Information for Prospective and New Faculty
PrefaceThis document contains answers to many questions frequently asked by prospective and new faculty. Much of the information in this page comes from the Albion College web site, the Albion Faculty Handbook, and the Student Handbook. This page was compiled by David A. Reimann in 2005 to aid the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science in faculty recruiting. The information contained is subject to change; the original sources should be consulted for specifics details. Please email me any corrections, additions, or comments.Albion CollegeAlbion College is a private liberal arts college of about 1950 students, dedicated to the highest quality undergraduate education. The college is located on about 290 acres along the banks of the scenic Kalamazoo River. The campus has excellent facilities with more than 30 major buildings (see the virtual tour). Albion College is in the city of Albion, Michigan, a community of about 10,000 located 90 miles west of Detroit and 175 miles east of Chicago on Interstate 94. The Albion College Web site is located at www.albion.edu. Founded by efforts of Methodists who were early settlers of Michigan Territory, the College was awarded a charter by the Michigan Territorial Legislature in 1835. The College has a pioneering heritage, originally serving the educational needs of settlers' children and Indians alike. Albion also is one of the earliest Midwest schools to introduce coeducation. Emphasis on excellence in liberal arts education has been the Albion College hallmark. Today the College remains true to its liberal arts commitment, recognizing that a liberal arts education is still the best preparation for making a good living and for living well. Under the leadership of Donna M. Randall, Albion has a strategic planning process under way that will shape the College's programs through 2015. Of Albion College's 140 full-time (119 tenured or tenure-track) faculty members, 95% hold the Ph.D. or appropriate professional degree in their field. The College has over 17,000 living alumni. Albion College's endowment was roughly $150,000,000 at the end of 2004. US News ranks Albion in the top 100 national liberal arts colleges. Princeton Review ranks Albion as one of its best 357 colleges, including #1 college in the nation for on-campus activities. Albion offers about 30 different academic majors and minors. Albion is a founding member of the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA), a consortium that works with its member institutions on common issues such as academic excellence, administration, and philanthropy. Other member institutions include Antioch College, Denison University, DePauw University, Earlham College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Wabash College, and The College of Wooster. Tenure ProcessAlbion College seeks to recruit, retain, and support faculty members who are outstanding teachers and active scholars and who have the capacity for professional and personal growth. Albion desires in its faculty such qualities as achievement within a discipline, intellectual breadth, clarity of mind and expression, favorable interaction with students, concern and enthusiasm for teaching, the ability to stimulate and challenge students, concern for the welfare of students, commitment to the College community, and familiarity with national educational issues. Tenure CycleA tenure decision is based on value in the following four categories: value to students, scholarly development, value to the department, and campus-wide contributions. All faculty are required to perform an annual self evaluation and annual review by the departmental chair. An interim review occurs during the second semester of the third year. The purpose of the interim review is to provide the faculty member with an early assessment of his or her prospects for tenure at the end of the probationary period. During the review, strengths and weaknesses will be assessed and areas for improvement identified. The hope is that improvement will occur and tenure may be granted at the appropriate time. A one course per semester reduction is granted the academic year following interim review to give the candidate time to address any weaknesses identified during interim review. Tenure review occurs during the first semester of the sixth year. This time frame is for faculty coming to Albion with limited teaching experience and scholarship. An accelerated review is possible for candidates with prior post-doctoral experience. The faculty handbook does state up to three years of full-time teaching at another fully accredited institution of higher learning may be counted as part of the probationary period. Value to StudentsOf first importance is the ability to teach effectively, and continued growth as a teacher is expected. A candidate is expected to have demonstrated sound knowledge of the discipline, adherence to principles of integrity and intellectual honesty in teaching, and the ability to convey materials to students in a manner appropriate to the discipline. The candidate should also demonstrate proficiency in the development of reading lists, written assignments, examinations, laboratories, or other activities appropriate to the discipline, as well as effectiveness and high standards in the evaluation of student work. Also valuable are effective advising of students; working with students in extracurricular contexts; special contributions as a role model or mentor for students; and efforts to foster a campus climate in which minority and female students feel welcome. Scholarly DevelopmentActive participation in one's field is second only to teaching in importance, and candidates are expected to have both professional accomplishments and an ongoing professional program. As evidence of professional accomplishment, candidates for tenure must submit documentation of appropriate, peer-reviewed, original research, scholarship or creative works. Normally this will take the form of an article or articles published (or accepted for publication) in a peer-reviewed academic or professional journal of national or international standing in appropriate discipline(s); or publication (or acceptance for publication) of a book or books by a publisher of recognized academic status that requires peer review of submissions by appropriate experts. In the visual and performing arts, peer review beyond campus may take a wider variety of forms. Tenure candidates in the arts normally must include a component of external peer review in conjunction with the development of performances and exhibitions. Such review normally includes juried exhibitions or performances, prescribed forms of external review, at the request of the candidate, a list of appropriate external reviewers may be developed by a candidate in the arts in collaboration with the candidate's department chair and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Additionally, candidates must demonstrate ongoing activity and engagement in their disciplines. Evidence of this engagement may include papers presented at professional meetings, mentoring of original student research, submission of grant proposals, participation in seminars and workshops, book reviews in professional journals, review of journal and book submissions or of grant proposals, creation and maintenance of scholarly web pages, production notebooks or program notes, invited professional adjudications, clinics, or master classes, progress reports on significant projects, publication of teaching materials and edited collections of other scholars' works, and any other form of professional activity that extends beyond the Albion campus. Such activities will normally represent a body of work involving one or more themes that constitute a clear professional agenda. Value to the DepartmentCompetence in areas basic to the department's curriculum and the ability to meet the needs of the department are required. A commitment to the objectives of the department and sharing in departmental activities and responsibilities such as program development, department-sponsored events, department organizations, and extracurricular activities are expected. Effective cooperation with departmental colleagues is an important quality. Campus-Wide ContributionsCommitment to the intellectual life of the College as a whole is important. Such commitment may be demonstrated by contributing to cross-departmental or interdisciplinary studies, campus forums, programs, exhibitions, or symposia or by giving a faculty lecture. Participating effectively in campus governance or representing the College beyond the campus is also important. Tenure-track faculty members are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to participate in standing committees, beginning with their second year of teaching at Albion. Other forms of contribution unique to the candidate, such as service to the community, may also be significant. Avoid getting overextended during your first year. Participation is a great way to meet people, but you are the best judge of how much you can do. Faculty MentoringInterested new faculty (tenure-track and three-year hires) to take part in a voluntary mentoring program. Junior will be partnered with tenured faculty from different departments to encourage the natural process of mentoring that occurs frequently within departments. This program supplements departmental mentoring relationships by facilitating collegial contact beyond one’s department and peer group, discussing teaching and pedagogy, encouraging scholarship in balance with teaching, and providing guidance about a tenure-track career at the college. Teaching EnvironmentAlbion College prides itself on excellent teaching, small class sizes, and personal contact between students and professors. Of first importance in assessing faculty performance is the ability to teach effectively, and continued growth as a teacher is expected. The normal teaching load for faculty is 3 courses per semester or 2 lectures and 2 labs in the sciences. Albion College courses are based on a unit system where 1.0 unit is equal to 4 semester hours or 6 quarter hours and represents 25% of a students load. Most courses at Albion are 1.0 unit, although a small number are 0.25 or 0.5 units. The number of contact hours varies for 1 unit, but nominally is 200 minutes per week. Albion is on the semester system with most courses taught either fall or spring semester. Courses offered during the summer semester are few in number and are beyond the normal expected teaching responsibilities of most faculty. Our academic calendar lists major dates during the academic year. The Student Handbook contains specific details related to academics at Albion. Evaluation of TeachingStudent Evaluations are conducted each semester for each class for non-tenured faculty members. Results are shared with your chairperson (summary only). You may also share results with someone else you trust, for feedback and support. Original evaluations are expected to be submitted with interim and tenure review materials. First-Year ExperienceTo help students make the transition from high school to college, Albion has designed a First-Year Experience. All entering students enroll in a First-Year Seminar which focus on the interdisciplinary study of cutting-edge topics. Demographics of StudentsLike many institutions, we draw heavily from areas within 200 miles of our campus. We have currently have students from 29 states and 16 other nations. Our enrollment is about 1800 with roughly 40-45% men and 55-60% women. Most students take the ACT college entrance exam with 50% (middle two quartiles) earning a composite score between 22 and 27. More than 70% of first-year students rank in the top quartile of their high school graduating classes. Albion admits roughly 85% of applicants with about 35% of these choosing Albion. About 7% of our students are racial/ethnicity members of racial or ethnic minority groups. Albion is a residential college with 98% of our students being full-time and living on campus. See our page of Enrollment Statistics for more details. TechnologyTechnology can be used to enhance teaching in many ways at Albion. Albion has many fully integrated Enhanced Classrooms consisting of a fixed projector, lights, electric screen, VCR, DVD, laser disk, and computer controlled centrally by a touch screen control panel. Some rooms also have audio cassettes. Portable media carts are available throughout campus which consist of a laptop with a DVD player, a VCR, a visualizer, and a speaker system. There are four public computing labs on campus, located in Mudd Library, Robinson Hall, Olin Hall, and the 24-hour Ferguson Lab. Our wireless network currently covers 60% of our campus. Albion has a specific Courses Web for faculty which uses the Moodle course management system. All students, faculty, and staff members are automatically provided network accounts that allow them access to email, file and web page storage, and other technology resources. Windows XP Professional and Office XP is available on all new college desktops and public computer labs. See the Information Technology web site for more information about technology resources on campus. Out of Classroom Learning/Interaction OpportunitiesBecause this is a residential college, there are many options for out of classroom learning opportunities. They include: movies, lectures, concerts, theater, nature center, art exhibits, etc. Various college components (e.g., academic departments, Institutes, Foundation for Interdisciplinary Study, Women’s Center, Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Library, etc.) sponsor symposia, lectures, and other programming on a regular basis. You may find that many of these events supplement your course offerings. Microteaching WorkshopAimed at new Albion College faculty members, but open to all Albion College faculty, this annual workshop enables each participant to teach a "slice" of a lesson and to receive feedback from colleagues in a small group situation. The workshop begins with a night of discussion and reflection on teaching/learning issues, followed by two nights of microteaching. This workshop, funded by a grant from the Hewlett-Mellon Fund for Faculty Development, affirms the importance of teaching and learning at Albion College and fosters a collaborative, community-building environment. Academic AdvisingYou begin the responsibility of advising individual students in your second year as a tenure-track faculty member; an assigned list is sent to each faculty member from the Registrar’s Office. Each year there is an information session for new advisers, the week before classes. You may also elect to initiate and serve as an adviser for a student interest group/club, or you may be invited to do so. In addition, we recommend serving as counselors for SOAR (Student Orientation and Registration), held in May and August. Academic Support for StudentsThe Academic Skills Center supports Albion College students in a variety of academic areas. Located in the Mudd Learning Center, the Center includes the Learning Support Center, Disability Services, the Quantitative Skills Center, and the Writing Center. The Learning Support Center offers individualized assistance with college level study strategy and skill development. Students frequently utilize the center to improve grades, reading speed or comprehension. In addition, the Learning Support Center provides assistance and accommodations to students who have documented learning disabilities. The Quantitative Skills Center provides a wide range of support to students in many subject areas. Students are free to drop in for occasional help from trained student tutors or to make appointments for on-going tutorial sessions. QSC staff are available to assist students with the use of mathematics, statistics, spreadsheets, or graphing calculators in any course. The center also offers workshops on topics such as partial derivatives in chemistry and preparing for graduate school exams. The Writing Center provides trained peer consultants prepared to work with writers at every stage of the writing process--from getting started brainstorming to writing drafts, and from organizing ideas to revising or final editing. Writing consultants support students by responding to writing in process, not by proofreading, editing, or writing students' papers. Both drop-in tutoring and scheduled appointments are available during the Writing Center's afternoon and evening hours. Environment and Resources for ScholarshipActive participation in one's field is second only to teaching in importance, and faculty are expected to have both professional accomplishments and an ongoing professional program. Since most faculty don't teach during the summer, a significant amount of time can be dedicated to scholarly activities. Startup FundsStartup funds are in the range of $5000 and can be liberally applied to anything to ensure your productivity (books, software, hardware, professional memberships, etc). Faculty TravelFaculty members are encouraged to attend national and regional meetings of their learned societies when arrangements can be made with the department chair to avoid serious interruption of their class work. Total or partial reimbursement from the faculty travel fund may be received by a faculty member for attending one national or regional meeting in his or her areas of competence each academic year. Departments are allocated $400 per tenure-track faculty to cover attendance at a meeting. The Academic Affaris office provides travel support for those faculty who are attending professional meetings for the purpose of formally presenting scholarly work. During 2005, up to $900 per faculty member will be available for presentation made at a nation conference and up to $1,200 for international conference presentations. Faculty DevelopmentThe Faculty Development Committee encourages faculty development by awarding small (up to $1,400) and large grants ($1,401 - $3,700) for teaching, research, and other aspects of professional development. Grants have been funded to cover many things including lab and field research assistants, specialized research supplies (instruments, books, software, and equipment), development of new language skills, travel to specialized libraries and museums, transcription of interviews, purchase of original manuscripts, workshop participation, workshop or conference participation with a specific research or teaching outcome, fees for use of laboratory facilities, campus-wide activities (teaching workshops and faculty coteries) and page charges. In addition, the Committee awards the annual James and Dorothy R. Blanchard Faculty Fellowship (up to $5000), an endowed fund to provide financial support for a beginning faculty member to undertake a summer research project. The committee also provides $100 per year for professional society dues. Support for Interdisciplinary StudyThe Foundation for Interdisciplinary Study (FIS) focuses resources on empowering faculty to integrate interdisciplinary study into their courses and their pedagogy. Faculty members are encouraged to reach across traditional disciplines and explore new ideas, engage in collaborative projects, and develop innovative new courses and teaching approaches. For the 2004-05 academic year, FIS will consider proposals for small, midsize, or large grants. Proposals for small grants of $1,000 or less will be reviewed on a rolling basis and may be submitted at any time during the academic year. Proposals for midsize grants of $1,000-5,000 will be due by November 15th for the first round and March 1st for the second round. Large grant proposals of between $5,000 and $15,000 will be due by March 1st, 2005. Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative ActivityWe encourage undergraduate research through our Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (FURSCA). FURSCA was established to promote and faculty guided support student research, original scholarship and creative efforts in al disciplines beyond the scope of classroom work. FURSCA awards research grants to purchase supplies or cover other costs associated with student research studies. FURSCA will also provide funds for travel to attend professional meetings, or to collect data for research projects. Their Summer Research Fellowship Program provides students with on-campus housing and a stipend for up to 10 weeks, to allow students to remain at Albion during the summer to work with faculty members on creative projects. GrantsThe Director of Corporation and Foundation Relations has the provides leadership and support for Albion college faculty, staff, and administrators in seeking, securing, and helping to administer public and private grants. Services provided by the Director of Corporation and Foundation Relations include helping discover potential grant makers whose interests match a proposed project and assistance with all aspects of proposal development and administration. See the grants page for more information. Albion College's Institutional Review Board is responsible for assuring that research activities conducted under the College's auspices do not violate the rights and welfare of human research participants. Sabbatical LeaveThe sabbatical leave program recognizes the need and desirability for each faculty member to have an opportunity at regular intervals for professional growth and renewal. Leaves may be for one semester at full salary or two semesters at half annual salary. Full faculty fringe benefits will be provided by the College during the period of the leave. A faculty member is eligible to apply during the first year of his or her tenure contract for a sabbatical leave the following academic year. Subsequently, a tenured faculty member must engage in full-time service to the College for six full academic years between the end of the academic year in which a sabbatical is taken and the beginning of the academic year in which the next one could be taken. Nearby Academic InstitutionsAlbion is centrally located among many other academic institutions. There are three major universities within an hour drive of Albion. These include Michigan State University, University of Michigan, and Western Michigan University. There are six others within a two hour drive, namely Bowling Green State University, Central Michigan University, Oakland University, University of Toledo, University of Notre Dame, and Wayne State University. There are many other academic institutions in the region within about an hour of Albion including Adrian College, Eastern Michigan University, Hillsdale College, Kalamazoo College, Olivet College, Siena Heights University, Spring Arbor University, and Tri-State University. See Michigan's Education Directory for a complete list of educational institutions in the state. Academic and Cultural Climate, Special Opportunities, and Campus ActivitiesAcademic FreedomAll faculty members, regardless of their contract status, will have the same academic freedom. The faculty member is entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results subject to the adequate performance of his or her other academic duties. The faculty member is entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing his or her subject and materials pertinent to it. The Albion College faculty member is a citizen, member of a learned profession, and a representative of an educational institution. When he or she speaks or writes as a citizen, he or she should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but he or she should also make every effort to indicate that he or she is not an institutional spokesperson. In working with students, faculty members are expected to recognize that students are also free to discuss pertinent subject matter in the classroom and to participate in public affairs. DiversityAlbion College has long been committed to issues of equal rights, education, spirituality and justice. Albion College values, embraces and affirms all aspects of diversity as expressions and affirmations of the human condition and an understanding of what it is to be human. Divesity in areas of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin age, class, disability, region, religion and sexual orientation results in positive learning and growth for individuals, our College, and city communities. These ideals have been recently reaffirmed with the articulation of our diversity plan. The DeaneryThis monthly newsletter, issued by the Office of Academic Affairs, is sent to all faculty. It includes such items as committee announcements, announcements of upcoming workshops and conferences, and award notices and deadlines, along with news of scholarly and professional activities of faculty. Library ResourcesThe Stockwell-Mudd Libraries is staffed by a group of service-oriented librarians. Through the library, one can access our physical holdings and access databases including MathSciNet. Their most recent annual report is located here. A information page for faculty is located here. Departments play an active role in the development of the library's collections, including yearly allocations for the purchases of books, media, and journal subscriptions. Several major libraries are close to Albion, including the Library of Michigan in Lansing, the Michigan State University Libarries in East Lansing, the Western Michigan University Libarries in Kalamazoo, and the University of Michigan Libarries in Ann Arbor. The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) is an anywhere anytime e-library for Michigan residents offering a statewide catalog, interlibrary loan and delivery service (MeL Catalog) commercial databases purchased by the Library of Michigan for all Michigan residents, (MeL Databases) and a growing selection of digitized resources including manuscripts, realia, and other objects (MeL Digital Collections). Annual Student Research SymposiumThe purpose of the Elkin R. Isaac Student Research Symposium is to honor excellent student research, scholarship, and creative activity. The participants are nominated by their faculty sponsors after having participated in independent research that results in the significant synthesis of new knowledge. The research must have been performed under the direct supervision of an Albion College faculty member, or in a College-approved off-campus program. Honoring former Albion coach, professor, and alumnus Elkin R. "Ike" Isaac and co-sponsored by FURSCA and a number of other campus organizations, this annual symposium features student research and creative projects that were conducted during the preceding year. Held each spring in conjunction with the Honors Convocation, this day-long event includes guest speakers and showcases the excellent creative work done by Albion College students. Recent keynote speakers include Edward O. Wilson (this year), Gloria Steinem, Salman Rushdie, Kurt Vonnegut, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Stephen Jay Gould, and Wade Davis. Faculty CoteriesFunds ($5,000 in 2004-2005) are also available to support faculty coteries, intended to encourage and enable cross-disciplinary conversations about topics and texts. Various models for coteries are possible, with the nature of each coterie to be determined by the faculty applicant. The coterie may involve the reading of just one book or a series of books. Or the readings may be articles on a given topic. Discussions of films or other media is also be acceptable. Topics may be anything within the realm of the liberal arts, including pedagogical and curricular issues. In some cases, coterie proposals may include funding for author visits. Participation should be open to all faculty members, librarians, program directors, and to college staff. Recent coteries discussed books by Diana Eck, Edward Wilson, Jacques Lacan, Salman Rushdie, Stephen Hawking, and Kurt Vonnegut. Public LecturesThere is an opening convocation each year which includes a talk as a part of the Stoffer Lecture Series. Previous Stoffer Lecturers have included actor James Earl Jones in 2002, Mike Krzyzewski in 2003, and Sam Donaldson in 2004, and former first lady Barbara Bush. The Odd Topics Society is a monthly luncheon group that provides individuals with an opportunity to share their more unusual interests with others. outside speakers In addition to these events, there are numerous other events such as a monthly faculty lecture series, brown bag seminars, and department seminars. Midwest Faculty SeminarsThis program, sponsored by the University of Chicago, presents four seminars per academic year on various scholarly topics. Albion’s membership entitles us to send at least four faculty members to these seminars, the titles of which are announced in the Deanery. Honor SocietiesAlbion has two major honor societies for faculty, namely Phi beta Kappa and Sigma Xi. In 1940 Albion was the first private college in Michigan to be awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. These societies sponsor activities on campus, such as public lectures by noted scholars. Special Campus Organizations
Arts EventsOther interesting events include Art exhibits, Musical Performaces, Theatrical Productions, and many others listed on the college calendar. AthleticsThere are nine sports each offered for men and women athletes. Albion is a Division III member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), offering only academic scholarships and not athletic scholarships. Albion competes as a charter member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), the oldest collegiate athletic conference in the nation founded in 1888. The equestrian program for men and women competes in events sponsored by the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. Albion's mascot is the Britons and our school colors are purple and gold. More information is available on the sports website and an online list of Athletic events is available. Salary and BenefitsSee the Human Resources web site for other employment details and contact information. Please feel free to contact the Human Resources department at 517-629-0205 if you further questions. CompensationThe following table shows average salary (nine month) and compensation (salary plus benefits) for all ranks during the last five academic years.
The data is from the salary survey in the March-April issues of Academe, published by AAUP. Some of the 2002-2003 salary survey data is available online from The Chronicle of Higher Education. Pay schedule/bankingFaculty contracts are typically issued on a 12 month cycle for returning faculty, with a monthly pay cycle with payday being the last business day of the month. New faculty can opt to have a 13 month cycle so your first year salary would be divided into 13 pieces. Albion will do electronic deposit in multiple banks, including banks outside of Albion. Social Security, Worker's Compensation, Unemployment InsuranceAlbion College provides the normal benefits of social security, workmen's compensation, and coverage under the revised Unemployment Act. Health Care, Dental, and Vision InsuranceFull-time faculty will be given the option to choose a traditional health and dental coverage plan or a health maintenance organization (HMO) and dental package. The College will pay the single subscriber premium of the traditional carrier or contribute the same amount toward the premium contribution of the HMO option. Eligible dependents may be covered at the faculty member's expense. There is no insurance coverage for vision (eyeglasses, etc.). You may choose between Blue Cross Blue Shield Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) and Blue Care Network (HMO). The College pays the single subscriber premium for the PPO coverage. You pay to insure any dependents. The PPO has a $200/single, $400/family, annual deductible with a 90%/10% co-insurance split of the approved amount for in-network providers or 70%/30% for out of network. The PPOA has a $1000/single, $2000/family annual deductible with a 80%/20% co-insurance split of the approved amount for in-network providers or 60%/40% for out of network. If you choose the HMO and their single premium is higher than the PPO single premium, you will pay the difference via payroll deduction. The HMO plan has a $10 office visit co-pay to your primary care physician. If you choose the BCBS PPO plan mentioned above, you will have BCBS dental. If you choose the HMO, your dental coverage is with Delta Dental. Both dental plans are the same with $100 deductible and co-insurance.
The health insurance cost is per month so the annual cost is the given number times 12. The above medical/dental plans also include prescription drug coverage. $10.00/$20.00 co-pay per generic/brand name prescription. A mail order program is also available. The College will pay the premium for medical insurance coverage for covered dependents of a deceased faculty member or administrative employee for a limited period of time. DisabilityShort Term Disability (STD) covers employees for up to six months in a step plan, depending upon your length of service with the College. Long Term Disability picks up after STD ends, if you are still disabled. With terms and conditions met, LTD pays 60% of your salary. Income disability insurance for every individual goes into effect after the faculty member has been employed for one academic year. The waiver of premium becomes effective when the individual faculty member goes on the TIAA/CREF program or after one year, whichever comes last. This provides for retirement premiums to insure the continuance of the retirement program in the event of disability. Employee Assistance ProgramThe College contracts with Behavioral Health Resources (BHR) for your confidential assistance with everyday issues: marital, family, grief counseling, physical health, emotional health, elder care, substance abuse, financial counseling, job stress. Medical LeaveA leave for faculty temporarily disabled because of accident or illness, including in the case of a female employee, pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions, may be granted. Specific terms will be in accord with the College's disability policies. Current practice is a one course release for paternal leave. Section 125/FlexYou may elect a pre-tax salary reduction for any of the three options listed that apply to you: non-insured medical expenses, dependent care expense, and medical insurance premiums for dependents. You must use all monies in your account or forfeit them at the end of the year. You must sign up for this program each year you want to participate. ID CardsEmployees will be issued a picture ID card. Dependents are also eligible. This will entitle you to use College facilities, at times designated for such purpose, and attend sports and special events. This card also allows you a discount at the Barnes and Noble bookstore in the Kellogg Center, and will also serve as your College library card. ParkingThere is no charge for faculty parking on campus. Faculty and staff can use street parking or staff parking lots. Please do not park in a student lot. Tuition RemissionAlbion participates in the GLCA Tuition Remission Exchange (TRE) program. Students who are eligible for tuition remission because of a parent's employment at one of the participating colleges receive tuition remission at any of the other colleges in the exchange. The cost of participation is 10% of the average cost of participating school tuition. Room, board, special programs, summer school, and other special fees are the responsibility of the participant. Albion College cooperates with Olivet, Adrian, and Alma Colleges in a tuition exchange program for children of full-time faculty. Availability of this exchange opportunity depends on the balance of participants between institutions. See sections 2.8.6 and 2.8.7 of the Faculty Handbook for more information. Life InsuranceAlbion College provides each full-time faculty member with a life insurance benefit equal to two times his or her annual salary. This at no cost to you unless the volume exceeds $50,000, then the IRS will tax you on the excess premiums, twice per year via payroll deduction. You may cap your benefit at $50,000, if applicable. Accidental Death and Dismemberment doubles the life insurance benefit to your beneficiary if you die by accident. The College will continue salary payments to the spouse of a deceased faculty member or administrative employee for a period of three months following the month of death. RetirementThe College participates with Teacher's Insurance and Annuity Association/College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA/CREF). There is a two-year wait for participation unless you have a current, matching open account with your former employer, then immediate participation. When enrolled in the plan, you will contribute 6% of your salary (mandatory) with the College matching 6.3% on the first $15,700 of your salary and 12% thereafter. Includes waiver of premium if you are totally disabled. You may also elect to participate in an individual Supplemental Retirement Annuity. Moving ExpensesAlbion College assists with the arrangements and expenses connected with the moving of new faculty to the Albion community. Albion College will pay the major portion, if not all, of the tenure-track appointee's moving expenses, within the limits of this formula 3,000 pounds plus 1,000 pounds per each additional family member (up to 7). Albion College will pay up to $500 moving expenses for full-time temporary faculty members with one-year appointments. Albion College will pay the costs of insurance on the moving, above the minimum paid by the carrier, at a rate not to exceed $1.50 per pound maximum valuation up to the maximum weight limits. Albion College will not pay packing or appliance servicing expenses. These charges, if any, will be billed to the faculty member. Expenses for weights in excess of these limits will be paid by the appointee. Charges for any extra stops by the mover, requested by the appointee, shall be charged back to the appointee. Albion will not pay costs incurred for the temporary storage of personal property nor extra moving expenses relating to the delivery of personal property from temporary storage. More information is contained in section 2.8.1 of the Faculty Handbook. Professional Leaves of AbsenceA leave of absence without pay, or with the support of a fellowship or grant, may be granted to anyone on the faculty, subject to approval by the President, on recommendations of the department chair and CAO. The College may contribute to the support of faculty members on leaves under the terms of a grant or fellowship. For a leave considered not to be direct service, insurance and annuity provisions will be discontinued by the College for the period of the leave, unless the faculty member chooses to pay the full cost of maintaining any such benefits; but no waiting period will be required before coverage is resumed upon return of the faculty member who has discontinued his or her benefits during a leave. Furthermore, leave time will not be counted toward considerations of tenure and sabbatical leave or toward eligibility for promotion and merit salary increases, unless the President, on recommendation of the department chair and CAO, agrees that the leave should be counted for such purposes. A leave of absence is normally for no longer than one academic year. It is expected that the faculty member will return to Albion College following the leave. Employment for Spouses and Significant OthersAlbion College is in a small town with limited opportunities for spousal/partner employment. We will work with candidates to identify employment possibilities by providing information and through an informal network of personal contacts. Please ask us if this is a concern you have. The Michigan Works! site contains an online listing of job opportunities in Michigan. Here is a list of local and nearby academic institutions and links to their employment pages.
A recent study on Work Environment Index by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst rates the average job quality in Michigan near the top in the nation. The FDIC has information on Economic Trends in Michigan. overall Albion, MichiganThe community of Albion is a small town of about 10,000 located in scenic south-central Michigan. Albion was founded at the point where the Kalamazoo river forks into the north and south branches, leading to several "forks" themes in Albion. Albion's first settlers came from New York in 1833 and named Albion after the town in New York with the same name. Albion has a rich history including the birthplace of Mother's Day, Tee-Ball, and the hymn "The Old Rugged Cross." Historical Albion and the Michigan Historical Center for more information. An interesting virtual tour of downtown Albion was created by a recent Albion College alumnus. The Forks Initiaitve (forks.org) is a great resource for information about Albion. City-Data.com contains a information about Albion including population demographics, housing, maps, weather, nearby towns, crime, medical centers, radio stations, and television stations. Sperling's Best Places rates our cost of living at 86% of the national average. Driving directions to Albion are available here. Albion is located in the Eastern time zone. The landscape around Albion consists of family farms, country homes, woodlots, wetlands, lakes, and small streams. The open and varied land use pattern provides excellent wildlife habitat. Sperling's Best Places rates our air and water quality as very good. Wildlife is abundant and over 175 species of birds visit Albion every year. Information about the environmental quality is available from Scorecard. Alion has a tradition of providing service to others through groups such as Kiwanis, Sister City AAUW, the Albion Volunteer Service Organization, the Albion Community Foundation the Greater Albion Alliance the Greater Albion Habitat for Humanity, Kiwanis, Rotary, and many others. The Albion Chamber of Commerce maintains information about local businesses and activities in Albion. Albion's annual town celebration, called the Festival of the Forks, offers a weekend of parades, food, live music, and special activities. The city also maintains a website which contains information about the local government and city services. The Albion Economic Development Corporation maintains a website about Albion for prospective businesses. The Downtown Development Authority promotes the the downtown business district. Albion Expo is another site promoting Albion. The site www.albionmich.com has some additional information about Albion. Albion is the second largest city in Calhoun county, after Battle Creek. PoliticsInformation (names, voting records, etc) on Albion's federal, state, and county elected officials can be found here. The elected city officials are listed here. Information on campaign contributions can be found at opensecrets.org. MichiganMichigan is comprised of two penisulas bordered by four of the five Great Lakes and connecting rivers, giving rise to the state motto "Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice" (If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you) and the nickname "Great Lake State." The shape of the state also gives a unique way for Michiganians to show others where they live. Visit the state's website for general information about Michigan including a FAQ and a brief history of Michigan (pdf). There is also an extensive Travel Site which contains information about things to see and do in Michigan. ThingsToDo.com also has a nice site for michigan here. Information for new residents regarding vehicle registration, driver's licenses, and voter registration is available here. DemographicsAlbion is a racially diverse community, with African-American and Hispanic populations above the state average. The community has a welcoming attitude toward bi-racial marriages and other less-traditional family compositions. The racial demographics of Albion in 2000 were 61% White, 31% African-American, 3% Hispanic, and 5% Other. Residency RequirementThe formal residency requirement in the handbook states faculty are expected to live in the Albion community or its immediate vicinity unless, because of extenuating circumstances, an exception is made by the President on direct recommendation of the Chief Academic Officer. The purpose of this policy is to enhance the residential character of Albion College and to underscore the importance the College attaches to its relationship with the Albion community. However, there are many faculty (and staff) who live elsewhere and often employment of a spouse/partner is a factor. Since this is an issue that can change at any time, it can also be negotiated at any time. The administration is very supportive of granting exemptions for any reason a faculty member feels is valid. HousingHousing is inexpensive in Albion, with the Median house value of $60,300 (year 2000). One can purchase a nice house in a nice location for between $75,000 and $125,000 within a five to ten minute walk of campus. Albion has many older homes with classical charm, modern homes, old farms, and vacant land for new development. In addition, Albion College and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) have partnered to provide a MSHDA mortgage and down payment assistance to purchase a home in the city of Albion. This program is available to employees with an annual household income of $69,800 or less. There is a housing purchase limit of $209,400. Participants who qualify will receive a home loan that is guaranteed to be at least 1/8% less than the lowest published rate for a 30-year fixed rate MSHDA home mortgage. See the Homeownership Program page for more information. Here is a list of realtors and homes for sale in the Albion community (Albion's ZIP code is 49224; we are located in Calhoun county adjacent to Jackson county):
Property Tax and Assessing Information for homes in Albion, including legal descriptions and photographs, is available here. One can rent a nice place within a five to ten walk of campus for between $400 and $600 per month. A rental website for the Albion area was created in the summer of 2004 and it is located here. Local Schools and Child CareWe are located in the Albion Public School District and there are at least 101 Reasons to choose Albion Public Schools. Johnson Child Care & Development Center provides care and programs young children. MediaSeveral newspapers serve the Albion area including the weekly Albion Recorder, the Jackson Citizen Patriot, the Battle Creek Enquirer, the Lansing State Journal, the Detroit Free Press, and the Detroit news. The Pleiad is a student run newspaper published weekly for the college community. We are able to receive television signals from stations in Lansing, Battle Creek, and Jackson including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and PBS. We are able to receive signals from radio stations with many formats, including two public radio stations (WUOM and WKAR). See Michiguide.com's Mid-Michigan Radio and TV Dial Guide for a listing of broadcast television and radio stations in the area. Millennium Digital Media provides cable television and cable modem Internet service in Albion. See their Channel Guide for a list of stations available. SBC provides telephone and DSL Internet service in Albion. The Center for Public Integrity also has a information about local media outlets. Public LibraryThe Albion Public Library is partially housed in a Carnegie library built in 1919 and expanded in 1975. The library contains over 40,000 books and subscribes to over 150 serials. The library has programs for all ages, including brown bag movies, preschool story times, summer reading programs. The Local History Room contains materials for genealogy and local history research. The Forks InitiativeThe public library administers an electronic community information forum called the Forks Initiative. It contains information about the Albion community including a Calendar of Events. You can subscribe to the Albion E-News to receive free community news and information. Religious InstitutionsThere are many religious organization and houses of worship in Albion and the surrounding areas. Check out Albion Area Religious Opportunities to find the closest one. The American Religion Data Archive has information on religious participation by denomination for Calhoun county here. Map
Weather
UtilitiesThe city of Albion provides Water and Sewer service to the community. City water comes from a well field and contains enough minerals to be considered hard, so many homes have a water softener. Consumers Energy provides our local electrical service, SEMCO Energy provides natural gas to the Albion area. Our local phone company is SBC. Despite our rural location, we have reasonable cell phone coverage because of our adjancency to I-94. While all trash pickup is privatized, the Albion Area Recycling Site is free drop-off site for paper, plastic (1-7), metal, and glass. The city operates a tree dump for disposal of residential yard waste, open from April through October each year, 8 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of each month, and noon to 4 p.m. the fourth Saturday of the month. Residents will need to purchase a $5.00 annual pass at the City Clerk's office to use the tree dump. Calhoun county operates a composting center near Marshall that is free and open more frequently. TransportationThere are two major commercial public transportation options serving Albion. Greyhound provides intercity bus transportation. Amtrak provides national rail passenger system. We are about 45 miles from the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport (AZO), 60 miles from Lansing Capital City Airport (LAN), 80 miles from Detroit Metro - International Airport, (DTW). Shopping and Other Fun PlacesOther Nearby Metropolitan AreasAlbion is located at the crossroads of Interstate 94 and Michigan highway 99, Going east, it is about 20 minutes to Jackson (population 36,316), about 45-60 minutes to Ann Arbor, and about 2 hours to Detroit, Going west, it is about 15 minutes to Marshall (population 7,459), about 30 minutes to Battle Creek (population 53,364), about 45 minutes to Kalamazoo, and about 3 hours to Chicago. Going north, it is about 45 minutes to Lansing. We are located about 2 hours from Grand Rapids and 2 hours from Toledo, Ohio. What follows is a brief, and certainly not exhaustive, list of some places in the area for shopping, entertainment, dining, and recreation.
Important Albion College Contacts
Please email Dave Reimann with any comments or corrections. Thank you for your efforts in maintaining and improving the information in this document! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
