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Faculty Governance

II.A.1 Tenure Policy

The following are the criteria expected of faculty candidates who are being considered for tenure recommendation in the College of Liberal Arts (with the items marked with an asterisk requiring written documentation):

I. ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Acquisition of a Ph.D. or terminal degree appropriate to the faculty member's field, or other appropriate or outstanding academic achievement. Documentation for these qualifications shall consist of xerox copies of the graduate degrees conferred' and official graduate transcripts.'

II. TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS:

RIT views itself first and foremost as a teaching institution. It should be clear that an RIT faculty member's primary professional responsibility is to maintain a high level of effectiveness in the classroom and a constant effort to improve his/her teaching competence through additional study and the use of appropriate instructional methods and materials. For purposes of tenure review, it becomes essential that we find some means for judging this elusive quality, effective teaching.

It is expected that the College Tenure Committee will:

1. Give careful consideration to the Annual Merit Evaluations* and the Annual Tenure Reviews.*
2. Review six quarters of College-administered Student Evaluations.*
3. Review written evaluations* from the appropriate disciplinary peer group designed by the Tenure Committee, after consultation with the Candidate.
4. Review the candidate's list* of the courses taught during the last six quarters and the course outlines,* copies of assignments' and examinations.*

All of the documentation described above is necessary to assess teaching effectively. In addition, the candidate may submit any other evidence such as attendance at conferences* specifically directed to improvement of teaching, involvement in putting on workshops' where the effectiveness of the workshop will be measured by the participants, and articles* and lectures* that are given and prepared to develop one's teaching strengths.

III. ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:

The college endorses the view that good teaching is undergirded and indeed made possible by sustained professional growth. Evidence of this should include selective attainments in the areas outlined below.

1. Productive scholarly and artistic activity
   1. Scholarly books, articles published in professional or learned journals, and papers read at professional meetings, and work in progress.
      
      The Candidate should submit copies' of published work and of work in progress. For work in progress, the candidate should describe explicitly the plans* for publication or presentation.
      
      Artistic work in the candidate's medium which results in publication, public performance, exhibition, or other formal public presentation, and work in progress.
      
      The candidate should submit documentation such as offprints, 'tapes,' photographs," and reviews* of work performed or exhibited. For work in progress, the candidate should describe explicitly the plans* for formal public presentation.
      
   2. Research in new or unfamiliar areas in the candidate's field or in new fields to enhance his/her own research or teaching.
      
      The candidate should describe* this research and the proposed product (for example, an article or a new or modified course].
      
      Work in new or unfamiliar areas of the candidate's medium or in new media to enhance the candidate's productive work or teaching.
      
      The candidate should describe* this research and the proposed product (for example, an exhibit or a new or modified course).
2. Attendance at professional conferences, seminars, or workshops or advanced course work to keep abreast of scholarly research or artistic work in a field, or to become acquainted with unfamiliar areas of a field or with new fields.
   
   The candidate should explain* how these events enhanced his/her own research, creative activity, or teaching.
   
3. Active membership in professional organizations
   The candidate should provide a list* of all active memberships.
   
4. Consultation with scholars or artists in the same field who are familiar with the research interests and activity or the creative work of the candidate. Through publication or other formal public presentation of the candidate's work and through attending professional conferences, seminars, or workshops, the candidate should seek to become part of a network of scholars or artists who share the candidate's research or artistic interests.

While consultation is not itself evidence of growth, consultation fosters professional growth.

The candidate should give the Tenure Committee the names* and addresses* of three scholars or artists outside RIT who are familiar with the candidate's work and can evaluate that work.

IV. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE INSTITUTE:

The Tenure Policy of the Institute proposes as one of the central purposes of tenure at RIT "to establish a career teaching staff of demonstrated excellence...in effective participation in the academic and cultural life of the Institute."

In accordance with this objective, which is ranked in priority after (a) Academic Professional Qualifications and (b) Professional Activities, the following are suggested as activities by which a Liberal Arts faculty member might demonstrate steps towards its accomplishment:

1. Liberal Arts committee work:
   1. Service as an active member of a standing committee or an ad hoc committee of the College*
   2. Chairing an academic committee
2. Institute Committee work:
3. Serving as an active member of
   1. The Academic Senate*
   2. The Institute Council*
   3. A standing Institute committee*
   4. An ad hoc Institute committee*
4. Participation in:
   1. student recruitment when appropriate'
   2. student advising*
   3. service as Faculty Advisor for student organizations or in other ways aiding student activities*
5. Participation in special activities for the benefit of the Institute, such as:
   • Arranging professional conventions* or large-scale meetings* at the Institute, writing grant proposals* for the Institute or the College, Presenting one's work' to fellow faculty members, either within the Institute (e.g., teaching effectiveness say) or within the College (e.g., colloquia), executing special assignments* on behalf of the Institute or the College.
   • Such activities as membership on academic committees, attending college facility and staff meetings regularly, advising and counseling students and maintaining posted office hours are considered part of the acceptable performance of a faculty member.
   • The absence of these activities (e.g., continual missing of faculty meetings, repeated refusal to serve as a member on College or Institute committee, general unavailability for student counseling or advising) should be noted in the faculty member's official professional file* as evidence that he or she may not be suitable for tenure.

V. SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

The Rochester Institute of Technology has had a long tradition of involvement in the local community. Following in this tradition, the College of Liberal Arts recognizes the value of a faculty member's active participation in the community in the form of memberships in community organizations and associations. For the purpose of tenure evaluation, these community activities can be divided into three categories: Professional Essential Activities; Professionally Related Activities; Non-Professionally Related Activities.

1. Professional Essential Activities
   
   For faculty members in degree granting programs, active and effective participation in professionally-related community organizations is expected as part of their professional obligation. Therefore, memberships* and participation in such committees* will be seen as an essential element by the tenure committee in reviewing a faculty member's credentials at the time of granting tenure.
   
2. Professionally Related Activities
   
   All faculty members are encouraged to contribute their professional talents to the community. Where a faculty member has done this through presentations* to community groups, memberships* in organizations related to h is/her professional area, on in other ways' that are related to his/her professional area, it will be seen as a positive factor in the consideration of tenure. However, it should be noted that this is not an essential element in the granting of tenure.
   
3. Non-Professionally Related Activities
   
   Memberships' and active participation* in those organizations not related to the faculty member's professional area will be considered as contributing to the worthiness of the faculty member for tenure, in proportion to the resulting benefits to RIT and its students.

May 13, 1985
August 1, 1985