A Journey through the Seas of Tenure, Permanent Status, and Promotion at the University of Florida

2012: Angel Kwolek-Folland,Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

AgendaIntroduce Provost Office role in University

oversight of tenure, permanent status, & promotion process

Outline the University of Florida’s tenure, permanent status & promotion process

Provide sources for informationList contacts for questions

University OversightProvost is Vice President for Academic Affairs –

whole university, including IFAS and Health Science CenterProvost’s Office interprets and implements

regulations and agreements related to promotion and tenure for the campus

Provides workshops and issues “Guidelines” each year for the promotion and tenure cycle

Manages the University-level review processAssociate Provost for Academic Affairs acts under

direction of Provost to manage T&P process

ObservationsEvery university that offers tenure or promotion has

its own, distinct process that is a mix of:Professional and disciplinary standards and

practicesInstitutional regulations and cultureApplicable state law and relevant collective

bargaining agreementsUF’s process includes:

A dossier created by the candidate Independent review at department, college, and

university levelsDecisions by President and Board of Trustees

Areas for Distinction3 Broad Categories for evaluation:

TeachingResearchService

Extension and clinical activities normally folded into teaching, research or service

Require “distinction”:Two areasNormally teaching & researchUniversity, Department & College guidelines clarify

expectations and “distinction”

Timing of CandidacyMid-career review for tenure-accruingYou must be nominated for tenure or

permanent status by beginning of last year of probationary period, although you may elect earlier consideration.You can go forward “when ready.”Consult with chair, faculty mentor(s), and others

about your “readiness.”If you want to put your case forward, your

chair should do so if you are eligible for tenure, permanent status, and/or promotion.

The Dossier’s JourneyApril—June prior to cycle year solicitation of letters

(you and chair)Your Hands preparation summer prior to cycle yearDepartment Faculty for Review and Vote Chair for Letter fall of cycle yearCollege Committee for Assessment Dean for Letter fall of cycle yearAcademic Personnel Board spring of cycle yearPresident May approves promotion, recommends

tenure/perm statusBoard of Trustees June approves tenure

Academic Personnel BoardAdvisory to President; recommends via

consensus3 elected by Faculty Senate, 3 appointed + Vice

President for Research; Associate Provost as SecretaryAll tenured Professors or Distinguished ProfessorsDisciplinary representation

Meets January – May, 2 hours/week~240 cases/year includes all faculty titles;

average dossier 60 pagesMay address inquiries to dean, chair or candidate

CommunicationIf, for any reason, questions arise at any

point in the review process, you need to be available to respond.

You will know when your dossier goes to the college and APB because you will see your chair’s and dean’s letters.

After that, you may hear nothing until the President communicates the decisions to you in June.

Scholarly ImpactDemonstrating scholarly impact

Expectations for tenure and promotion to associate professor are different in degree than for promotion to professor

Evaluators address different contexts: impact on department, college, university, national and/or international profession, discipline; teaching, research, service

“Translating” your workEvidence of scholarly impact varies somewhat

from discipline to discipline

Tips for successIdentify your program, niche, or specialty – focus,

then strive to be a national/international leaderIdentify what constitutes excellence in your field

(journals, grants, performance venues, conferences, books, teaching) and aim to be there

Set goals and mileposts—keep a stream of work flowing into the pipeline

Review the promotion, permanent status and tenure guidelines

Use your resources--colleagues, workshops, in-service training, mentors, leaders in your unit and college

Assignments– talk to your chair: effort recorded should accurately reflect your assignment

On-Line Pilot: 2012-13UF is moving the “paperwork” and tracking of

the promotion, tenure and permanent status process online – OPT.Uses the common environment of myUFL

Groups using the system 2012-13: colleges of Agriculture, Dentistry, Fine Arts, Health & Human Performance, Journalism, Nursing, Pharmacy, & Vet Med, and Museum of Natural History

Anticipate whole campus in OPT by 2013-14 cycle

Sources of Informationhttp://www.aa.ufl.edu/tenure/ for “Guidelines and

Information Regarding the Tenure, Permanent Status and Promotion Process for 2010-11”

http://regulations.ufl.edu/ for UF Regulations on tenure and promotion process, permanent status, P.K. Yonge, and County Extension Faculty

http://medinfo.ufl.edu/faculty/faculty_programs for UF College of Medicine information, Handbook, and guidelines

http://personnel.ifas.ufl.edu/tenure.shtml for IFAS

T&P ContactsYour Chair or College Associate DeanAngel Kwolek-Folland, Associate Provost and

Secretary to the APB akf@aa.ufl.eduJanet Malphurs, Assistant Director, Human

Resources, Academic Personnel, jmmalph@ufl.edu

Marjory Kovacevic, Coordinator, Faculty Academic Programs, College of Medicine, marjoryk@ufl.edu

Mary Anne Morgan, Director, Human Resources, IFAS, marym@ufl.edu