THE UNIVERSITY PROMOTIONS & TENURE: WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A PROFESSOR

Matthew L. S. GbokuDDG/Research Coordinator

Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute

Presentation at the SLARI Annual Retreat26 – 28 October, 2015Makeni City

STAFF PROMOTION AND TENURE The promotion and tenure procedure is

a parallel structure allowing for faculty proposal, evaluation and appeal, as well as administrative evaluation at each level of organization of the University.

Faculty candidates for promotion and/or tenure are evaluated based on the criteria in their department's approved promotion and tenure guidelines appropriately weighted for their workload for the period under review.

THE PROMOTIONS STEPSIndividual Prepares Dossier

Dept. Committee on Promotion & Tenure

Chair/Head of Department

Faculty Committee on Promotion & Tenure

Dean of Faculty

University Senate Committee on Promotions & Tenure

University Court

Pro-Chancellor

Chancellor

University Board of Trustee

The ultimate objectives of promotion policies at the University are faculty excellence and procedural fairness.

In order to preserve and enhance its reputation as an institution of higher education, the University must establish and maintain high standards of teaching, scholarly and artistic activity, and service.

At the same time, it must treat each faculty member with decency and respect. Thus, these procedures seek to promote the individual's welfare and professional development while at the same time fostering the University's growth toward excellence.

The process rests firmly on peer evaluations, for the faculty itself is best able to establish and apply promotion criteria.

Furthermore, the promotion system recognizes the uniqueness of the disciplines that comprise the University faculty.

Indeed, departments have the major responsibility for establishing and administering guidelines and making initial promotion and tenure recommendations.

Such departmental decisions affect the University as a whole, and consequently, college and University committees, together with appropriate administrators at each level, also play an important role.

MINIMUM STANDARD FOR PROMOTION

Since the mission of the University encompasses teaching, scholarship and service, faculty members should strive for excellence in all three areas.

Scholarship, whether in the form of research, publication, professional development, artistic creativity, or scholarship related to teaching or service is a significant part of each person's contribution to the academic community.

Everyone must pursue some form of scholarly activity. 

MINIMUM STANDARD CONTINUED How this works varies by college and

depends upon the particular discipline, but promotion requires evidence that significant achievements have been and will continue to be made.

The University's obligation to scholarship notwithstanding, a major goal of any educational institution is to encourage and to demonstrate excellence in teaching.

Hence, faculty members with teaching responsibilities must demonstrate high-quality teaching performance.

MINIMUM STANDARD CONTINUED Service at all levels--department, college, University,

community, profession, or nation--is also an integral part of the University's mission and must not be neglected on the grounds that scholarship and teaching have higher priority.

These considerations suggest University expectations for promotion to various academic ranks.

Although departments may write specific criteria to fit their particular circumstances and needs, they must conform to the spirit of these standards.

Unsatisfactory performance in any of the three areas precludes promotion. To provide comparability across the University, then, the following minimum achievements should be met for promotion to these ranks:

UNIVERSITY RANKSNJALA UNIVERSITY SLARI EQUIVALENT

Teaching Assistant Research Assistant (RA)

Assistant Lecturer Research Officer III (RO)

Lecturer (II & I) Research Officer (I & II)

Senior Lecturer Senior Research Officer (SRO)

Associate Professor Principal Research Officer (PRO)

Professor Chief Research Officer (CRO)

LECTURER I/RESEARCH OFFICER I

Apart from earning the doctorate or other appropriate terminal degree, the primary requirement is the demonstrated ability and desire to achieve excellence in scholarship and teaching and to make positive contributions in all three areas.

For this rank, past achievements are not so important as evidence of future growth and accomplishment.

SENIOR LECTURER/RESEARCH OFFICER

Apart from earning the doctorate or other appropriate terminal degree, the primary requirement is the demonstrated ability and desire to achieve excellence in scholarship and teaching and to make positive contributions in all three areas.

Furthermore, there should be unmistakable evidence that the individual has progressed since his/her last promotion and will continue to do so.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR/PRO Inasmuch as promotion within the University to

this rank generally carries tenure, the qualifications must be rigorous.

At a minimum, the individual should show excellent achievement in scholarship or teaching and high quality performance in all areas.

Furthermore, there should be unmistakable evidence that the individual has progressed and will continue to do so.

A mere satisfactory or adequate record as Senior Lecturer or SRO is not sufficient.

There must be very clear indication, based on hard evidence and outside peer evaluations, that the candidate has in fact attained high levels of accomplishment.

PROFESSOR/CRO This rank is reserved for individuals who have

established reputations in their fields and whose contributions to their profession and the University's mission are excellent.

There should be unmistakable evidence of significant development and achievement in teaching, scholarship and service since the last promotion. Once again, the candidate's claim to have met these requirements must be thoroughly and completely documented by outside peer evaluations and other materials.

University employees with professional contracts who also hold faculty appointments in academic units are eligible for promotion without tenure and will meet the same criteria for promotion as do members of the unit who hold academic appointments.

PROMOTIONS PROCESS SCHEDULE

The time schedule for the promotion process must be developed. Whenever possible, these deadlines should be anticipated and dossiers forwarded (with recommendations) at an earlier date.

Appeals are possible at every level, but must be made to the committee or administrator whose decision is being appealed. An intention to appeal must be given to the appropriate body within five working days of notification of the decision.

15 March 

Candidate notifies chair of intention to apply for promotion in writing. Departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee begins the process of soliciting peer evaluations. 

1 September  Dossier to Department Committee and Chairperson. 

1 October  Department's recommendation to the Chairperson. 

15 October  Chairperson's recommendation to the College Committee and Dean. 

1 December  College Committee's recommendation to the Dean. 

2 January  Dean's recommendation to the University Promotions and Tenure Committee. 

15 February  University Promotions and Tenure Committee recommendations to Provost. 

28 February  Provost's recommendations. 

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER AT THE OF RETREAT

Junior staff promotions Do we as SLARI have a promotions and

tenure system? Our claim to be parallel institution to NU

--- Do we fit in the university promotions system?

Does NU/SLARI have a promotion schedule?

Are employees familiar with the promotion system at SLARI?

What is the way forward?