Making the Grade

1
Making the Grade

• Meeting the requirements for tenure and
  continuing appointment
• Maura Matesic
• January 2009

2
Making the Grade the tenure process

• Institutional Requirements
• Committee Process
• Individual Files

3
The Tenure Process Institutional Requirements

• Evaluation Criteria (York University)
• Professional performance and knowledge (day to
  day work)
• Professional development (publications
  conference presentations)
• Service (Committee work)
• Ranking Scale (York University)
• Excellent
• Highly Competent
• Competent
• Not satisfactory
• Period of Review varies according to
  institution (2-6 years)

4
The Tenure Process Institutional Requirements

• Academic work research, publications and
  conference papers
• Library work collections and reference
• Teaching
• Committee work

5
Making the Grade Committee Process

• Clarify role of committee evaluative or
  advocacy or both?
• Review requirements and existing guidelines
• Develop supporting and clarifying documents

6
Making the Grade Committee Process

• Potential problems
• Committee disagrees on the nature of academic
  librarianship
• Committee disagrees on inclusion/exclusion of job
  responsibilities
• Lack of transparency regarding helping role of
  mentors
• Interference of personal friendships or conflicts

7
Making the Grade Committee Process

• Solutions?
• Broad and inclusive definitions regarding
  academic work to allow for diversity in work
  styles and accomplishments
• Greater transparency and disclosure requirements

8
Making the Grade Individual Files

• Focus on breadth not depth
• Thus, in addition to doing your job, try to have
  a least one from each of the following
• one conference paper or presentation
• one article
• one website or wiki
• some teaching experience
• Depending on the length of candidacy period

9
Making the Grade Individual Files

• And if possible add
• Tutorial
• Credit course (college or university)
• Peer reviewed article
• Article in subject area
• Advanced degree
• Ongoing research work