A candidate’s preparation for tenure and promotion review begins when the candidate enters the University. Soon after the candidate arrives, APT policy calls for the Unit Head to:
- Provide the candidate with a copy of the promotion guidelines and promotion criteria by which he or she will be evaluated (APT Policy Section II, Section IV), and
- Appoint one or more senior faculty mentors (APT Policy Section IV.A.3, Promotion, Tenure, and Emeritus Review, First-level Review, Mentoring).
While each tenure-track candidate will be assigned at least one mentor, the candidate is encouraged to seek out multiple mentors. Suggestions include senior faculty in the unit, who can provide valuable information regarding the history and culture of the unit. While each tenure-track candidate will be assigned at least one mentor, the candidate is encouraged to seek out multiple mentors. Suggestions include senior faculty in the Unit, who can provide valuable information regarding the history and culture of the Unit, as well as recently promoted faculty who can provide recommendations for navigating the promotion and tenure process. Mentoring should not end with an award of tenure, but should be continued if so desired by the candidate. Each Unit will offer mentoring by one or more members of the senior faculty to each Associate Professor, on an ongoing basis to support the professional development of the faculty member. Associate Professors may decline the offer for continued mentoring by formally notifying the Department Chair. Candidates should meet regularly with their mentors in order to seek guidance and obtain constructive feedback on progress toward meeting the Unit’s requirements for tenure and promotion. Units should also help faculty members locate mentors in other Units, if desirable, as well as recently promoted faculty who can provide recommendations for navigating the process. Mentoring should not end with an award of tenure, but should be continued if so desired by the candidate. Each unit will offer mentoring by one or more members of the senior faculty to each Associate Professor, on an ongoing basis to support the professional development of the candidate. Associate Professors may decline the offer for continued mentoring by formally notifying the Department Chair. Candidates should meet regularly (at least annually) with their academic mentors in order to seek guidance and obtain constructive feedback on progress toward meeting the unit’s requirements for tenure and promotion. Units should also help faculty members locate mentors in other units, if desirable.
Review for tenure and promotion is the University’s primary means for ensuring a productive and accomplished faculty befitting an outstanding research university. Candidates are expected to demonstrate excellence and accomplishment in three areas: (1) research, scholarship, creative and/or professional activity; (2) teaching, advising, and mentoring; and (3) service (APT Policy Section II, Section IV). The Board of Regents APT Policy also provides that consideration may be given to “creative activities or other activities that result in the generation and application of intellectual property through technology transfer.” (USM Policy on Appointment, Rank, and Tenure of Faculty, II.B.1) Recognition in the tenure process will be given to the broad range of entrepreneurial, public engagement, and creative activities in which faculty engage, which Units may define in their criteria for tenure and promotion. These entrepreneurial and/or engaged scholarly activities must enhance one or more of the criteria on which faculty are evaluated (research, scholarship, and artistic creativity, teaching, and service) and should be consistent with the mission of the Unit and scholarly expertise of the candidate. Professional activity may be included in the area of scholarship, research, and creative activity if it meets the evaluative criteria of expertise, peer review, impact, and significance. Unit criteria should define excellence, impact, and other expectations for tenure and promotion.
Candidates should proactively contact their unit head to seek a copy of the Unit's promotion and tenure guidelines if, for some reason, the Unit Head has not shared them with the candidate within two months of the start of the candidate's appointment.