Factors for promotion and tenure

Department of Economics

The Tenure Committee (comprised of all tenured faculty) bases the decision to recommend tenure on a candidate's performance in the three areas of research, teaching, and other services. A candidate's research performance is the area in which objective evidence is easiest to obtain. Candidates for tenure should recognize that the Department of Economics and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences place great emphasis on research performance.

Research

The publication of original research in refereed journals of high quality is the primary evidence of scholarship considered by the Tenured Committee.

Refereed book chapters, refereed books and monographs of recognized presses may also be considered. Although there is no fixed value for the number of publications that would meet the standard for tenure, the quality, volume and rate of publication are important. The Tenure Committee also evaluates the quality of research reports and other non-refereed publications that the candidate feels contain significant original results. A significant paper presented to professional forums normally finds its way into a refereed journal, or at least in a proceedings volume. The Tenure Committee makes every reasonable effort to judge accurately the quality of a candidate's research.

The Tenure Committee also recognizes success in obtaining research funding from sources outside the university. Grants or contracts that are obtained through a rigorous peer-review process are favorably evaluated. The Tenure Committee attempts to judge accurately the potential scholarly contribution from successful completion of the funded research.

Testimony before committees of the U.S. Congress and other advice given to federal, state, and local governments may sometimes involve a substantial contribution to economic knowledge but is generally better classified as service. The Tenure Committee undertakes to evaluate the research quality of this type of work if the candidate feels that it would strengthen the case for tenure.

The ability and willingness to act as a resource person for the research of others is also taken into account.

Teaching

The Tenure Committee considers good teaching to be a necessary condition for a recommendation of tenure, and it makes a conscientious effort to judge each candidate's teaching ability. Student evaluations will be consulted. The candidate's standards and contribution in the grading of Ph.D. qualifying examinations, comments on masters essays and Ph.D. dissertations, and interest in the work of the committees dealing with the graduate and undergraduate programs will be taken into account if he or she has been at Wayne State for a sufficient time to make such evaluations possible. Any candidate for tenure must also be able to teach graduate courses and to direct Ph.D. dissertations.

Service

Members of the department are expected to participate on departmental and on university committees when they are asked. The Tenure Committee takes account of this and other service. However, service cannot substitute for research and teaching. Service is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for tenure.

Promotion

The criteria for promotion are similar to those for tenure except that the emphasis on different elements may vary, with more attention given to scholarship and to national recognition within the discipline and the profession in the case of recommendations for promotion to full professor.

Approved on September 16, 2011