Beginning Fall 2023, full-time faculty members at Youngstown State University will apply for various processes and complete Chairperson Evaluations of Faculty Performance through Faculty Success by Watermark.
See below for detailed information regarding processes that will be completed through the RPT module of Faculty Success:
Where can I get training and learn more about Faculty Success by Watermark?
- Sabbatical / Faculty Improvement Leave
Where Do I Apply?
By August 28th, navigate to the Activities page in Faculty Success by Watermark and click on the Intent to Apply for Annual Processes link to indicate your intention to apply for a Sabbatical or Faculty Improvement Leave in the upcoming academic year. This Knowledge Base article provides more information about how to use the Intent to Apply for Annual Processes.
Using the dropdown menu, indicate your intent to apply for a Sabbatical/Faculty Improvement Leave for the next academic year:
If you indicate that you intend to apply for a Sabbatical / Faculty Improvement Leave, you will receive a Watermark notification email on September 1 informing you that the application is available.
Read the email language carefully and click the link to be taken to the Sabbatical/Faculty Improvement Leave application in Faculty Success by Watermark. You will be able to upload your materials to the application. The application and all materials must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on September 15*.
*Note: If September 15 falls on a weekend or holiday, then 11:59 p.m. the first working day following September 15 shall be the deadline.
What is Needed to Apply?
Read the below information and prepare the necessary materials prior to the application deadline.
Each application should stand on its own merit. The application should be written in a way that it can be understood by an individual who is not an expert in your field. Make every effort to ensure that all jargon is carefully explained and the problem is presented in a way that can be understood by the review committee members. Demonstrate how this activity will be of benefit to the department, college, and University.
The application should include the following components:
- Statement of Work (limited to five pages total)
- Abstract (limited to 250 words)
- Narrative, including:
- Background information, a description of the problem, its significance, and relationship to applicant’s current research and other research in the field.
- Relationship of the activity to departmental/college mission and goals.
- Statement of objectives, providing the specific aims or goals of the proposed activity and the outcomes to be achieved.
- Procedures for carrying out the proposed work. Do not assume that the reader will be familiar with methods. Provide sufficient explanation that a reader who is not an expert in the field can understand how the procedures will lead to the desired outcomes.
- Availability of needed resources, facilities, or budgetary resources (if applicable). If travel is involved, demonstrate that the host site supports the activity.
- Assessment measures. How will you evaluate the outcomes of the activity?
- Plans for dissemination of the outcomes.
- As part of their Statement of Work, applicants for FILs shall indicate (a) the semester for which they seek the leave (fall/spring), and (b) whether they would accept a leave if granted for the other semester.
- Applicant’s vita (limited to three pages), including listings of pertinent publications, grant applications, and grant awards (both internal and external).
- Appendices may include letters of support from external organizations or host sites providing required resources or otherwise supporting the proposed activity.
After you submit your application, both your Chairperson and Dean will be asked to provide support for the proposed activity and to describe how the workload will be covered within the department/college. Notify your Chairperson and Dean of your intent to apply so that they can prepare their statements in advance.
- Statement of Work (limited to five pages total)
- Research Professorship
Where Do I Apply?
By September 8, navigate to the Activities page in Faculty Success by Watermark and click on the Intent to Apply for Annual Processes to indicate your intention to apply for a Reseach Professorship in the upcoming academic year. This Knowledge Base article provides more information about how to use the Intent to Apply for Annual Processes.
Using the dropdown menu, indicate your intent to apply for a Research Professorship for the next academic year:
If you indicate that you intend to apply for a Research Professorship, you will receive a Watermark notification email on September 15 informing you that the application is available.
Read the email language carefully and click the link to be taken to the Research Professorship application in Faculty Success by Watermark. You will be able to upload your materials to the application. The application and all materials must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on October 15*.
*Note: If October 15 falls on a weekend or holiday, then 11:59 p.m. the first working day following October 15 shall be the deadline.
What is Needed to Apply?
Your application must include the following materials:
- Narrative (limited to five pages)
- Needs Statement: Background information, statement of problem, significance, timeliness, appropriateness, innovativeness, generalizability, relationship to the applicant’s current research, department and college mission and goals. Scope of research should be achievable in those where external funding is available, priority will be given to applicants who show evidence that the Research Professorship would improve the faculty member’s chances to obtain sponsored research funding in the future.
- Statement of Research Objectives: Specific aims or goals of the proposed research.
- Procedures: Methods used and project plan including timeline. Does the proposed research follow a rigorous research protocol?
- Statement of Evaluation: How the results will be evaluated and how the success of the project will be determined.
- Plan for Dissemination of Results: Publications, conferences, curriculum, sponsored research proposal, other scholarly initiatives.
- Availability of Resources (limited to one page)
- Resources: List any resources (equipment, material, funding, etc.) needed to complete this reach project with approximate costs.
- Resource Plan: Explanation of how the researcher will address any above-noted resource needs or limitations.
- Abridged Research Curriculum Vitae (this CV will be generated for you within the Watermark application)
- (Optional) The application includes a text box, which can be utilized to provide any additional information you would like to provide to the committee for consideration.
- Narrative (limited to five pages)
Please see the Faculty Success by Watermark articles for instruction on use of the system.