Transcript Document
Understanding Tenure at Fort Hays State University: Pathways and Guidelines Larry Gould, Provost Paul Faber, Dean Glen McNeil, Chair New Faculty Orientation What is Tenure? Definition Origins/Purpose The Authorizing Environment The Kansas Regents System Fort Hays State University Faculty Handbook MOA with AAUP Definition • Tenure is a contract doctrine – Tenure generally is considered to be a commitment by the institution to continuously employ a faculty member, subject to termination for adequate cause or due to financial exigency or program discontinuance. Origins/Purpose • Episodic waves of zealotry/forced political correctness threatened to censor “wrong” thoughts (political, social, moral, religious, economic or academic) and dampen the pursuit of knowledge through public criticism and open discussion • Not aimed principally at economic security • Not the right to professional autonomy to do anything you want at FHSU The Authorizing Environment • Regents Handbook – Section F (faculty and staff – page 46) • FHSU Faculty Handbook – Chapter 3 • MOA with AAUP Select Features of FHSU Tenure Process • It’s about performance, but considers the long-term potential of the faculty member to the institution • System of accountability and improvement • Emphasis on multiple peer review (seven reviewing parties) over seven year probationary period (Three levels/6 years of review + 1 year transition) • Ultimate responsibility is on the faculty member to understand the process and make the case for tenure • Includes the elements of the FHSU “mission-centered, market smart, politically-savvy” strategic approach (FHSU goals and key performance indicators), the goals and priorities of your college and department, mission, vision, values and brand Plan Ahead? Why God Never Got Tenure 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. He only had one major publication It was in Hebrew It had no references It wasn’t published in a journal Possible multiple authors He may have created the universe, but what has he done lately? 7. Difficult to replicate his results in the scientific community Approach/Guidelines • The Professional Portfolio/Case Statement as educational tool (review a good one from one of your colleagues) – Makes your case for the significance and quality of your work/performance – Makes the case for how your discipline, department, college and the institution view teaching, research and service • Review all published policies and procedures relating to tenure including what constitutes faculty work, workload, disciplinary differences, etc. • Plan Ahead – collect, organize materials and ask questions starting right now Approach/Guidelines •Learn the rules/process – see Handbook/MOA •Get a copy of department/program criteria – (may change from time to time/ need to be included along with workload weighting) •Craft a powerful case statement/faculty essay (issues from your perspective, rationale for the choices you made, you met expectations, circumstances that helped or hindered and the argument for significance and quality of the contents) •Committees will/should focus on quality and significance of your work and performance •Understand the timeline •Appreciate that this is a “political” process shaped by procedural constraints/try to read committees and their responses with sensitivity and diplomacy •Use the chain of command for questions – chair, dean and provost •AAUP anytime •Focused research pathway vs. just any research •Document special assignments (e.g., interim chair) •It’s great to “innovate” – just don’t obliterate! Approach/Guidelines •Recognize Unique Challenges •The New FHSU Definition of Scholarship (The Boyerization of FHSU) •“Scholarly activities at FHSU are defined as original, innovative intellectual contributions in the form of research, practice, creative activity or performance. FHSU recognizes and values the diversity of types of scholarship, including discovery, pedagogy, integration, engagement and application (Boyer, 1977). Scholarly activities must be intended and reasonably expected to lead to productions of scholarly works. Scholarly works must be communicated with and validated by peers beyond the FHSU campus community. The means of communication as well as the comparative value of types of scholarly activity and work are to be determined by each department. These determinations will reflect what is commonly accepted in the discipline.” (examples from your discipline may be needed) •New and developing disciplines •Interdisciplinary and multi-authored works may need explanation •The people thing (changes in department leadership/collegiality) •Renewed emphasis on SofTL (Senate, Reading Group, SE Committee) Approach/Guidelines •Keep your vita current •Seek help—but if it is to be, it’s still up to thee •Know your options and the procedures involved • Possible choice of criteria • Stop the clock (extenuating circumstances, childbirth, etc.) • When can you add new materials in the process • What happens if you get a new book contract in December? • Appeals/Clarifications •Do I keep my personal statement each year? Do I keep all statements from reviewing parties • Others Documenting Your Work and Performance •Documenting Scholarship • Process and Results (See Diamond and Alum, 1993 – See Glassick, Huber and Maeroff, 1997) • See disciplinary examples • See FHSU examples of scholarship within and beyond the discipline • Target disciplinary, college and institutional priorities • Scholarship of teaching and learning, engagement underappreciated at times Documenting Your Work and Performance •Documenting Teaching and Learning •Instructional design, instructional delivery skills, course management, content expertise and effective applications of technology • Student ratings, peer review, administrative consultation and selfevaluation, alumni responses (CTELT administered/CTELT Teaching Excellence Coordinator •Convergent validity •Student learning outcomes •Advising •Other factors enhancing or diminishing excellence – grade inflation, grade charts, improvement efforts, outlier student comments, self-improvement efforts, do not count summer session Documenting Your Work and Performance • Documenting Service – Academic citizenship/ collegial behavior in all categories – Service to the profession (e.g. board director, committee chair for professional association, – Service to the university/the academic compact (committee assignments in departments, colleges and the institution, campus activities, organization sponsorship, institutional priorities, e.g. AQIP, internationalization, mobile teaching and learning, ADP, and so on. – Service to the community (broadly defined & related to disciplinary expertise/normally, not elective office) Documenting Your Work and Performance: Unfinished Business • Doing a better job of documenting the scholarship of engagement/University initiative/Program implementation •University mission as an AASCU school (public engagement/stewards of place) •Academic Year 2011-2012 •Credit for Distance Education coursework in MOA and Handbook (see language in MOA) •Questions?