A faculty consultant is a professional who uses his or her position on a school or university’s faculty, as well as his or her experience in a specific field, to provide professional consulting services outside of the academic context. Faculty consultants work in a variety of fields and industries, advising businesses and other parties on a variety of issues where their expertise plays a key role in product development, policy, and other initiatives. In general, a faculty consultant must strike a balance between her role at the university or school and any other responsibilities she may have outside of her primary job.
Faculty consultants play a variety of roles in modern commerce and government administration. Many professors in scientific departments, for example, may offer faculty consulting to pharmaceutical companies for product development, research, or other projects. A faculty consultant may work with a government group on policy or strategic initiatives for civic education in the public sphere. These are just a few examples of how faculty consultants help people outside of academia.
As this type of consulting becomes more prevalent in the corporate world and the world of public administration, the issue of faculty consulting has raised some concerns among academics. Acting as a faculty consultant can raise significant questions about whether or not the individual can bring an unbiased opinion to a project; in some cases, acting as a faculty consultant can raise significant issues about whether or not the individual can bring an unbiased opinion to a project. A conflict of interest can arise in any position in a research department.
The issue of data ownership is another aspect of faculty consulting. Faculty members at schools and universities typically compile their own informational resources while using the academic institution’s tools and resources. In some cases, consulting crosses the line into unauthorized use of data gathered through the use of these resources. There are also concerns about using the university’s image or logo, or even specific credentials associated with the academic institution, in advertising or promoting faculty consultant positions.
The main goal of a faculty consultant is to find outside consulting work that complements his or her academic work. These professionals must consider how their academic obligations impact their outside consulting. They must also protect their academic employers’ assets and reputations, as well as their own individual academic reputations.