March 23, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 14, 1429

LAHORE, March 22: The Punjab University has reportedly received 86 applications from faculty members for their appointment as associate professor and professor under the Tenure Track System (TTS).

It is learnt that the university has received 60 dossiers for the posts of professors and 26 for those of associate professors. The university is expected to invite applications from faculty members for assistant professors’ slots under TTS next week.

The varsity Syndicate had unanimously adopted the latest 2.0 version of the TTS in January this year that proposed to offer a monthly salary from Rs180,000 to Rs312,500 to a professor, from Rs120,000 to Rs226,500 to an associate professor and from Rs80,000 to Rs161,000 to an assistant professor.

Following adoption of the TTS, the university had formulated the Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) for implementation of the Model Tenure Track Process Statutes and then asked the faculty members to fill and submit their applications.

It is also learnt the varsity as well as the Higher Education Commission (HEC) would assess teachers' credentials for appointment under the TTS in four principal areas -- teaching; scholarship, research or other creative work; community service and personal characteristics.

In order to finalise procedures for recommending varsity teachers to the HEC for their appointment under TTS, the Punjab University on Saturday organised a selection board meeting, which was also attended by the HEC advisor on quality assurance, Prof Dr Riaz Qureshi, as Commission representative.

When contacted, PU Registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan said the selection board meeting was called to finalise procedures, terms and conditions, eligibility requirements and weightage criteria for teachers serving in different disciplines ranging from science, humanity, law to art and design and music.

The registrar gave an introductory briefing about the TTS to the board members, highlighting the fact that the new system would help improve quality in academics while allowing the teachers to concentrate on academics and research.

He said the HEC representative also gave useful tips on preparing teachers' cases for appointment under the TTS in accordance with the Commission’s expectations.

The registrar said the selection board learnt through Prof Qureshi that the HEC would require only two referee reports, while the university was selecting and appointing teachers to a higher rank on the basis of three referee reports. He also said the PU had approved referees from developed countries of Europe and North America.

It is learnt that the teaching experience will be assessed on the basis of respective teachers' evaluation by students, chairman and dean.

A candidate’s personal characteristics include his effectiveness as a teacher, professionalism, human qualities, intellectual breadth, emotional stability, maturity, and willingness to cooperate, etc.

As a general rule, five-year service in the rank of associate professor is required for being considered for promotion to full professor. In addition, 15 research publications (with at least five in the past five years) in international journals are required for the purpose of appointment under TTS by the HEC.

The faculty members selected under the TTS would be required to conduct original research.

It is reliably learnt that the varsity would discuss whether the TTS teacher should take extra classes at the meeting of chairmen and professors followed by a final decision to be taken by the Syndicate.

"We will have to take a decision, because the whole purpose of introducing TTS is to free teachers of economic burden and the drudgery of extra teaching so that they can focus on research," PU vice-chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran told Dawn.