Requirements for Promotion to Full Professor.

The University requirements can be found in the ACU Faculty Handbook (accessed 07/16/2014) and are listed below along with the additional departmental requirements. The section for each major area will also be included as it’s own page that area’s tab. Many of the links will go to the same pages. Because collegiality is addressed in one page, links have not been added for that section.

General Criteria for Tenure and Promotion in Rank (ACU Faculty Handbook, pp. 72-75)

The effective instruction of students is the primary purpose of the university and is expected of every faculty member. The generally recognized qualities of effective teaching are:

Knowledge of the subject matter. The teacher who knows the subject matter has achieved the first condition for good teaching.

Ability to communicate. The teacher should possess skills of effective communication that are appropriate to the discipline and the objectives of courses being taught. The teacher should also exhibit genuine enthusiasm for the subject and a desire to share it with the students.

Self-reflection and improvement. The teacher should constantly work to improve his or her courses, experiment with new materials and methods of delivery, and keep current with the subject matter.

Interest in the student. The effective teacher takes an interest in students as individuals. The teacher is conscious that teaching also offers opportunities to help the student experience ethical and spiritual growth, understand the implications of the discipline in matters of faith, and develop a Christian philosophy of life.

The effectiveness of the faculty member’s instruction will be documented in a portfolio. The portfolio could contain, but is not limited to, the following items:

• Syllabi
• Teaching assignments
• Student work samples
• Student evaluations
• Reflections on teaching philosophy and the integration of faith and learning
• Descriptions of new and/or innovative teaching methods
• Descriptions of advising and mentoring activities
• Unsolicited or solicited evaluations from former students
• Teaching awards or other recognition

2. SCHOLARSHIP, CREATIVITY, AND THEIR EQUIVALENTS

For a university community, scholarship is important. Abilene Christian University expects that each faculty member will provide evidence (i.e., product) of his or her professional competence through scholarship and/or other creative activities appropriate to the discipline. The number and type of products may vary by discipline. Applicants should justify the number and type in their promotion materials.

Examples include, but are not limited to, the following items:

• Writing/obtaining grants
• Papers presented at conferences
• Pedagogical research
• Workshops and presentations
• Juried competitions
• Exhibitions or performances
• Peer reviewed articles
• Publications
• Scholarly and/or professional awards

3. SERVICE

A faculty member’s service is directly related to the university’s mission statement. Service should grow out of his or her academic and professional commitments, as well as out of a generous understanding of Christian discipleship. Service may extend to the profession, the university or its constituent parts, the church, and/or the community.

Examples of service in any of these areas include, but are not limited to, the following items:

• Advisory and consultative positions
• Holding an office or chair
• Committee memberships and work
• Administrative responsibilities
• Student organization sponsorships
• Service awards

4. COLLEGIALITY

A consideration of collegiality is particularly appropriate at a Christian university and is given special attention when tenure is under consideration. Collegiality involves
relationships within departments/schools, within colleges, and within the university. These interactions should support the mission and goals at each level of the institution.

Examples of collegiality include, but are not limited to, the following items:

• Sharing personal values and beliefs with other colleagues
• Being willing and open to new ideas
• Being considerate, sensitive, and caring of others
• Demonstrating tolerance for opposing opinions of colleagues
• Volunteering to help other colleagues with common academic tasks
• Participating in discussions about academic issues
• Participating in academic decision processes
• Fostering a sense of community and equality
• Demonstrating interest and cooperation across disciplines

Though wide consensus exists regarding the nature and appearance of collegiality in academic settings, it cannot be measured by rigid checklists or formal requirements. The portfolio and the letter from the department/school should address the collegiality of the applicant.

Specific Criteria for Promotion to Full Professor (ACU Faculty Handbook p. 76)

Professor

• The earned doctorate or appropriate terminal degree is required with rare exceptions.
• With rare exceptions, an application for Professor may be submitted in the fall after the third year of university teaching at the associate professor level. Other terms may have been specified at the time of hire.
• The faculty member should be recognized as an excellent teacher. This must be demonstrated by submission of a portfolio described under the general criteria for teaching effectiveness.
• The faculty member demonstrates sustained professional growth in scholarship, creativity, or their equivalent. Scholarly/creative activities by the faculty member should be evidenced by items such as those listed under the general criteria for scholarship, creativity, and their equivalents. The work must have influence beyond the ACU campus.
• The faculty member demonstrates sustained professional growth in scholarship, creativity, or their equivalent. Scholarly/creative activities by the faculty member should be evidenced by items such as those listed under the general criteria for scholarship, creativity, and their equivalents. The work must have influence beyond the ACU campus.

Chemistry and Biochemistry Expansion of Criteria for Tenure and Promotion

General Criteria for Tenure and Promotion

Description

A Departmental Evaluation Committee (one for each candidate) will be formed to evaluate the candidate with respect to (1) teaching, (2) research, (3) University and public service, and (4) Collegiality. The candidate must be satisfactory in all of these categories and must excel (relative to other ACU faculty) in at least one of the first three. The Evaluation Committee shall balance the candidate’s heavy commitments and responsibilities in one area against light commitments and responsibilities in another.

TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS (IN ADDITION TO THE CRITERIA AND EXAMPLES PROVIDED IN THE “GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES,” THE DEPARTMENT ADDS THE FOLLOWING)

Elements of effective teaching extend beyond the classroom to include course structure and plans, laboratory organization, availability to students during regularly scheduled office hours, and timely feedback for students. The University Tenure & Promotion Criteria lists four broad categories included in effective teaching: knowledge of the subject matter, ability to communicate, self-reflection and improvement, and interest in the student. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry considers the following items to be examples of effective teaching in each of these categories. While these practices may help a person become an effective teacher, demonstration of each of these examples in a candidate’s teaching portfolio may not necessarily demonstrate that the candidate is an effective teacher. In addition, the Department recognizes that not all effective teachers demonstrate all of these practices to the same extent.

a.   Knowledge of the subject matter.

1. Ability to effectively answer students’ questions
2. Effective and well-organized lecture notes.
3. Exams of appropriate length, depth, and content to effectively assess the students’ knowledge of the subject matter.
4. Syllabi with sufficient detail so that students know at the beginning of the course what is expected of them to be successful in the course.
5. Student surveys that reflect the teacher’s knowledge of the subject.
6. In-class peer observation of the teacher with appropriate feedback.

b.   Ability to communicate.

1. Organized classroom presentation.

SCHOLARSHIP, CREATIVITY AND THEIR EQUIVALENTS (IN ADDITION TO THE CRITERIA AND EXAMPLES PROVIDED IN THE “GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES,” THE DEPARTMENT ADDS THE FOLLOWING)

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry recognizes four types of scholarship.

a.   Scholarship of Discovery. The scholarship of discovery takes the form of primary empirical research, historical research, theory development and testing, methodological studies, and philosophical inquiry and analysis.[1] The principal focus of research in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is the training of undergraduate students in the methods and thought processes of scientific discovery. While the student is responsible for the performance of the research, close collaboration and assistance from the faculty member is essential. The final disposition of discovery research is the appropriate dissemination of results to the scientific community. This includes the presentation of results at scientific meetings as well as the collection of results into manuscripts that are published in peer-reviewed journals suitable to the subject area.

b.   Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Scholarship can also be expressed in a program of pedagogical research. However, research in teaching is not to be confused with excellence in teaching. Pedagogical research is focused at developing and improving teaching methodologies. The development of new teaching materials (curriculum, course design, etc.) is a legitimate activity but falls under effective teaching, not pedagogical research. Examples of pedagogical research might include, but are not limited to (1) comparison of content retention by students in lecture versus active-learning formats, (2) study of the impact of technology-based learning on student performance and (3) study of the effect of regular writing assignments on comprehension of material. In general, pedagogical research should involve experimental design, data acquisition, analysis of results, and dissemination of results by publication, presentation to peers, or both.

c.   Scholarship of Application. The scholarship of application is “the responsible and rigorous application of knowledge to problems of consequence.”[2] The scholarship of application must, in turn, not be confused with the service role of faculty. This scholarly enterprise is devoted specifically to investigating how existing knowledge in one’s field can be responsibly applied to new problems. Scholarship of application is directed both to the immediate setting of the issues addressed and, through the scholarly product that results, to one’s peers as an instructive example.[3] The scholarship of application must be tied directly to one’s field of knowledge and relate to and flow directly out of creative professional activity. Worthwhile citizenship and service activities that are unrelated to the discipline do not constitute the scholarship of application.[4]

d.   Scholarship of Integration. The scholarship of integration associates research with reality and clarifies the meaning of results. The scholarship of integration emphasizes the interconnection of ideas, and brings new insight to bear on original concepts and research. Critical analysis and interpretation are two common methodologies, but interdisciplinary work may take place through any medium for scholarship such as those described as discovery, teaching, or application.[5] The scholarship of integration makes connections across disciplines and shapes a more coherent and integrated use of knowledge. Integration work is creative connectedness, interpretation and synthesis, so is closely related to discovery, but poses somewhat different questions in terms of meaning and impact. This form of scholarship interprets meaning to isolated facts and creates new perspectives that can answer questions not originally possible to answer. Chemical and biochemical scholars engaged in integration require innovative thinking to be able to integrate knowledge from different disciplines and create new and different perspectives on significant ideas and theories. Such scholars ask questions that require critical analysis and interpretation such as questioning what the research findings mean and whether it is possible to interpret what has been discovered in ways that provide a larger, more comprehensive understanding.[6]

e.   Examples of evidence of excellence in the above forms of scholarship in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry must include peer-reviewed publications. Other examples could include, but are not limited to:

1. submitting grant proposals/obtaining grants
2. presenting papers, especially with undergraduates as co-authors
   
3. conducting workshops in chemistry, biochemistry, or a closely related field
4. receiving of scholarly and/or professional awards
5. collaborating with students in their research.

Service (In addition to the criteria and examples provided in the “Guidelines and Procedures,” the department adds the following)

Recognition should be given to scholars who serve as administrators and who participate in faculty government and formulation of departmental and university policies. Service by members of the faculty to the community and to professional societies should also be considered as a basis for tenure and/or promotion. The work done in this capacity should also be of high quality. Similarly, contributions to student welfare through service on student committees and as adviser to student organizations should be recognized as evidence. Service to the church and community outside of professional activities may also be considered.

Collegiality (In addition to the criteria and examples provided in the “Guidelines and Procedures,” the department adds the following)

None

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[6] Hofmeyer, Anne; Newton, Mandi; Scott, Cathie “Valuing the scholarship of integration and the scholarship of application in the academy for health sciences scholars: recommended methods.” Health Res Policy Syst., 2007; 5: 5, and references therein.

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