In November 2002 the MIT Council on Family and Work reported to the faculty on the results from the Quality of Life Survey that pertained to the faculty. This survey found that faculty believe that the pace and pressure of being a faculty member at MIT have increased substantially over the last decades and that the workload at MIT is greater than at other leading research universities. The survey also found that there are gender and generational gaps in faculty members' perceptions of pace and pressure, with women and younger male faculty disproportionately reporting an overly intense work environment.

The Council on Family and Work recommended that the Provost appoint an Ad Hoc committee to delve further into the issues surround faculty pace and pressure and to recommend changes in MIT faculty policies and initiatives that will provide the best possible environment for sustainable faculty achievement and the best, sustainable academic community for our faculty, staff and students. Simultaneously, MIT has fostered a community of scholars where achievement and entrepreneurship flourishes at every level of the academic endeavor. These foundations of our culture have been highly valued and have been carefully fostered.

We seek to maintain these foundations whilst also adapting and enhancing MIT's faculty policies and procedures to reflect generational and cultural changes in present-day academic careers.

Charge to the Committee

List of Committee Members