Faculty Service 

Within UMSI

Service 

Service includes a variety of activities at the UMSI, university, and scholarly or professional community levels. All tenure track, clinical,  research faculty,  LEC III, and IV carry a service obligation within UMSI that is proportional to their appointment fraction in UMSI.

UMSI Service Assignments for 2024- 2025

Service Expectations

Tenure Track: The School of Information expects all faculty in the tenure track to dedicate 12.5% effort to service. NOTE: it is not possible to buy out of this service obligation through funded grants.

Research Track: The School of Information expects all faculty in the research professor track to dedicate 10% effort to service. The School pays this fraction of their overall appointment.  NOTE: it is not possible to buy out of this service obligation through funded grants.

Clinical Track: The School of Information expects all faculty in the clinical track to dedicate 12.5% effort to service. Adjunct clinical faculty have no service obligation.  NOTE: it is not possible to buy out of this service obligation through funded grants.

Lecturers III and IV: Those with a 50% or greater appointment have a service obligation ranging from 10%, depending on the appointment.  NOTE: it is not possible to buy out of this service obligation through funded grants.

Intermittent Lecturers: generally teach only one or two courses a year generally have no service obligation unless explicitly stated in their appointment letter.

Individual Service Appointments

Senate Assembly (elected or appointed)

UMSI can elect up to two faculty members to serve on the (faculty) Senate Assembly. According to the bylaws, these members are to serve for terms of three years, and a member who has served a full term will not be immediately eligible to serve for re-election. It is up to the faculty to elect or self-appoint to the Faculty Assembly. The Assembly generally meets once per year. One of the School’s Assembly members will be elected by the Assembly to serve on the Senate Advisory Committee on University affairs (SACUA), which is more active than the Assembly.

Faculty Ombuds (appointed)

The Dean (or by delegation, the Associate Dean for Faculty) appoints a Faculty Ombuds to encourage administrative practices that are fair, just and respectful, serving in effect as a mediator between faculty and the administration of the School, when the need arises. Faculty ombuds are appointed for a two-year term and must be a tenured faculty member.  UMSI will inform Rackham who is appointed to this service assignment. 

The following is from the UM Faculty Handbook:

"A faculty ombuds provides impartial information and informal, confidential assistance to faculty in the resolution of disputes. The role of the faculty ombuds is to facilitate the resolution of faculty problems and complaints with respect to policy administration or conflict resolution. The central faculty ombuds will maintain liaison with local ombuds in University units and at other universities." The ombuds is a confidential resource but there are limits to that confidentiality. 

The Faculty Ombuds Program is coordinated by the Faculty Senate, which can be reached at sacua@umich.edu. The latter can also provide more complete information and the name of the unit Ombuds. 

UMSI External Faculty Grievance Hearing Board Representative (elected)

UMSI Governing Faculty must elect a tenured faculty member to serve a 3-year term on the Grievance Hearing Board of the university. This person may be called upon to participate in a grievance when another faculty member grieves a decision or action concerning the faculty member’s conditions of employment at the Ann Arbor campus which s/he perceives as violating University policy or as manifestly unfair. See UMSI Faculty grievance Procedure and the Faculty Senate, Faculty Grievance procedures. UMSI will inform Rackham who is appointed to this service assignment. 

Internal Faculty Grievance Committee (appointed)

In addition to the University-level processes, each school or college also has an internal grievance process.  The UMSI Faculty Grievance Procedure (adopted March 21, 2012) is here. Members of the internal  grievance hearing panel referenced in this procedure are appointed by the Associate Dean for Faculty to serve on a standing UMSI internal faculty grievance committee for 1-year terms.  Current members are listed in the faculty service assignments.

ADVANCE Launch Committee (external) Convener (appointed)

ADVANCE Launch Committees are a resource for new tenure track assistant professors, offering support and guidance as they begin their careers at Michigan. Committees meet monthly over the first academic year.  Launch Committee meetings are the center of the Launch Program, providing a space in which topics important to the new faculty members’ success can be discussed and addressed. 

UMSI participates in the Launch Program and, as part of our participation, nominates one senior faculty member to serve on the launch committee of an other participating unit at the University.  For each launch committee formed for a UMSI faculty member, the Associate Dean for Faculty identifies one external convener to serve on another unit's launch committee.   UMSI will inform ADVANCE who is appointed to this service assignment. 

Rackham Faculty Allies for Diversity (appointed)

Through the Faculty Allies for Diversity initiative, Rackham Graduate School promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion within graduate programs across the University of Michigan campus. Rackham expects every department that trains graduate students to identify at least one faculty member as a Faculty Ally, who will lead efforts to strengthen DEI for graduate students and serve as the point person(s) for diversity matters in their program. UMSI will inform Rackham who is appointed to this service assignment. 

United Way Representative (appointed)

The faculty member who is assigned to this service supports the United Way fundraising campaign through announcements at Faculty meetings and email messages. This person works in collaboration with a staff representative appointed by the UMSI Chief Administrative Officer.  The responsibilities will include sharing information and answering questions about the campaign and setting an overall monetary and/or participation goal which will be shared through an email announcement to the UMSI community.  

Once service assignments have been announced, the faculty member should register (a new sign up link is sent out around September and will be forwarded to the faculty member).  In the event of questions (or not receiving the sign up information), the faculty should contact the Office of the Vice President for Government Relations no later than mid-October.  

UMSI will inform the UMSI Chief Administrative Officer of the faculty member serving as the representative.  However, the faculty member is expected to register their assignment with the Office of the Vice President for Government Relations using either the sign up link they will receive around September or, failing to receive that, by direct contact with the above office. 

Liaison for Equitable Teaching (appointed)

This initiative is the result of a recommendation from the 2014 Provost’s Report on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The initiative’s aim is to build faculty skill in and commitment to cultivating learning environments where students of all backgrounds and identities are welcomed, feel valued, and are equitably supported in their academic success. Every academic year since October 2015, deans and directors have appointed a faculty or staff member to be a liaison for their unit to a campus-wide group, the Liaisons for Equitable Teaching (formerly Liaisons for Inclusive Teaching). The role of the liaisons is to represent the views of their respective unit, share information about the inclusive/equitable teaching initiative with their unit leadership and faculty, and assist with the development and implementation of a professional development program around equitable teaching in their unit that will meet the needs of their faculty. UMSI will inform Assistant Vice Provost for Equity, Inclusion & Academic Affairs.

Faculty & Staff Gatherings Liaison (appointed)

In an effort to create a fun and collegial environment, the Faculty & Staff Gatherings Liaison collaborates with the Staff Activities Committee to organize one joint faculty, post-docs and staff gathering per term (funded by UMSI). This person (along with the staff counterpart) is to lead the organization of these activities.  Activities are intended to bring the community together and have, in the past, included such things as apple picking, family picnics, museum walk-throughs, star gazing, ice skating, mushball with an ice cream truck showing up at halftime, and the ever-popular "happy hour".  One event, paid for by the school, is budgeted for the fall and one for the winter term.  Approval should be sought by contacting umsi.finance@umich.edu.  Example activities include, but are not limited to, canoeing, bowling, etc. This person works in collaboration with a staff representative identified by the UMSI Chief Administrative Officer.  UMSI will inform the Chief Administrative Officer of the faculty member serving as the representative.  

Diversity Recruitment for Academic Programs Liaison (appointed)

The faculty member assigned to work on diversity recruitment for academic programs will assist in recruiting activities to forward UMSI’s DEI plan to diversify the student body. This assignment has a high degree of autonomy associated with it. In the past faculty have chosen (for example) to engage in travel to conferences which they identify, or to work with program directors or recruiting and admissions in OASA to identify venues, they have accompanied staff on recruiting events, or worked with program directors in doing outreach or being part of panels they organize for recruiting information, or coordinated with directors to leverage faculty attendance or participation in recruiting events  etc.  As a first step, the faculty member might consider reaching out to the Recruiting and Admissions team in OASA, the Program Directors (e.g.. the Doctoral Program Director or BSI Program Director), and the UMSI Associate Dean for Diversity. UMSI will inform the Program Directors, the Recruiting and Admissions team in OASA and the Associate Dean for Diversity of the faculty member serving in this role.  coordinate collaborate with OASA and the DEI office to leverage faculty attendance or participation in recruiting events. 

Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) Liaison (appointed)

This role functions as the UMSI liaison to the Data Science Master's Program, of which UMSI is a partner.  They provide input from UMSI on impacts of curricular changes, they advise, participate in recruitment and admissions activities for that program.  They report back to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs  (ADAA) about the degree and consult with the AADA on UMSI’s opinion on all policy changes. This person should not vote on policy changes without consulting with UMSI leadership. UMSI will inform the Chair of the MSDS committee at the Statistics Department. 

Post-Doctoral Fellows Mentor (appointed)

This person serves as an additional light-weight mentor to all UMSI post-docs. Most mentoring is done by the faculty sponsor, but the Post-Doctoral Fellows mentor helps to acclimate the post-docs to UMSI and Ann Arbor, organizes 1-2 social gatherings per term (paid by UMSI),  and answers questions.  They should reach out to UMSI HR to request a list of incoming post-docs and current post-docs so as to begin communications with them.  However, they are responsible for organizing and planning the activities.  The cost of two (fall and winter term) small group lunches with the post-doctoral fellows are paid for by the school. Approval should be sought by contacting umsi.finance@umich.edu and requesting Carnegie Funds to cover. Though small group lunches are encouraged, because they arrive at different times, the lunch times and group sizes can vary and even be one on one in rare cases. 

Lecturer Hiring Service (appointed)

This person serves on the lecturer hiring committee and vets applications, participates in interviews, and participates in making hiring recommendations to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.  UMSI will inform the ADAA of the service assignment and the person serving in this role should also reach out to the ADAA. 


Lecturer Council (appointed)

The Lecturer Council has the responsibility of advising the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean for Faculty and representing the lecturer faculty on aspects of the School, including but not limited to lecturer experiences, educational policy, hiring, promotion, and strategic planning matters related to the lecturer track. To ensure that they fulfill their roles as representatives, lecturer council members are responsible for gathering input and consulting with the faculty community. They will also engage in cross-campus information gathering, as appropriate and needed, to enhance UMSIs participation in broader activities on campus. 

Tutoring Subject Specialist (appointed)

This person assists in hiring, training, monitoring, and mentoring tutors for our academic programs.  UMSI will inform the ADAA of the service assignment and the person serving in this role should also reach out to the ADAA. 

Office of Student Conflict Resolution (OSCR) Resolution Officer (appointed)

This person is generally a UMSI staff appointment.  They serve as Resolution Officers (ROs) in the formal conflict resolution process administered by OSCR. Depending on the type of arbitration selected, ROs may determine responsibility themselves or assist Student Panelists during the hearing. ROs must participate in one weekend training during the fall semester.

School of Information Standing Committees

The associate dean of faculty (ADF) assigns faculty to serve on School of Information standing and ad hoc committees. The exception is the Promotion and Tenure Committee which consists of all tenured faculty (see section 3 for further details). Committees meet during the academic year at a schedule established by the director or chair. Faculty are required to serve on the committees to which they are assigned (UMSI Standing Committees).

The standing committees for the School of Information are listed below and then described in more detail:

Dean’s Advisory Committee (DAC)

The DAC is an important part of faculty governance but it is also service which members are elected to for a 1-year-term. 

 DAC has the responsibility of advising the Dean and representing the faculty on all aspects of the School, including but not limited to educational and research policy, hiring, promotion and tenure, strategic planning, and bud­getary matters. To ensure that they fulfill their roles as faculty representatives, DAC members are responsible for gathering input and consulting with the faculty community (who are not on DAC). They will also engage in cross-campus information gathering, as appropriate and needed, to enhance UMSIs participation in broader activities on campus. 

Main Tasks:

DAC composition:

The DAC will consist of 4 faculty members; one will be untenured and the other 3 will be tenured associate or full professors. The associate deans will serve as ex officio members. The Dean will chair the committee. All governing faculty will be eligible for election, with the exception of the associate deans.

DAC election:

Prior to each election, faculty members will have the opportunity to opt out of consideration but are strongly encouraged not to do so. If a faculty member does not opt out, then he or she is de facto a candidate, unless currently a member of the DAC. A faculty member who is completing a term on the DAC cannot be re-elected until a period of one year off of the committee has passed.

All governing faculty members who hold at least at 45% appointment in UMSI will be eligible to vote for members to serve on the DAC. This election will be held in May annually, with service to begin the following September. Appointments will be for a 1-year term.

The voting scheme will be based on the method developed by Chamberlin and Courant. (See J. R. Chamberlin and P. N. Courant, “Representative Delib­erations and Representative Decisions: Proportional Representation and the Borda Rule”, American Political Science Review, 77(3);718-733, 1983.)

Lecturer Council

The Lecturer Council has the responsibility of advising the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean for Faculty and representing the lecturer faculty on aspects of the School, including but not limited to lecturer experiences, educational policy, hiring, promotion, and strategic planning matters related to the lecturer track. To ensure that they fulfill their roles as representatives, lecturer council members are responsible for gathering input and consulting with the faculty community. They will also engage in cross-campus information gathering, as appropriate and needed, to enhance UMSIs participation in broader activities on campus.

Academic Program Council (APC)

The Academic Program Committee (APC) is made up of the directors of the five UMSI academic program committees: (undergraduate, doctoral, Master of Science in Information, Master of Health Informatics, and the Master of Applied Data Science), and the associate dean for academic affairs. The APC meets regularly to coordinate activities between the programs and discuss issues of mutual concern.

Bachelor of Science in Information (BSI) Committee

The undergraduate committee is responsible for overseeing the bachelor of science in information (BSI) program including reviewing goals and policies, recruitment, admission of students, and development and monitoring of the curriculum. It works with the Office of Student Services to assure that the BSI meets the needs of the students and faculty. The committee is led by the director of the undergraduate program who reports to the associate dean for academic affairs. The committee’s charge is updated on an annual basis.

Doctoral Committee

The doctoral committee is responsible for overseeing the doctoral program including reviewing goals and policies, recruitment, admission of students, and development and monitoring of the curriculum. It works with the Office of Student Services to assure that the UMSI doctoral program meets the needs of the students and faculty. The committee is led by the director of the doctoral program who reports to the associate dean for research and faculty affairs. The committee’s charge is updated on an annual basis.

Master of Science in Information (MSI) Committee

The MSI committee is responsible for overseeing the master of science in information (MSI) program including reviewing goals and policies, recruitment, admission of students, and development and monitoring of the curriculum. It works with the Office of Student Affairs to assure that the MSI delivers a quality professional educational program that meets the needs of the students, employers, and faculty. The committee is led by the director  who reports to the associate dean for academic affairs. The committee’s charge is updated on an annual basis.

Master of Health Informatics (MHI) Committee

The MHI committee is responsible for overseeing the master of health informatics (MHI) program. This is a joined program with the School of Public Health and faculty from both schools are represented on this committee. Faculty representatives from the School of Medicine's Department of Learning Health Sciences are also included on this committee. The committee’s activities include reviewing goals and policies, recruitment, admission of students, and development and monitoring of the curriculum. It works with the UMSI Office of Student Services and the Department of Health Management and Policy in the School of Public Health to assure that the MHI meets the needs of the students and faculty. The committee is led by the director of the MHI program who reports to the associate dean for academic affairs at UMSI. The committee’s charge is updated on an annual basis.

Online Programs (MADS) Committee

The online programs committee is responsible for overseeing the master of applied data science program including reviewing goals and policies, recruitment, admission of students, and development and monitoring of the curriculum. It works with the Office of Student Affairs to assure that the MADS delivers a quality professional educational program that meets the needs of the students, employers, and faculty. The committee also reviews and can approve any MOOCs proposed by UMSI faculty. The committee is led by the  director who reports to the associate dean for academic affairs. The committee’s charge is updated on an annual basis.

Faculty Search Committee

The faculty search committee is appointed by the associate dean for faculty. The committee is charged with searching faculty in areas determined by the dean in consultation with the faculty and the DAC. Depending on the number of open positions, the committee may be divided into subcommittees based on areas of research expertise. The search committee must follow UM best practice guidelines articulated in the Handbook for Faculty Searches and Hiring which is based on the work of the Strategies and Tactics for Recruiting to Improve Diversity and Excellence (STRIDE) Committee which created a process to work towards UM goal to recruit a diverse faculty of the highest caliber.

The search committee is responsible for overseeing: position descriptions; advertising (formal and informal through UMSI faculty social networks); answering questions from potential applicants; developing recruitment, evaluation, and diversity plans for the search; evaluating applications; and developing a shortlist of candidates to invite to campus. Members take turns hosting candidates while they are on campus. Members are also responsible for summarizing faculty feedback on candidates and making recommendations on whether the candidate is above the bar to the entire faculty. Each member of the search committee must complete the ADVANCE Workshop on Faculty Recruitment for Diversity and Excellence once every 3 years.

Promotion and Tenure (P&T) Committee

The Promotion and Tenure (P&T) Committee includes the governing faculty, who are tenured or research stream faculty with a 50% appointment or greater at UMSI, and/or who have had a 50% appointment or greater at UMSI in the previous year. P&T Committee members must also be at the rank of associate professor or professor, or at equivalent ranks for research stream faculty. Faculty who are on leave or sabbatical remain eligible to vote on promotion and tenure cases.

The P&T Committee conducts 3rd year reviews of untenured faculty (tenure-track, clinical, research) and acts on all promotion and tenure cases in the school. When promoting from assistant to associate professor,  research assistant to research associate professor, or promoting in the lecturer ranks for the teaching professor title, all members of the P&T participate. When promoting from associate to full in the professorial and research faculty categories, only the full professors on the P&T deliberate and vote.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee

The UMSI Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee actively works to increase the diversity of our school, and also to make it a welcoming environment for everyone who chooses to share their unique strengths here at UMSI. The Diversity Committee is made up of faculty, staff, and students. 

The Diversity Committee works to achieve the goals in the UMSI Statement on Diversity. To do this, the committee organizes programs and activities or serves as a clearinghouse to inform the UMSI community of activities that promote diversity. The committee also distributes funding to other UMSI groups for activities that further the UMSI diversity goals.