Vviewpoints
DOI: 10.1145/2018396.2018409
education
teaching-oriented
faculty at research
Universities

TitLeS AnD JoB details vary from university to univer- sity, but teaching-oriented faculty(TOF)contributesig- nificantly to the mission of CS departments in U.S. and Canadian research universities. The nine collaborators of this column are TOF in computer science departments at research universities in the U.S. or Canada; some of us even have the word “Professor” in our job titles. Here, we describe how positions like ours work, how they contribute to education— and as a side effect, to research—at our institutions, and how departmental policies can influence TOF’s success and satisfaction.

excellent teachers
Who Prioritize teaching

IllustratIon by mIa angelICa balaQuIot

The unifying characteristic of TOF is excellent teaching. We teach large classes, introductory classes, specialized classes; we typically teach more classes and more students than other faculty in our departments and by common measures we do it very well. Unlike our non-TOF colleagues, we are also evaluated primarily on the basis of our teaching.

TOF are not hired as inexpensive, one-shot instructors to fill temporary gaps in the course list. Most of our institutions have different job titles for this kind of faculty appointment. Nor are TOF positions intended for traditional faculty who are no longer active in research. TOF have a primary profes-