The Purple Book
Faculty Affairs
Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts
September 1998
Boston, Massachusetts
September 1998
September 22, 1998
Dear Members of the Faculty:
This new edition of the "System of Titles and Appointments, Criteria, and Procedures for Making Permanent, Term, and Annual Appointments" incorporates a series of changes that were recommended by a senior faculty committee, and accepted by the Corporation of Harvard University at its meeting of September 14, 1998. I believe that these changes will allow the Faculty to enhance the quality of its members while recognizing a broader range of academic contributions.
The new recommendations convert four full time academic tracks to two sets of criteria, Investigator and Clinician Teacher. All full time faculty appointed by these criteria will have the same titles, regardless of the kind of activity, the location, or the nature of the financial backing of the proposed faculty member, since the criteria reflect the importance of different kinds of academic activity for the accomplishment of the Faculty’s goals. However, when determining the quality of a candidate's work, no set of criteria alone is sufficient. While academic excellence is essential, at the same time attention to diversity is also important. If we are to attract and retain the finest candidates, many of whom will be women and minorities, our community needs to be inclusive. A diverse and culturally sensitive medical profession, without a doubt, delivers higher quality health care.
To ensure that our faculty appointment system fosters excellence, within individual fields and throughout the entire Harvard Medical community, it is important that we monitor and evaluate this framework for academic appointments on an ongoing basis. I look forward to continuing to work with you on this subject.
Yours sincerely,
Joseph B. Martin, M.D., Ph.D.
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine