October 27, 2011

MUSC Faculty Senate Promotion and Tenure

Workshop

• Overview of Promotion and Tenure• Roger White, PharmD

• Comments from Panel• Experiences with the process• Recommendations for candidates

• Questions from the Audience

Workshop Outline

Promotion and Tenure

• Promotion is based on accomplishments and contributions.

• Tenure is based on projected future contributions to the institution.

Tenure?

According to the MUSC Faculty Handbook section 6.04 (Faculty Tenure):

“Tenure shall be the assurance of continuous appointment to a particular faculty rank, with continuation of salary commensurate with the rank, as long as duties are performed in accordance with accepted standards,…”

MUSC Faculty Handbook section 6.04 (cont.)

• “…subject to termination for cause, upon retirement, on account of financial exigency, or the change or abolition of institutional programs.”

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• “Tenure rests in the college or department of primary appointment only.”

• “The initial letter of appointment and/or contract and annual renewals shall specify status with regard to tenure.”

Criteria for Tenure?

According to the MUSC Faculty Handbook section 6.04a:

“The faculty member must demonstrate competence and promise of long-term usefulness to the missions and programs of the University to be considered for tenure…”

Possible New Criteria for Tenure

• Interdisciplinary and inter-professional initiatives (teaching, research, service)

• Entrepreneurship

• Collaborations

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Myths About Promotion and Tenure

• When I was your age….

• I just got tenure, so here’s how to do it…

• They don’t read it, they just count stuff…

• Just keep pumping out stuff from your dissertation…

• “Engagement doesn't count, just research (and maybe teaching)….

• Administrators want to deny tenure whenever they can …

• It doesn’t really mean anything anyway…

• Teaching• Didactic• Experiential

• Service• Administrative• Clinical

• Research• Funding• Publications

Criteria for Evaluation

• Teaching• Didactic• Professional vs Graduate Programs• Lecture hours/Course coordination• Student Evaluations• Peer Evaluations

• Experiential• Usually simultaneous with clinical activities• Fewer evaluations• Graduate students/Post-docs

Criteria for Evaluation

• Service• Administrative• Administrative Position• MUSC Committees (Dept, College, University)• Professional Organizations• Other

• Clinical• Percent Effort (Clinician/Educator)• Evaluation difficult for chairs/committee

Criteria for Evaluation

• Research• Funding• Source: NIH/Federal vs Other• Amount (% Effort)

• Publications• Peer reviewed vs Non peer-reviewed• Original research vs. reviews/chapters• Do publications from previous institutions

count?• Quantity (number often not stated)• Quality (journal impact factor?, other’s

impressions)

Criteria for Evaluation

• Promotion and Tenure are separate processes at MUSC

• Tenure/Promotion Clock• “Up or Out” policy• Can apply to promotion or tenure• Usual application is after 5th year

• Time “off the clock”• Parenthood• Medical leave

Promotion and Tenure Policy Issues

• Annual Evaluations• 3 year Review• Application for Promotion/Tenure• Chair Evaluation• Department APT Committee• College APT Committee• University APT Committee• Board of Trustees• Post-tenure Review

Promotion and Tenure Process

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Chairs Responsibilities

• Structure work-life for success

–Teaching assignment

–Research assistance

–Financial and resource support

–Protection time

• Use fair informal and formal faculty reviews

• Meaningful annual review letters

• Faculty Handbook• Promotion and Tenure Guidelines• Post-tenure Review Process• Annual Faculty Contracts• Annual Faculty Evaluation

• Teaching Evaluations/Portfolio• Internal• External

• Letters of recommendation• Curriculum vitae

Important Documents

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Dossier Materials• Letters

–Dean

–College Advisory Committee

–Chair

–Directors of Centers, Institutes or other departments

–Tenured faculty of same rank or higher

–Faculty outside department

–External – candidate and Chair recommendations

–Students

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Dossier Materials

• Performance Materials

–Updated CV

–Annual Evaluations since last promotion or appointment

–Teaching Portfolio

–Creative Productivity

–Grants & Contract Information

–Professional Status and Activity

–University & Public Service Information

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Dossier Materials

• Administrative Information

–APT Procedures

–Distribution of effort since last promotion or appointment

–Job description and Approval Letter

–If Joint appointment, discussion of promotion plan with the Department Chair/Center Director is needed

MUSC Promotion Process

A Typical Academic Progression

Tenure typically is considered between Associate Professor and Professor designations, but can be considered at other times.

MUSC Tenure Process

Post-tenure Review Process

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When it gets difficult

• Appointment letter states expectations but the activities don’t match

• Distribution of effort doesn’t reflect activities

• Annual reviews are not consistent with other materials

• Dean – Chair – Faculty Disagree

How Does One Maximize the Chances of Obtaining Tenure?

• Make your accomplishments visible, tangible, quantifiable, locally and nationally.

• Perform consistently. Improve.

• Establish independence, but balance with collegiality.

• Find a niche, establish your name in an area.

How Does One Maximize the Chances of Obtaining Tenure?

• Understand “the rules”.

• Make it a “no-brainer” for your Chair.

• Work with your Chair to align your interests with the needs of your department.

• Set short and long term goals.

• Get a mentor, and work with them.

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Selecting a Mentor

• Available for regular consultations and review of progress

• Knowledgeable of promotion & tenure process for your discipline

• Comfortable communication

• Possible collaborator but not always necessary

•Meet with your mentor often.

•Listen to them. Encourage unvarnished honesty.

•Show them your grant applications, teaching materials, tangible scholarship and manuscripts.

•Solicit their advocacy.

Utilizing a Mentor

• Organization.

• Identity with a scholarly area.

• Presentation.

• Can the reader quickly pick out your most noteworthy accomplishments?

• Scholarship, service/clinical care, teaching, mentorship, science.

• National and local visibility.

Take a Hard Look at your CV

• Necessary for tenure.• Tricky to develop independence in a mentored

environment.• Must develop a reputation that is clearly distinct from

your mentor.• R01 (or national award) is one of the best ways to

establish independence.• Editorial boards, Study Section memberships,

National policy, advisory or accrediting boards. National teaching awards.

Independence