main content Section III.A.5: CPT Assessment of Tenure Files - College of Arts and Sciences

In its assessment of a candidate’s case for tenure, the CPT considers three areas: teaching, scholarship and/or creative work, and service. To receive a recommendation in favor of tenure, a candidate must demonstrate excellence in teaching, excellence in scholarly and/or creative activity, and a moderate amount of quality service to the College and the professional community. Excellence in both teaching and scholarship and/or creative activity is necessary for a recommendation in favor of tenure; a superlative performance in one area cannot substitute for lack of excellence in the other area.

A. Excellence in Teaching

The CPT assessment of a candidate’s teaching is based on several types of material in the tenure review file.

• Student teaching evaluations, both numerical scores on the standard questions and written comments.
• Course materials such as syllabi, assignments, and exams.
• The candidate’s statement of teaching philosophy and practice.
• Peer evaluations of teaching.
• Other information concerning: (i) course development, (ii) contributions to the general education program, (iii) interdisciplinary teaching, (iv) participation in overseas and other off- campus programs, (v) student-designed majors, (vi) collaborative research or creative projects with students, and (vii) departmental honors projects.

In reviewing this material to assess teaching excellence, the CPT will use the following guiding principles. Excellent teachers:

1. Foster classroom, laboratory, field, and studio environments that are conducive to student engagement and learning.
2. Promote student proficiencies in critical inquiry, including disciplinary and interdisciplinary argumentation, analysis, research, writing, creative activity.
3. Consider and respond collaboratively to student concerns and needs that impact their academic success.
4. Actively promote equity and inclusion through pedagogy, curricular choices, and/or mentorship.
5. Engage in reflective practices, pedagogical and curricular experimentation, and ongoing professional development.

Although classroom performance is the primary basis for the assessment of a candidate’s teaching, there are a number of other questions concerning teaching beyond the classroom.

1. What have been the candidate’s contributions as a sponsor of independent study work, practica, senior thesis work, or independent research with students?
2. If the candidate led an overseas or off-campus program during the review period, did participation in the program affect the candidate’s scholarship and/or creative activity, or service?
3. What have been the candidate’s contributions as a major or pre-major academic advisor?
4. If the candidate engaged in non-departmental teaching, such as teaching interdisciplinary courses or in the general education program, what was the candidate’s contribution?
5. If a candidate was hired with explicit responsibilities for program development, what was the candidate’s contribution? Did this work affect the candidate’s scholarship and/or creative activity, or service?

    B. Excellence in Scholarship and/or Creative Activity

The CPT’s assessment of a candidate’s scholarship and/or creative activity is based on the following material in the tenure review file:

• The external review letters are the most important source of information about the candidate’s scholarship and/or creative activity. The associate dean’s letter soliciting review letters of scholarship and/or creative activity encourages reviewers to:
  
  1. Assess the quality and significance of the candidate’s work, and the importance of its contribution to the candidate’s discipline
  2. Compare the candidate’s work to that of their cohort
  3. Assess whether the candidate’s work suggests a trajectory of continued accomplishment.
     
     In addition, external reviewers are asked to:
      
  4. Assess the quality and significance of the outlets (journal articles, monographs, conference proceedings, book chapters, exhibition or performance venues, etc.) in which the candidate’s work has appeared
  5. Describe the nature of the peer review process those outlets employ
  6. Explain any disciplinary conventions that might differ from those in other fields.

• The candidate’s statement of scholarship and/or creative activity
• Publications and presentations
  1. 1. Publications of work initiated before the candidate’s time of hire are considered as part of their scholarly output, but publications of work initiated since a candidate’s hire are an essential demonstration of their ability to balance this work with teaching and performing College service.
     2. Peer-reviewed publications receive the largest weight in the CPT assessment. They include (i) articles that are published in peer-reviewed professional journals, and (ii) books published by presses that employ peer review.
     3. Other publications that receive smaller weights in the CPT assessment include (i) book chapters, (ii) articles in non-refereed journals that are recognized by peers as high-quality journals, (iii) book reviews.
     4. Presentations at conferences are useful to demonstrate the status of work in progress and, when such contributions are invited, to demonstrate a candidate’s standing in their field.

• Creative activity, including (a) exhibits in juried shows and (b) performances for public audiences.

The CPT will use this material to answer the following questions about the candidate’s scholarship and/or creative activity:

1. What is the candidate’s contribution to his or her discipline?
2. Has the candidate’s scholarship and/or creative activity moved beyond the dissertation to demonstrate the candidate’s ability to initiate new work at Lewis & Clark College?
3. In addition to completed and ongoing scholarly and/or creative work, is the candidate involved in other professional activities such as editorial service or review work that provides evidence that scholarly peers have high regard for the candidate’s work?
4. Are there particular challenges that must be overcome in engaging in scholarly and/or creative activity in this field at a liberal arts institution such as Lewis & Clark College?
5. Has the candidate received grants or fellowships that require an assessment of the contribution of the candidate’s work?
6. Is there a clear trajectory of accomplishment that demonstrates a strong likelihood of continuing into the future?

C. Institutional and Professional Service

The CPT’s assessment of a candidate’s service activity is based on the candidate’s statement regarding institutional and professional service. The candidate lists his or her contributions, including active service on committees, review assignments for scholarly outlets such as journals and books, and organizing efforts for professional conferences. To meet the standard of a moderate amount of college service, the candidate will perform normal service in his or her department and take on one or two college committee assignments. For example, college service could include service on departmental committees, search committees, or work with student organizations. In evaluating service activity, the CPT will rely on the department letter to assess the quality of the candidate’s contributions.

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