Guide for HHS Faculty and Staff

Guide to College of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) and Purdue University Information for HHS Faculty and Staff

Compiled and Annotated by Tom Berndt and Gloria Powell

Latest Update: April 2, 2025

The information about university and college policies, procedures, and resources that HHS faculty and staff need to do their work is sometimes difficult to find. We have tried to reduce that difficulty by compiling, briefly describing, and listing alphabetically by subject the sources of the most important of that information. When annotating each entry in this guide, we have included keywords that may assist in retrieving relevant information by doing a search of the text. 

Adjunct Faculty Appointments

A memo on the Procedures for Approval of Appointments of Adjunct Faculty describes the HHS procedures for obtaining approval of an appointment of someone outside the university as an adjunct faculty member. This memo supplements the university policy titled, “Appointments for Personnel Not on Payroll” (VI.B.3). The offer letter template for these appointments is on the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs web page. (The page requires login using university credentials.)

Administrative Officers Review

The document titled, Guidelines for the Review of HHS Administrative Officers, describes the HHS procedures for reviewing HHS associate deans, unit heads, and directors who report directly to the dean. This document is a supplement to the university policy titled, “Review of Administrative Officers” (VI.F.3).

Administrative Operations

Administrative Operations is the umbrella organization for four major units: Physical Facilities and Public Safety, Facilities Operations and Environmental Health and Safety, Auxiliary Services (including procurement and parking), and Administrative Services (including the Administrative Operations newsletter). The Senior Vice President for Administrative Operations reports to the university’s President.

Bylaws of the HHS Faculty

The Bylaws of the Faculty of the College of Health and Human Sciences describe the essential elements of faculty governance in the college. Sections of the bylaws define the membership and officers of the HHS faculty, faculty powers and responsibilities, faculty meetings, faculty committees, and HHS representation in the University Senate.

Business Office, HHS

The HHS Business Office assists and supports faculty and staff by providing timely and accurate information about university resources. Business Office staff link HHS to other areas of business services within Purdue, including areas related to account management, budgeting, employment, human resources, payroll, purchasing, study abroad, and travel. The Director of Financial Affairs (DFA) reports through the Assistant Vice President of Financial Management to the university’s Executive Vice President and Treasurer.

Courtesy Appointments of Faculty

The memo titled, Procedures for Approval of Courtesy Appointments, explains how to obtain the dean’s approval for the head of an HHS unit to offer a courtesy appointment to a faculty member in another department or school at Purdue.

Curriculog

See “Modern Campus Curriculum.”

Department Head Resources

The provost’s webpage for Department Head Resources provides information on academic program external reviews, faculty recruitment and retention, offer letter templates (for faculty hires, adjunct appointments, affiliate faculty, visiting scholars, etc.), faculty mentorship, operating procedures for lecturer appointments, professional development for department heads, the review of administrative officers, the roles and responsibilities of department heads, and the schedule for Department Head Forums. It also provides a listing of all department heads on the West Lafayette campus.

Distinguished and Named Professors, Discretionary Allocations and Salary Supplements for

An HHS document on Discretionary Allocations and Salary Supplements for Distinguished and Named Professors supplements the university policy titled “Distinguished and Named Professorships and Faculty Scholars” (VI.C.1). Additional information is on the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs web page.

Distinguished Professor Nominations

The memo titled, HHS Procedures for Nominations of Distinguished Professors, describes the procedures for nominating an HHS faculty member for a distinguished professorship. It is a supplement to the university policy titled “Distinguished and Named Professorships and Faculty Scholars” (VI.C.1). It describes the steps in the full nomination process that take place in HHS before the procedures described on the Office of the Provost’s web page.

Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, Office of

The Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, which is led by the Vice Provost for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, works to sustain a welcoming campus where all students can excel; to increase and retain the number of historically underrepresented and diverse students, faculty, and staff at Purdue; and to prepare all students to thrive in our diverse, global environment. Their web site provides information on diversity-related events and initiatives, the Emerging Leaders Scholars program, and other resources related to diversity, inclusion and belonging programs and initiatives.

Engagement, Office of

The Office of Engagement facilitates partnerships between Purdue and communities outside the university as part of Purdue’s engagement mission. Its engagement efforts span the state, nation, and globe. The “Faculty and Staff” section of their web site provides information related to service learning, the scholarship of engagement, the societal impact of Purdue research, and engagement programs. The Vice President for Engagement reports to the university’s President.

Ethics and Compliance, Office of

The Office of Ethics and Compliance works cooperatively with stakeholders to (a) promote and enhance a climate that ensures equal access and equal opportunity for all members of the University community and for participants in its activities and services; (b) promote and enhance a culture of ethical behavior and compliance with applicable policies, laws, and regulations; and (c) reduce liabilities and losses associated with failures to comply with applicable laws and regulations. The Office of Institutional Equity is part of the Office of Ethics and Compliance.  These offices provide helpful resources regarding many important issues, including affirmative action, Title IX, and conflicts of interest (outside reportable activities, individual financial and institutional conflicts of interest, nepotism, etc.). The Vice President for Ethics and Compliance reports to the President.

External and Accreditation Reviews of HHS Academic Programs

The schedule for HHS External Reviews of Entire Units and Accreditation Reviews of Specific Academic Programs gives the dates for past and upcoming external and accreditation reviews of the HHS academic programs. Other information regarding academic program external reviews is on the Office of the Provost’s website.

Faculty Affairs, Office of

The Office of Faculty Affairs, which is led by the Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs, actively promotes faculty hiring, career development, retention, and conflict resolution, as well as internal and external faculty awards and honors. This is accomplished through close collaboration with colleges and departments, the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research, and Human Resources. Their website has information for faculty related to promotion and tenure, faculty internal recognition, and faculty external recognition. The college’s liaison for this office is the HHS Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs.

Faculty and Staff Handbook

This handbook is produced by Purdue’s Human Resources unit.  It includes sections about various aspects of Purdue employment (e.g., background checks), all types of employee benefits, and the classification of staff positions.

Faculty Mentoring

A web page on faculty mentoring provides information about the policies and procedures for faculty mentoring in HHS. The Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs web page also has resources on faculty mentoring.

Faculty Performance Reviews, Annual

The document, Performance Reviews of Tenured, Tenure-Track, Clinical/Professional, and Research Faculty: HHS Guidelines for Implementing the University Standard, provides guidelines for each year’s performance review of HHS faculty. It supplements the university Standard titled, “Performance Reviews for Tenured, Tenure-Track, Clinical/Professional, and Research Faculty” (S-4).

Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars, Office of the Vice Provost for

The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars, for which the acronym is OGSPS, is committed to maximizing the success of, and the support for, graduate students, professional students, and postdoctoral scholars in all Purdue departments and colleges. The most important documents related to graduate and professional students and postdoctoral scholars can be accessed through links on the OGSPS web pages for Faculty and Staff. These documents include manuals for fellowships and for the employment of graduate staff. The most general of these documents is the Policies and Procedures for Administering Graduate Student Programs, which is a section of the University Catalog.

HHS Data Resources

The Data Resources page on the HHS website provides quick access to HHS statistics on student enrollment, admissions, degrees conferred, and much more. The page also includes information about data reports available through an HHS SharePoint site, through the university’s Data Digest, and through other University websites and tools.  The page is organized by Casey Marks, the HHS Senior Strategic Data Manager.

HHS Strategic Vision

The HHS Strategic Vision page on the HHS website describes the HHS mission, vision, and signature research areas.

Human Resources, Department of

Teams in Human Resources help faculty and staff by providing assistance with recruiting and onboarding new faculty and staff, administering many fringe-benefit programs, and coordinating other aspects of employment at Purdue. Their web site provides resources related to timekeeping, pay, leaves, employee development, etc. There are resources specific to supervisors and management, new employees, and current faculty and staff. The Vice President for Human Resources reports to the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the university.

Innovative Learning Team

Innovative Learning, which is part of the Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, is Purdue’s hub approach to connecting instructors to the resources they need to engage students, develop courses in any instructional modality, and enhance learning across the university. Members include the Center for Instructional Excellence, Libraries and the School of Information Studies, Purdue University Online, and Teaching and Learning Technologies.

International Students and Scholars, Office of

The Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS) provides services and support to international faculty and students, and to various university departments and offices. This includes support for the appropriate immigration services and visas for students and scholars. The directors for International Student Services and International Scholar Services report to the Assistant Vice President for Global Partnerships and Programs.

Legal Counsel, Office of

The Office of Legal Counsel is responsible for the delivery of legal services to The Trustees of Purdue University, which includes all campuses and units in the Purdue University system. They can also advise faculty or staff who complete an online “New Matter Intake Form.” They can assist on a wide variety of legal matters related to governance, risk management, contracts, personnel, student affairs, compliance, and records management, among others. The Senior Vice President and General Counsel reports to the President.

Lengths of Initial and Renewal Appointments of Faculty

An HHS memo, Lengths of Initial Appointments and Renewals for HHS Faculty, provides information on the typical lengths of initial appointments and appointment renewals for HHS tenure-track and clinical/professional faculty.

Marketing and Communications

See “Purdue Brand Studio.”

Modern Campus Curriculum

The university has an online program named Modern Campus Curriculum (previously Curriculog) that allows designated HHS faculty and staff to submit proposals for changes in the curriculum (e.g., revisions in degree requirements and the addition, revision, or expiration of majors, minors, concentrations, and certificates).  These proposals can then be approved using the same web-based program.

Monitoring of Low-Enrollment Course Sections

Before each fall and spring semester, heads are required to review sections of classes offered by their units for which fewer than 10 students have registered.  Heads must review each class and decide whether to request a waiver to offer it despite its low enrollment or to cancel it.  A sample email from a recent semester describes the procedures for this review and explains that decisions on waivers are made by the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning.

OneCampus Portal

The Purdue OneCampus Portal displays tiles that link to resources for faculty and staff. Some of the important resources in this portal include: Employee Launchpad (SAP SuccessFactors), Faculty and Business Account Projections and Faculty and Business Reports (AIMS), Finance Launchpad (SAP Fiori), Grant Management (COEUS), Purdue Certifications (WebCert), and Purdue’s Travel System (Concur).

Physical Facilities, Department of

All campus construction and renovation projects are coordinated by the Department of Physical Facilities.  Unit heads and deans need to know the difference between a work order and a capital project, which is explained on the Requesting Work Orders and Projects web page. The annual Capital Program Planning Process is explained on another web page found under the Campus Planning group. Requests for estimates of the cost of capital projects must be submitted through the SAP-PPM (Portfolio and Project Management) system by following the steps in the “Create New Estimate Request” document. The Vice President for Physical Facilities reports to the Senior Vice President for Administrative Operations.

President, Office of the

The Office of the President’s web site contains information about the current Purdue president as well as historical information on past presidents. The tile on the “About” tab for University Leadership shows all the people who report directly to the president and all their direct reports.

Promotion and Tenure Information for Faculty

The most complete collection of University, college, and unit-specific documents on faculty promotion and tenure policies, procedures, and criteria can be found on the HHS promotion and tenure web page. The college’s policy document describes the composition of primary committees and the area committee.  It also describes the conflict-of-interest policy for promotion committee members.  Other items provide instructions for preparing the documents that are reviewed by promotion committees.

Provost, Office of the

The Office of the Provost is committed to promoting academic excellence at Purdue. The Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Diversity is Purdue’s chief academic officer, reporting directly to the President. The Provost is responsible for all academic programs, academic strategy and priorities, faculty-related matters (including academic appointments, tenure and promotion), and student academic affairs.

Purdue Brand Studio

Formerly known as Purdue Marketing and Communications, the Purdue Brand Studio web site provides information on the Purdue Brand and relevant policies pertaining to marketing and communications. The Vice Presidents for Marketing and for Communications report to the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the university. The HHS liaison to this Office is the senior director of HHS Marketing, Communications, and Events.

Purdue University Online

Purdue’s online programs are designed to make a high-quality Purdue education as accessible and affordable as possible. By providing the same training and same degrees offered on Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus in a fully online format, they aim to meet the continuing educational needs of professional students, regardless of where they are in their careers. The Senior Vice President for Purdue University Online reports to the President. The HHS liaison for this office is Dean’s Fellow Libby Richards.

Real Estate and Space Administration, Office of

Purdue’s Real Estate and Space Administration office provides the university with services for the purchase, lease, sale, or management of property, in addition to maintaining a real estate inventory. Space Administration is responsible for implementing and managing space occupancy planning efforts for the university.  This group maintains the FM:S software that provides online access to the university’s space inventory, which has drawings of every floor of every university building and information about the square footage and use of every room. The director of this unit reports to the Senior Vice President for Administrative Operations. The HHS liaison for this office is the associate dean for administration.

Research, Office of

The Office of Research oversees university-wide strategic initiatives and all operational and regulatory functions of the Purdue University research enterprise. It also administers Purdue’s leading interdisciplinary institutes and centers, facilities, and research cores. The Executive Vice President for Research reports to the President. The HHS liaison for this office is the HHS associate dean for research.

Research Reinvestment Plan for HHS

A document on the College of Health and Human Sciences Research Reinvestment Plan provides information on the partial return to a faculty member of salary that is charged to an external grant.

Staff Performance Reviews

Performance management is an integral part of Purdue University’s ongoing effort to encourage staff to higher levels of achievement and service. Each staff member receives an annual review, which is recorded in SuccessFactors. Annual performance is assessed against position-specific goals and three University-wide competencies (overall job performance, professional/career development, and culture and values).  University policy (VI.F.7) requires that all staff receive an annual performance evaluation.

Study Abroad

The Office of Global Partnerships and Programs coordinates the Purdue Study Abroad programs. For faculty members who wish to design and implement short-term overseas programs, additional resources (Nuts & Bolts Manual, Quick Reference Guide, Study Abroad forms, etc.) can be found on the Departmental Study Abroad Programs page. These programs are coordinated by the Office of International Students and Scholars. The HHS liaison for this office is the Faculty Director of Global Education.

University Catalog

A wealth of information for and about students can be found in the Purdue West Lafayette Catalog. The catalog is the authoritative source for academic regulations and other student regulations, disability resources, the university core curriculum, grade appeals, etc.

University Faculty Scholars

A memo that summarizes the HHS Procedures for Nominations for University Faculty Scholars supplements the university policy titled, “Distinguished and Named Professorships and Faculty Scholars” (VI.C.1). Additional information is on the Provost’s web page.

University Policies

The web site of the University Policy Office is the authoritative source for Purdue University policies. The site also includes Executive Memoranda that predate the University policies but that are sometimes still in effect. Occasionally, University mandates are given a third label, a University Standard.  Policies relevant to specific topics can be found using the A-Z Index or the search box on every University Policy Office web page.

Visiting Scholars

Appointments of visiting scholars are approved by the unit head. The department should contact Purdue International Scholar Assistance (PISA; pisa@purdue.edu) and work with them to begin the process. PISA will work directly with the department to complete all necessary steps.