Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology [Formerly Toxicology]
Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Standards and Procedures
RUL 05.67.20
Authority: Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
History: First Issued: March 1999. Last Revised: January 25, 2008. Additional
History Information.
Related Policies:
NCSU POL05.20.1 - Academic
Tenure Policy
NCSU REG05.67.1 - College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences RPT
NCSU REG05.20.27 - Statements
of Mutual Expectations and Plan for Professional Development
Additional References: Office of the Provost RPT Website
Contact Info: Department Head, Department of
Environmental and Molecular Toxicology (515-2274)
1. Introduction
The development of recommendations for reappointment,
promotion and tenure is a collective process in which the faculty members
under review, tenured faculty and administration are all active participants.
It is one of the primary responsibilities of tenured faculty to provide substantive
input regarding reappointment, promotion and tenure decisions.
This document serves as a guide through this process
by detailing the standards used in formulating the recommendations, the responsibilities
of each of the participants, and a timeline of events.
The NC State University Board of Trustees has sole
authority for final Tenure Approval, and each of the guidelines noted in
these departmental policies and procedures is congruent with the standards
established by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and North Carolina
State University, and are issued
under authority of NC State Academic Tenure Policy.
Hereafter in this rule, "senior faculty" refers to tenured full professors, and "junior faculty" refers to tenured or tenure track assistant professors and tenured or tenure track associate professors.
2. Areas of Faculty Responsibility
Each faculty member in this department has a unique set of responsibilities
supporting the mission of the Department, which is to:
-
Advance toxicology as a science by conducting, and training
prospective toxicologists to conduct, basic and applied research on the
potentially adverse effects of toxicants with the overall objective of
protecting and improving human and environmental health
-
Communicate the concepts and findings of toxicological research/evaluations
to
-
graduate and undergraduate students through current
and informative courses
-
the general public through extension, outreach,
and engagement
Depending on the faculty member's assignment, these responsibilities are
divided among Teaching, Research, and Extension and Outreach, and the responsibilities
are described in detail to each faculty member in the Letter of Appointment.
Furthermore, the range and depth of each faculty member's responsibilities
is refined and updated annually according to changes in the academic, research,
and outreach environments and described in the Statement of Mutual Expectations,
which is reviewed and revised via a collaborative process between the faculty
member and the Department Head.
3. General Standards
Regardless of their types of appointment, all faculty members to be considered
for promotion from assistant to associate professor with tenure or from associate
professor to professor must demonstrate that they are effective teachers
and that they have made regular scholarly contributions to their field in
an appropriate form. It is important to understand that teaching includes
activities and responsibilities beyond the classroom setting per se. These
activities and responsibilities with students (undergraduate, graduate and
postdoctoral) may include advising, mentoring, laboratory supervision, direction
of papers, theses and dissertations, and other contact and relationships
outside the classroom. Scholarly contributions are defined more broadly than
the publication of research, as many different forms of scholarly activity
contribute to the field.
In addition, the overall program of the faculty member must have depth,
strength, vitality, and must fit logically within the mission of the department
and the College. Collegiality and the ability to cooperate with other faculty
members are important personal characteristics for consideration.
Faculty members being reviewed for reappointment, promotion and tenure will
be evaluated on their performance in the areas of responsibility defined
in their Statement of Mutual Expectations using the standards set forth in
this document.
These standards are not in order of priority nor of equal weight. Individual
faculty members are evaluated on their total program and are expected to
achieve at high levels of quality and productivity in most of the standards
that are appropriate to their responsibilities - this includes term of appointment
(9 month or 12 month) and official salary split among academic, research,
and extension funding categories. Faculty of the Department of Environmental
and Molecular Toxicology are assigned responsibilities in four of the six
realms of responsibility as follows.
3.1. Teaching and Mentoring of Undergraduate
and Graduate Students
3.1.1. Quality of teaching as evaluated by student and peer
evaluation
3.1.2. Development of innovative teaching materials, e.g.
publications, videos, computer software, web-based instruction, etc.
3.1.3. Innovation of course content
3.1.4. Participation in teaching symposia and workshops
3.1.5. Honors and Awards
3.1.6. Advising of undergraduate and graduate students
3.1.7. Efforts and success with proposals for extramural
funding
3.2. Discovery of Knowledge through Discipline-Guided
Inquiry
3.2.1. Quality and quantity of peer reviewed publications
including journal articles, book chapters, books, monographs and computer
software
3.2.2. Significance of research contributions to the discipline
3.2.3. Development of innovative theories, techniques and
technologies
3.2.4. Invited and submitted presentations at symposia and
professional meetings
3.2.5. Honors, awards and consultancies
3.2.6. Efforts and success with proposals for extramural
funding
3.2.7. Training and placement of graduate students and post-doctoral associates
3.3. Extension and Engagement with Constituencies
Outside the University
3.3.1. Identification of constituent needs
3.3.2. Application of research program to address needs
3.3.3. Contribution of applied research to resolving needs
3.3.4. Quantity and quality of publications and training aids
3.3.5. Innovation of applied research programs
3.3.6. Demonstration projects
3.3.7. Participation in symposia and conferences
3.3.8. Participation in agent training
3.3.9. Honors and awards
3.3.10. Efforts and success with proposals for extramural funding
3.4. Service in Professional Societies and Within
the University Itself
3.4.1. Departmental, College and University Service
3.4.1a) Committee service
3.4.1b) Committee leadership
3.4.1c) Elected offices in College and University Organizations
3.4.1d) Contributions to community development and activities within the Department
3.4.2. Professional and Public Service
3.4.2a) Election to offices in local, national and international
scientific societies and professional organizations
3.4.2b) Committee service for scientific and professional
organizations
3.4.2c) Service in reviewing grants or programs
3.4.2d) Service as editor or on editorial boards for journals
and books
3.4.2e) Advisory service to public and governmental organizations
3.4.2f) Organization and leadership of scientific meetings,
symposia and workshops
3.4.2g) Presentations to public schools and organizations
4. Standards for Reappointment as Assistant Professor
Faculty reappointed to the rank of Assistant Professor will have earned
a doctoral degree in a discipline relevant to their areas of responsibility
and will have demonstrated potential to be able to conceive, conduct and
manage a scholarly program in teaching, research and/or extension with clear
potential for achieve the standards required for promotion to Associate Professor
with tenure and eventually national and international prominence.
5. Standards for Associate Professor with Tenure
To be either appointed or promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with
tenure, a faculty member must first meet the standards listed above for reappointment
as an Assistant Professor. Furthermore, the individual will have demonstrated
recognized ability to achieve distinction in the areas of responsibility
defined in their Statement of Mutual Expectations. Also, the individual
should have demonstrated the ability to manage or direct activities in these
areas. In addition, the individual should have shown a willingness to participate
in activities at the departmental, college and/or university level that contributes
to the well being of the institution.
6. Standards for Professor
To merit promotion or appointment to the rank of Professor, an individual
faculty member will have met the standards described above for appointment
or promotion to Associate Professor with tenure. Furthermore, the individual
will have demonstrated a proven record of distinguished achievement in the
areas of responsibility defined in their Statement of Mutual Expectations. The
requisite level of achievement will be evidenced by national and international
recognition from peers working within the individual's area of scholarly
activity.
7. Procedures for RPT Review
7.1. Duties of the Mentor
The faculty member's assigned mentor is charged with assisting the candidate
through the tenure and promotion process.
7.2. Departmental Voting Faculty (DVF) Procedures
Promotions to full professor will be voted on by the tenured full professors
in the department. For assistant professors being reviewed for promotion
to associate professor with tenure, both tenured full professors and tenured
associate professors will vote.
The Head will assign one of the senior faculty members to serve as Chair
of the DVF and develop the written assessment. The written assessment must
include a listing of the eligible DVF members, those present and involved
in the review discussions, and those not present but provided their input
and vote. The vote will be by voice vote, will be counted by the Chair and
reported to the overall committee, the Head and the candidate. Faculty who
are out of the state at the time of the candidate's review may either abstain,
or vote by providing their written comments and vote to the Chair of the
DVF.
The Department Head will participate in each candidate's review discussion,
but will not vote. He/she will provide his/her assessment via the Department
Head's statement that goes forward with the candidate's review. The Department
Head's assessment will be shared with the candidate as required in the University
RPT procedure. The vote and summary along with the department head's recommendation
and summary will be forwarded along with the dossier and accompanying documentation.
The candidate will be informed of the progress of the review as outlined
in the University RPT policy.
7.3. External Evaluations Request
The faculty member under review will be asked to provide a list of at least
five individuals from outside of the University whom they believe know their
program and would be able to provide a written evaluation of their program. The
Department Head, in consultation with others in the Department and elsewhere,
will also develop a list of individuals from outside of the University who
would in their estimation have the ability to provide such evaluations. At
least three individuals from each of these lists will then be chosen by the
Department Head, and evaluations will be requested from them.
7.4. Schedule
Early in the calendar year, the Department's annual RPT process
will begin with a memo from the Department Head to all faculty due for mandatory
review for reappointment, promotion and/or tenure during the fall. That
memo will include a schedule of the critical deadlines for the impending
review.
In June, all faculty members to be reviewed will be asked
to meet with the Department Head to review and update their Statements of
Mutual Expectations and to begin the documentation process.
By September 1st, the Faculty member under review
will have their dossier completed.
Between September 15 and October 20, the DVF meetings will
be scheduled by the Department Head.
