Department of Theatre
Tenure and Promotion Policies and Procedures
Established and approved on: April 4, 1989
Table of Contents

I. Process for Tenure and Promotion

Candidates for tenure and/or promotion in the Theatre Department should prepare their case in accordance with Vice Chancellor's Promotion and Tenure Case Format, No. 98-4, or subsequent revision. The case shall receive approval or disapproval at the following levels:

The primary committee shall be constituted each fall during which there is an anticipated tenure or promotion case. However, the committee shall not be constituted until after the Campus and School committees are created. The committee will be composed of all tenured or tenure track faculty members in the department and chaired, without vote, by the department chair. In the event that the chair's case is being considered, the committee will be chaired, without vote, by the Dean of the School. If fewer than three voting members are eligible to serve, the Dean, in consultation with the department, shall appoint tenured faculty members from other departments to bring the voting membership to a total of at least three and at most five.

The committee shall review the case in accordance with the criteria established below. It shall then conduct a written ballot on each case. Each member shall declare their vote on the case within the committee, but the vote shall remain confidential outside of the committee. A simple majority of the ballots cast shall constitute a positive recommendation. The chair will record the vote and append it to the case. The chair shall then recommend or not recommend the candidate. Within five instructional days of the vote, the chair shall advise the candidate in writing of the outcome of the ballot and of the chair's recommendation. The case shall then be forwarded to the school committee.

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II. Criteria for Tenure and Promotion

Teaching, research and service are generally recognized within the academic community as the areas in which faculty members must demonstrate strength to qualify for tenure or promotion. The Theatre Department has established these guidelines to assist candidates in the preparation of their cases and to provide the department with criteria on which to evaluate these cases. Individual area point totals have been established as general criteria and some alterations or substitutions may be appropriate in specific cases. For promotion cases, faculty members, in accordance with Purdue University policy, are expected to demonstrate excellence in one of these areas and competence in the other two. Theatre Faculty are encouraged, though not required, to base their cases on excellence in either Teaching or Creative Endeavor and Research.

Faculty seeking promotion to the rank of Associate Professor shall both clearly demonstrate the above and the potential for continued professional growth. Faculty seeking promotion to the rank of Professor shall be nationally recognized by professional peers as authorities and leaders in their fields and will have made important and recognized contributions in at least one of the three areas.

In cases where tenure is requested without promotion, faculty must demonstrate satisfactory achievement in all three areas and show likelihood of meeting the standards for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor in the near future.

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I. TEACHING
When evaluating teaching, consider and include the following:
 
STUDENT EVALUATIONS
Supported by summaries of evaluation data, comments, etc.		 Points
(a) Generally negative reaction from the students 0 - 2
(b) Generally average to poor evaluations  2 - 4
(c) Average to good evaluations  4 - 6
(d) Highly effective - Good teacher 6 - 8
(e) Unusually outstanding - Student ratings are outstanding - highly effective,
efficient and outstanding communicator in the classroom 		 8 - 10
TEACHING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Includes advising, mentoring, independent studies, coaching, etc.
Supported by evaluations, student comments, peer or chair review, etc.		 Points
(a) Does little to work with students outside the classroom  0 - 2
(b) Works with students on occasion  2 - 5
(c) Provides students with regular additional support and assistance  5 - 8
(d) Offers students many additional opportunities for special
assistance and support 		 8 - 10
PEER EVALUATION
Supported by evidence such as written evaluations of teaching effectiveness, innovation 
and teaching scholarship.		 Points
(a) Negative reaction from peers  0 - 2 
(b) Generally average to poor peer response  2 - 4
(c) Average to good evaluations  4 - 6
(d) Very positive response from peers, highly effective within the curriculum 6 - 8
(e) Unusually outstanding, highly effective and innovative, inspirational  8 - 10 
Excellence is established with a total of 25 or more points.
Competence is established with a total of 16 or more.

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II. CREATIVE ENDEAVOR AND RESEARCH
The next two categories are of primary importance when evaluating theatre faculty and should be weighted accordingly.
 
Departmental Creative Endeavor
Supported by peer and chair review, visual evidence, etc.		 Points
(a) Does minimal department production work  0 - 3
(b) Fulfills departmental assignments capably  3 - 6
(c) Takes on challenging or extra assignments  6 - 8
(d) Consistently produces very good and excellent work  8 - 10
External Evaluations of Departmental Creative Endeavor
Supported by solicited external evaluations		 Points
(a) None or consistently negative evaluations  0 - 2
(b) Work judged generally adequate 2 - 4
(c) Evaluations generally positive 4 - 6
(d) Evaluations quite positive, specific praise  6 - 8
(e) Consistent and remarkable high praise  8 - 10
The next two categories are supplemental when evaluating theatre faculty and should be weighted accordingly.
 
Outside Creative Endeavor
Supported by program credits, visual evidence, reviews, etc.		 Points
(a) Does no outside production work  0 - 2
(b) Does occasional outside work 2 - 5
(c) Does regular outside production work  5 - 8 
(d) Does regular outside production work for significant other organizations  8 - 10
Research and Scholarly Production
Supported by evidence of publication/presentation in appropriate venues		 Points
(a) Does not publish at all except for program notes, etc  0 - 2
(b) Presents and/or publishes occasional paper  2 - 4
(c) Publishes and presents papers regularly  4 - 7
(d) Publishes often, high quality, some recognition  7 - 9
(e) Prolific, publication of a book  9 - 10
Excellence is established with a total of 17 or more points in the first two areas and 8 points in the second two.
Competence is established with a total of 12 or more points in the first two areas and 6 points in the second two.

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III. SERVICE
In evaluating service, please consider and include the following items.
 
Departmental Service
(includes recruiting, fund raising, special events, etc.)		 Points
(a) Participates little in Department service activities  0 - 2
(b) Occasionally helps in service activities  2 - 5
(c) Regularly is involved in service activities  5 - 8
(d) Initiates and participates in a broad variety of service activities  8 - 10
University Service Points
(a) Avoids most committee work  0 - 2
(b) Serves on committees - does service work includingcourse supervision  2 - 4
(c) Chair a minor committee, etc  4 - 6
(d) Chairs a major committee, serves as an academic area chair  6 - 8
(e) Assumes responsibility for major committees, evaluate programs, reorganization of programs, etc. with visible results  8 - 10
Professional Activities Points
(a) Inactive or rarely active  0 - 2
(b) Fairly active locally, attends meetings 2 - 4
(c) Active locally, does occasional consulting  4 - 6
(d) Holds regional committee posts, regular consulting 6 - 8
(e) Active nationally, does regular consulting to help students and profession  8 - 10
Professional Community Service Points
(a) Inactive or rarely active  0 - 2 
(b) Involved in some local activities  2 - 4
(c) Active in community organizations, does some workon special projects  4 - 7
(d) Initiates and develops special projects and programs  7 - 10

Excellence is established with a total of 33 or more points.
Competence is established with a total of 24 or more.

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