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

1. 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

2. Agenda • Introduce 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 information • List contacts for questions

3. University Oversight • Provost is Vice President for Academic Affairs – whole university, including IFAS and Health Science Center • Provost’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 process • Associate Provost for Academic Affairs acts under direction of Provost to manage T&P process

4. Observations • Every university that offers tenure or promotion has its own, distinct process that is a mix of: • Professional and disciplinary standards and practices • Institutional regulations and culture • Applicable state law and relevant collective bargaining agreements • UF’s process includes: • A dossier created by the candidate • Independent review at department, college, and university levels • Decisions by President and Board of Trustees

5. Areas for Distinction • 3 Broad Categories for evaluation: • Teaching • Research • Service • Extension and clinical activities normally folded into teaching, research or service • Require “distinction”: • Two areas • Normally teaching & research • University, Department & College guidelines clarify expectations and “distinction”

6. Timing of Candidacy • Mid-career review for tenure-accruing • You 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.

7. The Dossier’s Journey • April—June prior to cycle year solicitation of letters (you and chair) • Your Hands  preparation summer prior to cycle year • Department Faculty for Review and Vote  • Chair for Letter fall of cycle year • College Committee for Assessment  • Dean for Letter fall of cycle year • Academic Personnel Board spring of cycle year • President May approves promotion, recommends tenure/perm status • Board of Trustees  June approves tenure

8. Academic Personnel Board • Advisory to President; recommends via consensus • 3 elected by Faculty Senate, 3 appointed + Vice President for Research; Associate Provost as Secretary • All tenured Professors or Distinguished Professors • Disciplinary representation • Meets January – May, 2 hours/week • ~240 cases/year includes all faculty titles; average dossier 60 pages • May address inquiries to dean, chair or candidate

9. Communication • If, 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.

10. Scholarly Impact • Demonstrating 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 work • Evidence of scholarly impact varies somewhat from discipline to discipline

11. Tips for success • Identify your program, niche, or specialty – focus, then strive to be a national/international leader • Identify 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

12. On-Line Pilot: 2012-13 • UF 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

13. Sources of Information • http://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

14. T&P Contacts • Your Chair or College Associate Dean • Angel Kwolek-Folland, Associate Provost and Secretary to the APB akf@aa.ufl.edu • Janet 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