University of Tulsa Faculty Senate

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences

College Criteria for Promotion and Tenure of Resident Tenure Faculty
as noted in Section IV.A of the
1996 Statement on Academic Freedom, Responsibility, and Tenure

Approved by Faculty Vote September 12, 1997

For promotion to the ranks of Associate Professor and Professor and the for awarding of tenure, the three primary considerations when evaluating an individual shall be the quality and significance of the individual's teaching, scholarship, and service. The weighting of these considerations shall depend on the mission of the Department, the term for "academic unit" in this college. Tenure is normally awarded with promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor. Other tenure decisions may be associated with new appointments or petitions from untenured faculty of rank above Assistant Professor. The requirements are greater for promotion to Professor than to Associate Professor. The promotion to Associate Professor recognizes an individual's record of effective teaching, strong scholarship, and demonstrated service to The University of Tulsa. The promotion to Professor recognizes an individuals record of effective teaching, distinguished scholarly reputation, and demonstrated service to the University.

The education of undergraduate and graduate students is the primary mission of the University. The evaluation of an individual's teaching performance should receive intense scrutiny in the case of a tenure petition. Evidence of commitment to the mission of the University is necessary for a positive tenure decision. Scholarship and the pursuit of grants related to teaching are encouraged.

Scholarship should be interpreted by the College in the broadest sense in terms of the nature of the activities constituting an individual's effort. Certain common standards, however, should be considered when the individual's scholarship is evaluated. These considerations include refereed publications and other peer-reviewed scholarly efforts, a regional or national reputation, and letters of evaluation from people who can contribute insight into the individual's scholarship. Obtaining grants is another important consideration that benefits the College in teaching, scholarship, and service.

Service includes those activities on or off the campus in which the individual represents the University of Tulsa, or some unit thereof, to the benefit of the University. These activities may be administrative; they may lack a well-defined teaching, scholarly, or professional component.

The role of external letters evaluating a faculty member's teaching, scholarship, and service is not to be minimized; at least three letters from academic evaluators are required.

For the special case in which the candidate has by contract a unique or nontraditional position or assignment, the job description should be formulated in writing at the time of the contract agreement, with full disclosure to the candidate, the academic unit chair, and the dean of the College.

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences