Statement of Expectations

Faculty in higher education are evaluated for quality of instruction, scholarly activity, and service. Faculty are expected to provide service to the college, the discipline, and the community.

Institutions of higher learning differ on the degree of emphasis placed on the three evaluating criteria based on their institution’s mission. Considering Zane State College’s mission of empowering people and enriching lives through education, there is an expectation that faculty deliver quality instruction. Faculty must master the art of teaching in order to be promoted from the rank of Instructor to Assistant Professor. To move to ranks beyond Assistant Professor, the Faculty Member must maintain the high level of quality instruction while assuming responsibilities of scholarly activity and service. At the time of promotion, the Faculty Member must be capable and willing to assume the responsibilities of the promoted rank.

 

There is no guarantee or right to a promotion when eligibility status is attained. Promotions remain an administrative decision with approval of the Board of Trustees. Initial placement into rank is at the discretion of administration.

 

The faculty can hold the following ranks: instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor.

FACULTY CRITERIA FOR ADVANCEMENT IN RANK

The following criteria are provided so that faculty applying for promotion in rank have an understanding of what the expectations are.

 

• Faculty must be prepared at the master’s level. The master’s degree should be in the discipline, a related field or as approved by the Chief Academic Officer.
• Faculty must maintain professional licensure and certifications deemed necessary to offer education and training in their respective areas.

 

• Faculty must have a minimum of three years at the current rank prior to being considered for promotion.
• See Rank and Promotion Eligibility Procedure for more specific details and forms.

Instructor to Assistant Professor -

 

There is an expectation that all Zane State College Faculty Members will participate in the promotion process from the rank of Instructor to the rank of Assistant Professor.

 

• Letters of Recommendation (2):

 

• The supervisory Academic Dean will submit a letter of recommendation for the instructor to be considered for promotion. The letter must acknowledge the instructor

(a) has demonstrated the ability to consistently deliver quality instruction and (b) is ready to assume the additional responsibilities of an Assistant Professor.

 

• The Academic Department Chair, Assigned Faculty Mentor, or division colleague at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher must prepare and submit a letter of recommendation describing why the instructor is ready to assume the responsibilities of Assistant Professor.

 

• Evidence of Strong Teaching:

 

• The instructor must demonstrate evidence of continuous improvement in all areas of the evaluation tool that focus on delivery of instruction.

 

• The supervisory Academic Dean must complete two in-class observations per year of the instructor.

 

• The Academic Department Chair, Assigned Faculty Mentor, or division colleague at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher will conduct one in-class observation per year of the instructor’s teaching.

 

Assistant Professor to Associate Professor and Associate Professor to Professor - Promotion Categories:

A faculty member seeking promotion to the next higher rank shall submit evidence of consistently exceeding current rank in two broad domains: (a) Instruction/Instructional Support and (b) Service.

The categories for Instruction and Instructional Support are as follows:

 

1. Instructional Planning & Presentation
2. Assessment for Student Learning
3. Professional Development
4. Student Advising and Support
5. Scholarship

The categories for Service are as follows:

1. Service to the Department/Division
2. Service to the College
3. Service to the Profession
4. Service to the Community

 

For promotion to the next higher rank, a faculty member must demonstrate sustained performance at a rank above his/her current rank. It is understood that for promotion in rank faculty are expected to demonstrate leadership in the specified number of categories; however, they do not have to hold defined leadership positions within each of the categories.

 

• Portfolio:

 

• Each faculty member is responsible for maintaining a professional portfolio of documents required for promotion.

 

 

• The portfolio is considered the principal documentary evidence for promotions in rank and is used by the Promotion Review Committee, as appointed by the Chief Academic Officer, as the foundation for their deliberations at the departmental, divisional, and college levels. The evidence compiled in the portfolio should show that the faculty member consistently exceeds the expectations of the current rank in selected categories of both the Instruction and Instructional Support area and the Service area.

 

• The portfolio stands on its own merits and no additions or changes are allowed after the portfolio submission deadline.

 

• Of the nine aforementioned categories, two are mandatory for all portfolios: Instructional Planning & Presentation and Assessment of Student Learning, and all portfolios must include a section for at least one category of Service. Faculty members seeking:

 

• Promotion to Associate Professor should use the mandatory categories as well as

three additional categories of their choice.

 

• Promotion to Professor, should use the mandatory categories and five additional categories of the faculty member’s choice.

 

• Teaching Philosophy Statement (1 page maximum)

 

• Narrative Summary (1 page maximum for each selected category)

 

• Supporting Documentation

Timeline For Faculty Eligible For Promotion

 

• During the second evaluation review, the faculty member must verify with the Academic Dean that he/she has sufficient time in seat to apply for promotion.

(*Please note: For rising Assistant Professors, faculty with non-August start dates will complete this during the third evaluation review.)

 

• If sufficient time in seat is determined, the faculty member must request consideration for promotion by filing an Intent to Apply for Promotion to the Academic Dean.

 

• Faculty will submit annual evaluation paperwork and required documentation, e.g. portfolio, to support his/her application for promotion following the guidelines contained in the policy to his/her respective Academic Dean no later than June 1.

 

• After receipt of the annual evaluation paperwork, the Academic Dean will meet with eligible faculty member to discuss his/her position regarding the faculty member’s promotion request. At this time, the Academic Dean will either offer support by agreeing to write a letter of recommendation or discuss with faculty member areas for growth and/or plan of action to strengthen a future promotion request. (This can be completed simultaneously with the evaluation review.)

 

• Evaluation review to be completed no later than June 15. Academic Dean adds final evaluation paperwork and letter of recommendation to faculty member’s portfolio at the time of evaluation review. (*For rising Assistant Professors, this concludes the process.)

 

• Academic Dean submits required documentation (i.e. portfolio) to the Promotion Review Committee no later than June 16.

 

• Between June 16-July 16, the Promotion Review Committee meets, reviews promotion documents that were submitted, and makes a recommendation for or against promotion for each faculty member being considered for rising Associate Professor and rising Professor status.

 

• Once review and recommendations are completed, the chief academic officer will forward all accompanying materials along with the Promotion Review Committee’s recommendations to the president no later than July 16.

 

• After consideration of the recommendations from the Promotion Review Committee, the president will approve or deny the requests. If approved, the president will make the recommendations for promotion to Board of Trustees at the September meeting.