Department of Soil Science Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure
Standards
and Procedures
June 1999 Archived Version (Effective June 1999 through October 21, 2004)
Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure (RPT)
Authority: Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
History: First Issued: June 1999. Additional History Information.
Related Policies:
Academic Tenure Policy,
Promotion and Tenure Departmental Criteria and
Procedures
Contact Info:
I. REAPPOINTMENT, TENURE AND PROMOTIONS
The following details reflect University policies and procedures and they relate
to personnel in the Soil Science Department.
A. Reappointment without Tenure
University policy requires that before the end of the third year of the initial
term of appointment that an assistant professor be reappointed for a
second term of three years or not reappointed.
The CALS Administration requires a statement of justification for reappointment
of tenure-eligible faculty at any rank; e.g., it is not to be an automatic action.
B. Reappointment with Tenure
Granting of tenure to an assistant professor during the first four years of
appointment is not usually considered. However, prior time in a nontenure track
position is relevant and should be considered in the overall evaluation.
University policy requires that before the end of the second year of the second
consecutive appointment (six years after the initial appointment) that
an assistant professor be reappointed with tenure at the same or higher
rank or not to reappointed.
The CALS Administration does not look with favor on granting tenure to an assistant
professor. The rationale is that if the individual has not gained sufficient
preeminence since appointment to justify promotion, then it is questionable
if he should be retained on the faculty.
C. Promotions
Technically, any assistant or associate professor is eligible for promotion;
however, NCSU, CALS, and SSC precedents and policies generally adhere to the
following guidelines:
Assistant to Associate Professor. Faculty should be in the second year of the
second term of appointment, should have developed program(s) of work that are
yielding demonstrably positive results and should be known and respected by
local and national peers for their professional competence within the subject
matter of the position responsibilities.
Associate to Full Professor. Faculty should have been in rank at least five
years, have a record of achievements that can be quantified, be easily recognized
by department faculty and peers elsewhere for above-average contributions and
leadership in the areas of responsibility and by reason of these accomplishments
be well-known to the CALS Administration as a leader in the department.
II. QUALIFICATIONS FOR ACADEMIC RANK From "Faculty Handbook"
A. Assistant Professor
- Ability or definite promise in teaching, research, extension, and/or another
scholarly or
germane creative activity.
- Potential for directing teaching, research, graduate study, or extension
activities
- Ability and willingness to participate in university affairs
- A doctor's degree, an equivalent degree, or equivalent professional experience
B. Associate Professor
- Recognized ability and potential for distinction in teaching, independent
research,
extension, and/or scholarly or germane creative activity
- Ability to direct teaching, research, graduate study, or extension activities
- Ability and willingness to participate in university affairs
- A doctor's degree, an equivalent degree, or equivalent professional experience
C. Professor
- Distinguished achievement in teaching, independent research, extension, and/or
another
scholarly or germane creative activity
- Ability to direct teaching, research, graduate study, or extension-activities
- Established reputation in the individual's profession or field of scholarly
or germane
creative activity
- Ability and willingness to participate in university affairs
- A doctor's degree, an equivalent degree, or equivalent professional experience
III. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF FACULTY
A. Research Accomplishments
Faculty having research appointments are expected to publish in referee journals.
There is no specific number of publications required as this will depend upon
the nature of the research and the percent of research appointment. A sustained
publication record is expected.
Other activities which are indicators of scholarly research accomplishments
are publications of review articles, presentation of papers at national professional
meetings, and symposiums, invited seminars and receiving extramural funding.
Attracting of graduate students into a specific research program and success
of graduate students are indications of the stature of an individual's research
program.
B. Teaching Performance
The teaching effectiveness of faculty and the course content are evaluated
using a standardized instrument. The students also have the opportunity to make
specific comments regarding the teaching performance of the faculty. The results
of the student evaluations and their comments are given to the faculty.
Faculty who serve as advisors are evaluated as to their effectiveness in advising
students.
Faculty who have a primarily teaching appointment are expected to make scholarly
contributions. This can be articles on teaching methods, laboratory methods
and manuals, and computer based exercises. Development of course and contributions
to curriculum quality also are components of scholarly achievements. Participation
in professional organizations is expected.
C. Extension and Public Service Contributions
Faculty with extension appointments are expected to develop an approved plan
of work which delivers research information to field extension faculty and other
clientele. Methods of delivery are extension publications, tests demonstrations
and applied research experiments. Extension faculty are expected to develop
extension publications and agreements and gifts is an important part of the
program. Faculty should participate and take an active role in professional
organizations.
