Tenure and Promotion in Universities

Marian R. Walters, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Penn State Harrisburg, the Capital College

Define “Tenure”?

Faculty Perceptions:Job/rank guaranteeSalary guaranteeAcademic Freedom (define own role,

jobs, time commitments etc)

Merriam-Webster: a status granted a teacher after a trial period that prevents summary dismissal

• Reality??????? See Chronicle of Higher Education, 2/27/09

                       Walters’ Immutable Rules for Professional Survival 1. YOU AND YOU ALONE are ultimately responsible for your own career, including Promotion and Tenure, career direction, career opportunities, etc.

Take your responsibility seriously.

Seek as much information and help/mentoring as possible.

Give them “Ammo”…… 

                       Walters’ Immutable Rules for Professional Survival 1. YOU AND YOU ALONE are ultimately responsible for your own career, including Promotion and tenure, career direction, career opportunities, etc. Take your responsibility seriously. Seek as much information and help/mentoring as possible. 

2. You MUST learn to work with your Chair.

Corollary: You don’t have to LIKE them to learn to work with them. 

                       Walters’ Immutable Rules for Professional Survival 1. YOU AND YOU ALONE are ultimately responsible for your own career, including Promotion and tenure, career direction, career opportunities, etc. Take your responsibility seriously. Seek as much information and help/mentoring as possible. 2. You MUST learn to work with your Chair. Corollary: You don’t have to LIKE them to learn to work with them. 

3. Seek mentors:

Professional colleagues are willing to give advice, and often feel honored to be asked.

Corollary: You don’t have to take any of the advice you get, but at least you are learning in the process. 

                       Walters’ Immutable Rules for Professional Survival 1. YOU AND YOU ALONE are ultimately responsible for your own career, including Promotion and tenure, career direction, career opportunities, etc. Take your responsibility seriously. Seek as much information and help/mentoring as possible. 2. You MUST learn to work with your Chair. Corollary: You don’t have to LIKE them to learn to work with them. 3. Seek mentors: Professional colleagues are willing to give advice, and

often feel honored to be asked. Do not be shy about seeking advice/council.

Corollary: You don’t have to take any of the advice you get, but at least you are learning in the process.

 

4. NEVER, EVER put anything in writing (including e-mail or facebook or…)

that you do not want to discuss in public at the most inopportune time imaginable.

                       Walters’ Immutable Rules for Professional Survival 1. YOU AND YOU ALONE are ultimately responsible for your own career, including Promotion and tenure, career direction, career opportunities, etc. Take your responsibility seriously. Seek as much information and help/mentoring as possible. 2. You MUST learn to work with your Chair. Corollary: You don’t have to LIKE them to learn to work with them. 3. Seek mentors: Professional colleagues are willing to give advice, and often feel honored to be asked. Do not be shy about seeking advice/council. Corollary: You don’t have to take any of the advice you get, but at least you are learning in the process.4. NEVER, EVER put anything in writing (including e-mail or facebook or…) that you do not want to discuss in public at the most inopportune time

imaginable. 

5. NEVER, EVER assume that anything you say, do or write is confidential. Corollary: Always be certain that YOU are the one to tell your Chair (other superior) important news about your activities (job search, interview etc.)

Tenure Criteria: Teaching, Research, Service

________________ 

Emphasis depends on:

-- Institution chair, other senior administrator

-- Timing

-- Committee members

Define Service

Service to the University, College, department

Service to the Discipline/Profession

Service to Society (using academic expertise)

Define Service

Service to the University, College, department

Service to the Discipline/Profession

Service to Society (using academic expertise) -------------------

• Usually, less service (but almost never no service) is expected for tenure:

• EXCEPTION: if a NATIONAL reputation is expected, service to NATIONAL societies is an irreplaceable credential

Tenure Review Process

Level 1: Department P&T Committee => Chair

Level 2: College P&T Committee => Dean_________

May be the final decision step, otherwise:

Level 3: University P&T Committee => Provost or President

Tenure and Promotion Documents

• YOU are responsible…TAKE responsibility

Tenure and Promotion Documents

• YOU are responsible…TAKE responsibility

• Documents include:

CV/Biographical Info List of Publications (complete citations) List of Abstracts/Presentations Teaching Information Service/Committee Information

**External Letters**

   **External Letters**

• Usually some solicited from “Your“ list and some from others (e.g., Chair’s list)

• Pick those on “your” list very carefully

Pick those on “your” list very carefully

• Impeccable credentials: preferably department chairs

• People who know you and value what you have accomplished (e.g., those you meet at your Society meetings)

• People who can write strong letters

• Give them “ammo”

The letters and who they were solicited from is almost never provided to the candidate

Preparing for the Process

• First step in new position:

-- Get all the information on the process and requirements as soon as you start any new position

(or at least from this moment on)

Preparing for the Process

• First step in new position: -- Get all the information on the process and requirements as soon as you start any new position

(or at least from this moment on)

• Second step: Surpass requirements

•

Preparing for the Process

• First step in new position: -- Assess requirements for tenure and promotion-- Get all the information on the process and requirements as soon as you start any new position

(or at least from this moment on)

• Second step: Surpass requirements

• Third Step: Surpass…“YOU AND YOU ALONE

are ultimately responsible for your own career”

Monitor Your Own Progress

• Read/reread institution/department docs re tenure and promotion

Read other literature on tenure and promotion (e.g., Professional Society, etc.)

• Periodic ReviewsImportance: Interim report cards

• Keep your CV up-to-date and complete

Tenure Clock

• Be crucially aware of your tenure “clock” • Take advantage of clock “stops”:

-- usually “stops” must be prospective

 

Tenure Clock

• Be crucially aware of your tenure “clock” • Take advantage of clock “stops”:

-- usually “stops” must be prospective

-- tenure time is too late…. • .... to realize that you could have overcome

adversity (e.g., family needs/heavy administrative work) and achieved the

necessary requirements if only....

ENSURING TENURE SUCCESS: OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

DISCUSS, discuss, discuss your career goals with your Chair, Chief, etc.

• Remember: Your Chair’s opinion may bethe single most important factor in your promotion/tenure.

Audio is not available for the following slides.

ENSURING TENURE SUCCESS: OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

DISCUSS, discuss, discuss your career goals with your Chair and Section Chief.

• Remember: Your Chair’s opinion may bethe single most important factor in your promotion/tenure.

• Work, work, work to provide as much AMMUNITION as possible

•

ENSURING TENURE SUCCESS: OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

DISCUSS, discuss, discuss your career goals with your Chair and Section Chief.

• Remember: Your Chair’s opinion may bethe single most important factor in your promotion/tenure.

• Work, work, work to provide as much AMMUNITION as possible

• Corollary: Exceed as many requirements as possible

“You and you alone….”

Why is Mentoring Important? 

• No penalty for requesting advice andguidance in personal or professional

issues; no one knows it all. • Significant advantages in developing good

working relationships with more experienced professionals

 • You do not have to take all/any advice you are

given, but at least you can determine some of your options • Many senior faculty consider mentoring a

routine part of their professional duties 

Why is Mentoring Important?

 • Professional/research mentoring can lead to

meaningful collaborations  • Mentors also gain from interactions with

younger faculty with new ideas • Choose mentor(s) carefully; one mentor

may not fulfill all needs • Mentoring should be freely given, works better

over time, professional “give and take”

  You Got Tenure/Promotion: Now What?

-- CELEBRATE!!!

-- Relax (One of most stressful times of life/career)

-- Then, keep up the good work: the next step is PROFESSOR

What If You Don’t get Tenure? Or: There IS Life/Career Afterwards

Many people blossom in a new setting

Many different academic institutions -- Value different talents -- Very different professional “inhibitors”

What If You Don’t get Tenure? Or: There IS Life/Career Afterwards

Best/easier to find different “path” before tenure denial

Even if not before tenure denial, may blossom in a new setting…

Even if get tenure, may want to change “paths”

How to Find A New Position

Mentors

Assess Strengths

Career Coach

Grieving Process