The Road To Success The Road To Success as a Faculty Memberas a Faculty Member

Frances K. McSweeneyFrances K. McSweeney

Regents ProfessorRegents Professor

Vice Provost for Faculty AffairsVice Provost for Faculty Affairs

ThemesThemes Having a world-class faculty is the Having a world-class faculty is the

key to having a world-class universitykey to having a world-class university We try to We try to develop develop that world-class that world-class

faculty.faculty.

Themes (continued)Themes (continued) You were hired to be successful. You were hired to be successful.

Your department has a big investment in Your department has a big investment in you.you.

• Time, money and energy recruitingTime, money and energy recruiting

• Start up fundsStart up funds

• MentoringMentoring

Examples of Faculty PoliciesExamples of Faculty Policies

Stopping the tenure clockStopping the tenure clock Modified dutiesModified duties Reasonable AccommodationReasonable Accommodation Partner AccommodationPartner Accommodation Professional leavesProfessional leaves Phased retirementPhased retirement

Faculty.wsu.eduFaculty.wsu.edu

Themes (continued)Themes (continued) The faculty review process assists The faculty review process assists

with faculty developmentwith faculty development• The process is detailed and thoughtful.The process is detailed and thoughtful.• Tenure and promotion should follow Tenure and promotion should follow

logically from prior performance reviews logically from prior performance reviews - No surprises- No surprises

Themes (continued)Themes (continued) The probability of success is high.The probability of success is high.

• More than 90% of those who stand for More than 90% of those who stand for tenure receive tenure, but 45% of those tenure receive tenure, but 45% of those hired drop out before tenure.hired drop out before tenure.

The Bottom LineThe Bottom Line Know the procedures and standards Know the procedures and standards

for tenure and promotion in your for tenure and promotion in your department and college.department and college.

Don’t obsess about it.Don’t obsess about it.

ResourcesResources Faculty ManualFaculty Manual – University web – University web

pagepage Provost’s Instructions for Tenure and Provost’s Instructions for Tenure and

PromotionPromotion – Provost’s web page – Provost’s web page

More ResourcesMore Resources

Provost’s Instructions for Provost’s Instructions for Annual ReviewAnnual Review – Provost’s – Provost’s web pageweb page

A Guide to WSU’s Policies A Guide to WSU’s Policies and Procedures for and Procedures for Evaluating Faculty Evaluating Faculty MembersMembers – Provost’s web – Provost’s web pagepage

Workshops on:Workshops on:• performance reviewsperformance reviews• promotion to professor promotion to professor - Human Resource Services - Human Resource Services

home pagehome page

Still More ResourcesStill More Resources

Your department Your department chairchair

Your mentorsYour mentors

E-mail (E-mail (fkmcs@wsu.edu) or ) or call (5-5581) me.call (5-5581) me.

You Should Have:You Should Have:

A mentor or A mentor or mentorsmentors

Date for: Date for: • Intensive Pre-tenure Intensive Pre-tenure

ReviewReview• Tenure and Tenure and

Promotion ReviewPromotion Review

You Should Have (continued)You Should Have (continued)

Guidelines from Guidelines from department, department, college, and college, and university.university.

Specific job Specific job responsibilities responsibilities • If none, assume If none, assume

40% teaching, 40% 40% teaching, 40% research & 20% research & 20% serviceservice

Annual ReviewAnnual Review

Conducted yearly for all Conducted yearly for all faculty faculty by the chairby the chair

Performance during the Performance during the last calendar yearlast calendar year entered on WORQSentered on WORQS

You can respond to your You can respond to your reviewreview

Used for raisesUsed for raises

Annual Review (continued)Annual Review (continued)

Rated on a 5-point Rated on a 5-point scalescale• >3.0 = exceeds >3.0 = exceeds

expectationsexpectations

• 3.0 = meets 3.0 = meets expectationsexpectations

• <3.0 = falls short of <3.0 = falls short of expectationsexpectations

Progress Towards Tenure ReviewProgress Towards Tenure Review Yearly for pre-tenure facultyYearly for pre-tenure faculty Differences from annual reviewDifferences from annual review

• Cumulative performanceCumulative performance• All senior faculty participateAll senior faculty participate• Results must be discussed with youResults must be discussed with you

Intensive Pre-tenure (Third-year) Intensive Pre-tenure (Third-year) ReviewReview

Usually in spring of third yearUsually in spring of third year Dry run for tenure - Same procedure Dry run for tenure - Same procedure

except no external lettersexcept no external letters

Third-year Review (Continued)Third-year Review (Continued)

Results in one of four Results in one of four evaluations:evaluations:• Progress SatisfactoryProgress Satisfactory

• Some Improvement Some Improvement RequiredRequired

• Substantial Substantial Improvement RequiredImprovement Required

• Unsatisfactory – Usually Unsatisfactory – Usually leads to non-renewalleads to non-renewal

Tenure and PromotionTenure and Promotion Very thorough Very thorough Usually after 6 years (really 5)Usually after 6 years (really 5) Same procedure is used for Same procedure is used for

promotionspromotions

Tenure and Promotion (continued)Tenure and Promotion (continued)

Decision should be Decision should be consistent with consistent with prior reviews when prior reviews when possible.possible.

Exact procedures Exact procedures vary by college and vary by college and department department

Tenure and Promotion ProceduresTenure and Promotion Procedures The faculty member assembles a file The faculty member assembles a file

(May?)(May?)

• Curriculum vitaeCurriculum vitae

• Teaching portfolio (limited to 5 pages)Teaching portfolio (limited to 5 pages)

• Context statement (limited to 2 pages)Context statement (limited to 2 pages)

• ExhibitsExhibits

External Letters External Letters

At least 4 external letters are solicited At least 4 external letters are solicited (summer?)(summer?)• Optional for clinical track faculty (check Optional for clinical track faculty (check

department and college)department and college)

Candidate and chair suggest namesCandidate and chair suggest names

Writers are distinguished professors (e.g., Writers are distinguished professors (e.g., editors).editors).• No personal relationship with the candidate.No personal relationship with the candidate.

Departmental Review (August – Departmental Review (August – September?)September?)

The Department considers The Department considers the file. the file.

Consults with the regional Consults with the regional campus when appropriate.campus when appropriate.

The senior faculty The senior faculty recommends whether to recommends whether to grant or deny tenure. grant or deny tenure.

The chair makes a The chair makes a recommendation and recommendation and summarizes the case after summarizes the case after consulting the branch consulting the branch campus official.campus official.

College Review (October)College Review (October)

The Dean’s Advisory Committee makes a The Dean’s Advisory Committee makes a recommendation.recommendation.

The Regional Campus Chancellor is consulted.The Regional Campus Chancellor is consulted.

The Dean makes a recommendation and The Dean makes a recommendation and interprets the case for those outside of the interprets the case for those outside of the college.college.

• A recommendation that is inconsistent with the A recommendation that is inconsistent with the department must be explained.department must be explained.

The Provost’s ReviewThe Provost’s Review(November – January)(November – January)

The Provost’s The Provost’s Advisory Advisory Committee makes Committee makes a recommendationa recommendation

Can disagree with Can disagree with the prior decisions, the prior decisions, but rarely does.but rarely does.

Formal Formal consideration ends. consideration ends.

If Tenure and/or Promotion is If Tenure and/or Promotion is GrantedGranted

The candidate The candidate receives a letter receives a letter and a 10% raise and a 10% raise effective in the fall. effective in the fall.

The candidate is The candidate is recognized at the recognized at the Celebration of Celebration of Excellence Banquet Excellence Banquet at Showcase.at Showcase.

If Tenure is DeniedIf Tenure is Denied

Resign within 90 days with no record Resign within 90 days with no record of the denial and (usually) one more of the denial and (usually) one more year at WSU.year at WSU.

Appeal to the Faculty Status Appeal to the Faculty Status Committee (FSC) within 30 days.Committee (FSC) within 30 days.• Inadequate considerationInadequate consideration• Violations of academic freedomViolations of academic freedom• Substantial procedural irregularitiesSubstantial procedural irregularities• Not: Merits of the caseNot: Merits of the case

Standards for Tenure and Standards for Tenure and PromotionPromotion

Standards must be Standards must be met in teaching, met in teaching, scholarship, and scholarship, and service.service.• Weight depends on Weight depends on

job descriptionjob description

Judgment of the Judgment of the senior faculty is senior faculty is important.important.

Tenure MythTenure Myth Tenure is a right. I Tenure is a right. I

will receive tenure will receive tenure if I do a reasonable if I do a reasonable job.job.• Tenure is a long-Tenure is a long-

term commitment term commitment for the University.for the University.

• The University The University expects better than expects better than average average performance.performance.

Tenure MythTenure Myth

Getting tenure is tough. Most faculty Getting tenure is tough. Most faculty will not receive tenure.will not receive tenure.

• Faculty are hired on the assumption that Faculty are hired on the assumption that they will receive tenure.they will receive tenure.

• More than 90% of those who come up More than 90% of those who come up for tenure and/or promotion receive it.for tenure and/or promotion receive it.

Some faculty members leave the University Some faculty members leave the University before standing for tenure.before standing for tenure.

Tenure Myth Tenure Myth Only research and Only research and

grant funding grant funding count.count.• Performance in Performance in

teaching, teaching, scholarship, and scholarship, and service all count.service all count.

• The exact factors The exact factors and their weights and their weights vary by department.vary by department.

Learn about your Learn about your department.department.

Tenure Myth Tenure Myth

A majority “vote” leads to tenure.A majority “vote” leads to tenure.

• Tenure is based on many factors (e.g., external Tenure is based on many factors (e.g., external letters, summaries of dean and chair).letters, summaries of dean and chair).

• Faculty recommendations are advisory only.Faculty recommendations are advisory only. Thoughtful advice carries more weight.Thoughtful advice carries more weight. Some faculty member’s advice counts more than that Some faculty member’s advice counts more than that

of others. of others.

Tenure Myth Tenure Myth If one faculty member “votes” If one faculty member “votes”

against me, I won’t get tenure.against me, I won’t get tenure.• Negative recommendations may not be Negative recommendations may not be

decisive.decisive.• Many successful faculty members Many successful faculty members

receive negative reviews.receive negative reviews.

Tenure MythTenure Myth

If you’re well liked, you’ll receive tenure; If you’re well liked, you’ll receive tenure; if not, you won’t.if not, you won’t.

• Academics tolerate eccentric behavior.Academics tolerate eccentric behavior.

• Tenure will not be granted if your behavior Tenure will not be granted if your behavior interferes with the functioning of your unit. interferes with the functioning of your unit.

• Faculty members who are well-liked may have Faculty members who are well-liked may have an easier timean easier time

Tenure MythTenure Myth

I’ll get tenure if I I’ll get tenure if I have x papers.have x papers.• Teaching and Teaching and

service count.service count.• Quality counts.Quality counts.• Level of Level of

contribution counts.contribution counts.• Other factors Other factors

contribute to contribute to scholarship (e.g., scholarship (e.g., grant funding).grant funding).

Tenure MythTenure Myth

If Professor X got tenure, I’ll get tenure.If Professor X got tenure, I’ll get tenure.

• Cases are judged on their merits relative to Cases are judged on their merits relative to standards, not in comparison to others.standards, not in comparison to others.

• You may not know everything about Professor You may not know everything about Professor X. X.

• Standards change over time.Standards change over time.

Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently Asked Questions Can the tenure clock Can the tenure clock

be stopped?be stopped?

• Yes Yes by giving birth (up to 2 by giving birth (up to 2

years)years) by serious illnessby serious illness by family emergencyby family emergency by taking leave without by taking leave without

paypay

• All requests must be All requests must be made to the Provost by made to the Provost by September 1.September 1.

FAQS (continued)FAQS (continued)

Is early promotion Is early promotion and/or tenure and/or tenure permitted?permitted?

• Performance must be Performance must be exceptional, not just exceptional, not just meet our standards.meet our standards.

• Only with the Provost’s Only with the Provost’s prior approvalprior approval

FAQS (continued)FAQS (continued) Can excellence in one area mitigate Can excellence in one area mitigate

lesser performance in another area?lesser performance in another area?• Yes, but no tenure-track faculty member Yes, but no tenure-track faculty member

can omit one of the areas teaching, can omit one of the areas teaching, scholarship, and service. scholarship, and service.

The EndThe End