A proposal to be voted on by Tufts' faculty would allow the University to hire experts to teach at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School of Engineering, creating professors out of professionals to give students a real-world perspective on their academic studies.
The position, which could later be implemented at the undergraduate level, would bring instructors who, though not trained in pedagogy, have a wider scope in the practical applications of their field of study. "The basic rationale and purpose is to combine academic-based teaching with practice-based teaching," said Robert Hollister, dean of Tufts' graduate school of arts and sciences.
If approved, the proposal will call for professors of practice to be hired as early as next fall. But faculty members must first approve the plan, and the date of their vote has yet to be determined.
"I'm hopeful that both graduate schools will approve the proposal," Hollister said.
Professors of practice would sign a contract for a maximum of five years. There would also be an associate professor of practice position analogous to the current associate professor position.
According to Hollister, however, there are currently some questions over the positions of non-tenured professors at the University that faculty feel need to be dealt with before more non-tenured positions can be created.
"In general, there has been very positive feedback, but the proposal has also triggered response from people asking whether we can create this new position unless we're also doing our best to improve existing non-tenure track faculty positions," Hollister said. "We are trying to make progress concerning that issue."
Hollister suggested a number of possibilities to improve the employment conditions of non-tenure professors, such as proposing better academic appointments, issuing longer contracts, and giving more job security and better titles to these faculty members.
"We are trying work out improvements in the system that preserve and sustain the basic criteria of practice-based teaching," Hollister said. "These things work only if we come up with an approach that the whole faculty will approve of. It's a complication, but it's a good complication."
Although the proposal calls for the hiring of professors of practice for the graduate schools, the position could be added to undergraduate departments if it proves successful. Some faculty are excited about the possibilities that the new position may bring to undergraduates.
"It's a good opportunity," said John Macdonald, chair of the music department. "The music department is interested in the concept."
Professional musicians could be brought to Tufts to teach music classes or coach performance groups.
The Experimental College has long employed professionals to teach courses in their areas of expertise. But Hollister said that there is a difference between Ex College instructors and 'professors of practice'. "The proposed position would be offered to people who have had extensive experience," he said.
The quality of the professors at Tufts affects students' decisions to matriculate, and Dean of Admissions David Cuttino said that professors of practice will reflect well on University academics.
"This is an effort to be able to encourage the best talents to that students will benefit from teachers who can provide encouragement in their interest and research," he said. "It is an additional model, an effort to make a step forward that will benefit students and the University."
