Tenure and Promotionat Public PUI’s and R-1’s

Cutting Edge 2007Jean M. Bahr andKurt C. Friehauf

Tenure vs. Promotion

Tenure = job security

Promotion = pay raise and “prestige”

Why tenure?

Job security enables freedom to explore riskier, new ideas

Who benefits from tenure?

• Professor – job security + research freedom

• Other faculty – retains competent peers so better work

environment

• University – retains employee committed to institution

Tenure

• Not bulletproof

• More like bullet resistant

• Can still be fired for unprofessional acts

Requirements for tenure

Teaching

ScholarlyActivity

Service

Teaching• Faculty

observations• Chair observations• Student

evaluations• Samples of

teaching materials

Scholarly Activity at Kutztown

• Publications– Two peer-reviewed in 5 year probation– Not based on PhD research– Professional presentations count in

some departments (not in mine)

• Grant proposals– No specific dollar income required– Just need to demonstrate effort

WARNING: Requirements vary

in both time and place!

Service•Committee work for university

• Reviewing NSF proposals and papers for journals

• Community outreach

ProcessAnnual reviews for 5 year probationary period Documentatio

nNotebooks Department

committeeDepartment

Chair University committee

Provost’s decision

12

3

4

Who’s the final word?• Can you be granted tenure with a

negative recommendation from your department and/or the university committee?

Who’s the final word?• Can you be denied tenure by the

provost even with positive recommendations from your department and the university committee?

Provost’s discretion

• Repercussions for deviation

•Faculty member becomes pariah

•Department resents provost

• Potential for law suits

Failing tenure• One year “courtesy” employment

before termination

Also gives department a year to find

replacement!

Cost of failure?

• Professor – job loss

• Other faculty – must start new search and then

mentoring processmore transition

• University – faculty have less experience

(cost of new search)

Promotion at a PUI• Same basic evaluation process

Teaching

ScholarlyActivityService

Bottom lines:

1. Tenure depends on teaching, service, and scholarly growth

2. Tenure does not mean bulletproof

3. Promotion depends on scholarly growth

4. It is in everyone’s interest that you get both tenure and promotion

Tenure Criteria at a Research University

Jean M. Bahr

3 Major components (in order of importance)

Research creativity, productivity and sustainability

Record of effective teaching

Professional service on departmental and university committees and service to professional organizations, government, industry, or the community

Documentation of Research Excellence

Peer reviewed publications

Peer reviewed grants

Research students supervised

Letters of evaluation from recognized leaders in the field (“at arms length” from the candidate)

Documentation of Effective Teaching

Summary of teaching activities including curriculum development

Peer review of classroom teaching

Student evaluations

Teaching awards or other special recognition

Documentation of Service Contributions

Department service University service Outreach activities Manuscript and grant proposal review Journal editorships Service on national or international

committees (e.g. Natl. Res. Council, Int. Ocean Drilling Prog.)

Service to professional societies (GSA, AGU, etc.)

Tenure Comparison

1. Teaching2. Research3. Service

Publication required

PUI Undergrad R-1 Research

1. Research2. Teaching3. Service

Teaching excellence required

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