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Time Management Faculty Activity Report

 

(Appointment & Promotion Guidelines for Research and Instructional Rank faculty can be found by clicking here)

 

College of Science Promotion & Tenure Web Page  
On this site are copies of the College Statement of Expectations and Procedures, as well as the statements for each of our departments, a link to the official University P&T Policy, and a link to the Administrative Guidelines.

Ask to receive an empty rainbow file and an example of a recently successful dossier from your department.


What is a Rainbow File? Your second and fourth year reviews and your promotion dossiers will be organized into specific, prescribed sections.  The dividers between sections in these documents are each of a different color. Therefore the name Rainbow File.

 

6-Year Timeline to Tenure

It is VERY important to understand the 6-year timeline to tenure right from the start. Click here to find a document prepared to help demystify this process and timeline for you.

 

Promotion & Tenure Workshop     

Each Fall the college offers a popular, informal workshop on Promotion & Tenure issues including dossier preparation. Be on the look out for the announcement for this year's workshop.

The presentation and notes from the 2008 workshop can be found by clicking here.

A list of advice given during this workshop follows:

• Strive to have your teaching portfolio include either instruction of a large class or at least instruction of a low-level undergraduate course.
• Save all unsolicited student comments; save some of the written comments from the SRTE forms.
• Don't panic if you get low STRE's the first time you teach a course. What is most important is that you show improvement in subsequent semesters of teaching the same course.
• Keep track of all the students that you train and advise. What awards have they gotten, where did they go upon graduation, etc.
• Your narrative statement should explain all gaps in your CV. The narrative statement is very important - it is the only place where you will have the opportunity to speak about the future and to set the context for your work.
• A key part of the tenure process is the letters written about you by external reviewers. It is important that you get known within your discipline. The best way to do this is to have a flow of papers coming out. Try to publish early and often. It was also suggested that you join the national society in your sub-discipline and that you volunteer for some minor service role. This will help you to meet people (and for them to get to know you), and it is a good service item for your CV.
• "The purpose of the tenure process is to be predicitive of continued contribution and the ability to change and grow."

Preparing Your Dossier - Narrative Statements vs. Research Statements.

There are places in the dossier and CV for both a "Narrative Statement" and a "Research Statement". Although the narrative statement is sometimes considered optional, you should definitely include one. Here are some example statements:

Example provided by the Provost: (pdf file)

Example prepared by the college a few years ago: (pdf file)

Actual narrative used by a Chemistry Professor, Blake Peterson, in his P&T dossier: (pdf file)

Blake Peterson's research statement. (pdf file) -- (Note how this is written completely differently and for a different audience than the narrative statement).

 

Publicizing Your Achievements    
Building your reputation and publicizing your achievements are an important part of your academic career. The link above connects you to some college resources and provides a number of valuable how-to tips.

Keep Everything
When the time comes to assemble your dossier, you'll be glad if you have saved everything that could possibly be of use. Start now.

Making The Right Moves - Howard Hughes Medical Institute   
 "A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty"  from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Chapter 1: Obtaining and Negotiating a Faculty Position and Planning for Tenure discusses well tested strategies for finding and attaining the right academic appointment and for obtaining tenure.

Road Signs To Tenure - Miguel Mantero    
From the Chronicle of Higher Education, Mantero gathers advice from six trusted professors who have won tenure and have taken part in tenure decisions in their universities. Also available on-line at http://chronicle.com/jobs/2004/02/2004021701c.htm.

If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now   
Tips for new faculty developed by senior faculty members at Iowa State University.