Promotion and Tenure Policy

Policies and Regulations Governing Academic Tenure and Promotion for East Georgia State College

Adopted by Academic Policies and Curriculum Committee 2/18/20; 10/27/23
Adopted by Faculty Senate 2/19/20; 11/3/23
Approved by President 2/20/20; 11/3/23

Section I. Academic Tenure

A. In General

Academic tenure resides at the institutional level and refers to the conditions that protect the faculty member until retirement, dismissal for cause, or release because of financial exigency or program modification as determined by the Board of Regents. Tenure ensures quality teaching, as the institution retains faculty members of the highest quality for which it strives. Therefore, tenure at East Georgia State College should be regarded as a valued aspect of higher education, as it signifies a long-term reciprocal relationship between the institution and its faculty members.

Academic tenure is not guaranteed based on doctorate or longevity at the institution and may be withheld on documented grounds that do not violate the institution’s academic freedom policy. Each faculty member should present a clear plan for professional growth and development and will be evaluated on their demonstrated professional competence in five areas: teaching, student success, academic achievement, service, and professional growth.

B. Profile of Faculty Ranks

Only those in professorial ranks (Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, and Full Professors) are eligible for the award of tenure. Part-time faculty members and faculty members with adjunct or temporary appointments will not acquire tenure (BOR 8.3.7.2). Tenure may be awarded upon completion of a probationary period of at least five (5) continuous years of full-time service at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher and upon the President’s approval. Candidates may apply for tenure during their fifth year of full time, tenure-track service in a professorial rank. Thus, to be considered for tenure, applicants must be hired or promoted to a tenure-track Assistant Professor position (or higher) and must satisfy the criteria for advancement to the next level.

The full-time professorial ranks and appointments are as follows:

1. 1. 1. Professor. A Full Professor is someone who demonstrates superior achievement appropriate for the institution in teaching, student success, academic achievement, professional development, and service. Candidates are eligible to apply for promotion to Professor in their fifth year of full-time service as an Associate Professor.
      
      Promotion to Professor requires rigorous dedication to the profession as well as at least a master’s degree in the candidate’s teaching discipline. Neither the degree attained, nor longevity of service, guarantees a promotion.
    2. Associate Professor. An Associate Professor is someone who demonstrates excellence in teaching, student success, academic achievement, professional development, and service. Candidates are eligible to apply for promotion to Associate Professor in their fifth year of full-time service as an Assistant Professor.
      
      Promotion to Associate Professor requires a master’s degree in the candidate’s teaching discipline. Neither level of education nor longevity of service guarantees a promotion.
    3. Assistant Professor. An Assistant Professor is someone who demonstrates having a strong potential for future contribution to the institution and its mission as well as excellence in teaching, student success, academic achievement, professional development, and service.
      
      Either promotion or initial appointment to the rank of Assistant Professor places the faculty member on a tenure-track (unless otherwise stated in a contract for temporary positions) from the effective date of the promotion or appointment. Candidates are eligible to apply for promotion to Assistant Professor in their fifth year as a full-time instructor. Temporary contract years of service do not count toward tenure-track service.
      
      Promotion to Assistant Professor requires at least a master’s degree in the candidate’s teaching discipline. Neither a doctorate nor longevity of service guarantees a promotion.
    4. Instructor. This rank is appropriate for one appointed to full-time faculty who has a proven potential for advancement to the professorial ranks within the institution. Instructors are not eligible for the award of tenure.

The Board of Regents Policy states that a maximum of three (3) years’ credit toward the minimum probationary period may be allowed for service in tenure-track positions at other institutions or for full-time service at the rank of Instructor or Lecturer at the same institution. If granted, such credit for prior service shall be approved in writing by the president at the time of the initial appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher (Georgia Board of Regents Tenure and Promotion Policy 8.3.7.4).

Any rank at East Georgia State College requires, at minimum, a master’s degree in the teaching discipline and/or experience and other aspects of skills that can lead to an alternative justification, or, in rare cases, the equivalent of two (2) years of full-time graduate or first professional study beyond the bachelor’s degree, in accordance with BOR (Georgia Board of Regents Tenure and Promotion Policy 8.3.6.4). Longevity of service is not a guarantee of promotion, according to the BOR (8.3.6.4).

C. Areas of Evaluation

The annual faculty evaluations by the supervisor are one of the review criteria for tenure and promotion. However, the award of tenure or promotion is not based solely on annual evaluations and is not fully governed by specific annual ratings or student evaluations. Rather, the awarding of tenure should indicate that a faculty member has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the institution with the demonstrable evidence of significant accomplishments in teaching, student success, service to the institution, professional development, and academic achievement. Above all, a faculty member must demonstrate excellence in the classroom and effective teaching. Thus, Promotion and Tenure Dossiers must provide evidence of noteworthy achievement in teaching and at least two other of the four remaining criteria; activity in all five areas is preferred. (Board of Regents Tenure and Promotion Policy 8.3.6.1 and 8.3.7.3 Criteria for Tenure). Since EGSC is classified as an associate dominant-select bachelor’s degree institution, the emphasis at EGSC is on teaching, student success, professional growth, and service, with less emphasis on research (See Board of Regents Policy 2.8 Institutional Mission – State Colleges).

1. 1. Teaching. Teaching refers to the duties associated with traditional lecturing, management of class discussions, facilitating online learning, supervising classroom activities or online activities, supervising and training in a laboratory or clinical setting. Teaching lends knowledge to students and encourages them to make their own connections to what they already know. Basic faculty teaching responsibility involves being prepared for classes and meeting classes as scheduled.
    
    The following criteria will be used to determine teaching effectiveness: relevancy within the discipline, innovative pedagogy and how it affected students, quality of course preparation and assignments, adherence to professional standards in class management, and effective evaluation methods. Faculty are encouraged consider variety of instructional styles, methods, and creative approaches.
    
    East Georgia State College expects all its faculty members to prioritize teaching, emphasizing best practices for engaging students. Thus, the tenure or promotion candidate must present heavy evidence of effective teaching in support of a bid for promotion or tenure. Evidence in the dossier may include, but is not limited to, peer and supervisor observations of teaching, teaching narrative, selected student evaluations and assessment of evaluation reports, rubrics, class activities and assignments, assessment feedback, assessment of learning outcomes, and success of students.
  2. Student Success Activities. Student Success will involve an assessment of the faculty member’s involvement in activities inside and outside the classroom that deepen student learning and engagement for all learners. These aspects may include effective advising and mentoring; undergraduate and graduate research; other forms of experiential learning; engagement in other high impact practices; the development of student success tools and curricular materials; strategies to improve student career success; involvement in faculty development activities; and other activities identified by the institution to deepen student learning. Examples include, but are not limited to, Centers for Teaching and Learning, Chancellor’s Learning Scholars, Faculty Learning Communities and MomentumU@USG.
  3. Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity or Academic Achievement. This includes, but is not limited to, publications (Scholarly or Creative), experiments (in conference presentations, panel discussions of scholarship or pedagogy, performances, public art showings, public scholarship, published editorials related to one’s field, interviews, and other modalities of research and creative production.
  4. Service to the Institution, Profession, or Community. When faculty members give a portion of their time and talents to their communities, the profession, and their institution, they make their living and workspaces run more efficiently as well as develop skills crucial to successful classroom management and institutional effectiveness. Therefore, faculty members are urged to serve when, where, and how they can in two of the three areas: institutional service, professional service, and community service. East Georgia State College highly values faculty service given to the institution, as that service helps enrich the educational experience of students. Effective service encompasses activities that a faculty member does that go beyond the classroom responsibilities. These include, but are not limited to, the policy reviews and drafting, effective student advising, service on standing and special committees, advising/participation in extracurricular organizations, discipline-related community service, and articles written for local and institutional publications. Service to the community through civic or charitable organizations or service to the profession through academic organizations unaffiliated with the institution is also valued.
  5. Continuous Professional Growth. This area recognizes other professional activities that foster professional growth. Faculty members are encouraged to engage in activities that stimulate intellectual and professional growth. Activities include attending regional, state, national, or international conferences, professional meetings or seminars; attending/ leading/planning and institutional training, workshops, and conferences; reading current scholarship and applying professional literature in one’s field of expertise; participating in professional organizations; or engaging in academic coursework toward completing academic degrees or graduate certificates.

Section II. The Procedure for Tenure and Promotion

To administer the policies of the Board of Regents and comply with the Statutes of East Georgia State College, the procedure described herein is to be followed in evaluating and recommending faculty members for promotion and tenure. The purpose of this procedure is to provide an orderly and constructive process for counseling faculty members as they advance toward promotion and tenure and to provide a mechanism by which all faculty will be evaluated fairly. These procedures apply to full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty.

The policy at East Georgia State College is intended to supplement the policies of the Board of Regents as stated in the sections Criteria for Promotion (8.3.6) and Tenure and Criteria for Tenure8.3.7) of the Policy Manual of the Board of Regents, section 4.5 of the Academic and Student Affairs Handbook of the Board of Regents, and Article VII, Section B of the Statutes of East Georgia State College. Successful bids for promotion and/or tenure will be linked to merit pay increases, budget permitting.

A. Preparation

Upon the initial entry into a tenure-track position, faculty members should begin documenting their teaching effectiveness, academic achievement, professional development, and service as evidence to support their bid for tenure and promotion. A faculty mentor to help them navigate the best paths to fulfilling the institution’s expectations and mission will be assigned by the Department Chair. The faculty member should initiate conversations with their Department Chair or department chair about their progress toward tenure or promotion. The Department Chair will counsel the faculty member about his/her responsibility to the institution and about institutional expectations. Tenure-track faculty should prepare to submit a Pre-Tenure Review Dossier within their third year of service toward tenure. Faculty should expect substantial feedback from their supervisors and the Tenure and Promotion Committee so that they may make a successful bid for tenure or promotion when they are eligible to apply.

1. 1. 1. 1. Academic Leadership Assistance. Within the first month of the tenure track, tenure candidates will meet with the Department Chair to receive information on where online the tenure process is described, to learn what specific supporting evidence to collect, and to see an example of a tenure dossier. The Department Chair will also establish and discuss with the new tenure-track faculty an outline of the tenure plan, conveying the department, institutions and BOR requirements for promotion and tenure. The Department Chair may use this opportunity to inform the tenure candidate of professional development opportunities the institution offers, suggest specific ways to serve the college and enhance teaching skills, as well as encourage engagement in the discipline.
      2. Mentorship. The Department Chair will assign the new tenure candidate a mentor during the first month of the candidate starting the tenure track; this mentor will meet with the new faculty several times within the first year to help the new candidate transition into the institution and/or tenure-track responsibilities. Reminding the new candidate of Human Resource training, teaching workshops, department deadlines, advising methods and forms, and peer-evaluation of teaching are appropriate activities that should be assumed. The mentor may also offer advice for the tenure dossier, teaching, academic scholarship, professional development, and service.
      3. Pre-Tenure Review Dossier. According to the Georgia Board of Regents, “Each institution shall conduct in-depth, pre-tenure reviews of all faculty on the tenure track in their third year of progress toward tenure. The criteria established for promotion and tenure, emphasizing excellence in teaching, shall be used as the focus for these reviews” (Georgia Board of Regents Tenure and Criteria for Tenure 8.3.5.1). Therefore, the faculty member’s Pre-Tenure Review shall be performed in his/her third year of service at the level of assistant professor or higher. By April 1, each untenured faculty member approaching their third academic year must submit a Pre-Tenure Dossier to the Department Chair; the Department Chair will facilitate the election of a chair of the pre-tenure committee, and then forward the dossier to the committee. The Pre-Tenure Dossier is for review and critique, not a formal application for tenure. By May 15, the review committee will provide, to both the faculty member and the Department Chair, a written critique of the dossier. By August 15, the Department Chair shall have met with the candidate to thoroughly discuss the committee’s feedback and counsel the faculty member toward tenure.
        
        A successful pre-tenure review is not a guarantee for tenure. The constructive comments about the pre-tenure dossier must be addressed in the tenure dossier.

B. Administration Procedure

This process begins when a faculty person joins the tenure track and is ongoing, especially during the years leading up to a decision on the award of tenure and promotion. The normal chain of progression for a promotion or tenure application is from the Department’s Review Committee for Promotion/Tenure to the Department Chair, then to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs (VPASA), and finally to the President. Specific responsibilities of the Review Committee, the Department Chair, and the VPASA will be delineated below. Once an application for tenure or promotion is initiated, the faculty member may request at any time that the application be withdrawn; otherwise, the dossier will proceed through the entire administrative procedure. By August 1, the VPASA will inform faculty members who are eligible to apply for tenure or promotion. At the same time, the faculty member’s Department Chair shall be informed of the upcoming candidates. The Department Chair will convene the Review Committee by August 15. The Review Committee shall elect a chair. The chair shall identify himself/herself to the tenure candidate and to the VPASA who will then instruct the committee on the review process.

1. 1. 1. 1. Review Committees. Review Committees for Promotion/Tenure shall be composed of five qualified faculty (appropriate rank according based on promotion request) to faculty from the applicant’s academic area (Humanities, Math/Science, Social Science), excluding the Department Chair, the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the faculty member(s) being reviewed). The Department Chair shall select the committee; the committee will elect its chair. In the case of tenure applications and pre-tenure dossiers, the Review Committee for Tenure will be composed of five tenured faculty from the applicant’s academic area; in the case of applications for promotion, the Review Committee for Promotion will be composed of five faculty from the applicant’s academic area ranked at or above the rank applied for. Each review committee must have a minimum of five members. If the applicant’s academic area has fewer than five qualified faculty members for a review committee, the qualified faculty shall select appropriate faculty members (faculty from other academic areas who meet tenure and rank qualifications) to complete a committee of five.
      2. Promotion/Tenure Application. When the faculty member is eligible for promotion/tenure, according to the appropriate timeline(s), he/she may submit a dossier to his/her school’s Review Committee. Promotion/Tenure dossiers should be submitted by September 15^th (or the next business day if September 15^th falls on weekend).
        
        The Review Committee will review the dossier, provide feedback based on the Evaluation Likert Scale, and make a recommendation by October 15^th (or the next business day if October 15^th falls on weekend). The Review Committee’s chair will submit the dossier and its recommendation to the Department Chair and shall notify the VPASA of submission. At the same time, the committee will, in writing, notify the faculty member and the appropriate Department Chair as to its recommendation on the application, including a rationale for that decision. Applications must receive a simple majority to pass. The Department Chair will review the dossier, add to the dossier his/her recommendation regarding the application and include his/her assessment of the applicant’s qualifications for promotion/tenure and submit the dossier and recommendation to the VPASA before November 1^st (or the next business day if November 1^st falls on weekend). At the same time, the Department Chair will, in writing, notify the faculty member and the Review Committee of his/her recommendation and rationale.
        
        When the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs receives a tenure/promotion dossier from the Department Chair, he/she will review the application, add his/her recommendation to the dossier, and forward the dossier to the President upon the return to an official schedule of operation of the college in January. At the same time, the VPASA will, in writing, notify the faculty member and the Department Chair as to his/her action and recommendation on the application, including a rationale for that decision. The President shall render the final decision on the application by the end of January of the same academic year.

1. 1. 1. 1. The Award of Tenure. In compliance with the Georgia Board of Regents, upon approval of the President and the candidate’s completion of a probationary period of at least five (5) years of full-time service at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher, tenure may be awarded (Georgia Board of Regents Policy Manual Tenure and Criteria for Tenure 8.3.7.4). The five-year period must be continuous, except that a maximum of two (2) years interruption because of a leave of absence or part-time service may be permitted-provided, however, that an award of credit for the probationary period of interruption shall be at the discretion of the president (Georgia Board of Regents Policy Manual Tenure and Criteria for Tenure 8.3.7.4).
      2. Notification of Tenure. Upon approval of the award of tenure to an individual by the President, the individual shall be notified in writing by the president of his/her institution, with a copy of the notification forwarded to the USG Chief Academic Officer and Chief Academic Officer (Georgia Board of Regents Policy Manual Tenure and Criteria for Tenure 8.3.7.5).
      3. Stopping the Tenure Clock. Faculty may petition for a leave of absence and stop the tenure clock for up to two (2) years, consecutive or nonconsecutive. Qualifying requests for leave include the birth or adoption of a child or serious disability or prolonged illness of the employee or employee’s immediate family member (Georgia Board of Regents Policy Manual Tenure and Criteria for Tenure 8.3.7.4). According to the Georgia Board of Regents Policy Manual, the President must approve the leave, and the five-year probationary period may be suspended during the leave of absence (Georgia Board of Regents Policy Manual Tenure and Criteria for Tenure 8.3.7.4).
      4. Tenure Credit for Service. A maximum of three (3) years of credit toward the minimum probationary period may be allowed for service in tenure-track positions at other institutions or for full-time service at the rank of instructor or lecturer at the same institution if the instructor or lecturer applies for and is hired into a tenure-track position. Such credit for prior service shall be approved in writing by the President at the time of the initial appointment at the rank of assistant professor or higher (Georgia Board of Regents Policy Manual Tenure and Criteria for Tenure 8.3.7.4). This letter must be included in the dossier.
      5. Unsuccessful Bids for Tenure and Promotion. Neither level of education nor time in rank guarantees promotion or tenure. However, the candidate may appeal any recommendations from the Review Committee, Department Chair, or VPASA.

- - - - Appeal of the Review Committee’s decision. Upon receiving the recommendation from the Review Committee, the candidate has five (5) working days to submit a written response to the Department Chair. The response will be added to the dossier.
        
        Appeal of the Department Chair’s decision. Upon receiving the recommendation from the Department Chair, the Candidate has five (5) working days to submit a written response to VPASA. The response will be added to the dossier.
        
        Appeal of the VPASA’s decision. Upon receiving the recommendation from the VPASA, the Candidate has five (5) working days to submit a written response. The response will be added to the dossier for review and consideration by the President.

If the tenure application and appeal are not successful, the faculty member may reapply during the fall term of the subsequent year(s) until his/her maximum allowable service years have been reached.

1. 1. 1. 1. Maximum Time Served without Tenure. In accordance with the Georgia Board of Regents Policy (8.3.7.6), “Except for the approved suspension of the probationary period due to a leave of absence, the maximum time that may be served at the rank of assistant professor or above without the award of tenure shall be seven years, but a terminal contract for an eighth year may be proffered if a recommendation for tenure is not approved by the President.

“The maximum time that may be served in combination of full-time instructional appointments (instructor or professorial ranks) without the award of tenure shall be 10 years, but a terminal contract for the eleventh year may be proffered if a recommendation for tenure is not approved by the President.

“Except for the approved suspension of the probationary period due to a leave of absence, the maximum period of time that may be served at the rank of full-time instructor shall be seven years.”

1. 1. 1. 1. Early Tenure. If the person is being appointed to an administrative position and has not previously held tenure, the award of tenure must be approved by the Chancellor (Georgia Board of Regents Tenure and Criteria for Tenure 8.3.7.4). Otherwise, applications for early tenure and/or promotion must make the case for exceptionality. Both the Department Chair’s recommendation and the Committee’s recommendation must address the early nature of the application.
      2. Loss of Tenure or Tenure Credit. According to the Georgia Board of Regent’s policy on Tenure and Promotion, tenure or tenure credit at East Georgia State College may be lost under the following conditions:

- - - - The faculty member resigns from an institution;
        
        The faculty resigns in writing from a tenured position to take a non-tenured position;
        
        The faculty resigns in writing from a position for which probationary credit toward tenure is given to take a position for which no probationary credit is given.

In the event such an individual is again employed as a candidate for tenure, probationary credit for the prior service may be awarded in the same manner as for service at another institution (BoR Policy Manual Tenure and Criteria for Tenure 8.3.7.7).

Section III. Dossier Submission Guidelines

A Tenure or Promotion dossier must include materials that directly address the criteria for the requested action and must relate to the relevant time served at East Georgia State College since the last tenure and/or promotion action. All materials should be arranged in reverse chronological order.

1. Primary Dossier:
  
  The dossier will be submitted online to an internal server. Documents should be formatted in a 12-pt. font, Times New Roman or Arial when possible.
  
  The faculty member uploads the documents for consideration into an electronic filesharing site. The dossier, including the appendices, should not exceed 225 pages. The Chair of the Review Committee will instruct the candidate on where and how to submit the electronic dossier. No changes or additions to the electronic dossier will be allowed after September 15^th (or the next business day if September 15^th falls on weekend).
  
  At each step of the Review process, the supporting documents, such as letters from the Committee or a Department Chair, are uploaded to the file-sharing site.
2. The Dossier’s Purpose and Organization
  
  Because the dossier supports a candidate’s application for promotion and tenure, it should focus on showing the strengths of the candidate. The dossier must include strong evidence of the candidate’s qualifications for academic advancement. The dossier must contain the following items:
  1. Organization
    
    There must be a table of contents outlining the following organizational plan:
    - - A cover letter (abstract);
      - Only three letters of support and recommendation from peers;
      - A current curriculum vitae;
      - Narrative on teaching (Teaching Statement) and appendix;
      - Narrative on student success and appendix;
      - Narrative on research/scholarship/creative activity or academic achievement and appendix;
      - Narrative on service and appendix.
      - Narrative on professional growth and appendix;
  2. Dossier Guidelines
    
    The dossier should not be developed to show every single activity of a candidate but rather a selection of strongest activities since the last tenure and/or promotion action. All dossiers should be limited to 225 pages.
    1. 1. The Cover Letter should act as a one-page abstract of the dossier.
      2. Letters of support and recommendation. Three letters of support or recommendations must be typed and original. These three letters must be from academic peers or past supervisors. A Department Chair is not permitted to provide a letter of support for a dossier they will be subsequently reviewing.
      3. The Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) The vitae should be current and organized by the following headings and follow current professional standards for one’s field:
        
        Education: List degrees earned, the awarding institutions, and the dates completed.
        
        Professional Teaching Experience: List job titles and teaching experience, including employers, date of employment, and subjects taught.
        
        Student Success Activities: List significant activities/conferences/teaching modules, etc., attended that illustrate a commitment to student success.
        
        Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity or Academic Achievement: List publications, creative activities, academic accolades, and conference presentations.
        
        Service: List service to the institution, profession, and/or community.
        
        Professional Growth: List professional growth and development activities, and conferences attended.
      4. Narratives must be provided for each of the following areas:
        
        Teaching
        
        Student Success Activities
        
        Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity or Academic Achievement
        
        Service
        
        Professional Growth
        
        Narratives are reflective of beliefs, practices, experiences, and professional development. They highlight honors or special recognition as well as contributions to student learning, the institution, and the research field. Narratives offer specific examples that portray the candidate’s achievements, innovations, and professional growth. They must be no more than two pages (12 pt. font, Times New Roman or Arial) and must address the period relevant to the application; they must be followed by supporting appendices.
      5. An appendix must be appended to the dossier to include items which are not included among the required elements but necessary for an accurate evaluation of the dossier. Appendices act as a body of evidence for each of the five areas of evaluation and must be organized accordingly. For example, assessment of student evaluations must be in the teaching section, following the teaching narratives. Evidence of participation in HIPS or other student success activities would follow the narrative on student success. Abstracts of articles or presentations must be in the professional development section, following the research narrative. Proof of service would be in the service section, following the service statement. Evidence of professional growth and development activities must be in the professional growth section, following the narrative.
  3. Standard and Documentation of Contributions
    1. Teaching
      
      Effectiveness in teaching is reflected by student learning and improvements in the learning environment and curriculum. Excellence in teaching is going above and beyond the standard. Evidence of teaching excellence must include four years of student evaluations, a detailed assessment of success rate data, and a reflection on improvement techniques. The section may also include, but is not limited to, any combination of the sources listed below:
      - A summary of student evaluations and accomplishments that demonstrate teacher’s effectiveness,
        
        Examples of substantial, innovative, or creative assignments and activities;
        
        Instructions or examples of student learning assessments (tests, essay prompts, projects) and their grading rubric;
        
        A syllabus and course schedule for each course taught;
        
        Examples of feedback given to students;
        
        Selected student comments or letters from students that testify to teacher’s abilities to inspire student interest and to stimulate their work;
        
        Evaluation by students trained in clinical, laboratory, or field activities,
        
        Student accomplishments related to the course;
        
        Development or significant revision of programs and courses;
        
        Preparation of innovative teaching materials, instructional techniques, curricula, or programs of study for the institution or professional organization,
        
        A peer of equal rank or greater, Chair, or Department Chair evaluation of teaching;
        
        Peer evaluations by colleagues/supervisors who have team-taught with the candidate, used instructional materials designed by the candidate, or have taught the candidate’s students in subsequent courses;
        
        Proof or Evaluation Summary of successful integration of teaching and research or teaching and service in ways that benefit students;
        
        Conference or workshop attendance focused on teaching;
        
        An annotated bibliography of books read related to teaching with a summary assessment of how the materials impacted teaching.
    2. Student Success
      
      Faculty demonstrate their concern for student achievement through a commitment to best educational practices. These can include participation in extracurricular activities, such as sponsoring an academic club, or through support for the ACE by offering tutoring hours. Remaining current in educational theories will show an interest in improving practices in the classroom or in online teaching. Engagement in opportunities offered through the state, such as the Governor’s Chancellor Learning Scholars program, or USG Momentum training modules also illustrates a deep interest by faculty in improving student success rates through implementation of new pedagogical methods. Evidence of a commitment to student success includes but is not limited to:
      - Regular student advising or mentoring
        
        Tutoring in the ACE
        
        Sponsoring a student club
        
        Assisting with an academic event such as a science fair, art exhibition, theatre performance, or student presentations of original research
        
        Encouraging and monitoring student participation in The Hoopee Bird student newsletter or in the Wiregrass literary and art journal
        
        Teaching a Student Learning Community course
        
        Evidence of student engagement in courses
        
        Participation in a Faculty Learning Community
        
        Participation as a Chancellor’s Learning Scholar
        
        Participation in the Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program.
        
        Involvement in MomentumU@USG training programs
        
        Application of methodologies such as TiLTing in course design
    3. Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity or Academic Achievement
      
      Research/Scholarship/Creative Activity or Academic Achievement encompasses a broad range of scholarly activities. This area includes discipline-based research as well as research and scholarship related to teaching that contributes to the development and refinement of knowledge. Interdisciplinary and collaborative works are encouraged but will be judged as such if each candidate gives clear evidence of his/her participation. The principal standard should always be quality rather than quantity. Please review the rubric to consider how this area may be assessed. Evidence of academic achievement includes, but is not limited to, the sources listed below.
      - Authorship of research publications (e.g., articles, manuals, agricultural extension documents);
        
        Presentation, conference, or publication activities related to teaching such as methodology, approaches, textbooks, lecture notes, assessment techniques, that reflect a candidate’s teaching expertise and contributions to helping others develop their teaching;
        
        Presented scholarly papers or posters at academic or research conferences;
        
        Grants related to instruction or to fund innovative teaching activities or stipends for students;
        
        Abstracts for publications of research, books, articles, journalism, art, literature;
        
        Scholarly reviews of publications, exhibitions, productions.
        
        Proof of poster exhibition of research at conference or seminar;
        
        Detailed description of exhibition, installation, production, design, recording, reading of literary work (include time and place);
        
        Proof of being an invited speaker, author, or contributor to edited collections.
        
        Proof of honors, awards, or recognition for scholarship.
        
        Funded projects, grants, commissions, contracts;
        
        Proof of attending or leading institutional or external training seminars, workshops, meetings related to enhancing skills needed to better perform duties associated with teaching, advising, scholarship, or service.
    4. Service to the Institution, Profession, and/or Community
      
      Service includes activities that directly benefit the mission of East Georgia State College, the profession, or community. Beneficiaries of such activities include current and former faculty, staff, and students, as well as donors and patrons supporting college goals. These activities include, but are not limited to, active participation in college governance, participation in community activities hosted by EGSC, contributions to administrative support (committee work); developing, implementing, or managing academic programs or projects; fundraising, grant writing, and student advisement. Included are those activities that allow faculty to apply their academic expertise to directly benefit external audiences in support of the college mission. Examples of these include, but are not limited to, applied research, development, and organization of professional conferences, academic editorship, peer review of professional manuscripts, peer review of grant applications, industry consultation services, and service-based instruction. Community service activities are those that directly benefit the external community of East Georgia State College but may not be related to a faculty member’s academic discipline. Such activities are valued as they foster goodwill and strengthen the connection between the college and the community it serves. These activities are highly varied but must identify a human need or societal concern and seek to improve public welfare or education. Evidence of the effectiveness of service includes, but is not limited to, the sources listed below.
      - Honors, awards, or other special recognition for community service activities;
        
        Documentation of service hours or expertise provided to community service organizations (e.g., Rotary Club, Kiwanis, Boy Scouts of America);
        
        Documentation of specific needs-based training for conducting community service activities (e.g., first aid training, foster parent IMPACT classes, therapy animal certification);
        
        Documentation of role in college governance or committee work;
        
        Proof of authorship of institutional policies or procedures;
        
        Contracts, grants, or gifts related to service activities;
        
        Copyrights, patents, or inventions related to service activities;
        
        Proof of applied research publications (e.g., articles, manuals, agricultural extension documents);
        
        Documentation of role in the creation/implementation of external or internal workshops;
        
        Documentation of role in the creation/implementation of industry-based trainings;
        
        Documentation of role in the development and organization of professional conferences;
        
        Documentation of role in editorial work and peer review of academic manuscripts;
        
        Documentation of role in review of grant proposals;
        
        Documentation of role in the creation and implementation of new academic programs or projects;
        
        Public recognition for coaching techniques, the skill of players, wins;
        
        Proof of consultation or technical assistance.
    5. Continuous Professional Growth
      
      Professional Growth and Development allows faculty members to be actively engaged in their profession and offers them the intellectual skills necessary to be up to date in their respective academic areas. This area includes attending conferences/workshops and subject materials read. Research and scholarship relate to teaching in that it contributes to the development and refinement of knowledge. Public scholarship and leadership activity in professional organizations and societies related to one’s field or teaching. Evidence of the effectiveness of Professional Growth includes, but is not limited to, the sources listed below.
      - Proof of attendance at professional meetings or conferences in one’s research area;
        
        Proof of attending/leading/planning institutional training, workshops;
        
        Annotated Bibliography of research or subject area materials read;
        
        Record of participation in workshops or seminars (description of workshops’/ seminars’ purpose and the activities engaged in as well as what was learned is encouraged);
        
        Summary and proof of performance, recording, or production of literary, musical, visual arts, or theatrical works from traditional or contemporary repertoires of the performing arts, or other artistic works;
        
        Citation index analysis of one’s work;
        
        Patents, new art forms;
        
        Public scholarship (blogs, interviews, editorials, etc...);
        
        Description of membership or leadership activity in professional organizations or societies related to one’s field or teaching.

Note: Faculty can track and review years of service and career progression through accessing their data and using the tools that One USG Connect provides (https://oneusgconnect.usg.edu/).

Policies and Regulations Governing Academic Tenure and Promotion for East Georgia State College

Section I. Academic Tenure

Section II. The Procedure for Tenure and Promotion

Section III. Dossier Submission Guidelines

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