The Ranking and Tenure Process and Your Professional File

1
The Ranking and Tenure Processand Your
Professional File
Things to Know Things to Do Things to Avoid
October 2005

• A Presentation for the WSU Teaching Learning
  Forum

2
Know the Policies Which Govern the Process

• Read Section 8 of the PPM.
• Read Your Colleges Tenure Document.
• Read Department Documents (if used).
• Ask Questions.

3
Thoughts on the File
s

• A professional file will be maintained for the
  purposes of tenure and promotion for each faculty
  member in the office of the dean. This file is to
  be distinguished from the personnel file
  maintained in the personnel office (PPM 8-13)
• Candidates Teaching Profile All candidates
  shall establish documentation for assessment by a
  peer review committee demonstrating their
  teaching skills. (PPM 8-11)
• The opportunity for early promotion is intended
  for candidates who have established a national or
  international reputationA candidate must prepare
  a portfolio that includes documented evidence for
  extraordinary accomplishments A statement of
  teaching philosophyshould also be included. (PPM
  8-11)

4
Peer Review

• Every candidate for promotion or tenure review
  shall undergo peer review. (Peer review may also
  occur prior to the formal review as part of a
  mentoring process designed to cultivate the
  candidates potential in an atmosphere separate
  from evaluation.) The peer reviewers may also
  gather materials regarding the candidates
  scholarship and service activities. Peer
  reviewers should interpret this information in
  terms of department and college expectations and
  summarize, without rating, the candidates
  strengths and weaknesses in the designated areas.
  The summary of the peer review is subsequently
  placed in the candidates file to be evaluated by
  the department Promotion and Tenure Committee,
  the College Ranking and Tenure Committee, the
  Dean and others as described in the Dated
  Guidelines for the Ranking Tenure Review process
  (PPM 8-12).
• The peer review committee may be the department
  Promotion and Tenure Review Committee. (PPM 8-15)
  If the peer review committee is not the
  department Promotion and Tenure Review Committee,
  it shall consist of a minimum of three members
  who are familiar with the program.

PPM 8-11
5
Peer Review Ranking and Tenure Review

• Oct 15   Candidates shall meet with the chair of
  the peer review committee. At that time the
  candidate and the chair shall agree upon a
  schedule for the candidate to provide appropriate
  documentation of teaching effectiveness for the
  peer review committee to review and assess. 
• Dec 10   The results of department peer
  evaluations shall be placed in the candidates'
  professional files along with any other materials
  the committee deems appropriate (PPMs 8-11 and
  8-13).
• Jan 15   Candidates' professional files are
  complete and ready for review.

All from PPM 8-12
6
Placement of Material in the Professional File

• It is the responsibility of the faculty member to
  update the professional file to insure its
  completeness prior to the beginning of the
  ranking tenure review process. Materials may not
  be added to this file after the review process
  has begun, unless it is at the request of
  individuals involved in the review process. Other
  authorized individuals, including department and
  college peers, former employers, recognized
  scholars and professionals within the faculty
  member's discipline and Ranking Tenure Evaluation
  Committee members may submit items to the
  department chair for inclusion into the file. 
  The department chair will send the faculty member
  a copy of all items which have been sent to the
  office of the dean for inclusion in the faculty
  member's professional file. (PPM 8-13)
• In the case of the faculty member who is on
  tenure track or who is seeking promotion, the
  chair shall send to the faculty members
  professional file summaries of that faculty
  members student evaluations (PPM 8-11)

7
Removal of Items

• The removal of any documents must occur as
  follows 
• 1. The faculty member must submit a written
  statement to the department chair presenting the
  reasons for excluding the item(s) from the file. 
• 2. The department chair must submit a
  recommendation to the dean concerning the written
  statement of the faculty member. 
• 3. After receiving the recommendation of the
  department chair, the dean, in consultation with
  the provost, will decide whether the challenged
  material will remain in the file. 
• 4. If the decision is made to delete the
  challenged material, the removal of the item(s)
  will be shown in the table of contents as
  "deleted" and dated. (PPM 8-13)

8
Material Outside the File

• Decisions made regarding the advancement in rank
  or the awarding of tenure of a candidate will be
  based on information contained in their
  professional file, as well as all other relevant
  information brought to the attention of reviewers
  at any stage of the review process. However,
  reviewers must take reasonable steps to protect
  candidates from unfair and prejudicial surprise
  when they consider information not contained in
  the candidate's professional file. Candidates
  must be apprised of any additional information to
  be considered and afforded a reasonable
  opportunity to respond to such information a
  reviewer might consider. Finally, reviewers must
  state in writing all information not included in
  the candidate's professional file upon which
  their findings and recommendations might be based
  (PPM 8-14)

9
Rank and Tenure

• To be promoted from assistant professor to
  associate professor one must either have been
  granted tenure or be granted tenure at the same
  time as the promotion. A candidate who fails the
  tenure review process cannot be advanced in rank.
  (PPM 8-11)

10
Extensions of the Probationary Period

• In exceptional cases, the tenure process may be
  temporarily suspended (leave and re-enter at the
  same point), and the probationary period extended
  by the college Ranking Tenure Evaluation
  Committee, upon recommendation by the department
  and the dean, in consultation with the provost.
  For example, when a faculty member becomes a
  parent through birth or adoption of a child below
  the age of six, great consideration shall be
  given to the faculty member's request to extend
  the probationary period for tenure for up to two
  years, in one year increments, provided the
  request is made in writing during the year
  following the birth or adoption. Other examples
  include but are not limited to death, divorce and
  illness. If and when such a request is granted,
  the conditions of the extension shall be
  explained in writing by the provost, copies
  distributed to the candidate, the department
  chair and the candidate's professional file, and
  major reviews delayed accordingly. (PPM 8-23)

11
The Criteria

• It is acceptable to exceed the minimums. In
  fact, it is desired.

12
Be Engaged in the Process

• Ask questions.
• Be a partner in the process.
• Use common sense.

13
Tell Your Story

• The evaluation process is qualitative as well as
  quantitative.
• Tell your story within the context of WSU (the
  criteria).
• Weave together a narrative.

14
An Example of Narrative

• John attended a 2004 conference on undergraduate
  research.

• Kay attended a 2004 conference on undergraduate
  research.

How will the conference be considered in the
ranking and tenure process?
15
Two Different Stories

• John was motivated by the undergraduate research
  conference. He began working with undergraduate
  students on research projects. Since the
  conference, John has worked with 10 different
  students. His students have presented their
  research at WSUs undergraduate research
  symposium. In 2004, he received an NSF grant to
  fund his work with student. Three of
  collaborative research projects have been
  published in peer-reviewed journals.

• Kay enjoyed the conference, but after returning
  to campus Kay focused on other areas. In January
  2004, Kay attended an AACU conference on liberal
  education. Kay also joined one of WSUs
  Diversity Action Teams. In April 2004, Kay
  applied for a Hemingway grant to travel to China
  and gather material to be used in several of the
  departments undergraduate classes. Kay is
  presently considering how to incorporate the
  materials into the curriculum.

16
What Counts?

• Count
• To name one by one to find the total number
• To recite numbers in order
• The act of counting
• One of the imperial court

17
Ranking and Tenure

• Questions?