/ Faculty Handbook/ Section II.D: Institutional Policy on Tenure, Promotion, and Faculty Reviews

Section II.D: Institutional Policy on Tenure, Promotion, and Faculty Reviews

Tenure is a continuous appointment without stated term that is conferred on a faculty member after review.

Tenure is a clear recognition that the candidate is a valued and productive member of the faculty as indicated by teaching effectiveness, scholarship, and service to the institution and profession.

The decision reflects a comprehensive judgment about past performance and future potential based on a particular combination of strengths demonstrated by the candidate in relation to the needs of the respective school and the College. The College recognizes the importance of academic freedom and a sufficient degree of economic security, and the granting of tenure is therefore a commitment on the part of the College that the faculty member will be employed by the College, so far as its resources permit and, unless there is termination for adequate cause, until retirement or resignation.

The purpose of faculty reviews is to evaluate the faculty member’s contribution to Lewis & Clark in the areas of teaching, scholarship or creative activity, and institutional service.

Because of its commitment to its students, the College considers excellent teaching to be essential for reappointment, promotion, and tenure. In addition, the College expects excellent scholarship or creative activity, as appropriate to their discipline, of all faculty members both because of the inherent value of such work and because the College believes that such work enhances teaching and intellectual growth. Lewis & Clark also calls on its tenured faculty to provide service to the College, to their respective disciplines, and to the broader community, all of which contribute to the general welfare of the institution.

Although specific contributions in the categories of teaching, scholarship or creative activity, and institutional service may vary from one faculty member to another and although individual faculty members can demonstrate accomplishment in diverse ways, all faculty members are expected to show accomplishment in these areas. Specifically, the assessment of teaching should be based on such factors as peer and student evaluations, academic advising, the quality of course syllabi, and when appropriate, course development, contributions to the core curriculum, interdisciplinary teaching, overseas and other off-campus programs, student or faculty-student research, student-designed majors, and departmental honors projects. Scholarly work should be subject to peer review, e.g., articles in refereed professional journals, books published by presses employing peer review, book chapters, publications in non-refereed journals recognized by peers as of high quality, exhibits in juried shows, and performances for public audiences. Promotion and tenure should include an assessment of the faculty member’s scholarly or creative accomplishments by external reviewers who have achieved recognition in the discipline of the faculty member being reviewed. Examples of institutional service are administrative responsibilities, College and community service, and activities in professional organizations.

Faculty review at Lewis & Clark shall be consistent with the principle of peer review as articulated in the American Association of University Professors’ 1966 Joint Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities:

Faculty status and related matters are primarily a faculty responsibility; this area includes appointments, reappointments, decisions not to reappoint, promotions, the granting of tenure, and dismissal. The primary responsibility of the faculty for such matters is based upon the fact that its judgment is central to general educational policy. Furthermore, scholars in a particular field or activity have the chief competence for judging the work of their colleagues; in such competence it is implicit that responsibility exists for both adverse and favorable judgments. Likewise, there is the more general competence of experienced faculty personnel committees having a broader charge. Determinations in these matters should first be by faculty action through established procedures, reviewed by the chief academic officers with the concurrence of the board. The governing board and the president should, on questions of faculty status, as in other matters where the faculty has primary responsibility, concur with the faculty judgment except in rare instances and for compelling reasons which should be stated in detail.

The specific policies governing promotion, tenure and faculty reviews, as adopted by the faculties and dean of each school and approved by the president of the college, are found in the portion of the Faculty Handbook related to each school:

Approval Date

Approved by the Board of Trustees November 21, 1997

Copy Link