Factors for promotion and tenure

Introduction

This statement describes the factors that the Department of History will use as criteria for making recommendations on tenure and promotion. In making decisions about promotion and tenure, the Department of History operates in accordance with the current policies outlined in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences promotion and tenure factors and in the current AAUP-AFT Contract.

Tenure and promotion to associate professor

Scholarship

The Department of History considers the continued intellectual development of its faculty vital to its academic mission. The department assumes and requires that candidates for tenure and promotion to associate professor demonstrate such intellectual development by active engagement in and professional commitment to, scholarly research and publication.

The department will recommend tenure and promotion only for a candidate who has successfully completed significant original research that is in press or published by peer-reviewed print or electronic professional presses or journals, and who shows promise of further publication in the future. The department gives primacy to the publication of a peer-reviewed, single-authored book by a reputable academic or in some cases commercial press. In addition to (and possibly in lieu of) a book, the department also will consider a substantial body of articles, chapters, essays, and edited books and journals and may also consider applied research (e.g., significant public history contributions), digital history projects, and pedagogical publications. In all cases, the quality of the work and its value as a significant contribution to existing scholarship in the individual’s field are the primary factors in evaluation. The department will take into consideration external grants, fellowships, awards, prizes, invited lectures and conference presentations, and membership on editorial and professional society boards as acknowledgments of professional achievement. The publication of book reviews and papers presented at meetings or conferences of professional organizations are recognized as forms of scholarship, but carry less weight in considerations for tenure. In determining the quality of a candidate’s scholarship, the department will seek evaluations from specialists outside the university. In establishing the quality of written work, the department will consider its nature and scope, the selectivity and reputation of the journals and presses in which it appears, and evaluations from recognized authorities. To the extent that the candidate’s scholarly or creative work advances diversity, equity, and inclusion, this is to be encouraged and will also receive consideration.

Scholarship may also include publicly engaged scholarship. Note that publicly engaged scholarship is distinguished from service work, community volunteer work, or the good citizenship responsibilities of academia. Publicly engaged scholarship is characterized by scholarly work directly related to a faculty member’s academic expertise, is of benefit to the external community, is visible and shared with the community, uses collaborative processes between the faculty members and a community partner to conduct the scholarship and has both public and scholarly impact.

Wayne State University is an urban, research-intensive university. As such, collaborative/team-based/interdisciplinary scholarship, where appropriate, should be recognized and encouraged. Extending scholarship and/or creative activities, independent or collaborative/team-based/interdisciplinary, outside the walls of the institution to a progressively wider audience throughout the state, the nation, and the world should be recognized and encouraged.

Teaching

For teaching, clearly demonstrated excellence, not adequacy, is considered absolutely essential for tenure recommendation. The department will assess teaching performance by such regular measures as student course evaluations and peer review and recognition. It will also consider the teaching portfolio, which includes components such as a statement of teaching philosophy, contributions to the curriculum such as the development of new courses and fields or the improvement of existing courses and programs, as well as the publication of textbooks and the development of other significant teaching resources. Consideration is given to continual advising of undergraduate and graduate students and to other salient evidence of teaching quality and effectiveness. Activities that assist in achieving educational equity, increase student retention and help students transition to work or to further education are to be encouraged and will also receive consideration.

Service

A record of good departmental citizenship is expected of a candidate for tenure and promotion to associate professor. All faculty are expected to serve the department actively in various capacities, especially committee work related to its regular functioning. Service at the college and university level, as well as special service in the community and in regional, national, and international professional organizations, will be taken into special consideration as marks of a candidate’s professional visibility, prominence, and distinction. To the extent that the candidate’s service commitments advance diversity, equity, and inclusion, this is to be encouraged and will also receive consideration.

Promotion to full professor

The factors for promotion to full professor are similar to those for tenure and promotion to associate professor, although the emphasis placed on different components varies. In the case of recommendations for promotion to full professor, sustained engagement in scholarship, teaching, and service as described above and strong indications of continuing future achievement in these areas are required. The department stresses the importance of the publication of a peer-reviewed book (not considered in the process for tenure and promotion to associate professor) with a highly regarded academic or, in some cases, commercial press, or other substantial body of significant scholarship (e.g., articles, chapters, essays, edited books and journals, and applied research (e.g., significant public history contributions), digital history projects, and pedagogical publications). As in its evaluation of candidates for tenure and promotion to associate professor, in all cases, the department regards the quality of the work and its value as a significant contribution to existing scholarship in the individual’s field as the primary factors in evaluation, but it also will consider how substantial a body of work the candidate has accomplished might be and weigh evidence of the likelihood of a candidate’s future scholarly productivity. The department will take into consideration external grants, fellowships, awards, prizes, invited guest lectures and conference presentations, and membership on editorial and professional society boards as acknowledgments of professional achievement. In determining the quality of a candidate’s scholarship, the department will seek evaluations from specialists outside the university.

Teaching excellence, as measured by the same criteria as for tenure and promotion to associate professor, should be sustained. Advising of graduate and/or undergraduate students is another important factor in the recommendation for promotion. In terms of service, higher standards are demanded for those who are promoted to full professor than to associate professor. Particularly significant service at the department, college, and university level, as well as special service in the community and in regional, national and international professional organizations, will be taken into special consideration as marks of a candidate’s professional visibility, prominence, and distinction.

Revised and approved by the Personnel Committee, Jan. 12, 2024
Approved by the Promotion and Tenure Committee, Jan. 19, 2024
Approved by the Policy Committee, Jan. 19, 2024
Approved by the Dean’s Office, Feb. 2, 2024