Instructional Faculty Promotion Policies and Procedures

[Approved: 12/13 by Tenure Track and Tenure Track plus Instructional]
[Revised: 2/20, 10/22, 12/23]

I. Introduction

The College of Business will recommend for promotion Instructional Faculty whose performance indicates that they are likely to make significant ongoing contributions to the life of the College and the University throughout their career as determined by the Department/School recommending those individuals for promotion. Recommendations for promotion are based on demonstrable excellence in teaching, which includes the maintenance of professional qualification under AACSB accreditation standards (and for service related to the teaching mission). The passage of a certain number of years or general teaching competence are not sufficient for a recommendation for promotion. Elements for the evaluation of an application for promotion are enumerated below.

Instructional Faculty are encouraged to apply for promotion. While application for promotion is not required at any level, successful application will result in an increase in salary (based upon rank), as well as the opportunity for a multi-year contract as outlined below. Those who choose not to apply for promotion may continue to receive renewable one year contracts depending on performance and the alignment of the specific skillset and experience of the faculty and the specific course needs of the department.

II. Committee Composition and Role

An Instructional Faculty Promotion Committee with five members consisting of three tenure track and two Instructional faculty will be constituted when necessary. Normally the three tenure-track faculty will be two members of the Tenure and Promotion committee of the department/school and the department chair/school director assuming the chair/director is also on tenure track. If not, then three members from the Tenure and Promotion committee will serve. The two instructional faculty should be at a rank equal to or higher than the rank for which a candidate is being considered. If there are no instructional faculty members that meet this requirement in the department/school, an alternate instructional faculty member in another department/school in the college will be selected through a vote of all the faculty members (tenure track and instructional) in the department/school. The results of the vote for an alternate member will be reviewed and finalized by the Executive team.

The criteria for promotion are intended to serve as general guidelines but are not designed to substitute for the need for committee members to exercise professional judgment. Many criteria require committee members to judge the significance of activities and make judgments about when a collection of activities rise to a certain level of achievement. The criteria are intentionally designed to provide the committee with some latitude for judgment while providing some concrete parameters on which to base those judgments. Since performance can never be reduced to a completely objective formula that will fit all circumstances, the committee is expected to provide its best professional judgment while using the criteria as the foundation for its recommendation. Letters documenting the results of the committee deliberation are expected to provide a letter with specific detailed assessments of the candidate’s performance in each area relative to the criteria. Since the department chair/school director is a part of the committee, positive cases are forwarded to the college level without a separate letter from the chair/director. Letters should be created at each level of the process and be incorporated into the deliberations at higher levels. Letters from any previous applications for promotion by the candidate shall be reviewed by successive committees and incorporated into the assessment to create consistency across committees.

III. Hiring above the Assistant Professor of Instruction Rank

Individuals may be hired at the rank of Associate Professor of Instruction or Professor of Instruction. This decision requires that the Department/School convene the Instructional Faculty Promotion Committee, which will use the appropriate criteria to assess the candidate’s record and make a recommendation for the higher rank to the Dean.

IV. College of Tenure and Promotion Committee

When a case for promotion of an instructional faculty member is recommended by a department/school, an additional instructional faculty member will be added to the College Tenure and Promotion Committee for purposes of evaluating that promotion. This additional member should be at or above the rank of the candidate being considered if possible.

V. Components of Instructional Faculty Performance

Faculty performance for purposes of promotion will be evaluated in three categories: Teaching, Professional Qualification, and Service.

Each candidate for promotion will submit a portfolio of materials demonstrating performance in these areas. Portfolios should also include annual performance evaluations by Departmental Chairs. All portfolios will be prepared according to the same provost’s dossier format for tenure track faculty minus Section IV Scholarship. The requirements for external review letters and associated documents also do not apply. See the Format for P&T Dossiers under the policy web page for Tenure and Promotion.

VI. Decision Time Frames and Deadlines

Application for promotion to Associate Professor of Instruction is normally expected after a faculty member has served a minimum of five years (application submitted at the beginning of the sixth year) in the department/school unless a shorter clock was established in the candidate’s job offer letter. Consideration prior to the minimum years is possible but generally requires strong performance relative the criteria. It is recommended that candidates considering early application consult with their department chair / school director to help them decide if they have a sufficiently strong case. Early consideration should be relatively rare.. If promotion is denied and the candidate chooses to appeal the denial, that appeal must be resolved or withdrawn prior to reapplication.

If promotion is achieved, the faculty member receives an increase in salary and may be offered rolling three-year contracts after promotion to Associate Professor of Instruction and rolling-five year contracts after promotion to Professor of Instruction depending on performance and the alignment of the specific skillset and experience of the faculty and the specific course needs of the department.

Multi-year contracts would be renewable based on a positive review of performance during the prior period, the desire of the faculty member, and continued need of the department. However, the length of multi-year contracts can be negotiated based on qualifications, experience and need of the faculty member and department.

Promotion to Professor of Instruction normally requires a faculty to have completed a minimum of five years at the rank of Associate Professor of Instruction at the time of application for promotion to Professor of Instruction.

Deadlines

VII. Criteria for Promotion to Associate Professor of Instruction

Promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor of Instruction is awarded to those candidates whose portfolios indicate that they are likely to continue to make significant positive contributions to the academic life of the University. In addition, promotion to the rank of Associate Professor of Instruction inherently has an expectation of continued performance at the levels achieved and development of leadership ability potential for promotion the rank of Professor of Instruction. In evaluating the materials contained in the portfolio, the Committee will consider quality of performance, and the overall contribution of the candidate to the teaching mission of the college.

The portfolio should establish that the candidate’s teaching and service contributions combine to make a significant contribution to the creation of a learning environment that enables students to develop the knowledge, skills and capabilities needed for success. To some extent, the candidate's professional activities and service should also further that objective. The candidate should also have demonstrated the ability to maintain and continue their status as Professionally Qualified under the AACSB accreditation standards. The specific criteria are contained in Appendix A: Criteria for Promotion to Associate Professor of Instruction.

VIII. Criteria for Promotion To Professor of Instruction

For promotion to the rank of Professor of Instruction, the candidate must provide evidence of extraordinary achievement through an extended record of superior performance in the requisite elements of the candidate's faculty evaluations. In evaluating the materials contained in the portfolio, the Committee will consider quality of performance, and the overall contribution of the candidate to the teaching mission of the college.

The portfolio should establish that the candidate’s teaching, and service to the University, the College and the candidate's Department combine to make an extraordinary contribution to the creation of a learning environment that enables students to develop the knowledge, skills and capabilities needed for success and to the academic life of the University community. The candidate should also have demonstrated the ability to maintain and continue their status as Professionally Qualified under the AACSB accreditation standards. The specifics for promotion to the rank of Professor of Instruction are contained in Appendix B: Criteria for Promotion to Professor of Instruction.

IX. Amendments

All amendments to these Promotion Policies and Procedures must be approved by the Dean after a positive vote ofthe majority of the tenure-track faculty and a positive vote of the combined tenure-track and instructional faculty of the College of Business. The effective date of all changes will be the beginning of Fall semester of the next academic year. Changes in the criteria for promotion will include a grace period of three academic years from the start of the academic year in which the changes are implemented. During the grace period, existing instructional faculty members may opt in writing to be considered under the old or new criteria. Newly hired faculty members and those who are promoted after the grace period will immediately come under the new promotion criteria.

Appendix A: Criteria for Promotion to Associate Professor of Instruction

The candidate’s performance in teaching, professional qualification and service at the time of promotion in rank to Associate Professor of Instruction should meet or exceed criteria in at least one of the three patterns below (details for each area are shown in Appendices C, D, and E respectively). A candidate may compare their performance to multiple pathways in their submission for promotion

Appendix B: Criteria for Promotion to Professor of Instruction

The candidate’s performance in teaching, professional qualification and service at the time of promotion in rank to Professor of Instruction should meet or exceed criteria in at least one of the three patterns below (details for each area are shown in Tables A, B, and C respectively). ). A candidate may compare their performance to multiple pathways in their submission for promotion.

Appendix C: Evaluation Criteria for Teaching

Excellent

Teaching portfolio following the college guidelines for teach portfolios which demonstrates the following:

• Strong record of effectively measuring student performance and providing feedback to students
• Strong record of integrating recent theories and practices into courses
• Strong record of implementing innovative instructional methodologies and approaches appropriate to the discipline
• Continuous participation in professional development activities directly related to pedagogy or teaching preparation
• Excellent in meeting curriculum content requirements established by the academic unit
• Significant course material development and/or new preparations

High levels of student satisfaction in the classroom relative to other similar courses while maintaining course rigor and academic standards and/or strong positive feedback from peer reviews of classes

Good

Teaching portfolio following the college guidelines for teach portfolios which demonstrates the following:

• Demonstrated record of effectively measuring student performance and providing feedback to students
• Demonstrated record of integrating recent theories and practices into courses
• Demonstrated record of implementing innovative instructional methodologies and approaches appropriate to the discipline
• Continuous participation in professional development activities directly related to pedagogy or teaching preparation
• Demonstrated record of meeting curriculum content requirements established by the academic unit
• Demonstrated course material development and/or new preparations

Good levels of student satisfaction in the classroom relative to other similar courses while maintaining course rigor and academic standards and/or strong positive feedback from peer reviews of classes

Appendix D: Evaluation Criteria for Professional Qualification

Excellent

Beyond the criterion for good by:

• Significantly exceeding the 20 point minimum for qualification
• Adding more than 4 points per year every year
• Achieving professional qualification with at least 10 points coming from Level 2 activities

Good

Beyond the criterion for satisfactory by either:

• Significantly exceeding the 20 point minimum for qualification
• Adding more than 4 points per year every year

Satisfactory

Continuous maintenance of professional qualification through the addition of at least 4 points on average each year. See the Applied Practice Engagement path for maintaining qualification in the Standard for Faculty Qualification on the Policy and Procedure web page.

Appendix E: Evaluation Criteria for Service

Excellent

Demonstrates high level service activities such as:

• Leadership roles on college or university committees
• Direction of significant college program with minimal or no compensation
• Significant service for an academic and/or professional organization

Good

Meets the requirements for satisfactory plus some higher level activities such as:

• Full participation in service roles at the College (CIT or other committee), University committees or professional organizations.
• Leadership of significant departmental service effort such as advising or placement champion
• Advisor for active student organization

Satisfactory

Performs accepted services roles including but not limited to:

• Attendance at departmental and College faculty meetings
• Participation in department committees and activities
• Properly advising students if applicable