Academic Senate

To: All Faculty, Administrative Officers, Deans, Department Chairs, Directors, Vice Chancellors and Vice Provosts

Dear Faculty and Administrative Leaders:

We write to request that you read, discuss, and act on the Final Report of the Joint Senate-Administration Mitigating COVID-19 Impacts on Faculty Working Group (PDF). This report’s recommendations, if adopted, may have long-term consequences for academic personnel review and faculty welfare at UCLA.

The negative impacts of the pandemic on faculty have been serious, are ongoing, and will continue to manifest for years to come. Furthermore, these impacts have been uneven, especially harming junior faculty, women, and faculty of color.

As summarized in a recent letter from President Drake (PDF), the report endorses a framework for academic personnel review known as “Advancement Relative to Opportunity.” This approach recognizes achievement holistically, advancing the principle of fair and equitable treatment. 

Here are the five areas in which the report (PDF) makes recommendations:

• COVID-19 Opportunities and Challenges Statements
• “Achievement Relative to Opportunities (ARO)” in Academic Advancement
• Resources and Time for Research Recovery
• Support for Faculty Success
• Campus Implementation Plan

In the weeks to come, our campus administration will share next steps in response to the report as well as an updated summary of measures our campus has taken to mitigate the pandemic’s negative impacts on faculty. We encourage you to discuss the report in collegial, departmental, and administrative settings, and we welcome your feedback and ideas.

Sincerely,

Michael S. Levine
Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

Darnell Hunt
Incoming Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

Jessica Cattelino
Chair, UCLA Academic Senate