Faculty studios at Eastman have historically been assigned largely on an ad hoc basis.  In general, faculty members have expressed studio needs throughout an academic year, and the administration has identified potential solutions prior to the start of a new academic year.  The procedure for assigning studio space when a faculty member retires or moves to another school has not always been clear.  Does a studio that has been vacated by a departing faculty member become the de facto studio of the new incoming faculty member?  Is the studio available for discretionary use by the department of the departing faculty member?  Does the studio become part of a central pool of studios that might be used to address known issues unrelated to the departing faculty member or his/her department?

Given the addition of six new faculty studios in the new addition, the department chairs and senior administration have worked together to articulate a procedure for assigning faculty studios.  This policy will be applied for filling the new studios, as well as filling studios that will be vacated as faculty members relocate to the new addition.  It is anticipated that these new faculty studios will create a “domino effect” that may impact numerous faculty members.  It is also anticipated that the procedure articulated below will continue in future years as studio vacancies occur.

General Principles:

1. When a faculty studio becomes vacant, the studio will be considered part of a central pool of studios for potential redistribution to address known teaching and research needs.

2. Logistical issues, such as the studio’s size, acoustical properties, and location, will all be considered when reassigning a vacant studio.

3. Studio reassignments will be based upon the appropriateness of a given studio to address those issues that are required in order for a faculty member to best fulfill his/her teaching and research responsibilities.

4. Priority will be by the following seniority and appointment order: 1.) full-time ESM, 2.) part-time ESM, 3.) full-time ECMS, 4.) part-time ECMS.

Process:

1. The Senior Associate Dean for Administration and Finance and the Senior Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs work collaboratively on all faculty studio assignments.

2. Faculty members who wish to be considered for reassignment to a different studio should send a written request to the Senior Associate Dean for Administration and Finance indicating the reason for requesting reassignment, and the specific needs to be addressed (e.g., larger studio for coaching chamber music; improved acoustical isolation; better proximity to departmental colleagues; other). Reassignment requests must be received by May 1^st to be considered for new assignments effective July 1^st.  Requests received after May 1^st will be included in the faculty studio assignment process for the following academic year.

3. A list will be compiled in seniority order (total number of years employed at Eastman) of all faculty members who wish to be considered for reassignment.

4. As studio vacancies become available, the Senior Associate Dean for Administration and Finance and the Senior Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs will assess the requests. When proposed new studio assignments are identified, they will consult with the Department Chair to solicit feedback and input into the proposed studio assignment.

5. Faculty members will be approached in order of seniority for rooms that appear to meet expressed needs.

6. If a faculty member chooses to decline an available studio, the faculty member will be approached again when another vacancy becomes available.

7. Once a faculty member is satisfied with a studio assignment, he/she will be removed from the list of faculty members requesting reassignment.

8. The faculty studio assignment process is targeted to be completed by July 1^st.  Due to the timing of the studio assignments and the time involved in preparing a new studio location, a July 1^st move-in date will not always be possible for every faculty member involved.

Exceptions:

There may be times when an exception to the procedure outlined above is necessary because it is deemed to be in the best interest of the School.  Examples might include the need to reserve a desirable vacant studio in order to recruit a particularly noteworthy faculty candidate, or because the pressing needs of a junior faculty member are met more adequately by a particular studio vacancy than are the less pressing needs of a senior faculty member.  Every effort will be made to honor the process as articulated above.

Revised, September 2017

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