Promotion of Faculty Members

Policy Statement

The Rank and Tenure Committee gives careful consideration to applications for elevation in rank and makes recommendations for promotion. While it is the responsibility of the Rank and Tenure Committee to evaluate relevant data and documentation, it is the responsibility of the applicant to establish its validity and significance. It is of utmost importance, therefore, that faculty members familiarize themselves fully with the standards in effect for promotion before submitting their cases for consideration.

The attainment of each successive elevation in rank must be the result of an increase in, rather than merely a continuance of, a person's value to the department and to the total University. A new promotion is not granted on the same merits that justified a previous one.

Each elevation in rank must be earned by the precise fulfillment of the specified requirements for the rank, with each succeeding rank's requirements more demanding than the one before. Promotion depends on the blending of two principal factors, cumulative time and cumulative accomplishment. Just as an accumulation of years of service at a fixed level of performance cannot be a valid reason for successive promotion, neither can an unusual level of accomplishment unaccompanied by the requisite years of service to the University result in a premature promotion. Promotion depends, also, on the demonstration of commitment to work jointly with faculty, students, administrators, and staff for the growth and welfare of the University.

Advancement in rank occurs by action of the President of the University.

Procedures

The person requesting elevation in rank should apply the following procedures rigidly in order to avoid dismissal of the application on mere technical grounds.

Applicants for Associate Professor may apply in their fifth year of service to Marywood or its administratively approved equivalent. Applicants for full Professor may apply in their fifth year after earning Associate Professor.

In applying these procedures for promotion of faculty librarians, the Director of Library Services acts in place of both dean and department head.

By September 15 or January 15, the faculty member initiates the process by submitting a Notification of Application for Promotion in Academic Rank form to the Chair of the Rank and Tenure Committee. The Chair will then be responsible for informing the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the appropriate dean, and the head of the applicant’s department.
By October 15 or February 15, the applicant submits paper or electronic copies of the Application for Promotion in Academic Rank form, together with an up-to-date curriculum vita and narrative including appendices, not to exceed an equivalent of 100 printed pages in 10 pt. font, to the Chair of the Rank and Tenure Committee, the head of the applicant’s department and the appropriate dean. Single copies of lengthy documents such as publications, which may be sent to the Chair of the Rank and Tenure Committee for examination by the committee, will be returned to the applicant following final action on the application.
The department head completes the Chair or Dean Application Evaluation Form and submits copies to the Chair of the Rank and Tenure Committee, the appropriate dean, and the applicant. If the applicant is a faculty librarian or serves as the head of the department, this step does not apply.
The appropriate dean or the Director of Library Services reviews the evaluation of the department head when applicable, completes the Chair or Dean Application Evaluation Form, and submits a recommendation to the Chair of the Rank and Tenure Committee.
The Rank and Tenure Committee evaluates the application and submits its recommendation, vote, and materials upon which the recommendation was based to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Having received all materials by November 20 or March 15, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs evaluates the application with its accompanying documents, and submits a recommendation with the materials upon which it is based to the President of the University. This includes the Rank and Tenure Committee's recommendation and vote, all other recommendatins, and all application and evaluative documentation.
Having received the documents by January 10 or April 15, the President of the University reviews them and decides whether or not to approve the promotion. She or her delegate informs the faculty member of the status of the application, including the recommendations of all others involved. In the case of a negative decision, the criteria not met are communicated to the applicant.

Criteria

Assistant Professor
For elevation to the rank of Assistant Professor, a faculty member possessing a doctoral degree or the terminal degree in the appropriate discipline must provide evidence of

having completed a minimum of two years of relevant educational experience such as laboratory or clinical practice, counseling, teaching, work or service in a specialty area that would enhance the University performance;
having completed at least one year of consistently effective full-time teaching or librarianship at Marywood University as described in The Teaching Responsibility or The Librarianship Responsibility, and attested to by the evaluation procedures of the University. The requirement of one year's full-time teaching or librarianship at Marywood would not apply in the case of initial appointments.

For elevation to the rank of Assistant Professor, a faculty member not holding a doctoral degree must hold a master's degree and provide evidence of

having attained the terminal graduate professional degree in the appropriate discipline. The M.F.A. degree in Studio Art, a master’s degree from an ALA accredited program, and an M.Arch are recognized as terminal degrees of their particular fields. In each case, the credits for professional credentials must have been attained before the date of application for advancement, and must enhance the individual's contribution to teaching or librarianship at Marywood.
having served for three academic years as an Instructor with effective teaching or librarianship ability as described in The Teaching Responsibility or The Librarianship Responsibility, and attested to by the evaluation procedures of the University; or having completed a minimum of three years of experience demonstrated to be relevant to the applicant's University performance. This requirement must include at least one academic year at Marywood. Graduate fellowships and summer teaching do not satisfy the full-time teaching requirement.

Associate Professor

For promotion to the rank of Associate Professor, a faculty member must

hold the rank of Assistant Professor;
have completed a minimum of five additional years of consistently effective full-time teaching or librarianship beyond the time of promotion to Assistant Professor (a candidate may apply during the fifth year of Assistant Professorship at Marywood University);
have earned a doctoral degree from an institution with regional accreditation or, in exceptional cases, present evidence of doctoral equivalency as described in the University’s statement on Doctoral Equivalency, or have earned an M.F.A. degree in Studio Art, a master’s degree from an A.L.A. accredited program, or an M.Arch;
have given evidence of performing in a collegial manner and of continued professional growth and value to the University by declaring and submitting documentation of significant achievement in all of the criteria below.

Academic Faculty

1. Teaching
Consistently effective teaching ability as characterized by qualities described in The Teaching Responsibility, and as attested to by the evaluation procedures of the University.

2. Service in three out of four areas

Ongoing service to the University department includes contribution to the effective functioning of the department within the University in such ways as --developing curricula; developing materials for accreditation and evaluation; advising students; taking responsibility for developing and administering curriculum areas within the department; screening prospective faculty; producing relevant instructional materials; and, in general, contributing to the growth of the department.
Ongoing service to the College refers to participation in College functions which transcend the department, including activities such as serving on College committees; designing and/or teaching courses outside one's department; participating in the planning and development of new programs; sharing professional expertise.
Ongoing service to the University refers to participation in University functions that transcend the department or College, including activities such as serving on University Standing Committees or ad hoc committees; participating in the planning and development of new programs; sharing professional expertise.
Ongoing academic service to the larger community includes activities such as organizing or presenting workshops or institutessponsored by Marywood University; conducting in-service institutes and training sessions; providing consultation to community groups relative to one's discipline or field; making presentations to community groups and organizatins; serving on boards or community advisory groups; preparing limited circulation, non-published materials.

3. Leadership and Scholarship

Leadership and involvement in discipline-field includes activities such as holding a key position in an international/national/ regional/state academic, professional organization; serving on evaluating and accrediting bodies in one's discipline or field; reviewing articles and/or books within one's discipline or national/regional/ state meetings sponsored by one's discipline or field; serving on panels or being invited by international/national/regional/state organizations to present an artistic performance. Membership in organizations related to one's discipline-field is assumed.

Scholarship refers to knowledge production that has been subjected to an external, peer-refereed screening process prior to being made public. This can take the form of original printed materials, productions, compositions, art works, and presentations at international/national/ regional/state conferences. In cases of multiple authorship or shared creation of scholarly productions, documentation must include a detailed description of the involvement by the faculty member. Documentation of scholarly productions must also specify the nature of the screening process.

Library Faculty

1. Librarianship
Consistently effective librarianship ability as characterized by qualities described in The Librarianship Responsibility, and as attested to by the evaluation procedures of the University.

2. Service in all areas below

Ongoing service to the Library includes contribution to the effective functioning of the Library within the University, in such ways as demonstrating competence and good professional judgment in: assisting library users in locating information; instructing users on the effective use of library resources; producing relevant instructional materials for information literacy; selecting Library materials in whatever format is appropriate to support the current needs and long-range goals of the Library; establishing and maintaining procedures for the effective and economical acquisition of Library resources; instituting and managing bibliographic systems that effectively organize and control the library resources; facilitating and streamlining user access to Library collections and resources, and to the collections and resources of other colleges and universities; using and evaluating automated systems that support the principal activities and services of the Library; directing, guiding and developing Library employees; screening of prospective faculty librarians; and, in general, contributing to the growth of the Library.
Ongoing service to the total University refers to participation in University functions that transcend the Library, including activities such as serving on University committees; effectively communicating knowledge of Library organization, policy and goals, and maintaining positive working relationships with academic departments and programs; participating in the planning and development of new Library initiatives; and sharing professional expertise.
Ongoing academic service to the larger community includes activities such as organizing or presenting workshops or institutes sponsored by Marywood University; conducting in-service institutes and training sessions; providing consultation to community groups relative toone's discipline or field; making presentatins to community groups and organization; serving on boards or community advisory groups; preparing limited circulation, non-published materials.

3. Leadership and Scholarship

Leadership and involvement in discipline-field includes activities such as holding a key position in an international/national/ regional/state academic, professional organization; serving on evaluating and accrediting bodies in one's discipline or field; reviewing articles and/or books within one's discipline or national/regional/ state meetings sponsored by one's discipline or field; serving on panels or being invited by international/national/regional/state organizations to present an artistic performance. Membership in organizations related to one's discipline-field is assumed.

Professor

For promotion to the rank of Professor, a faculty member must

hold the rank of Associate Professor;
have completed a minimum of five additional years of consistently effective full-time teaching beyond the time of promotion to Associate Professor (a candidate may apply during the fifth year of Associate Professorship at Marywood);
have attained a doctoral degree from an institution with regional accreditation or, in exceptional cases, present evidence as described in the University’s statement on Doctoral Equivalency, or have earned an M.F.A. degree in Studio Art or a master’s degree from an A.L.A. accredited program, or an M.Arch;
have given evidence of performing in a collegial manner and of continued professional growth and value to the University by demonstrating ongoing fulfillment of all the criteria listed under Associate Professor. This evidence must reveal significant cumulative progress since the time of application for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor.

Related Policies and Committees

Policy - Faculty Definition
Policy - Faculty Status
Policy - Faculty Librarians
Policy - Qualifications for Appointment to Rank
Policy - Contractual Agreements with Faculty
Policy - Evaluation of Faculty Members
Policy - Doctoral Equivalency
Policy - Teaching Responsibility
Policy - Librarianship Responsibility
Committee - Rank and Tenure Committee

History of the Policy

07/01/89 - Reaffirmed with publication of Faculty Manual
07/01/02 - Editorial changes made to reflect academic restructuring
04/20/04 - Revision approved by the President of the University as recommended by the Policy Committee of the University to include faculty libararians
12/02/05 - Revision approved by the President of the University as recommended by the Policy Committee of the University
09/11/07 - The word "consistently" was inserted in the first line of No. 2 under Professor.
01/19/08 - Amended to reflect that decisions on rank and tenure are made by the President of the University
05/02/08 - Revision approved by the President of the University as recommended by the Policy Committee of the University
05/22/08 - Revision approved by the President of the University to clarify requirement for elevation to the rank of Assistant Professor for applicants not holding a doctoral degree.

MARYWOOD UNIVERSITY
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL
Go to Table of Contents - Index

Dolores M. Filicko, IHM
Secretary of the University

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