Handbook

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS GUIDELINES FOR TENURE/PROMOTION

This document informs faculty members and their departments about guidelines proposed for the College of Liberal Arts for evaluating recommendations for tenure and promotion. The document has been approved for presentation to the Dean by a regular vote of the College faculty. The document continues to be subject to review and revision at the will of the College faculty.

The term "guidelines" is used advisedly. While the document makes explicit general standards and expectations to guide the Dean in his/her responses to departmental recommendations for tenure and promotion, it also allows flexibility to individual departments in arriving at their more specific criteria. It thus seeks to balance the important concern for equitable evaluation of faculty from the various departments with an equally important recognition of the appropriate expertise and prerogatives of each of those departments. A recommendation for tenure and promotion must originate with the faculty member's department, which shall present a documented case for its recommendation. The statements in this document are consistent with the policies and procedures of the University, as set forth in the current ACADEMIC FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL STAFF MANUAL.

These guidelines apply to those who join the faculty of the College in the 1989 Fall Semester or later, and to all other College faculty, beginning with the 1995 Fall Semester. Those already on the faculty at the time this document is passed may opt to be evaluated by these guidelines. Departments are encouraged to develop more detailed formulations of departmental criteria for tenure and promotion than those contained in this College document or in the University MANUAL, Sections E.9 and E.10. These formulations should be submitted to the College Dean for review and approval, and they should not be in conflict with the University MANUAL.

1. Assistant Professors recommended for tenure are recommended for promotion to Associate Professor as well. Promotion may be granted without tenure, but tenure shall not be granted without promotion. Individuals recommended for tenure must, in the judgment of the department, be well-suited to enhance the development of the department. In particular, they should display expertise in areas compatible with current or anticipated programs in the department.

In the case of persons joining the faculty at the ranks of Associate or Full Professor but not given immediate tenure, the future decision about the granting of tenure shall be based on the guidelines for promotion to the rank occupied by those persons at the time of their recommendation for tenure, as well as on the additional considerations indicated above. An individual recommended for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor typically will have spent at least four or five years at the rank of Assistant Professor, and an individual recommended for promotion to the rank of Full Professor typically will have spent at least four or five years at the rank of Associate Professor. This does not preclude promotions after shorter periods of time in rank. Neither Colorado State University nor the College of Liberal Arts requires a minimum length of time in rank prior to promotion.

2. Because teaching effectiveness is vital to the mission of the College, it will usually weigh no less than thirty-five percent in evaluations for tenure and for promotion to all ranks. With this proviso, the actual weighting for each department (or for particular individuals within the department) will be decided by that department.

All candidates for tenure and promotion shall be assessed for their teaching skills partly on the basis of student reaction forms. Additional evidence of teaching effectiveness shall be submitted. It might include (but need not be limited to) such things as peer evaluations based on classroom visits, submission of syllabi and other course materials prepared by the faculty member, videotapes of classes in progress, introduction of new courses or innovative teaching techniques into existing courses, chairing or serving on graduate committees, attendance at teaching workshops, student demand for courses taught by the faculty person, indications of that person's being an unusually helpful advisor to students, receipt of teaching or advising awards, comments by alumni(ae) who have taken the faculty person's course(s), and reports from colleagues who have attended lectures or the readings of papers by that person.

3. As befits a major research institution, scholarly research and creative production are central responsibilities of College faculty. Accomplishments in this area will weigh no less than thirty-five percent of the evaluations for tenure or promotion at all ranks (the actual weighting, within this guideline, to be determined by each department). No promotion to Associate or Full Professor can be earned without substantial achievements in this area, as shown, for example, by refereed publications, juried exhibitions, published evidence of significant impact on the faculty person's field (citations, reviews, etc.), and comments by one's professional peers both within and outside the University. All research and creative activity which is relevant to the faculty member's professional interests shall be evaluated as part of his/her record.

For promotion to Associate or Full Professor, there must be evidence of sustained research or creative activity resulting in publications, performances, or exhibitions. If the relevant department does not specify, with the approval of the Dean, the generally expected level of scholarly or creative performance for promotion to these two ranks, the Dean will use the following guidelines in evaluating candidates for promotion. At least four substantial refereed articles in the previous rank, or demonstrably comparable research or creative works, will ordinarily be expected for promotion to both Associate and Full Professor (i.e., four articles or their equivalents for promotion to Associate and an additional four articles or their equivalents for promotion to Full). However, careful consideration shall be given to arguments for unusual quality of publications or creative works that fall below this numerical guideline. Post-publication evaluations of non-refereed articles by peers outside CSU may be allowed to substitute, on a case-by-case basis, for refereed publications. Reviews, short notes, papers for professional meetings, or conducting workshops may be cited as further evidence of scholarly accomplishment.

Promotion to Full Professor shall also ordinarily require, in addition to the conditions stated above, successful completion of a large project beyond the doctoral dissertation or terminal degree project (or their equivalent, as determined by the candidate's department), such as the publication of an important book or of an additional set of substantial articles, or notable performance(s) or showing(s) of one's art works.

4. Participation in the organizations of one's profession and service to the University, community, state, nation, or world are important obligations of College faculty. Assessments in this area shall ordinarily be weighted no less than ten percent of a faculty member's overall evaluation for tenure and promotion, the actual weight within this minimum to be determined by the department. In addition to the number of responsibilities of this type accepted by a faculty person, consideration will also be given to their diversity (e.g., their spread over several of the following: department, College, University, community, and professional organizations or activities) and to their demands (e.g., going beyond membership on committees or societies, or attendance at professional meetings, and including serving as officer or organizer for one or more of these). Also, community service, to be counted as part of this area of faculty evaluation, must be professionally related to, or expressly use, professional skills and/or information.

5. In the promotion and tenure evaluation of faculty with special or applied teaching, research, and service responsibilities, such as extension and international project work, the portion of their activities so allocated should be evaluated consistent with the provisions and spirit of special University policies pertaining, as outlined in relevant University communications in effect.