Guidelines for Preparing Credentials for Tenure and/or Promotion Review:

 Introduction to the Guidelines

Tenure and/or promotion can be awarded only when a clear and convincing case supports such a decision. The purpose of these "Guidelines for Preparing Credentials for Tenure and/or Promotion Review" is to create a format for the presentation of promotion and tenure cases: by the candidate to the department, the department to the College Committee, the Committee to the dean, and the dean to the provost. The instructions refer to criteria of departments and the College for excellence in teaching, scholarship, service, advising and mentoring.

 

The Arts and Sciences Faculty Policies Handbook states these priorities with respect to these areas of responsibility: "Excellence in teaching is the most important consideration in the granting of tenure and/or promotion. A record of scholarship/creative activity is required. Strong service to the University, one's profession, students and the community and advising students also are important." (3.1.3) Thus, Drake accords teaching the highest value, with scholarship as the next ranking essential element. While service is important, it is not placed on a par with either teaching or scholarship. While advising and mentoring are important roles, not all faculty are equally engaged in these activities. The department should define the advising and mentoring responsibilities for the faculty member.

 

Specific criteria for assessing teaching, scholarship/creative activity, service and advising exist in written form for the College (see the applicable sections from the Faculty Policies Handbook printed below) and in each department (as specified in the concluding paragraphs of 3.1.31, 3.1.32, 3.1.33 and 3.1.34; department statements are available from the department chair or the dean). By College policy, the annual written evaluations of faculty are provided for review by the Promotion and Tenure Committee of the College (3.1.63), along with the candidates' papers.

 

Eligibility for review for tenure is stated in 3.1.11 and for promotion 3.1.12. The general guidelines for tenure and promotion are outlined in 3.1.2. Prospective candidates should note particularly that the procedures of the College place responsibility for preparation of candidacy papers on the candidate (3.1.26), who is required to present a full and well documented record of accomplishment The Department Review Committee must then conduct a thorough analysis of the candidacy (3.1.51 and 3.1.62) and present to the College Promotion and Tenure Committee a fully documented recommendation. The procedures of the College Committee are specified in 3.1.64. If special contractual considerations mediate normal criteria, such contractual language must preface any Promotion and Tenure case as part of the context for the evaluation (see also 3.1.25).

 

This document is intended to be consistent with section 3.1 in the Faculty Policies Handbook of the College of Arts and Sciences, and it specifically implements 3.1.27. In instances of inconsistency, if any, the Handbook prevails. Persons using this document should therefore use it with section 3.1 of the Arts and Sciences Faculty Policies Handbook at hand. If you do not have a copy of the Arts and Sciences Faculty Policies Handbook, it is available on line or may be obtained from the Arts and Sciences office.