Department of Criminal Justice

Passed by Faculty Vote on February 25, 2011

In the Department of Criminal Justice, a positive recommendation for promotion and tenure is based upon an evaluation of the candidate's record of excellence and continued promise of excellence in scholarship, teaching, and non-instructional services. Of the three, scholarship is the most important in that a high quality and level of scholarship is a necessary condition for a positive promotion and tenure recommendation. These Departmental factors incorporate the most recent Wayne State University Promotion and Tenure Factors for Faculty.

Scholarship

Criminal Justice and Criminology are multi-disciplinary fields of research, and faculty members are drawn from a variety of disciplines that may also include law and other behavioral and social sciences. The standards of excellence for research for a candidate who works within his or her specialization should be taken into account (e.g., in regard to the academic fields of external reviewers, the journals in which the candidate publishes, and the substantive area of publications).

Excellence in scholarship and research is measured by the quality and quantity of publication of articles in refereed journals in criminal justice, criminology, and related disciplines; books published by recognized scholarly and commercial presses; chapters in edited books published by recognized scholarly and commercial presses; and external grants and fellowships. Scholarly participation in professional association meetings, invited book reviews, final reports, grant proposals, as well as internal grant awards and other awards are also considered, but are not given the same weight as publications.

Also taken into account are external evaluations assessing a candidate's published research and scholarly work that has been accepted for publication. In evaluating the quality of scholarship, the department considers the nature, significance and scope of the material.

Teaching

Faculty members of the Department of Criminal Justice are expected to show excellence in classroom teaching. Syllabi and student course evaluations, as well as peer and chair evaluations when they are available, are considered in arriving at a promotion and tenure recommendation.

Teaching awards, initiation and development of new courses or seminars, updating of existing courses and the development of instructional materials are examples of activities which are also considered. A candidate's participation in various student academic endeavors (e.g., the direction of Master's essays and theses, service on Ph.D. committees, the direction of Honors essays, and directed studies) is also taken into account.

Non-instructional service

The Department of Criminal Justice expects its faculty members to serve actively and constructively in committee work and other tasks related to the normal functioning of the department. Faculty members are also expected to serve when called upon at the College and University level. Significant service in the community may also be considered. In addition, activity in regional, national, and international professional associations enhances and strengthens one's candidacy. It does not, however, serve as a substitute for excellence in scholarship and teaching.

Factors for promotion to professor

The factors for promotion to Professor are similar to those for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor except that more attention is given to scholarship and national recognition within the profession. Promotion deliberations, while weighing the entire record, are concerned chiefly with performance since the candidate's last promotion.