Promotion & Tenure
University Standards
University StandardsIn all reviews for tenure and promotion Oakland will consider the candidate's entire record, emphasizing efforts and accomplishments since attainment of current rank. The candidate's record at Oakland University generally will be of particular importance. Oakland's evaluation of the candidate will consider:
- the programmatic and institutional setting of the candidate's work at Oakland and the nature of the candidate's assignments and responsibilities;
- the quality of the candidate's accomplishments;
- the relation of all these factors to the objectives of the area or department, the goals of the college or school or institute, and the mission and long range vision of the university.
Oakland's evaluation focuses on the candidate's efforts and accomplishments in three areas:
- teaching or performance as a university librarian, as appropriate to the appointment;
- intellectual contributions such as scholarship, research, and creative activities;
- service.
Teaching and University Librarianship
The term "teaching" refers to all instruction and advising activities that affect or support the academic progress of students. These activities include classroom, laboratory, studio, field, and clinical teaching and evaluation; the supervision of research, writing, independent study, practica, and performance; individual and group advising and mentoring; preparation of courses; development of curricular and instructional materials; instructional innovations; and application of new educational technologies.
The phrase "performance as a university librarian" refers to initiating, planning, organizing, and implementing library programs, including application of technology and effective communication with and service to library users.
A candidate for tenure must show substantial evidence of achievement in teaching and/or performance as a university librarian. Such evidence must be obtained through use of systematic procedures for student and peer review. Evidence may include, but is not limited to, assessments of the instructor's preparation through peer review of syllabi, reading lists, class and library handouts, tests, examinations, and other course and library materials in all formats; student appraisals such as course evaluations and solicited and unsolicited letters; evidence of student achievement; and success in sharing teaching philosophies and methodologies and in obtaining grant support relating to teaching and/or university librarianship.
Intellectual Contributions - Scholarship, Research and Creative Endeavors
Because of the comprehensive and diverse nature of Oakland University's mission, Oakland recognizes in its reviews a broad range of intellectual contributions. Such contributions improve theory and practice and support the present and future quality of instruction at Oakland University.
Scholarship and research include:
- basic, theoretical or applied research;
- scholarship that applies the research to the betterment of society, institutions, groups, and individuals;
- peer recognition of the above as reflected in publications in refereed journals, other peer-reviewed publications, and critical reviews as appropriate to the discipline;
- successful efforts in securing competitive or professionally significant external funding in disciplines where research is traditionally supported by grants;
- scholarship that interprets, draws together, and brings new insights to bear on original research, gives meaning to isolated facts and puts them in perspective, or creates connections across disciplinary lines;
- scholarship that involves not only transmitting knowledge but transforming and extending it as well through carefully planned and continuously examined pedagogical procedures that stimulate active learning and encourage students to be critical and creative thinkers with the capacity to go on learning after their college days are over.
"Creative activities" refers to works of artistic expression, production, or performance, and includes such activities as composing, writing, directing, performing, and conducting.
The most important evidence of scholarship, research, and creative activities is that authorities in the discipline(s) or field(s), including authorities outside the institution, have critically evaluated the work as meeting high standards (e.g., publications in refereed journals, grants and other funded research proposals). A candidate for tenure is expected to have made substantial progress toward maturity as a scholar or creative artist and to have established the presumption of continued growth in these areas.
Service
The term "service" refers to the following activities:
- public, institutional, and professional service through work that grows out of the university's programs and mission and has the potential for substantial and positive effects on a community, profession, or external perceptions of the university, and that draws upon the candidate's professional competence. Such service includes not only contributions to the organizational work of academic professional associations and societies at all levels but also activities that extend Oakland's scholarly and instructional capabilities into various external agencies and communities.
- university service through committee work or governance activities in the area, department, school, institute, college, or the university; for faculty, university service includes service as a role model and mentor for colleagues and students.
Documentation of the candidate's service should recognize these distinctions and, particularly in the case of public, institutional, and professional service, should indicate the relationship of the candidate's service activities to the programs and mission of the university and to the candidate's instruction, intellectual contributions, and professional responsibilities. A candidate's involvement in university service should reflect an appropriate sharing of general faculty obligations in university governance.
Evidence of service should speak to its magnitude, complexity, and duration and may be derived from the testimony of those served; from evaluations provided by others involved in service work; from reports, articles, instructional materials and other documents produced through service; and from grants and funded projects, honors, and awards received in recognition of service.
Oakland regards teaching or performance as a university librarian and intellectual contributions as the most crucial areas of development for candidates for non-tenured reemployment or for tenure. Oakland normally will expect the record of candidates for tenure to show some accomplishments in service.
Candidacy for Promotion to Full Professor
Beyond their achievements at the time of tenure all candidates for professor are expected to have continued their development in teaching or performance as a university librarian and in intellectual contributions and service. In addition, candidates for professor are expected to have demonstrated excellence and creativity in teaching or performance as a university librarian including application of technology, or to have achieved wide recognition beyond the institution as authorities or leaders in intellectual contributions or wide recognition in public, institutional, and professional service. In disciplines where research is traditionally supported by grant support, external funding is desirable for consideration of promotion to professor. In addition, candidates for professor must demonstrate potential for sustained involvement in teaching, research, and service.
