Department of Curriculum and Instruction Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Standards and Procedures
RUL05.67.202
Authority: Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
History: First Issued: February 21, 2000. Last Revised: April 29, 2005. Additional History Information.
Related Policies:
NCSU POL05.20.1 - Academic Tenure Policy
NCSU REG05.67.3 - College of Education RPT
NCSU REG05.20.27 - Statement of Mutual Expectations and Plan for Professional Development
Additional References: Office of the Provost RPT Website
Contact Info: Head, Department of Curriculum and Instruction (919-515-1773)
1. Introduction
1.1. This rule describes the Department of Curriculum and Instruction reappointment, promotion and tenure standards and procedures and is supplemental to and consistent with the university Academic Tenure Policy POL05.20.1.
1.2. The clientele of the department includes educators and their students in all areas and levels of education across North Carolina, the nation, and the world who may benefit from innovative ideas and practices. Thus, faculty production and dissemination of research/scholarship and other creative work are essential.
2. Realms of Faculty Responsibility
The Realms of Faculty Responsibility are defined in University Regulation 05.20.19. The manner in which various faculty members may demonstrate their contributions in these realms may vary, and the individual's Statement of Mutual Expectations describes the realms in which the faculty member will focus and on which he/she will be evaluated.
Faculty in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction are expected to be actively engaged as professional colleagues in the department as well as the College of Education. Therefore, it is expected that faculty attend department and program meetings, participate in program development and accountability processes, advise graduate and undergraduate students (where applicable), serve on committees, and attend graduation ceremonies. Faculty will also be available to students, as needed, as a resource for student organizations and concerns. These activities support the mission of the department and contribute to its sustainability, and are in alignment with the realms of faculty responsibility.
2.1. Teaching and Mentoring of Undergraduate and Graduate Students
As teachers of teachers, Curriculum and Instruction faculty have a responsibility to model appropriate procedures and attitudes in their own pedagogies and practices. Teaching in this department should reflect current research, theories, and concepts while also addressing the purposes, values, and underlying assumptions of various approaches to education. Teaching in this department should promote a learning environment that respects and accepts diversity (e.g., including cultural and demographic differences, ways of knowing, differences in learning, disabilities and exceptionalities). Teachers should help students make connections among ideas; promote student inquiry; challenge current thinking; motivate, inspire, and be responsive to student needs and interests; and serve as effective academic advisers.
2.2. Discovery of Knowledge through Discipline-Guided Inquiry
2.2.1. As a component of and contributor to a research-extensive land-grant institution, the Department of Curriculum and Instruction of North Carolina State University is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and its propagation. The faculty of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction are committed to supporting and encouraging the education and development of all people and constituencies through engaging in inquiry and discourse.
2.2.2. Research, scholarly work, and other forms of creative endeavor are essential for the continued intellectual growth of the faculty in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, and for the sustenance of stimulating and challenging teaching programs. The quality of undergraduate and graduate teaching is greatly enhanced by active participation of faculty members in scholarly research on issues related to their teaching, and by widespread dissemination of the results of such scholarly research. The Department of Curriculum and Instruction encourages and requires faculty members to strive toward the full exercise of their research and scholarly potential.
2.3. Service in Professional Societies and Within the University Itself, and Extension and Engagement with Constituencies Outside the University
2.3.1. As part of a land-grant university, faculty are charged with being of service to the people of North Carolina and the nation. In effect, all faculty work can be classified as service -particularly in public education. Faculty may accomplish this goal through scholarly activity; extension activities, workshops and consulting; developing and participating in partnerships with constituents outside the university; leadership in professional organizations and publications; assisting in operation of the department, college, and university; obtaining external funding from private and government sources to support research, teaching, and extension.
2.3.2. Service is faculty investment of time to professional societies and within the university.
2.3.3. Extension is service that directly benefits the public.
2.3.4. Engagement defines reciprocal relationships or partnerships with educational groups outside the university.
3. General Standards
3.1. The Department of Curriculum and Instruction recognizes the strong interactions among research/scholarship, teaching, and service. Faculty engaged in scholarly endeavors are expected to be current in their teaching, aware of key issues and controversies, and bring expertise to those they serve.
3.2. No rigid formula exists for determining faculty qualifications for reappointment, promotion, and tenure. Curriculum and Instruction embraces a number of fields, and the needs and opportunities within each field vary considerably. Therefore, although faculty will be accomplished in their assigned realms of responsibility they will excel in different ways. Yet, there is a threshold in each area which must be met, and in a research university, the scholarship threshold is necessarily high. Whereas quantity and consistency of endeavor are important, quality is of primary concern. In the final analysis, the overall impact a faculty member has upon his or her field is the most important consideration in faculty reviews.
3.3. Expectations of the extent of activity within each realm varies according to rank and appointment and is described in the Statement of Mutual Expectations (SME). The following evidence, while not all-inclusive, will be considered in reappointment, promotion and tenure decisions.
3.4. Performance in Teaching and Mentoring of Undergraduate and Graduate Students:
3.4.1. Evidence of effective, high quality teaching and mentoring; evidence of being responsive in a professional manner to student evaluations of courses, peer evaluations, and student teaching supervision and advising (where applicable).
3.4.2. Course actions, program development, revision, evaluation, and syllabi developed for classes
3.4.3. Implementation of effective and research-based teaching practices
3.4.4. Implementation of instructional technology in promoting effective teaching and learning
3.5. Discovery of Knowledge through Discipline-Guided Inquiry
3.5.1. Published research productivity-highest level of evidence of research quality and productivity
3.5.2 . published peer-reviewed national-scope professional journal articles, books, book chapters, monographs, reporting or reflecting the Candidate's original research
3.5.3. published peer-reviewed national-scope professional journal articles, books, book chapters, monographs, reviewing the research and other scholarly work of others
3.5.4. published authored or edited handbooks or reference books that cover a broad area of the Candidate's field of scholarship
3.5.5. published authored books that describe new ideas or constitute theoretical or conceptual innovation in the Candidate's field of scholarship
3.5.6. externally funded research by federal or state foundations or other funding agencies
3.5.7. awards and recognitions for the Candidate's research given by national or international professional organizations and societies
3.5.8. Other research productivity-second-highest level of evidence of research quality and productivity
3.5.8a. peer-reviewed published versions of invited and/or selected research papers that were presented at international or national professional meetings
3.5.8b. peer-reviewed presentations at international or national professional meetings
3.5.8c. published peer-reviewed or invited book reviews of books and media that address research
3.5.8d. other peer-reviewed research publications or presentations
3.5.8e. internally funded research proposals
3.5.9. Other research productivity-third-highest level of evidence of research quality
3.5.9a. invited and volunteered research for non-peer reviewed papers, posters, addresses, and other presentations before professional societies (but do not report if reported in A. 2. a. above)
3.5.9b. awards and recognitions for research given by regional, state or local professional societies
3.5.9c. external research funding applications submitted to but not funded by federal or state foundations or other funding agencies
3.5.10. Other Scholarly Activities. Candidates for departmental RPT decisions can provide evidence of other research and scholarly activities and products.
3.6. Service in Professional Societies and Within the University Itself, and Extension and Engagement with Constituencies Outside the University
Faculty may accomplish the goal of service to the department, college, university and external agencies and organizations through various routes as determined by faculty interest, expertise, and responsibilities. As a faculty member demonstrates his or her abilities in areas of research and teaching, service responsibilities may broaden in scope, encompassing larger contributions in national and international arenas. The type and level of service activities may vary annually and according to professorial rank. Individual variations should be negotiated between the department head and faculty member and included in the Statement of Mutual Expectations. Service activities include, but are not limited to, the following general areas:
3.6.1. Leadership in professional organizations and enterprises, such as by: serving on editorial boards for professional journals; serving as peer reviewer for professional colleagues external to the university, such as by reviewing manuscripts, funding applications, textbook proposals, dossiers for promotion; providing clinical services to the community or educational agencies as appropriate for a land grant institution; holding an office in a professional organization; contributing to collaborative efforts across departments, colleges, and institutions; serving as expert witness or mediator in cases regarding education litigation.
3.6.2. Leadership in extension, such as by: planning and implementing professional development activities for teachers and other educators; providing consultant services to educational enterprises that draw upon the faculty member's professional expertise; serving on community boards and organizations in education; serving on the boards of foundations relevant to one's position in the university; contributing substantially to school-university partnerships; conducting workshops for teachers, students, and youth that relate to education.
3.6.3. Leadership in Developing Proposals, such as by: contributing to the development of proposals for external funding from private and government sources to support research, teaching, and extension; seeking financial support for students to conduct research or finance education.
3.6.4. Contribute to the operation of the department, college, and university, such as by: serving in an administrative position, i.e., program coordinator; planning and/or evaluating special programs or initiatives of interest to the department, college, or university; observing a peer teaching and writing up the review; mentoring a new faculty member; developing new courses; serving on department, college, and university committees; participating in writing program reviews or serving as a respondent; serving on accrediting teams for other institutions; sponsoring student activities and clubs; preparing self-studies and other departmental or college reports for external audiences; writing letters of references to assist students in employment or further study; leading a search committee; offering workshops and professional development for department, college or university audiences; in general, being a good citizen of the department, college and university as appropriate to one's overall professional commitments.
Exemplary accomplishments in extension include evidence that the extension effort is leading to improvement in knowledge, practice, or other measurable outcomes. In the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, outreach and extension relate to all facets of education.
3.7. Other evidence as put forward by the candidate
This evidence may fall within the realms of Creative Artistry and Literature, Technological and Managerial Innovation, or other areas.
4. Standards for Reappointment as Assistant Professor
Reappointment as assistant professor is reserved for faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in the realms of teaching, research and service sufficient to indicate acceptable progress toward meeting the expectations of tenure and promotion review.
To be successful the candidate for reappointment at the Assistant Professor rank must provide evidence of accomplishments in their assigned responsibilities as described in their Statement of Mutual Expectations.
5. Standards for Associate Professor with Tenure
5.1. Promotion to Associate Professor with tenure is reserved for faculty members who have clearly demonstrated that their research is widely perceived among peers as high quality, and that their research is very likely to achieve national or international recognition.
5.2. To be successful the candidate for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure must provide evidence of accomplishments in their assigned responsibilities as described in their Statement of Mutual Expectations extension Evidence must be presented that the Candidate is comparable with other outstanding faculty members of Associate Professor rank in her/his field.
6. Standards for Professor
6.1. Promotion to Professor is reserved for faculty members who have clearly demonstrated that their research is widely perceived among authorities in their field(s) of scholarship as highly qualified, and that their research has achieved national or international recognition as valuable.
6.2. Full Professors are expected to provide substantive contributions to the departmental operations and program development, to present evidence of high quality teaching and mentoring, to provide leadership in the professional development of non-tenured faculty, and to accomplish exemplary service in national and/or international professional organizations and groups external to the department.
6.3. To be successful the candidate for promotion to the rank of Professor must provide evidence of accomplishments in their assigned responsibilities as described in their Statement of Mutual Expectations. The candidate must also provide evidence that he or she is comparable with other outstanding faculty members of Professor rank in her or his field.
7. Procedures for RPT Review
7.1. The department head will solicit input from senior faculty to provide feedback to more junior faculty on progress toward promotion during annual performance evaluations.
7.2. The candidate for departmental RPT consideration must provide clear, concise evidence of achievement in their assigned responsibilities as described in their Statement of Mutual Expectations. The department head will work with the candidate to identify faculty to assist (along with the department head) in the preparation of the RPT Dossier. This evidence must be presented to the department head, in the form of the RPT dossier as prescribed in university regulations.
7.3. The department head will make the dossier available to the appropriate Departmental Voting Faculty.
7.4. The RPT process will begin in the department at least 2 months prior to the college deadline. The department head will inform faculty of impending required reviews by April 15 of the calendar year in which the review will begin. Those faculty requesting a review are encouraged to begin the process by informing the department head by April 15 of the calendar year in which the review will begin. For faculty undergoing reviews requiring external letters, requests for letters from external reviewers will begin in May of the same year.
7.5. The Departmental Voting Faculty (DVF) shall annually elect from its members a chairperson who will be responsible for coordinating the DVF work.
Each DVF member and the department head shall read and thoroughly review all the materials submitted by each candidate under consideration, as well as consider any other sources of information deemed appropriate. The DVF chairperson shall poll the committee members, and a vote shall be taken to render a decision on the request for promotion and/or tenure for each candidate. The DVF shall be reported by the DVF chairperson to the department head and include how many members voted "yes," "no," or "abstained."
7.6. The department head will announce how absentee votes may be submitted. The Department Head will participate in each candidate's review discussion, but will not vote. He/she will provide his/her recommendation via the department head's statement that goes forward with the candidate's dossier.
