Faculty Work Life and Personnel Initiatives

Faculty Work Life and Personnel Initiatives

Provides services to help faculty maintain a balance between work-life and family life. Focuses on creative problem-solving in both professional and personal life and advances the University’s commitment to a diverse workforce, a culture of dignity, and respect for faculty as individuals.

In advocating for faculty, the office researches, creates and administers programs, policies and practices that:

  • Promotes a culture of caring, collegiality, and mentoring for faculty
  • Acknowledges the importance of well- being for faculty and their families
  • Supports the pursuit of work-life in teaching, research and service
  • Strives to enhance both faculty productivity and professional success
  • Considers the human impact of academic/business decisions
  • Educates faculty on university policies and on the programs, services, and work-life support available to them
  • Reshape environments to help faculty thrive today and in future generations

Balance that Works@UB : An initiative to improve the work lives of tenured and tenure track faculty. The programs and policies that will be developed through this initiative will be designed to support UB faculty in balancing productive academic careers with their personal lives. This initiative began in April 2008 with the receipt of $200,000 from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation “Flexibility Faculty Career” Award.

Sloan Workgroups

Early Career--Hire to pretenure
Workgroup 1, with a focus on attracting and transitioning new faculty, is working on developing resources to ease the transition to the University. These resources include dual career support, an improved introduction to the University and the Baltimore region, resources for childcare support, career mentoring by peers and assistance and support to handle the concerns of work/life challenges that may arise.

Mid-Career--Post tenure up to 5-8 years pre-retirement
Workgroup 2 is focused on the work/life balance of tenured faculty and is improving and refining faculty policies. The workgroup will recommend new policies that will assist faculty in successfully managing family wellness issues across the lifespan, as they relate to children, eldercare and personal and family health. Finally, the group will create a comprehensive communication package to disseminate information to faculty and provide feedback.

Engaged Retirement--5-8 years before retirement through post retirement
Workgroup 3, with an emphasis on easing the transition into retirement, is focused on providing opportunities for those considering retirement to help make the transition successful. The options may include a phased retirement system, creative retirement structures, or portfolio modifications. The group is also working to clarify and consolidate these practices between the various schools and colleges.

Faculty Resources