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In the 1950s and
early 60s, each faculty member was responsible for teaching
two semester courses as well as contributing to the Introductory
course. As a result of changes that came about during Kleinholz's
Chairmanship in1954 it was the expectation that all members
of the Biology faculty be selected on the basis not only of
their teaching ability, but on evidence of research interests
and capability. This was viewed as crucial because it allowed
them to be competitive at the national level for extramural
funding. In 1954 when Stafford and Siegel were appointed they
were encouraged to apply for a federal grant (NSF) before
arriving on campus, and both were successful. The National
Science Foundation was in its infancy and wanted to encourage
research at the undergraduate level and there is some evidence
that Reed and Swarthmore were identified as appropriate institutions
to test this idea (H.A. Stafford, pers. com.). Reed graduates
had already been identified as going on to professional and
research careers in large numbers and the awarding of research
grants to faculty was seen as a way to further this agenda.
A
grant from the Rockefeller Foundation in 1958 in support of "released time" explicitly
for research led to an agreement with the college that each member of the department
would
be paid 75% from the general instructional budget and 25%
from the Rockefeller fund until such time as extramural
funding could be obtained. This was usually understood
to be limited to the first three years by which time it was
expected that outside funding would be obtained by each member
of the department. That fund has been added to by various
donors over the years and the continued success of faculty
members in obtaining extramural funding prolonged the life
of the released time fund well beyond the limits of the original
grant.
As
a result of this agreement the department was able to add
positions and thus enrich the curriculum and allow each member
to teach only one full semester course in addition to participation
in the introductory course, allowing for the "released time" for academic year research.
Two forms of the agreement are reproduced below:
(Revised after a conversation with M. Cronyn,
V-P Provost, on 6/12/86)
At its meeting of May 12, 1986,
the Department of Biology agreed that the funds which accrue
to it from the $200 K portion of the bequest from the estate
of Mr. Les Ehmann shall be added to the account which has
for many years supported the release-time of departmental
faculty for research. The account number is 3609.
The primary concern that we
all share for the future is for the quality of the faculty
attracted to and maintained by the Department. Therefore,
all funds which are dispersed through this account in the
future shall be used under the guidelines stated below.
FUNDS FOR FACULTY RELEASE-TIME
FOR RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY
GOALS:
1. To support new full
time appointments, so that they may develop research
opportunites and eventual external support.
2. To support established,
previously funded investigators, who for one reason or
another are without current support. Evidence of research
productivity and of continuing attempts to gain federal grant
support will be required for a year by year consideration
in this category.
CONDITIONS:
Support under this program
shall be restricted to 25% of the salary normally paid by
REED COLLEGE for full-time teaching at the rank held by the
faculty member. This support will be made on a yearly basis
to each new full-time appointment for a period of three
years. After that point in time, evidence of research
productivity and of continuing attempts to gain federal grant support will
be required for renewal of this opportunity on a year to year basis.
Introduction
The Faculty
The Curriculum
The Research Paradigm
Research
Time—Principles and Expectations (1997)
Student Research: The Senior
Thesis
Outcomes
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