels in research and publications and will have access to the excellent research facilities which Oxford offers. She or he will have a role to play in the running of the College as a member and trustee of its Governing Body. The main duties of the post are as follows: to engage in research of a quality commensurate with publication in top-ranked international economics journals to play an active role in the intellectual life and administrative work of the Department (both during term-time and vacations) including working collaboratively with academic colleagues in areas of shared interest, and taking part in Department seminars and events as appropriate or other duties as directed by the Head of Department to secure research funding to support the Department s research activities to provide lectures for undergraduate and graduate students on behalf of the Department of Economics (an average of 36 hours per year) to supervise graduate students (an average of 4 students per year) to examine as required by the Department to take responsibility for the organization, supervision and teaching of Economics at Corpus Christi including arrangements for admission to the subject to undertake college teaching (an average of six weighted hours 1 per week over the three terms (twenty-four weeks) of the academic year and to act as College Advisor to graduate students in Economics and related areas to contribute to the administration of the College including acting as a member of College committees when called upon to do so 1 The Senior Tutors agreed schedule of weighted hours applies: a single tutorial is one notional hour; a paired tutorial, 1.25; a trio, 1.5. Given the teaching norms for college teaching agreed by the colleges and the department, the number of actual contact hours is expected to be 6 weighted hours per week. 2
to attend Corpus Christi Governing Body meetings and to act as a trustee of the College duties as part of the Tutorial Fellowship (see Annex C) Person specification Applications will be judged only against the criteria which are set out below. Applicants should make sure that their application shows very clearly how they believe that their skills and experience meet these criteria. Oxford is committed to fairness, consistency and transparency in selection decisions. Chairs of selection committees will be aware of the principles of equality of opportunity and fair selection and there will be a member of each gender wherever possible. The successful candidate will demonstrate the following: Essential Completed doctorate in a relevant field of Economics from a major research university Proven high standard of research - a record of peer-reviewed publication commensurate with post-doctoral academic experience and the demonstrable ability to publish in top-rated international journals Proven high standard of teaching - teaching experience with the ability to provide excellent tutorial and small-group teaching to high-achieving undergraduate and graduate students. Ability to carry out student assessment, and to design and deliver degree programmes Capable of providing graduate supervision Demonstrated communication, interpersonal, time management and organizational skills necessary to undertake pastoral responsibilities and College administration Good oral and written communication skills - ability to present research findings effectively to fellow professionals or other informed members of the public Good team-working - willingness to participate in and assist in college life and government. Ability to innovate and work effectively with colleagues to contribute effectively to the administration of the Department 3
How to apply Applications must be made on-line via http://www.econjobmarket.org You will need to upload the following: Job-market paper Full CV and publications list Covering letter or statement explaining how you meet the criteria set out above, outlining your reasons for applying for this post at Oxford, and detailing any teaching experience. Research statement outlining your research plan (alternatively include in CV or cover letter) Details of three referees You are also encouraged to upload additional research papers (up to three). You should contact all three of your referees before applying, to ensure they are aware of your application and of the requirements for the post, and to ensure that they would be content to write a reference for you for this post. Your chosen referees will be contacted automatically as part of the application process. The deadline for applications is 12 noon on 30 October 2015. Applications will be considered by an appointments committee containing representatives from both the Department of Economics and Corpus Christi. A first round of interviews will be held in Oxford at a date to be confirmed. All reasonable interview expenses will be reimbursed. Candidates selected by the Joint Appointments Committee (JAC) will be requested to: Deliver a twenty-minute teaching presentation, attended by College students and Fellows Attend a formal interview before the Joint Appointments Committee. Applications for this post will be considered by a selection committee containing representatives from both the Department of Economics and Corpus Christi. The Joint Appointments Committee is responsible for conducting all aspects of the recruitment and selection process; it does not, however, have the authority to make the final decision as to who should be appointed. The final decision will be made by the Social Sciences Divisional Board and the Governing Body of Corpus Christi College on the basis of a recommendation made by the appointments committee. No offer of appointment will be valid therefore, until and unless the recommendation has been approved by both the Divisional Board and the Governing Body, and a formal contractual offer has been made. 4
Standard Terms and Conditions Salary, benefits and pension The successful candidate will be appointed on the Oxford scale for Associate Professors. The combined college and university salary will be on a scale up to 59,914 per annum. Those appointed below the top of this range will receive annual increments until they reach the top point. There is also an annual cost-of-living review. Departments may also, in wholly exceptional cases, propose the awarding within the substantive scale of additional increments to associate professors at any time during their appointment. Additional remuneration is currently paid to those undertaking examining and graduate supervision. Additional payments are also available for some tutorial teaching. Those holding administrative appointments within the faculty/department may be eligible for additional payments. Associate professors who are awarded the title of full professor receive from the University an additional salary payment of 2,600 per annum (unless they already receive additional recruitment or retention payments at that level or above); and they will be eligible for consideration in subsequent regular exercises for distinction awards on the scale 3,394 to 77,446 (unless they already receive additional recruitment or retention payments in excess of the level of the relevant distinction award). The conferment of the title of professor does not result in any change in the duties of the post-holder. Eligible staff may join the Universities Superannuation Scheme. Details are available on the website at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/finance/epp/pensions/schemes/uss/. Length of appointment Upon completion of an initial period of appointment (which is normally five years), an associate professor is eligible for reappointment until retirement, subject to the provisions of the Statutes and Regulations of the University. Evidence of lecturing competence and of substantial progress in research are prerequisites for reappointment to retirement. For all academic and academic-related staff the University has adopted a retirement age of 30 September before the 68th birthday. There is a procedure for requesting an extension of employment beyond that date. Further details are available on the website at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/end/retirement/acrelretire/ejra/. Sabbatical leave and outside commitments The appointee may apply for sabbatical leave to allow her or him to focus on research. In general, one term of leave is available for each six terms worked. This leave may either be taken as one term of leave after 6 terms of service, or accumulated and taken as one year of leave after 6 years of service. Staff may apply to spend up to 30 working days in each year on projects outside their employment duties, such as consultancy, spin-out activity and membership of research councils and other bodies. There is no limit to the amount of money which staff may earn from these activities without deduction from salary. Different rules apply for applications to spend more than 30 working days per year on projects outside their employment duties.. Full details are available on the university website at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/staffinfo/academic/approvaltoholdoutsideappointments/. Guidance on ownership of intellectual property (www.admin.ox.ac.uk/statutes/regulations/182-052.shtml) and managing conflicts of interest (www.admin.ox.ac.uk/researchsupport/integrity/conflict/policy/) is also available on the university website. Membership of Congregation 5
Appointment to this post carries with it the right to vote in Congregation, the sovereign body in the University. More information is available at www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation/governance and www.admin.ox.ac.uk/statutes/781-121.shtml. Relocation expenses Subject to HMRC regulations and the availability of funding, a relocation allowance may be available. Family support The University has generous family leave arrangements, such as maternity, adoption and paternity leave. Eligible employees may also benefit from the Shared Parental Leave system, which enables them, if they so wish, to share a period of up to 50 weeks leave and up to 37 weeks pay with their partner, in the 52 weeks immediately following the birth or adoption of their child. Details of the different family leave arrangements are available on the website at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/during/family/. All staff are eligible to apply to use the University nurseries (although there is a long waiting list for nursery places), and the full range of tax and National Insurance savings scheme is in operation. Details are available on the University s childcare website at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/childcare/. The University will try to accommodate flexible working patterns as far as possible and there is considerable flexibility in the organisation of duties. More information on family support and flexible working policies is available on the website at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/during/family/. Information for parents and carers is available at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/parentsandcarersinformation/. Facilities and services The University has a range of facilities and benefits for its staff; more details are available on the website at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/personnel/staffinfo/benefits/. The University Disability Office provides support to staff and students with a disability and may be contacted through its website at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/disab/. Equality of opportunity The policy and practice of the University of Oxford require that all staff are offered equal opportunities within employment. Entry into employment with the University and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. Subject to statutory provisions, no applicant or member of staff will be treated less favourably than another because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Medical questionnaire and the right to work in the UK The appointment will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a medical questionnaire and the provision of proof of the right to work in the UK. Applicants who would need a work visa if appointed to the post are asked to note that under the UK s points-based migration system they will need to demonstrate that they have sufficient points, and in particular that: 6
(i) they have sufficient English language skills (evidenced by having passed a test in English, or coming from a majority English-speaking country, or having taken a degree taught in English) and (ii) that they have sufficient funds to maintain themselves and any dependents until they receive their first salary payment. Further information is available at: www.gov.uk/tier-2-general/overview. Special arrangements Oxford welcomes applications from candidates who have a disability. These documents will be made available in large print, audio or other formats on request. Applicants invited for interview will be asked whether they require any particular arrangements to make the interview more convenient and effective for them. Data Protection All data supplied by candidates will be used only for the purposes of determining their suitability for the post 2 and will be held in accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the University s Data Protection Policy (available on the website at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/councilsec/dp/policy.shtml). Essential Information for Applicants for the Associate Professorship The University The University of Oxford aims to sustain excellence in every area of its teaching and research, and to maintain and develop its position as a leader amongst world-class universities. Placing an equally high value on research and on teaching, the colleges, departments and faculties of Oxford aspire both to lead the international research agenda and to offer a unique and exceptional education to our undergraduate and graduate students. Oxford s self-governing community of scholars includes professors, readers, and associate professors, college tutors, senior and junior research fellows and over 2,500 other university research staff. The University aims to provide facilities and support for colleagues to pursue innovative research and outstanding teaching, by responding to developments in the intellectual environment and society at large, and by forging close links with the wider academic world, the professions, industry and commerce. The Strategic Plan, detailing strategy for the period 2013-18, can be found at http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/pras/planning/. Research at Oxford combines disciplinary depth with an increasing focus on inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary activities addressing a rich and diverse range of issues, from deciphering ancient texts and inscriptions using modern scientific and computational methods developed in Oxford, 2 But NB if the person appointed to the post is a migrant sponsored under the UK s points-based migration system, we are required to retain the applications of all shortlisted candidates for six months after the employer has ceased sponsoring the migrant. 7
through to global health, climate change, ageing, energy and the effects on our world of rapid technological change. Oxford seeks to admit undergraduate students with the intellectual potential to benefit fully from the college tutorial system and small group learning to which Oxford is deeply committed. Meeting in small groups with their tutor, undergraduates are exposed to rigorous scholarly challenge and learn to develop their critical thinking, their ability to articulate their views with clarity, and their personal and intellectual confidence. They receive a high level of personal attention from leading academics. Oxford has a strong postgraduate student body which now numbers nearly 10,000, nearly 45% of the full-time students. Postgraduates are attracted to Oxford by the international standing of the faculty, by the rigorous intellectual training on offer, by the excellent research and laboratory facilities available, and by the resources of the museums and libraries, including one of the world s greatest libraries, the Bodleian. For more information please visit: www.ox.ac.uk The Social Sciences Division The University s academic departments and faculties are organised into four large groups, known as Academic Divisions (Social Sciences, Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS), Medical Sciences, and Humanities). The four academic divisions are each led by a senior academic, each of whom, as Head of Division, is an ex officio member of the University s Council. The Head of the Social Sciences Division is Professor Roger Goodman. The Social Sciences Division is responsible for academic oversight of the teaching and research of its various departments and faculties, for strategic and operational planning, and for personnel and resource management. The divisional support team is headed by the Divisional Secretary, Rachel Meyrick, and is based in Hayes House, George Street, Oxford. Thirteen departments, one faculty, and two cross-divisional research units come under the aegis of the Social Sciences Division which spans the full range of social science disciplines with links into the humanities and physical sciences. (These are as follows: Law, the Said Business School, Economics, Politics and International Relations, the Blavatnik School of Government, the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, International Development, Sociology, Social Policy and Intervention, the Oxford Internet Institute, Archaeology, the School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies, Education, the School of Geography and the Environment, the Oxford Martin School and the Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance.) There nearly 1000 academic staff, 3,400 graduate students (postgraduate taught and postgraduate research), and 1,900 undergraduates working and studying in the division. The division is established as a world-leading centre for research in the social sciences and regularly sits at the highest levels of international league tables. The Social Science Division s externally funded research income is budgeted at 39 million for financial year 2013/14. It is the largest grouping of social science disciplines in the UK and it is also home to several of Oxford s most widely recognised teaching programmes, such as Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), the BCL, the MPhils in International Relations, in Economics, and in Development Studies, and the nationally regarded PGCE. We believe that excellence in teaching and research is synergistic and remain committed to sustaining and developing the high quality of our activities in both these areas. Our departments are committed to research which develops a greater understanding of all aspects of society, from the impact of political, legal and economic systems on social and economic welfare to human rights and security. That research is disseminated through innovative graduate programmes and enhances undergraduate courses. 8
For more information please visit: www.ox.ac.uk/divisions/social_sciences.html. The Department of Economics Oxford Economics is one of the largest and most diverse groups of academic economists in Europe with a permanent faculty of nearly 50 including 11 statutory (established) professors, and more than 30 early career researchers on fixed-term appointments of 3 or 4 years. Economics at Oxford is broad-based aiming to produce first-class research across the range of the discipline, rather than specialising in particular sub-fields. The research of the department covers all the major sub-fields with particular strengths in microeconomic theory, including behavioural economics; econometrics, both micro-econometrics and time series; economic history; development and international economics. Our members include some of the world s most distinguished academic economists whose research has made major contributions to modern economic analysis. The current faculty includes 15 Fellows of the Econometric Society, 14 Fellows of the British Academy, four Foreign Honorary Members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and seven Fellows of the European Economics Association. In the most recent, assessment of the research output of UK universities, Oxford had more research in economics and econometrics t graded as world-leading in terms of its originality, rigour and significance than did any other institution in the United Kingdom. In our large Department, research activity is focused within smaller, specialized, research groups. Research groups share the objectives of promoting and supporting high-quality research, and of providing an active and supportive research environment for faculty and research students in their field. Each group has one or more senior members of the Department as convenor with responsibility for coordinating activities, including regular seminars/workshops. Research groups share the objectives of promoting and supporting high-quality research, and of providing an active and supportive research environment for faculty and research students in their field. Emphasis is placed on providing a supportive environment in which less experienced researchers, research students and postdoctoral research fellows are able to present their research and obtain valuable feedback. Each group holds regular workshops where research by faculty and graduate students is presented and discussed; many distinguished researchers from outside Oxford also visit us to present their work at seminars. Alongside the research groups, the Department is home to a number of specialized economics research centres, including the world s leading research Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE), the Oxford Centre for the Analysis of Resource-Rich Economies (OxCarre) and the International Growth Centre (IGC). The Oxford-Man Institute and the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School are interdisciplinary initiatives across the University, and include researchers from the Departments of Economics. Members of the Department are involved in teaching for the Economics graduate and undergraduate degree courses. There are about 200 graduates and 850 undergraduates studying economics. There is no undergraduate degree in economics alone, but joint honours programmes with economics are: Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE); History and Economics; and Economics and Management. The postgraduate degrees are the MPhil in Economics; the MSc degree in Financial Economics (joint with the Saïd Business School); the MSc in Economics for Development; and, the DPhil which is a degree by dissertation. Associate Professors are required to provide lectures for undergraduates and graduates on behalf of the department and to supervise MPhil and DPhil students. The Department operates a points system to manage individual workloads and a full-time Associate Professor is normally required to provide up to 192 units of teaching and supervision in a given academic year. Details of the current 9
tariffs for the main types of teaching and supervision are given in Annex B. The norm is for a fulltime Associate Professor to provide around 36 hours of lectures and to supervise four or five MPhil/DPhil students in a given academic year. The Department of Economics is located in the Manor Road Building (designed by Sir Norman Foster) which provides works space for faculty, postdoctoral researchers and research students. Graduate teaching is mainly located here. The building houses three of the social sciences departments and their related research centres, as well as the Social Science Library. On appointment an Associate Professor will have at their disposal a computing set-up allowance of 2,500 and will be provided with an ipad. The annual personal research allowance is currently 2,500. Additionally there are a number of Department and University research funds to which application may be submitted for additional support as required. For more information please visit: http://www.economics.ox.ac.uk/ Corpus Christi There are 38 self-governing and independent colleges at Oxford, giving both academic staff and students the benefits of belonging to a small, interdisciplinary community as well as to a large, internationally-renowned institution. The collegiate system fosters a strong sense of community, bringing together leading academics and students across subjects, and from different cultures and countries. The College was founded in 1517. It occupies historic buildings and is situated in the centre of Oxford. The College is governed by its President Professor Richard Carwardine (Professor Steve Cowley w.e.f. 1 October 2016) and a Governing Body of currently 39 Fellows. Tutors are assisted by more than a dozen college lecturers, and the research community is also augmented by a number of postdoctoral research fellows. There are approximately 110 graduate students and 240 undergraduates studying across a wide variety of disciplines. The College admits some six undergraduates a year to read for the joint school of PPE - and up to three Economics graduate students a year. It prides itself on a distinguished record of achievement at all levels, and seeks to attract students of the very highest quality from all backgrounds. As a Tutorial Fellow (Official Student) of Corpus Christi, the post-holder would be entitled to the following: Full Membership of the Senior Common Room (for which a small subscription is payable). Free lunch and dinner in College whenever the kitchens are open (closed last two weeks in August). A private study/teaching room in College. Housing Allowance ( 12,000), Tutorial Book allowance ( 733), Research allowance ( 2,000), Hospitality authority ( 410) and junior member entertainment allowance. Fellows allowances are assessed on an annual basis by an independent remuneration committee which advises the Governing Body. There is also a Small Grant Research Fund (currently 20,000 per annum) to which Fellows can make applications. Membership of the College s private health care plan. Eligibility to submit bids to the College s Research Fund. 10
Tutors are entitled to one term s paid leave from the College in respect of each six terms service completed, subject to putting in place satisfactory arrangements for the teaching of their students. University leave needs to be separately arranged but is usually concurrent. On completion of the initial period of office, an Associate Professor is eligible for reappointment to the retiring age. Under the Statutes of Corpus Christi College, Fellowships are formally renewed every seven years until retirement age (after an initial period of five years). Under present arrangements within the collegiate University, the postholder would normally retire from both College and University appointments not later than 30 th September immediately preceding the 68 th birthday. Further information on the College can be found at: www.ccc.ox.ac.uk. 11
Annex A 1. The breakdown of the joint scale is shown below (implemented 1 August 2014). Spine point Scale point Total Combined Salary (University salary) (College stipend) 52 11 59,914 50,250 9,664 51 10 58,172 48,789 9,383 50 09 56,482 47,371 9,111 49 08 54,841 45,995 8,846 48 07 53,248 44,659 8,589 47 06 51,702 43,362 8,340 46 05 50,200 42,103 8,097 45 04 48,743 40,881 7,862 44 03 47,328 39,694 7,634 43 02 45,954 38,542 7,412 42 01 44,620 37,423 7,197 2. Financial summary College Association Corpus Christi Salary plus allowances + Research Allowance Typical teaching for the Dep t (hours per year) 56,620-5,233 4 36 (plus supervision of 4-5 71,914 3 graduate students) Teaching for the College (hours per year) Up to 144* + This combines the joint salary for Associate Professors with any pensionable allowances from the college. The Department may also recommend the awarding of an off-scale salary supplement at the start of the appointment and within-scale additional increments to Associate Professors at any time during their appointment. * 144 is 6 hours/week over the 24 week academic year. The College operates a system of weighted hours dependent on the number of students being taught. If students are taught in pairs this means that the teaching requirement is up to 144/1.25 = 115.2hrs per year, if students are taught in threes this gives a teaching requirement of 144/1.5=96 hours per year. 3 OR 44,620-59,914 if the post-holder receives residential accommodation provided by the college in lieu of the pensionable housing allowance. 4 2,500 research allowance from the Economics Dep t plus 2,733 College research/book allowance. 12
Annex B STINT TARIFF FOR DEPARTMENTAL TEACHING & SUPERVISION (October 2013) Teaching Stint Units 1-hour lecture 3 1-hour class/seminar (no marking) 2 1-hour class/seminar (with moderate marking) 4 Supervision Supervision of one DPhil student (during fee liability) General supervision of one MPhil student Supervision of MPhil thesis* (year 2) General supervision of one MSc student Supervision of MSc thesis/dissertation 24 pa 4 pa 12 pa 4 pa 8 pa 1. Co-supervision is normally split 50:50 unless specifically agreed. The above tariffs also apply to recognised teaching for courses outside of the Department of Economics. 13
CONF 14/18 Annex C The Tutorial Fellowship: General Template of Duties 1: Introduction A Tutorial Fellowship represents the College side of a joint appointment, i.e. an appointment which involves a College component and a University component. The University side is represented by an Associate Professorship 5. The appointee is selected and funded jointly by the College(s) concerned and by the relevant division of the University. The joint appointment system is an unusual arrangement in research-intensive universities. Its central feature is that academics of major research reputation are attached to particular Colleges as Tutorial Fellows, where they are members of an interdisciplinary community of moderate size. In those Colleges they teach, and arrange teaching for, a small cohort of very able undergraduates in tutorials (teaching sessions with one, two, or three students) and small classes, monitoring their progress individually over the whole of their course. They also have responsibility for advising a certain number of graduate students in their subject area within their College. Tutorial Fellowships thus hold a key place in the intellectual culture of the collegiate University of Oxford. This document, adopted by the Conference of Colleges, aims to set out the main features of Tutorial Fellowships, and the expectations that Colleges will generally have of Tutorial Fellows. The duties of a Tutorial Fellow are not confined to the College. All have an obligation as members of a department or faculty to contribute to research and teaching, and this will usually include lecturing, class teaching, supervision of graduate students and University examining alongside contributing to an internationally excellent research environment. As Associate Professors, the holders of joint appointments will also be expected to contribute to discussion and governance in their faculty or department, serving on committees, revising teaching syllabus materials and reading lists, and taking on administrative roles as needed. All Tutorial Fellows are also members of Congregation, the sovereign legislative body within the University, and have a right to vote on matters before Congregation. 2: Research The Colleges have the same interest as departments and faculties in seeking to appoint to Tutorial Fellowships academic staff whose research is or has the potential to be of international standing, and a Tutorial Fellow will be required by the College to engage in research and publication at the highest level. The Colleges and the University work together to appoint outstanding researchers who are willing and able to engage in undergraduate and graduate teaching, student support and pastoral work, and administrative duties. Colleges offer extensive support for research, funding regular sabbatical leave and providing a system of allowances, together with rooms and library facilities, all within a welcoming, interdisciplinary community. 3: Teaching and support Those appointed to Tutorial Fellowships are required to perform for the College or for the benefit of the College the stint of undergraduate tutorial teaching specified in their contract or further particulars, under the general oversight of each College s Senior Tutor. The timing of tutorials and the exact numbers of students in each tutorial group are usually matters for the individual tutor, though each College will have established conventions, and the Senior Tutor and subject 5 Associate Professorships come in three different forms according to the balance of duties owed to the College and University and formally known as CUF (Common University Fund) Lecturerships, ULs (University Lecturerships), or FLs (Faculty Lecturerships). 14
colleagues will provide advice and examples of past good practice including arrangements such as intercollegiate teaching exchanges which are commonly used to provide expert coverage of different aspects of (or subjects within) a discipline. Tutorial teaching is not the same as lecturing: the intention is to engage the students in small groups in intellectual interaction and creative dialogue so as to help them develop an independent, critical, and well-informed approach to their discipline. This approach is underpinned by regularly setting written work, typically weekly essays or problem sheets supported as necessary with recommended reading. Assessment and feedback on that written work is given by the tutors orally during the tutorials as well as by more conventional written comments or marking. Appointees should have the qualities required to relate effectively to students and their academic and personal needs. Tutorial Fellows are generally assigned sole or joint tutorial responsibility for a defined group of students in their subject area within their College. This work typically involves the following tasks to support the students education: (a) arranging tutorial and/or class teaching for each student in each term, whether the teaching is done by the tutor or another, and ensuring that teaching is of an appropriate standard; (b) monitoring students progress through termly written reports and by means of collections (regular tests of performance) and/or assessment of vacation work; (c) pastoral support of undergraduates reading the subject in question; (d) interviewing candidates who apply to read the subject at the College, including arranging for help from other suitable interviewers and making the final selection of who should be admitted; (e) writing references for students, and directing them to appropriate careers advice; (f) recommending and selecting books and online materials for their subject area in the College Library; (g) delegating responsibilities (a)-(f) above when on sabbatical leave, in consultation with the Senior Tutor and subject colleagues. Tutorial Fellows are supported in these tasks by the administrative staff of the College and by the College Officers. Tutorial Fellows normally do their tutorial teaching in rooms provided for them in Colleges or in their Departments or Faculties and should be easily contactable through their Colleges during Term (although it is recognised that conferences and other commitments may mean that Tutorial Fellows are sometimes away from Oxford for short periods in Term). Oxford Colleges offer strong pastoral support to all their students. Here Tutorial Fellows play a key role, not only for their own undergraduates as indicated above, but also by acting as College Adviser in College for a number of graduate students in their disciplinary area (this being additional to the formal academic supervision of research students arranged by the University with a suitable expert very possibly from another College). While Tutorial Fellows are often the first point of contact for students who are having difficulties, there are, of course, experts available when professional help is needed. Tutorial Fellows work closely with College Officers and with staff with appropriate medical and welfare training to ensure that students are supported appropriately and referred to professional services if that is necessary. 4: College Governance Oxford Colleges are self-governing communities with wide responsibilities. Tutorial Fellows are normally members of College Governing Bodies, the sovereign bodies of Colleges. They are usually Charity Trustees as well as employees. In many Colleges, major College Officerships (Senior Tutor, Tutor for Admissions, Tutor for Graduates, Dean) are held by Fellows specially appointed to undertake those roles on a full-time basis. However, in some Colleges, such officerships are taken on by Tutorial Fellows on a full-time or part-time basis for agreed limited periods in return for additional stipend and/or a specified remission of tutorial teaching duties. In 15
these various ways, Tutorial Fellows are expected to contribute to the governance and running of their Colleges, though Tutorial Fellows will not normally be asked to take on significant administrative duties in their probationary period (or in the first five years, if their probationary period is shorter than that). 16