Policy on College Tenure Criteria (Reviewed 2006, Revised 2025)

Policy on College Tenure Criteria (Reviewed 2006, Revised 2025)

All candidates will be evaluated with regard to their performance in the areas of research, teaching, and service, as stipulated in the Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic

Affairs’ Academic Guide. It is expected that the candidate should normally excel in at least one of the above categories and be at least satisfactory in the others. In exceptional cases the candidate may present evidence of a balance of strengths. In all cases, the candidate’s total record should be assessed by comprehensive and rigorous peer review. Specifically, the College committee and the Dean use the following criteria in evaluating the relevant categories:

1. If research or other creative work is the primary criterion for tenure, the candidate must have achieved, or clearly be developing, a position of leadership in a substantial field. This must be demonstrated by evidence of letters, both internal and external, and by other pertinent documentation.

2. If the primary criterion for tenure is teaching, it should be comparable to that of the most effective teachers at this institution. The faculty member must have demonstrated a superior ability and interest in stimulating in students (at all levels) a genuine desire for study and creative work. Candidates should also provide evidence of a significant educational impact on their particular discipline, both inside and outside Indiana University. Evidence of outstanding teaching should include indications of the success of students, student evaluations, publication of textbooks or teaching materials, active participation in organizations devoted to teaching, and so forth.

3. Generally, we do not anticipate that candidates in the College will be put forward for tenure primarily on the basis of their service contributions. However, if there are such exceptional cases, then the documentation should demonstrate the impact of this service on the individual’s discipline as well as contributions to this institution.

4. In a balanced case, the candidate’s overall contribution to the University must be shown to be comparable in excellence to that of a candidate with a single primary area. In research, this requires evidence of significant contribution to a substantial field. In teaching, it requires evidence of an important contribution to teaching inside this university and, where possible, outside it. And in service, it requires evidence of significant impact on the University or one’s discipline.

5. In all cases, the dossier must demonstrate effectiveness in both research and teaching.

6. It is also expected that all candidates will continue to make a positive contribution to the professional environments of their departments.

7. There should be strong indications in the dossier that the candidate will maintain and enhance the level of performance on which the awarding of tenure is to be based.

8. The department chair shall append the following statement to the candidate’s dossier:

   The [department or unit name] chair has reviewed the request for promotion/tenure submitted by [candidate name] and has determined that [candidate name] is eligible for promotion/tenure in compliance with the criteria and requirements of IC 21-39.5-2-1 and IC 21-39.5-2-4(a)(3).

   In the event that the candidate’s personnel file contains any violation regarding SEA 202, the chair must append the above statement to the candidate’s dossier unless all the following conditions are met:

   1. The candidate has more than one SEA 202 complaint in their file that has been fully adjudicated, including all available appeals, and found to be a violation; and

   2. The candidate has been provided an opportunity to design and implement a development plan; and

   3. The candidate has declined to participate in designing and implementing a development plan in response to the violations documented in their dossier.

SEA 202 allegations in process and which have not yet exhausted all available appeals shall not prevent the inclusion of the above statement.

The College Policy Committee has also clarified the populations within which candidates for tenure are to be evaluated. Evaluations of research, creative activity, and teaching are to be made with respect to individuals who have recently received tenure or who will soon be considered for tenure at major research Universities. The College Policy Committee has formulated a policy for evaluation of classroom teaching stipulating the kinds of information on classroom teaching that must accompany the dossier for tenure or promotion.

Other relevant resources:

Intranet: promotion-and-tenure-procedures-and-department-guidelines