For Faculty

Academic Advising

The academic advising system is fundamental to undergraduate education at Washington and Lee, providing resources for students as they seek not only to meet graduation requirements, but also to become liberally educated human beings with well-developed intellect and character. Academic advisers encourage students to take responsibility for their own education and academic actions, engage in conversations beyond the classroom and help students to explore and serve a larger world through study abroad, community service, postgraduate education, and the commencement of productive careers.

Employee Resource Groups

Washington and Lee University's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion affirms that diverse perspectives and backgrounds enhance our community. The University is committed to the recruitment, enrichment, and retention of faculty and staff who embody many experiences, cultures, points of view, interests, and identities. The Provost's Office and Human Resources have partnered to expand on and pilot Employee Resource Groups (ERG) to foster the development of meaningful connections, and hopefully a robust sense of community, amongst employees.

Faculty Development and Funding Opportunities

There are a range of development and funding sources available to W&L faculty. These include such opportunities as the University Lectures program, pre-tenure and sabbatical leave opportunities, Summer Lenfest Research Grants, and the Summer Scholars Research program. Support is available for faculty who are interested in applying for external grants.

Faculty Handbook

The Handbook contains vital information on such topics as faculty appointments, academic freedom, tenure and promotion, retirement policy, university governance, and much more. Updated annually, it is available online and may be downloaded or printed. Both the March 2017 and the April 2015 Handbooks are also available. The 2015 Handbook only applies to faculty hired prior to 1 July 2017. The 2017 Handbook language for tenure and promotion remains the same in the handbooks after that year and should be followed by faculty beginning employment July 2017 or after. (Note: faculty hired before 2017 who are seeking tenure and/or promotion have the option to select either Handbook’s procedures, but must indicate their choice to their Dean when they declare their intention to seek tenure and promotion.)

Faculty Meetings

The current faculty meeting schedule and minute archive can be found here.

Freedom of Expression at Washington and Lee University

In December 2015, the University Committee on Inclusiveness and Campus Climate unanimously approved the University of Chicago 2015 “Statement on Freedom of Expression” and the AAC&U 2006 “Statement on Academic Freedom and Educational Responsibility” as guiding documents for how we think about freedom of expression on our campus.

Making Up Missed Class Time

Our accreditation agency, SACSCOC, requires that we make up missed class time, and that we have a mechanism for documenting how we do so. This page contains the link to the form used for documenting missed or cancelled classes.

Mentoring New Faculty

Washington and Lee stands on a foundation of strong teacher-scholars. Each year, we welcome new faculty members to our community, nurture continuing colleagues, and celebrate the accomplishments of brilliant, dedicated teacher-scholars. Since faculty growth and development constitute the bedrock of W&L's success, we are dedicated to providing robust support for faculty across the arc of their careers.