Committee on Academic Personnel

1
Committee on Academic Personnel

• File arrives in CAP office
• Staff check file for conformity to regulations
  etc and create history cover sheet
• Staff assign number to file and contact chair of
  CAP for assignment of readers
• Readers (2) and chair read file (everything) and
  write notes about the file

2
Committee on Academic Personnel

• Readers and Chair present the case to the rest of
  the committee (7 others)
• Committee discusses and votes on the proposed
  action/s or returns file for more information
• First reader composes the minute, then edited by
  second reader and chair. This is done by E mail
  and the minutes at this stage only refer to the
  person by number

3
Committee on Academic Personnel

• The minutes are tricky to write because-
• They must convey our reasoning to administration,
  but we like them to be as helpful as possible to
  the candidate

4
Communicate

• We dont all speak the same language! Even a
  total of 10 on the committee cannot produce
  knowledge of all disciplines A physicist may
  review a biology file or vice versa

5
Communicate personal statement

• This is always very difficult to write because of
  the variety of people you are trying to
  communicate with-
• Your fellow faculty, your chair, your dean, CAP,
  VP for AP, EVCP and Chancellor, and outside
  letter writers if it is a promotion file.
• Bearing this in mind, however, should help

6
Communicate Dont use jargon

• Chair of IBD committee
• Integrated Binomial Divisors?
• International Board of Directors?
• Immigrant Blood Donors? (also for
  on-campus committees)

7
Communicate explain a little

• Graduate advisor Some do everything and for
  some the job is shared (continuing students
  versus admissions etc). Sometimes the same as
  director of graduate program, sometimes not
• Undergraduate advisor The advisor (might be
  better described as chair of undergraduate
  advising) or one of many?
• Make sure you get the credit you are due
  
  

8
Communicate

• We have to judge by what is in the file so do
  your best to ensure that the file does your
  efforts justice

9
Worries teaching

• We look at all teaching evaluations and read all
  comments and look for trends. We ignore single
  off-the-wall comments.
• We know that it is more difficult to get high
  numerical scores in large courses etc.
• If there is a problem with any aspect of your
  teaching, show that you care and that you are
  doing your best to rectify it

10
Worries letters

• We look at all the letters and, once again, look
  for trends and ignore single off-the-wall
  comments. Plus you have an opportunity to address
  specific comments
• Choose your letter writers well

11
Balance

• A decision is based on so many elements that we
  cannot produce a list of what is required and it
  is difficult for you to compare yourself to
  others if you have not seen their whole file.
  e.g. Number of publications, publication venues,
  grants, quality and quantity of professional and
  campus service, professional visibility, quantity
  and quality of teaching, awards, outside letters
  and who they are from etc.