TIPS FOR PROSPECTIVE JUNIOR FACULTY ENTERING THE ACADEMY OF HIGHER

EDUCATION

Kimberly D. Kendricks, Ph. DCentral State University

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Promotion & Tenure

Promotion- To advance or move up in rank/position

Tenure- The position of having a formal secure appointment until retirement, especially at an educational institution after working on a temporary or provisional basis.

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Assessment Measures

ResearchTeaching Service

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Developing a Master Plan

Acquire the requirements for promotion and tenure at your university Work with the librarian, department chair, or

chair of your search committee Find internal and external mentors (not advisors)

Develop a master plan in alignment with the requirements for promotion and tenure. This plan must include separate agendas for research, teaching, and service, and each agenda must have time-lined objectives. Ask your mentors to serve as accountability

partners

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Research Agenda

Develop a research agenda (not a research project) In one sentence, you should write down your long term

research agenda. Each piece of research you do builds upon prior work to get

to this long term goal. (i.e., short-term goals lead to long term goal)

Short term goals should be measurable with a detailed timeline (first three goals/projects should last you about five years)

From your research, develop an idea or question and determine what you already know, what resources are available, and what your goals are when the project is done

Parallel projects are good, but don’t spread yourself too thin!

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Research Agenda

Publications Develop an external network to whom you

send preprints, reprints, and invite to campus At least 2 pubs a year in your field Write at least 30 minutes a day. (Don’t save

your writing for winter or spring breaks, or even the summer!)

Presentations At least 2 a year in your field Locally and nationally

Use your relationship with external mentors Make a name for yourself outside of the university

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Research Agenda

Other related activities Invite research leaders to campus (improves local credibility,

national visibility) Attend talks, workshops, conferences internally and externally Recruit and mentor undergraduate or graduate research

assistants Grantsmanship

Apply early, apply often Collaborate with your mentors

Learn from yours and others’ submissions (whether funded or not)

Attend grant writing workshops, particularly those with NIH and NSF that place an emphasis on supporting minorities and underrepresented groups

Serve as an external reviewer for NSF or NIH

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Teaching Agenda

Pedagogy Demonstrate diversity in teaching strategies in

the classroom (technology, interdisciplinary approaches, project-based approaches, collaborating with other faculty on campus, etc.)

Document student improvement due to these strategies (grades, evaluations completed by students, emails from students, etc.)

Teaching Assignments Teach a variety of courses (lower level and upper

level) in your discipline (i.e., don’t get stuck teaching lower level courses semester after semester)

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Teaching Agenda

The Student Treat all students with respect Always begin your classes on time Always hold your office hours on time Be careful of what is communicated to students

through email; it may be best to discuss matters such as grades in person instead of through email.

Know your role as the instructor. For student needs beyond this role, please send the student to the appropriate offices-counseling services, financial aid, bursar’s office, housing office, etc.

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Service Agenda

Serve on committees at various levels (internal or external to the university) Department College University/ Senate Local initiatives (boards, K-12, religious groups, etc.)

Given your research and teaching agendas, choose your service on committees carefully so not to derail the pursuit of your master plan.

Avoid serving on committees that are purely advisory (i.e., committees that have no budget or will not influence campus policies or programmatic decisions)

Avoid serving on a committee where you are the “technical” expert The only person of color on the Diversity Committee The only woman on the Gender Rights Committee

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Service Agenda

Never serve as a Department Chair or Chair of a committee unless you are a tenured full professor, otherwise, you jeopardize delaying your master plan.

Never choose sides in departmental politics. Find a way to be absent.

Do not hold a joint appointment. Seek tenure in one department, otherwise you’ll be working on your own to accomplish your master plan.

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Academic Golden Rule: Put Yourself First!

Keep a record Start preparing your dossier for promotion on day one Track and file evidence of research, teaching , and service ( evidence

of publications, presentations, grantsmanship, pedagogy, undergraduate and/or graduate mentoring, emails or letters from students and peers internal and external to the university, etc.)

Public Image “There are six degrees of separation” -Work your master plan to

become known at the university, and work the plan even harder to become better known outside of the university

Collegiality If you can’t say it publicly, then don’t say it! Always keep a positive attitude Treat administrative assistants, teaching assistants, research

assistants, janitors and facilities managers with respect. Share your appreciation with them often because in difficult times, they can be the ones to help you get things done.

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Put Yourself First!

Outside Income Know the rules for receiving additional income

outside the university Serve as a consultant, if time permits

To determine your rate, for a nine month appointment, divide your salary by 165 days to get your daily rate.

Check the federal rate for non-profit organizations

Minimize Stress Stay healthy (mentally, physically, and

emotionally) Develop a bullet proof ego

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References

Former Program Director at the National Science Foundation Jerry Bramwell, Ph. D., University of Kentucky NSF/QEM-Program Workshop Presentation: “Practical

Promotion and Tenure” Consultant to the National Science Foundation

Karen King, Ph. D., New York University NSF /QEM-Program Workshop Presentation:

“Developing a Long Term Research Agenda” Books

“What They Didn’t Teach You in Graduate School, 199 Helpful Hints for Success in Your Academic Career” by Paul Gray and David Drew