To be awarded indefinite tenure a faculty member must show evidence of scholarly contributions in teaching and/or research. Departmental service responsibilities will also be considered for those individuals with a heavy service commitment.
A. Teaching
Teaching includes instruction in the classroom and laboratories, individual conferences with undergraduate, professional, and/or graduate students, and instruction in extension/continuing education programs. Credit is given for all educational effort, including efforts to upgrade the curriculum and provide unique educational opportunities. In most instances, tenure should be reserved for candidates whose teaching ability is equal to or above average with respect to all tenured faculty in the Department.
Effectiveness and Quality in teaching is based on:
1. Content
Information presented should be current and accurate, as determined by peers and the scientific information available. It should be pertinent and conform to the objectives of the overall curriculum. Unnecessary duplication should be avoided.
2. Organization
Information should be presented in a manner that is understandable to the student. The actual teaching methods are at the discretion of the faculty member. Multidisciplinary subject matter should be effectively coordinated.
3. Examinations
Examinations should be administeredand graded in a timely manner and should test the student to insure competency.
4. Communication Skills
The ability to successfully convey information depends on verbal and written communication skills. These include, but are not limited to, proper and comprehensible use of language, enthusiastic and the pace of presentations.
Proficiency in advising and directing graduate students, and overall contributions to the graduate program will be considered. This includes advising postdoctoral associates and students at the master's or doctorate levels, and service on graduate degree committees.
The following methods may be used to substantiate creditable performance in teaching:
1. Peer evaluations, which may include classroom visits and review of notes, handouts, examinations, and the other learning/teaching aids.
2. Evidence that the individual attempts to improve teaching skills, when appropriate.
Student evaluations should be obtained for each course in which an individual participates and should be evaluated in conjunction with other data, so as to avoid their use merely as indicators of popularity.
B. Research/Scholarly Activities
Faculty members are expected to contribute to the body of knowledge in their field and to obtain appropriate funding to support their scholarly activities. During the probationary years faculty should establish a scholarly focus and become recognized as independent investigators. On an annual basis, the research accomplishments for faculty being considered for indefinite tenure will be evaluated for evidence of continued research progress.
Mechanisms for documentation of Qualitv and distinction in research may include:
1. A review of the candidate's publications with primary emphasis given to those published in or accepted by refereed scientific journals. In multi-authored articles the contribution of the individual under review should be specifically described and evaluated.
2. Submission of proposals and ability to obtain appropriate funding.
3. Ability to manage a research laboratory and/or conduct field investigations, and to interact and collaborate with colleagues in the Department, the- College, and the University.
4. Evidence of quality in research as provided by peer evaluations from colleagues within and outside the University of Minnesota. Such evaluations are most useful if they are as detailed as possible, assess the originality of the work and its actual or likely influence on the field, and indicate the relative merit of the candidate's contributions as compared to achievements of specifically named individuals of similar experience in the same or related specialty.
Presentations of research findings at scientific meetings constitutes supplemental evidence that research findings are acceptable to peer scientists.
C. Service
1. Discipline-related service
This includes primary provision of diagnosis and therapy of animal disease and maintenance of animal health. Examples include pet-bird medicine, domestic bird health care delivery, and provision of expertise regarding diseases and husbandry of wildlife and laboratory animals. Professional diagnostic services, not related to primary patient care or teaching, include diagnostic and consultative service provided to the Veterinary Teaching Hospi~ the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and licensed practicing veterinarians.
Discipline-related service is considered a significant factor in promotion and tenure when the time of assigned involvement is generally greater than 10 percent effort. Determination of meritorious service will include evaluation of timeliness, accuracy, and the use of appropriate technology.
2. Other services
Faculty are expected to contribute to the governance of the Department, the College, and the University but these do not in themselves represent qualifications for tenure, although the time required may be considered in weighing quality and quantity of effort.
A. To Associate Professor
Candidates for promotion to associate professor must meet tenure standards; promotion to associate professor is usually associated with the awarding of indefinite tenure. Promotion to associate professor with tenure is based on effectiveness in teaching and professional distinction in research. In cases where distinction in research is the primary basis for a decision, the candidate must show, at a minimum competence in teaching. Conversely, when distinction in teaching is the primary basis for promotion the candidate must show, at a minimum, competency in research.
B. To Professor
Promotion to professor will normally be considered following an indefinite period at the rank of associate professor during which time the candidate demonstrates continual academic progress and maturity. For promotion to professor, in addition to criteria used for associate professor appointments, evidence is sought for:
1. A distinguished reputation in the scientific community, as shown, for instance, by invitations to symposia or election to prestigious scientific organizations or holding of offices in scientific societies.
2. Letters from authorities in the candidate's field assessing the candidate's scientific contributions, particularly to determine whether or not the candidate is providing leadership in his/her field.
3. Successful training of pre- and/or post-doctoral trainees that has resulted in placing trainees in academic and industrial positions in their fields. Typically, this would mean that the individual has been appointed as a full member of the graduate faculty. Long term commitment to academic creativity and continued research productivity.
July 1
Chair requests all assistant and associate professors to update C. V.
August 1
Chair asks associate and full professors to review personnel files of assistant professors, and full professors to review personnel files of associate professors regarding readiness for promotion and tenure or promotion.
September 1
Chair calls a meeting of associate and full professors for recommendations on who should be put forward for tenure and promotion to associate professor and a meeting of full professors for recommendation on promotion to full professor.
Chair and potential candidates for tenure and promotion or promotion prepare dossiers. The chair may seek advice from appropriate senior faculty in preparation of these dossiers.
Chair notifies faculty that dossiers are available for review.
December 1
Chair calls meeting of appropriate faculty to vote on final candidates to be put forward for tenure and promotion or promotion. All of these faculty should submit to the Chair comments explaining their reason(s) for their vote for each candidate.
