COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

1. COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES DEPARTMENTAL RPT COMMITTEE WORKSHOP September 26 and September 30, 2014

2. Goals of the Workshop • To develop a set of “best practices” for evaluating applicants for reappointment, promotion and tenure. • To develop a set of “best practices” for writing the recommendation or report. • To learn about the new electronic submission, reading and reporting system

3. Overview of the Workshop • University policies relevant to RPT • Responsibilities of Departmental RPT Committees • Expectations of the Departmental RPT Report • Electronic submission, accessing, reading and reporting procedures

4. Policies Matter • Know the relevant policies. • Adhere to the policies. • When in doubt, ask your Chair and the Dean’s Office. We will contact the Provost’s Office, if we do not have the answer.

5. Key RPT Policies(NCA&T Faculty Handbook) • Faculty Departmental RPT Committee • Criteria for the Evaluation of the Faculty • Policies Concerning the Minimum Requirements and General Criteria for Promotion in Rank and/or Permanent Tenure • Regulations on Academic Freedom, Tenure and Due Process • Confidentiality of Personnel Records • Departmental Standards

6. 1. Departmental RPT Committee(Faculty Handbook 5.1.3) • Consists of the Department Chairperson and a maximum of six tenured faculty. • Is elected by tenure and tenure-track faculty members. • The total membership must always be odd. • One or two members can be elected from other departments, if the home department is small. • Shall elect a Chairperson. • Suggestion: designate a Secretary or Recorder. • Policy asks the Committee to use Appendices C-2 and C-3 of Faculty Handbook and Departmental Standards, among other criteria.

7. 2. Criteria for the Evaluation of Faculty (Faculty Handbook, Appendix C-2) • Effective Teaching (also refer to Standards) • Research Performance/Creative Endeavor and Professional Growth (disciplinary-specific; refer to Departmental Standards) • Service to the University (Department, College and University; refer to Standards.)

8. 3. Policies Concerning the Minimum Requirements and General Criteria for Promotion in Rank and/or Tenure(Faculty Handbook, Appendix C-3) • General criteria do not preclude additional criteria as determined by Departmental Standards • Assistant Professor (reappointment): Promise • Associate Professor (promotion and tenure): Actual performance/Accomplishments and future potential • Professor (promotion to full professor): Recognition by associates and students as capable in the areas of teaching, researcher/scholarship/creative endeavor, and service.

9. 4. Regulations on Academic Freedom, Tenure and Due Process(Faculty Handbook, Appendix B-2) • Definition and purposes of academic freedom and academic tenure. • This is the “go to” document for RPT, from initiation of reappointment, tenure and/or promotion process by faculty member to the grounds for appeal and the appeals process, in case of nonreappointment or denial of tenure. • Impermissible grounds for nonreappointment and for denial of tenure/promotion application (First Amendment Rights, discrimination, personal malice). • Grounds for discharge and grounds for termination, including of permanently tenured faculty.

10. 5. Confidentiality of Personnel Records(Faculty Handbook 6.16) • Information that is available for public inspections vs. employment-related or personal information that is confidential and not a part of the public record. • Do not share disagreements, arguments, irrelevant information, etc., with non-committee members. • Maintain the credibility of the committee (and, hence the credibility of the process and the decisions) in the eyes of the applicant and colleagues at all times.

11. 6. Departmental Standards • Each member should keep handy a copy of Standards in force when faculty member joined the Department. • Read. • Apply. • Explicitly refer to the Standards in sections of the Departmental Report.

12. II. Responsibilities of Departmental RPT Committees • Evaluate fairly and thoroughly, according to University policies and Departmental Standards. • Your report is a reflection of how rigorously you adhere to and apply policies and Standards. • Maintain confidentiality and, in the process, the credibility of the committee. • Careers and lives are at stake, as is the quality of the faculty and the standing of the Department, College and University.

13. III. Expectations of Departmental RPT Reports • Provide evidence to support or justify ratings/evaluations in each of the areas of Teaching, Research and Service and in the overall recommendation. Refer to the Standards. • Go beyond description. Evaluate. Why do you recommend (or do not recommend) the faculty member for reappointment, promotion and/or tenure? Refer to the Standards. • For reappointments, provide feedback to indicate whether or not the faculty member is progressing as expected. Provide concrete evidence or examples of sufficiency and/or insufficiency. Use constructive and supportive language. Refer to the Standards. • Sample reports can be provided upon request of the Committee: (1) positive reappointment recommendation; (2) concerns at reappointment; (3) positive tenure and promotion recommendation; (4) negative tenure and promotion recommendation; (4) positive promotion recommendation; (5) negative promotion recommendation.

14. Resources Available on the College’s Webpage • http://www.ncat.edu/academics/schools-colleges1/cas/faculty-resources/rpt-forms.html

15. IV. Tutorial on Electronic Submission, Reading and Reporting Dr. Craig Rhodes, Special Assistant to the Provost

16. Questions?