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[hulahu]

I am going to be a new tt faculty in the fall, and I am posting to the admin forum to get the admin perspective. Until now, I have mostly worked in non-academic settings, where the amount of "face time" (by this I mean the consistency with which one is actually present in the office) is sometimes important in perceptions and evaluations. I have been told that as long as you show up for faculty meetings, office hours, and faculty meetings, that "face time" is much less important for the typical faculty. I know that the culture varies a lot between insititions, so I'm just interested in getting a variety of perspectives at this point.
If you have been in a position of evaluating faculty for renewal and/or tenure, I present to you the following hypothetical situation--given two faculty of roughly equal publications/grants/teaching evals., but one spends the majority of their non - required time writing papers & working on grants in their condo in a resort community, while the other spends the majority of their working hours in the department, maybe even spends at least part of their summer in the department even though they are not being paid, and takes a bit of that time to converse with fellow faculty/admins in the course of thier work , would this matter *at all, in your evaluation of them? What about if the two persons were interested in a  considered for a 12 month admin-type job--how would this factor in, if at all?

[aandsdean]

Newtt,

The answer to your question depends so thoroughly on institutional culture that it's impossible to answer it beyond some very confining particulars.

Generally, the answer is that SLACS and smaller schools, particularly privates, will make a much bigger deal of it than R1s and commuter schools.  However, there are exceptions to every rule, and higher-powered SLACS (of the Swarthmore/Grinnell/Carleton/Pomona/Williams type) probably have higher tolerance for absence than lesser schools (Millsaps, Albion, Washington and Jefferson, Knox, etc.--fine schools all, but not the same), which will also enforce "face time" with a higher teaching and service load.

My main concern as an administrator is faculty who are never around or who are impossible to reach.  I am grateful if faculty at least keep a reasonable eye on their e-mail in case something comes up, but I certainly don't expect them to hunt out an internet cafe while they're on safari or the like.  But a sure way to trouble is to fail to answer a query from your chair/dean/provost in reasonable time when it's important, regardless of time of year.

As for who is a likelier candidate for an admin position, that varies too.  But I've found that quick accessibility is a major component of the work I do, and I guess I must have demonstrated that when I was still primarily teaching faculty, enabling me to use that reputation to move ahead.

[busyslinky]

Yes, it does matter.  No matter the culture.  It is usually defined as a dimension of collegiality.  Of course, if you are a person that no one wants to see around, then presence on campus may not work in your favor.  But, everything else being equal, collegiality and presence (face-time) does play a role, because it is an extra effort to be part of the community.

[mtnlover]

As a department head, I can tell you that the people who are in the department more are usually favored.  They can help out with little projects and are there for feedback.  By being there, they help "define" the department.  In reality the faculty that are there get more work done, very few people are as productive from their condo.

[nickf]

I agree whole-heartedly with dlevine13.  I, myself, have found it to be a bit frustrating to try and track down a faculty member who isn't available during their posted office hours.  The good ones always leave my secretary a message as to their whereabouts.

[untenured]

Generally, the answer is that SLACS and smaller schools, particularly privates, will make a much bigger deal of it than R1s and commuter schools.  However, there are exceptions to every rule, and higher-powered SLACS (of the Swarthmore/Grinnell/Carleton/Pomona/Williams type) probably have higher tolerance for absence than lesser schools (Millsaps, Albion, Washington and Jefferson, Knox, etc.--fine schools all, but not the same), which will also enforce "face time" with a higher teaching and service load.

This post showed me what a sheltered academic nook I must live in.  I have definately heard of Williams.  I am vaguely aware of Swarthmore's existence.  The rest of the schools mentioned above could be cities or football teams or rivers or forts or who knows what to me.  Phew, when you spend enough time in a particular discipline...

Untenured

[aandsdean]

Good Lord, untenured, where have you been?  ;-)

The SLACS in the first group are all in the top 10 in the US News National Liberal Arts rankings....

The others, well, you know them if you've traveled in the SLAC world, which I have (as a student and prof). 

There are a really lot of colleges and universities in the country. Some of them are even good.

[j_source]

As a brand new tt faculty member, it is in your best interests to be available, visible, and active on campus, regardless of your institution.  While your presence may not increase your chances of tenure, your noticable absence from campus can seriously undercut your tenure bid. 

As an administrator I've found that faculty tend to fall on either end of the continuum - those who are always around and very active in the life of the college  and those who never around and do very little.   The faculty who are never around spend miminum time on campus, attend few or no events (even those highlighting their own students in their own disciplines),  leave early and return at the last possible moment every break and every summer, and don't check email or voicemail when they're on break and don't respond quickly at any time.  These folks also tend to put little effort into committee work which at many schools but especially SLACs is a necessary part of academic life.  Those who stay in touch, attend  both faculty and student events, have generous office hours, promptly return emails and phone calls and work hard on committees are far, far more likely to receive tenure, promotions, load credit, and sabbaticals. 

Given  limited  resouces, why should I reward the faculty member who makes it clear s/he places a pretty lower priority on the well-being of the institution, students, or colleagues?  They probably won't be cut out completely but if I have to choose (and I always have to) between allocating resources to a minimalist or someone who is fully supportive of the academic enterprise on this campus, the minimalist will lose every time.  And I don't care how many publications he churns out. 

[untenured]

Good Lord, untenured, where have you been?  ;-)

The SLACS in the first group are all in the top 10 in the US News National Liberal Arts rankings....

The others, well, you know them if you've traveled in the SLAC world, which I have (as a student and prof). 

There are a really lot of colleges and universities in the country. Some of them are even good.

Oh, wait! I think I met a guy from Millsaps once.  Oh yeah, isn't that in the South somewhere?

I'm familiar with Wesleyan, even spent a weekend there.  The dorm I was in had co-ed bathrooms.  Does that count?

And then there's the time when I was 17 I visited Smith College.  I told my friend, "what a great girls school!"  Big mistake.  Ooooo, big mistake.  I still burn candles in Gloria Steinem's honor in penance.

Yes, yes.  Shame on me.  I need to get out more. :)

Untenured

[science_expat]

I'm sympathetic to those working at home and do so personally when it's appropriate. But I also go into the University almost every day, even if I leave at lunch time (30 minute commute).

As has been said above, it's much more difficult to communicate with colleagues who rarely appear and I get fairly annoyed at having to waste my time repeatedly phoning a fellow prof at home when his office is two doors down from mine.

I think you will also suffer quite a bit on "colleagiality" if you're not about, which doesn't seem to me to be a good way to start the tt track.