Faculty Council Considers Research Professorships

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) may consider creating a research professor position at its next meeting.

If the FAS adopts the proposal at its December 9 Faculty meeting, retiring professors may be able to choose between the title of "professor emeritus" and "research professor."

A research professor would have no teaching responsibilities. Five years after retiring from active Faculty status, a research professor would become emeritus.

Members of the Faculty Council, the FAS governing body which must propose all legislation to the full Faculty, discussed the issue in a meeting yesterday.

The Faculty is likely to approve the measure.

The research professor position is designed to recognize professors who no longer teach but who still want to work in their fields of study, council members said.

"It's for people who don't want to go from living professor to professor emeritus right away," said professor of biology Daniel L. Hartl, who sits on the council. "It signals someone who is intending to be active in research."