Sarah,
You are right to wonder about the precise criteria to
be used in your evaluation. Your department chair, your
dean, the academic vice-president, or the president are
good people to ask. But there are others...if you have
a faculty union (we are AAUP here) asking them for information
is a good idea. Find out who is on the promotion and tenure
committee this year (it is usually public information), then
ask them questions about the process, the weighting, etc.
Finally, in some places (ours), the local rules are set up
through the University Senate. Asking senators is a good
idea in that case.
There are all kinds of different models and you are right
to suspect that criteria change. What worked for the old
department chair years ago is likely not enough today. But
if you really like to teach, I hope you indeed have found
one of those schools whose weighted criteria are as they
are stated in documents: Teaching, Creative Activity, and
Service. At ECSU not only is this the order stated, but
it is the order observed. While excellent teaching ALONE
is not enough to earn tenure or full promotions, a significant
level of research activity and service can put you over-
the-top!
In any case, you are on the right trail to ask lots of
local questions before you get started in the P&T process.
Good Luck!
ross
_________________________________
( )_______________________________)
\ Ross Koning \
\ Biology Department \
\ Eastern CT State University \
\ Willimantic, CT 06226 USA \
\ Koning at ecsu.ctstateu.edu \
\ http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu \
\ Phone: 860-465-5327 \
) Fax: 860-465-5213 )
/_________________________________/
