Preamble
The faculty of the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media (CFAM) hereby establishes these standards including criteria, policies, and procedures which will guide the granting of faculty reappointment, promotion, and continuous appointment (tenure).
The College is committed to the recruitment and retention of the finest scholars and artists who are dedicated to teaching, research/creative activity, and service both within and outside the University. While it is recognized that faculty differ in interests and professional practices, it is the belief of the College faculty that all faculty must be exemplary teachers who pursue research/creative activity that is germane to the College's mission and vision presented below.
CFAM Mission Statement
The College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media (CFAM) is united by its common conviction that imagination and human communication are inseparable aspects of the same intellectual process. Through traditional and innovative teaching and the use of emerging technologies the college promotes learning, research, scholarship, creative activity, and service to the profession and to broader community in all aspects of human communication.
Central to the college's educational mission is the instruction of students in the essential, practical and theoretical knowledge that they will need to succeed in their chosen disciplines. The college is equally committed through its diverse outreach activities to the engagement of a broader constituency. The college makes important contributions to the cultural growth and well being of the people of the region and prepares students to participate in a global community.
CFAM Vision Statement
The College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media (CFAM) responds to rapidly changing developments in the arts, communication, media and technology. The college maintains its foundation in the liberal arts.
The University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) and the larger community are best served by a diverse academic body that uses its liberal arts roots in order to understand and engage with the new world of interactive media, the power of communication, and traditional and new ways of artistic expression. The college is committed to educating scholars, artists, and citizens who will contribute to the world in its understanding and appreciation of the arts, culture, and humanity.
I. Introduction
The College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media operates under general guidelines of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents (UN-BOR) and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). In addition, full-time faculty are members of the UNO American Association of University Professors (AAUP) bargaining unit and subject to the terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement between the UN-BOR and the UNO AAUP. The UN-BOR, UNO, and AAUP directives referenced in the document are current as of the formal acceptance date by the CFAM faculty of these reappointment, promotion, and tenure (RPT) guidelines, policies, and procedures. If any of these directives should subsequently change, the revised directive(s) will take precedent.
1. University of Nebraska Board of Regents Bylaws
The complete University of Nebraska Board of Regents Bylaws can be found here. Particularly relevant to RPT are Sections 4.5 and 4.6 which state:
4.5 Standards for Promotion, Continuous Appointment, and Salary Adjustment
Each major administrative unit of the University shall prepare written standards that shall be used in making all decisions on promotions, awarding Continuous Appointments, and merit salary adjustments. The standards may be applicable to the entire major administrative unit or to appropriate subdivisions (such as colleges, schools, and departments) of a major administrative unit. The Chancellor of each major administrative unit is empowered to approve the content of the written standards and the scope of their applicability; provided, however, such written standards shall not include any right of appeal to the Board of Regents, and to the extent that any such existing standards do include any provision for appeal to the Board of Regents, each such provision is hereby repealed. After such approval, the written standards shall be published and disseminated to the faculties and staff and a copy shall be provided each appointee when appointed. Each written statement shall include standards relevant to the following areas of endeavor: teaching, extension work, research, scholarship, creative activities, and service. Integrity, academic responsibility, and professional development should be included as they relate to these major areas.
4.6 Evaluation of Faculty Performance: Procedure
Each major administrative unit, or appropriate subdivision thereof as stated in Section 4.5 of these Bylaws, shall establish procedures for gathering relevant information from all sources, including student evaluations and peer judgments, as part of an annual review of faculty performance in relation to the standards established under Section 4.5. Individual faculty members shall have the opportunity to submit materials deemed relevant to their remuneration and status as a part of the annual review, or as such information becomes available. When appropriate, the judgment of others in each faculty member's specialized field of competence may be included in a review. Faculty members shall have access to all material submitted for their evaluation and the opportunity to respond in writing.
The annual review shall be considered in determining merit salary adjustments, promotions, and for awarding Continuous Appointment. The results of the review will be communicated to the individual faculty member.
However, faculty are advised to note that, while the UN-BOR Guidelines refer to an “annual review” as the document used in RPT, UNO is governed in part by its faculty having voted to be represented in bargaining by the AAUP. The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the UNO AAUP and the NU-BOR stipulates that annual reviews are submitted by all faculty members, tenured or not, in February, and are used primarily to determine performance-based increases and to give yearly documentation of professional activities. While material in each annual review might well be used in compiling the documentation for RPT, applications for RPT are substantially more comprehensive, are usually due in the fall semester, and should include such material and evidence as outlined in these CFAM guidelines.
Faculty in the RPT process are also encouraged to remember that, pursuant to UN-BOR and UNO Guidelines, each department/school (hereafter referred to as academic unit) is charged with developing and maintaining the specific criteria for RPT as they apply to the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service. These CFAM guidelines are the minimum standard for all schools within CFAM. Each school has established specific RPT guidelines which may be more (but not less) rigorous than the CFAM guidelines. While school guidelines may be more rigorous than the CFAM guidelines, schools must ensure that their guidelines fit within the overall framework of the CFAM guidelines, just as the CFAM guidelines fit within the overall framework of the UNO and BoR guidelines. Candidates must adhere to their school guidelines. If such a case arises where a school no longer has specific guidelines, candidates from that school will follow the CFAM guidelines.
2. UNO Guidelines on Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Recommendations
The complete University of Nebraska at Omaha RPT guidelines can be found here. It is important to note the following statement which appears in these guidelines:
The standards, procedures, criteria, and guidelines presented herein represent the minimum considerations with the full understanding that each administrative unit (college, school, department, etc.) within UNO may desire to, and are (sic) encouraged to, establish more exacting guidelines that may more accurately reflect the characteristics of excellence in each subdivision. (p.1)
Other sections of the UNO Guidelines will be referenced later in this document.
3. UNO AAUP Contract
The complete University of Nebraska at Omaha AAUP contract can be found here. Particularly relevant to RPT is Section 3.5 which states:
3.5 Reappointment, Promotion, and Granting of Continuous Appointment
3.5.1 Guidelines for Reappointment, Promotion, and Continuous Appointment:
University-wide, college, and departmental guidelines for reappointment, promotion, and awarding of Continuous Appointment which have been approved through established procedures shall remain in effect unless modified through those same procedures. Every administrative unit or subdivision thereof is responsible for drafting such guidelines, which shall be reviewed and, if necessary, revised by the Unit Members of the administrative unit or subdivision every two years, in the semester following the ratification of the renegotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement. At a minimum, such guidelines will address which members of the unit or subdivision make a recommendation to the chairperson for decisions on reappointment, promotion and Continuous Appointment. Any change to such guidelines must be approved by a vote of the Unit Members of the administrative unit or subdivision and submitted to the Dean of the appropriate college and to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs for their review and approval. Departmental guidelines may be implemented only after the appropriate Dean and the Senior Vice Chancellor have concurred that the departmental guidelines comply with College and University standards and criteria, respectively, and have approved the guidelines as doing so. In all cases, departmental guidelines in effect as of August 31 each year shall remain in effect throughout the personnel cycle for that academic year. A copy of applicable guidelines shall be provided to each new Unit Member upon appointment or upon becoming a Unit Member.
3.5.2 Procedures for Promotion and Granting Continuous Appointment:
When a Unit Member is being considered for promotion or Continuous Appointment, the following procedures shall apply:
(1) The responsible academic officer shall distribute to the Unit Member a written copy of the standards, criteria, and procedures to be followed in considering a Unit Member for promotion or award of Continuous Appointment.
(2) Deans will provide a list of deadlines for chairs/directors, department/school committees and college committees.
(3) Each department/school committee (except in the case of the Library, which has only a college committee) shall receive the materials pertinent to the Unit Member under consideration at least twenty (20) calendar days in advance of the committee’s deadline for rendering advice and shall render its advice in writing no later than its deadline.
(4) Each department chair/school director shall receive the materials pertinent to the Unit Member under consideration at least twenty (20) calendar days in advance of his/her deadline for rendering advice and shall render his/her advice in writing no later than his/her deadline.
(5) Each college committee shall receive the materials pertinent to the Unit Member under consideration at least thirty-five (35) calendar days in advance of the committee’s deadline for rendering advice and shall render its advice in writing no later than its deadline.
(6) Each dean shall receive the materials pertinent to the Unit Member under consideration at least twenty-five (25) calendar days in advance of the dean’s deadline for rendering advice and shall render his/her advice to the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs in writing (accompanied by the written advice of the department and/or college committee) no later than his/her deadline.
(7) The Unit Member under consideration shall have the right to review and respond in writing to all materials used in the course of his/her review prior to the time this evaluation is forwarded to the next level of the review process. This includes any evaluation that is written by a departmental advisory committee, the chairperson, a dean’s advisory committee or the dean. It is also understood that the Unit Member shall have a reasonable amount of time to respond to any such evaluation. For purposes of this section, a reasonable amount of time shall be interpreted as three working days after the receipt of the evaluation. The department/school and college must send written or electronic notification at each step notifying the Unit Member that he/she has three working days to review his/her file before it is sent to the next level. The Unit Member may supplement the materials in his/her file at any step in the review process, but the department/college committees and the chairperson/director shall not be required to review documents added to the file after they have completed their review.
(8) The department/school and/or college committee involved in the consultation procedure shall have the right to interview the Unit Member under consideration.
(9) The Board or its designee shall communicate in writing the substantive decision, in a timely manner, to the Unit Member under consideration, the appropriate department and/or college committee, the appropriate Dean, and the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs.
(10) The decision shall be final and binding; except that, in the case of denial of promotion or Continuous Appointment the initial decision may be either affirmed or revised as a result of resort to the procedures described under 3.3.1.2 above.
3.5.3 Procedures for Reappointment:
The consultative procedures described under 3.5.2 will also apply when a Unit Member is considered for Reappointment for a Specific Term. However, the time parameters prescribed under 3.5.2 shall not apply. Reappointments for a Specific Term shall be processed in a timely manner such that notice of nonrenewal of a Specific Term Appointment can be given consistent with the provisions of Section 3.3.1.2 above.
Within the context of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and American Association of University Professors guidelines, the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media reappointment, promotion and tenure criteria, policies, and procedures are as follows.
II. CFAM Criteria for Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure
1. Initial Appointment
A. Tenure Track
It is the responsibility of each academic unit within CFAM to specify and document according to accepted standards within a discipline (e.g. national accrediting agencies, etc.) what is considered to be the terminal degree. There may be circumstances in which some combination of other graduate degrees and/or experience or distinction in a discipline may be considered as the equivalent of a terminal degree. Such instances will be decided on a case-by-case basis and will require recommendation by the academic unit and concurrence by the Dean and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Any such extraordinary circumstances or any conditions with respect to completion of a terminal degree will be detailed in the initial appointment letter from the Dean. When an alternate to the terminal degree is approved, performance requirements for the faculty member will be the same as for persons holding the terminal degree.
B. Non-Tenure Track
It is the responsibility of each academic unit within CFAM to specify and document according to accepted standards within a discipline what are considered to be academic and/or professional qualifications for appointment to a full-time, non-tenure track position within the academic unit. Such appointments are normally for one academic year and may be renewed according to the criteria detailed in section II.3.B below. Any special conditions related to such an appointment will be detailed in the initial appointment letter from the Dean.
2. Time Considerations
A. Tenure
The UNO Faculty Evaluation and RPT Guidelines (p. 4) state: "The minimum period of service before an individual can be awarded tenure shall be three years of full-time teaching (or service of professionals such as librarians and research professors) at the college or university level. At least two years of this service normally must be at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The period of service required for the granting of a continuous appointment will normally approach the seven year maximum." In some instances, a candidate may have been granted a certain number of years credit toward tenure upon their appointment to UNO. In such cases this credit must be documented in the candidate’s letter of appointment and/or contract. Any accomplishments prior to appointment at UNO can only be counted if a candidate has been given time credit toward tenure and then only for that specific time frame (i.e. if a candidate was granted two years of credit toward tenure, then the candidate can include prior accomplishments only going back two years).
B. Promotion
The UNO Faculty Evaluation and RPT Guidelines (p. 3) state: "Promotion is not to be viewed as a matter of professional right based merely upon length of service, but instead must be treated as a reward for outstanding contributions to the department, college and university. It is imperative that each department and college exercise extreme discretion in evaluating faculty for promotion purposes. All departmental recommendations to the cognizant dean must be substantially documented. Evidence must be included to demonstrate that the faculty member's capabilities and potentialities are commensurate with the recommended rank.”
The time considerations for promotion within the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media shall be uniform and as follows:
- An Instructor occupying a full-time non-tenure track position must be considered for promotion to Lecturer during the sixth year of full-time teaching at UNO. Academic unit recommendations for promotion to Lecturer must follow the normal CFAM promotion process including review by the CFAM Faculty Personnel Committee.
- An Assistant Professor typically will apply for promotion in their sixth year of employment at UNO and may not be recommended for promotion before the completion of the third full year of service in rank. Exceptions must be approved by the cognizant dean.
- An Associate Professor may not be recommended for promotion before the completion of the fourth full academic year of service in rank. Exceptions must be approved by the cognizant dean.
3. Reappointment Criteria
A. Tenure Track Faculty
Each tenure track faculty member must demonstrate in each year's reappointment portfolio that progress is being made toward developing a profile that will lead to a positive tenure outcome in the tenure decision year. The annual reappointment portfolio must clearly demonstrate professional growth and development and must address any concerns or shortcomings identified in previous years' College evaluations.
B. Non-Tenure Track Faculty
Each CFAM academic unit which employs full-time non-tenure track faculty may develop specific criteria and procedures to govern yearly reappointment of these faculty members. In these cases, it is the responsibility of each CFAM academic unit to communicate these criteria and procedures in writing to the faculty member, and to have these documents on file with the CFAM Dean's office. Non-tenure track faculty are not required to submit yearly reappointment portfolios. A portfolio for promotion (see section II.7) will be submitted in the required promotion year.
4. Tenure Criteria
The University of Nebraska at Omaha RPT guidelines (p. 5) stipulate that "the department [or school] desiring to recommend tenure or promotion is required to present evidence that performance has been outstanding in... [either teaching or research/creative activity] and above average in at least one of the remaining areas.
Because the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media places emphasis on both teaching and research/creative activity, and values service, these CFAM RPT guidelines further stipulate the following: If the area of outstanding performance is research/creative activity, teaching must be judged above average or outstanding; and if the area of outstanding performance is teaching, and the person has had regular research/creative activity assignments, the faculty member must be judged above average or outstanding in research/creative activity. In addition, the faculty member must be judged at least average in service.
As a teacher, the candidate for tenure must demonstrate teaching effectiveness by student, administrative, and peer evaluations. As an artist or scholar, the candidate for tenure must document peer-reviewed creative or scholarly activity which demonstrates at least strong regional recognition, and preferably national or international recognition. In addition, the tenure decision is also based on evidence of an ongoing commitment by the candidate to sustain teaching, research/creative activities, and service throughout the candidate's UNO employment.
5. Promotion to Associate Professor Criteria
The University of Nebraska at Omaha RPT Guidelines (p. 4) state: "Normally, granting of continuous appointment to Assistant Professor should be accompanied by promotion to Associate Professor." Any exception to this guideline must be explained and documented in the academic unit's evaluation narratives and must be consistent with statements made in previous reappointment recommendations. In CFAM, the criteria specified for tenure in section II.4. above apply to promotion to Associate Professor.
Based on an exceptional record which may include prior full-time teaching experience at an accredited institution of higher education other than UNO, promotion to Associate Professor may be considered prior to the tenure decision date. Attainment of the rank of Associate Professor, by itself, is not sufficient for granting of tenure.
6. Promotion to Professor Criteria
The candidate for promotion to Professor must present compelling evidence and documentation, which must include assessment from sources external to UNO, that the candidate's research/creative activity or teaching has achieved national or international recognition. There must be evidence that the candidate has made significant advancement in research/creative activity, which may be pedagogical in nature, since attainment of the rank of Associate Professor.
7. Non-tenure Track Promotion
Non-tenure track, full time instructors must apply for promotion to Lecturer after six years of full-time employment at UNO. Candidates in the School of the Arts and the School of Music utilize the procedures found here. The School of Communication utilizes the non-tenure track promotion guidelines found here.
III. Suggested Measures to be used to Document RPT Related Accomplishments
To document activities and accomplishments related to each of the major categories (Teaching, Research/Creative Activity, and Service) used to determine recommendations for reappointment, promotion, and tenure the candidate will submit an electronic portfolio in accordance with the university procedures in effect at the time of submission (currently via Watermark). It is the primary responsibility of the applicant to provide specific and complete information to spell out in detail all relevant accomplishments. The clarity of the evidence is a key consideration. Note that items can only be included in one category(i.e. service activities related to teaching can only be listed in either teaching or service, not both; research related to teaching can only appear in research or teaching, not both, etc.).
1. Teaching
CFAM requires standardized evaluations by students for all courses taught. Each academic unit will provide standard evaluation forms and reports of the statistical analysis summaries for each class. These reports must be provided in the portfolio submitted for reappointment, promotion, or tenure consideration. In addition, each candidate should provide an overall summary of and reflection on these evaluations. All written student comments from the standardized evaluation forms must be submitted by the candidate.
While CFAM values these standardized student evaluations, statistics gained through them will not, by themselves, be the determining factor in granting or denying reappointment, promotion, or tenure.
The RPT guidelines for each school shall include a non-exhaustive list of specific activities to be used to document teaching.
School of Communication Guidelines
2. Research/Creative Activity
Research refers to any scholarship or scholarly work that, through discovery or synthesis, provides new knowledge or adds to existing knowledge. Creative activity refers to original works created by an individual or to an interpretation or performance of a work of art.
Research and creative activity are manifested through publication or public presentation. Regional, national, or international recognition of work quality is imperative in judging the merit of the research or creative activity. To receive an outstanding or above average rating in research or creative activity, a faculty member must provide evidence of a research or artistic program that will continue to develop and receive critical acclaim by colleagues and peers at a regional, national, or international level.
Clear evidence must be presented that growth and development of research/creative activity is an ongoing process for the faculty member. Quality and, to some extent, quantity of the work are important.
Collective research and creative activity are appropriate in some fields. There must be evidence, however, that the faculty member is a major or valuable contributor to the work. A percentage of contribution for all collective work cited must be included in the documentation of the candidate.
Faculty members who have had reasonably frequent research/creative activity load credit assignments are expected to be more productive in research/creative activity than faculty members who have had few research/creative activity assignments.
The RPT guidelines for each school shall include a non-exhaustive list of specific activities to be used to document research and creative activity.
School of Communication Guidelines
3. Service
Service within the University refers to active contribution to departmental, school, college and university committees and activities. Faculty members are expected to demonstrate pertinent activity in these areas and should be able to show evidence of willingness and ability to assume a leadership role on departmental, school, college and university committees, regular instructional and advising assignments, and acceptance of responsibility for and participation in informal campus activities and responsibilities. Service to the Profession refers to public service in areas directly related to professional expertise. Faculty members are expected to demonstrate pertinent activity in these areas and should be able to show evidence of willingness and ability to assume leadership roles in professional organizations and related activities. Service to the Community consists of activities outside the university that are not related to academic position and expertise.
It is important for the candidate to explain and detail the extent of responsibilities and activities in any item listed under Service. In order to receive a rating of Average or higher in Service, a candidate must have service activities listed in both Service to the University and Service to the Profession.
The RPT guidelines for each school shall include a non-exhaustive list of specific activities to be used to document service.
School of Communication Guidelines
IV. Procedures
1. Candidate Portfolio
Each candidate for reappointment, promotion, or tenure must prepare a portfolio addressing the issues presented in these RPT guidelines. The portfolio must include standardized forms required by the University; copies of the most recent unit/school, coordinator/director, CFAM Faculty Personnel Committee, and Dean evaluations of the candidate; and sections addressing in order: teaching, research/creative activity, and service.
2. CFAM RPT Process
The portfolio will be presented to a committee that has been established within the academic unit to make a recommendation concerning the specific type of personnel action being considered. Each academic unit shall establish detailed policies and procedures for composition of the committee and conduct of the committee's charge. These policies and procedures will be communicated to the candidate prior to submission of the portfolio. The committee of the academic unit will submit its report to the academic unit head who will complete an evaluation of the candidate. All recommendations and materials will be submitted to the CFAM Faculty Personnel Committee which will make its evaluation according to established CFAM policies and procedures. The CFAM Faculty Personnel Committee will make its recommendation and submit all recommendations and materials to the Dean.
3. RPT Ratings
Each recommendation by the academic unit committee, academic unit head, and CFAM Faculty Personnel Committee will clearly indicate ratings of Outstanding, Above Average, Average, or Below Average in each of the three categories: Teaching, Research/Creative Activity, and Service. Accomplishments included in the portfolio will be evaluated as cumulative with specific feedback focused on the current year. While evaluations will be cumulative, it is important to note that ratings will take into consideration the expectation that the candidate is making continued and significant progress toward achieving tenure (continuous appointment).
4. Deadlines
At the beginning of each academic year, the CFAM Dean's Office shall determine and communicate to all faculty specific dates for completion of each step in the process. These dates shall be in compliance with all requirements dictated by the University and the AAUP contract.
V. Implementation
These guidelines become effective following approval by the Faculty of the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media, the Dean of the College, and the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.
Nothing in these Bylaws shall be construed to be in conflict with any applicable law or with the Bylaws of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, which may be amended from time-to-time; and in cases of conflict between these Bylaws and the Bylaws of the Board of Regents or any applicable law, the latter shall take precedence.