Factors for promotion and tenure
Promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion
We expect all faculty to promote the best practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion. These principles include creating environments free of bias on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability, as well as recognition and promotion of underrepresented peoples.
I. Factors for recommending promotion to the rank of professor
Scholarship
The most important factor when being considered for the rank of professor shall be evidence of outstanding scholarship, for the professorship has traditionally been awarded in recognition of a national and international reputation in one's chosen specialization. The recognition of that level of attainment is, of course, subjective, but the candidate's output in the various scholarship categories are only roughly listed in order of importance, though in most instances, scientific publication best reflects a person's contribution and standing in his/her particular field. In recognition of the value of scientific collaborations, the candidate’s ability to establish productive collaborations will be viewed favorably.
1) Research publications
Publication in the leading journals of a particular research area, especially those with a stringent referee system, is taken as an indicator of high-quality work. Moreover, to assist in the evaluation, advice from outsiders who are in a better position to evaluate the candidate’s publications and standing in his/her field, shall be solicited.
Numbers of publications per se shall not necessarily be a factor. Clearly the results of research should be judged for what they are, regardless of whether they appear in print as a single unit or are divided into many small papers. Abstracts, though they represent contributions to science, are of lesser value than are actual publications.
2) Grants
Granting agencies may give indirect information of a person's standing in his/her research area. In general, support by a major granting agency is a reflection of recognized standing in that field. When grant monies are in short supply, the lack of support is not necessarily indicative of any deficiency. However, grant support in times of financial austerity is probably an excellent indicator of high standing. The use of this index must be qualified as certain research areas are better funded than others. For this reason, grants approved, but not funded, will carry proportional weight.
3) Awards
This category covers a wide range of recognitions. Examples include Fulbright research and teaching awards, travel grants, awards such as the outstanding man/woman in a particular field for that year, etc.
4) Books and review articles
The synthesis of widely scattered literature and review of the work of others into readily available and concise form must rank as an important contribution to a given field.
5) Offices in scientific organizations and societies
Positions in an organization, the size of that organization, and whether it is local, state, national or international will necessarily determine the weight given this category.
6) Scientific meetings
Whether the meeting is local, state, national, or international, and whether the paper read is invitational or submitted determines the weight given this category. Simple attendance at a meeting conference, while professionally useful, is not regarded as a factor for promotion.
Teaching
A candidate for promotion to professor will be evaluated as a teacher. This role is probably the most important that s/he fills, yet it cannot be used as the prime factor of promotion at this level. A person holding the rank of associate professor and granted tenure has already demonstrated that s/he is a competent teacher. Therefore, only those indications that the candidate is a truly outstanding teacher will carry weight. Conversely, deterioration of teaching quality after the granting of tenure will count heavily against the candidate's qualifications.
1) Evaluation as a teacher. Student evaluations shall be utilized.
2) Number of master's and doctoral degrees awarded over a period of time will be considered under this category. Moreover, if the quality of students' research is high, it is expected that significant publications will appear as indicators.
3) The production of texts, manuals, and various other teaching aids will be evaluated according to their impact in a particular area of study.
4) Recognition of efforts to improve diversity, equity and inclusion while promoting student success.
University and civic services
It is expected that a candidate for promotion shall have served at one time or another on a number of important committees and/or has performed some administrative services, and it is assumed that the performance of these tasks has been at an adequate level. Lack of committee service would decrease chances for promotion. However, committee service alone (in the absence of outstanding research or teaching ability) is never grounds for consideration. Committee responsibilities are important, but this can best be rewarded by the mechanism of selective salary increases. Subcategories of this type are listed below:
a) Service to the university or college.
b) Service to the department.
c) Service to the community.
II. Factors for recommending promotion to the rank of associate professor
Roughly the same factors are to be used in judging the candidate at both the associate professor and professor level but consideration for tenure at the associate professorship, research and teaching are regarded as co-equal. The prospective associate professor must be a competent teacher. No one, no matter how outstanding his/her level of scholarship, is acceptable in the absence of proven teaching ability.
III. Factors for recommendation to tenure
1) The most important factor for initiating tenure recommendation must be the candidate's demonstrated excellence as a teacher and researcher.
2) Non-instructional service to the department (college or university or public service that benefits the university) is of importance in considering tenure, but only secondarily to the scholarship factor. Yet, no candidate may be considered for recommendation to tenure unless:
a) S/he has performed such non-instruction service, or
b) S/he has demonstrated and extraordinary achievement in the scholarship and teaching sector.
3) Teaching ability:
a) Student evaluations shall be utilized in the review.
b) The candidate's graduate student program. In order for this condition to apply, the graduate degrees actually completed or written progress on each student shall be considered.
c) Colleague's evaluation. Evidence of effective teaching, pro and con, may be submitted to the chairman of the Promotion and Tenure Committee for presentation to the Promotion and Tenure Committee. In addition, the voting at this meeting would be a reflection of colleagues' evaluation.
d) Candidate's efforts to improve education in Biological Sciences.
e) Recognition of efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion while promoting student success.
4) Research ability: The candidate will be evaluated by the following factors:
a) Evidence of research at Wayne State University published in refereed journals and submitted for expert opinion (from outside the university) on the quality of the candidate's publication.
b) Evidence of grant support.
c) Demonstrated ability to establish a productive research program. In evidence of this, the candidate shall have directed one or more graduate student(s) who have made significant progress towards completion of their graduate degree. Graduate student progress reports, and/or the students' publications, or published abstracts of papers presented before the national meetings have to be submitted to the personnel committee for their evaluation of a graduate student's progress towards the degree.
d) The ability to establish productive collaborations that yield publications, patents, grant submissions or other evidence of scholarly productivity.
e) Such additional data as the candidate may wish to submit, that would reflect his/her research standing among colleagues (offices held in national societies, invited papers at national and international societies) would strengthen his/her case.
5) In every case, initiative for tenure recommendation must be based not only on past achievement but also on prospects for continuing development in the future.
September, 1985
Revised Feb. 2, 2022, approved Feb. 25, 2022
Approved by the Dean’s Office, Feb. 23, 2024