Template for Revising Departmental P&T Guidelines

We thought it might be helpful to provide a possible template for departments as they begin revising their P&T policies. This is only one point of departure among many. Each department should feel free to modify this to fit their individual policies and/or choose an entirely different approach in their revisions.

XXX DEPARTMENT PROMOTION AND TENURE POLICIES

Revised [sometime before May 2023]

Preamble

The preamble below provides some suggested language to align with the charge to departments to create and review guidelines that reflect UMBC’s values, mission, and vision as well as consideration, as appropriate, and if present in the dossier, of efforts in community engagement, interdisciplinarity, technology transfer and inclusive excellence.

“The guidelines for Promotion and Tenure outlined below reflect the values, mission and vision of our University, our College [CAHSS/CNMS/COEIT] and the Department of XXX. In addition to the assessment of satisfactory progression towards promotion within the field (or fields) of study in XXX, efforts in community engagement, interdisciplinarity, technology transfer and inclusive excellence will be considered as appropriate, and if present, in the dossier.”

Inclusive Excellence: Guiding Principles and Departmental Examples

In addition, departmental P&T guidelines must include the guiding principles that the department follows in regard to DEIA efforts in faculty reviews. Departments are encouraged to decide which contributions make the most sense for them, and are also encouraged to include specific examples that can help candidates think about how their work fits into these categories. The range of contributions below represent a sampling from the examples from other universities. We offer these to help departments get conversations started about what is right for them.

“We recognize that inclusive excellence is a value and an ongoing practice at UMBC, and we are committed to recognizing and rewarding DEIA efforts in all aspects of faculty work. Our guiding principle for the description and value of contributions to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavor, Teaching and Service is a flexible understanding of the many ways in which DEIA efforts can inflect contributions in these areas.

For Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavor, these can include but are not limited to

  • Research or creative activity in a faculty member’s field of study that addresses issues such as race, gender, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Research that addresses health disparities, educational access and achievement, political engagement, economic justice, social mobility, civil and human rights.
  • Research on the patterns of participation and advancement of women and minorities in areas within our field of study, discipline or interdisciplinary work where they are underrepresented.
  • Researching questions of interest to communities historically excluded in higher education.

For Teaching, these can include but are not limited to

  • Developing courses or teaching strategies for the educational advancement of students from underrepresented groups.
  • Developing courses or curricula material that focus on themes of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
  • Developing courses or course components that address and correct the omission of communities historically excluded within the discipline.
  • Record of success advising and mentoring students from underrepresented groups in the discipline of XXX.
  • Participation in faculty workshops to promote DEIA in the classroom.

For Service, these can include but are not limited to

  • Participating or leading departmental, campus-wide events or system-wide events that encourage self-reflection and education regarding issues of DEIA.
  • Serving as a faculty advisor or mentor for under-represented campus student groups and organizations.
  • Membership and/or leadership on departmental, college, university or USM committees related to DEIA initiatives. These can include academic, student affairs or administrative committees.
  • Participation in efforts to increase enrollments, retention and graduation rates of underrepresented groups in undergraduate and graduate programs.
  • Membership or leadership in a professional organization’s DEIA work.
  • Professional contributions to or participation in the DEIA work of community organizations.”

 

Additional Revisions in the Area of Teaching

Departmental P&T policies must now outline the expectations for teaching effectiveness, where applicable, in developing effective strategies for meeting the needs and advancing students in under-represented groups.

6.4.3  Teaching

ii. Outline the expectations related to teaching effectiveness as it pertains to undergraduate and/or graduate student success in gaining field-specific skills, including, where applicable, development of effective strategies for meeting the needs and advancing students in under-represented groups.

Concluding Statement

Departments are encouraged to include the statement below at the end of their departmental guidelines to address the charge: “Each department shall specify in writing which members of the department have the authority to establish and revise the Departmental Guidelines. Each department shall also specify in writing the procedures for the periodic review and revision of the policy,” Departmental Guidelines for Promotion and Tenure,” 6.4.1.

“These Departmental Guidelines will be periodically reviewed and revised by the [tenured faculty?] in XXX to align with any changes in the USM and University policies on promotion and tenure.”