III. POLICIES GOVERNING THE PROFESSIONAL STATUS AND QUALITY OF FACULTY MEMBERS CONTINUED

A. ACADEMIC RANK CONTINUED

The minimum criteria for promotion in rank and assignment of tenure, were developed by the Advancement Criteria Committee; after consultation with the Faculty Policy Development Committee of the University (see Appendices 2-F and 2-G).

The criteria for promotion in rank and tenure aim at assessing the level of teaching expertise or professional practice of librarian where appropriate, service contributions and scholarly activity of a faculty member as well as his/her acceptability as peer and colleague. These criteria fall into three categories: teaching, scholarly activity, and service. The application portfolio shall present evidence of the faculty member’s achievements in these categories.

Andrews University is primarily a teaching university, and therefore expects its faculty to exhibit special dedication to teaching. In fulfilling the university mission and the motto to seek knowledge, affirm faith, change the world, the faculty strive to integrate faith in the learning process and demonstrate how both knowledge and faith can help change the world. Indeed, not only do the Andrews University faculty teach on campus, but also online, at extension sites, and at other off-campus venues.

Philosophical Foundation for Teaching. An effective teacher implements professional practices guided by a clear philosophy of Christian teaching which advances the mission of the university and department.

• Designs Credible Courses: An effective teacher possesses core knowledge and understanding in the discipline which is evident in the ability to develop representative, rigorous courses and learning experiences.
• Implements Effective Courses: An effective teacher delivers well organized courses which engage students in active pursuits of the discipline through various, appropriate teaching approaches.
• Assesses Student Learning: An effective teacher assesses important student learning outcomes regularly in order to improve student learning and to provide data for decision making and to improve programs.
• Reflects on Practice and Refines Courses: An effective teacher reflects on personal teaching practices and experiences to thoughtfully refine and revise courses.
• Builds Relationships With Students: An effective teacher demonstrates a nurturing attitude towards students while building and maintaining appropriate relationships with a diverse student body.
• Continues Professional Development and Receives Recognition: An effective teacher maintains the active life of a learner by continuing to grow and remaining current in the discipline.

GOOD: the teacher displays the desired characteristics in varying stages of development, some being more developed than others. As a result of assessment, professional reading and other professional development activities, and reflection, the teacher shows evidence of further developing and modifying teaching philosophy/theory and modifying and improving teaching practice.

VERY GOOD: The teacher displays the desired characteristics to a mature level by having successfully integrated the best practices of teaching into all aspects of his/her teaching. Nevertheless, s/he continues to refine philosophy, theory and practice through intentional changes and innovation.

EXCELLENT: The teacher displays the desired characteristics to a mature, creative and exemplary level, and is regarded as a leader, mentor or model in higher education practices. This is partly evidenced by some of the following: successful mentoring of: teachers in earlier stages of development, students in the discipline and/or students at risk; teaching awards voted by students and/or colleagues; requests for consultations, workshops, etc. having to do with teaching.

In regard to the evaluation of the portfolio for advancement in rank or to tenure, the weighting for teaching will normally be 70%. Some faculty, such as chairs, some program directors, and research professors may have lower weighting.

One of the hallmarks of a Christian scholar is the development and pursuit of a scholarly agenda for new discovery, synthesis, interpretation or application of knowledge. The scholar’s discoveries are disseminated and critiqued through publication and learned conversation with peers, and are made available as appropriate to the general public. These activities continue throughout the scholar’s professional life. Recently, higher education has described and recognized four categories of scholarship (scholarship of discovery, scholarship of teaching, scholarship of integration, and scholarship of application). Some scholars may focus exclusively on one of these categories while others may work with two or more. Regardless of the type of scholarship, its culmination in peer-reviewed presentations and publications is what marks the scholar.

• Originality. Endeavors contribute new, creative activities/productions, expanding knowledge and/or techniques within the discipline
• Discipline-related. Activities are connected to the scholar’s discipline(s) and area(s) of teaching.
• Rigor & Integrity. Scholarly activity must embody structure, thoroughness and careful reasoning and inquiry according to the standards of the discipline. It must be done with scrupulous honesty, attribution, and adherence to high ethical standards.
• Peer reviewed. Peer review is the process by which scholars judge the correctness, rigor, and significance of the work of other scholars according to discipline standards, thus ensuring its integrity and value.
• Sustained. A pattern of on-going activity is maintained over the scholar’s academic career.
• Variety. Publication in appropriate journals and other resources or media, and presentations at regional, national, and international venues, including appropriate SDA sponsored events.

Definitions

Ongoing—some dissemination of research/creative activity at least every other year.
Peer review—there are several kinds:

• Collegial peer review—both scholar and reviewer know one another
• Anonymous peer review—scholar doesn’t know the identity of the reviewer
• Blind peer review—neither the scholar’s nor reviewer’s identity is known by the other

Collegial peer review usually yields a less objective evaluation than anonymous peer review, and blind peer review yields the most objective; therefore the latter two are more desirable evaluations.

Scholarship of Discovery is the traditional search for new knowledge, ranging from laboratory or field research in the natural sciences to the study of ancient manuscripts in the humanities. It also includes original creation in writing (e.g. poetry), as well as creation, performance or production in the fine arts, performing arts, architecture, graphic design, etc.

Scholarship of Teaching is reflective and critical study into the art and practice of teaching and learning and may include philosophy and research in pedagogy, curriculum development, and the integration of faith and learning, etc.

Scholarship of Integration is the exploration of the connections within a discipline or across disciplines. It may consolidate knowledge from different parts of a discipline, provide new exposition which clarifies or unifies knowledge, or put knowledge in intellectual, social, and ethical perspective, and may include meta-analysis or synthesis of literature or materials from two or more disciplines.

Scholarship of Application is the practice of a discipline, in which its insights are used to solve problems in the professions, government, industry, church, and society. The products of such scholarship may include peer-reviewed consultation reports, patents, and clinical research.

The primary way the applicant is evaluated as a scholar is by the documentation of scholarly activity, but the evaluation may include other forms of recognition, such as awards and prizes for scholarly products or activity. In the evaluation of scholarly activities, both the quality and quantity of the dissemination are considered.

GOOD: Applicants have a developing scholarly activity agenda/portfolio with dissemination in more than one venue.

VERY GOOD: Applicants demonstrate a maturation in their scholarly activity agenda with increased activity in a variety of venues.

EXCELLENT: Applicants are scholars of repute within their areas of expertise and display leadership in their fields through an outstanding record of scholarly contributions in a variety of venues. Examples of such recognition: editing a scholarly journal, chairing peer review (jury) panel, awarded grants and/or fellowships for research, awards or prizes won in area of research, and where discipline-appropriate, collaborating with junior faculty and student scholars in research.

In regard to the evaluation of the portfolio for advancement in rank or to tenure, the weighting of scholarly activity will be at least 10%.

As a Christian institution of higher education, Andrews University takes seriously the need for and desirability of service both within and outside its academic community. The professional expertise and spiritual gifts of its faculty can bless and enrich a variety of communities. Service for purposes of promotion or tenure may be provided to four types of communities:

• University Community
• Church Community
• Scholarly Communities
• Other Communities

While all four types of communities are worthy, faculty members are expected to provide substantial service to the university community, i.e. their department, school, and/or the university in general.

• Reflects Christian care and concern for others
• Advances the mission of the University
• Advances the mission of the department
• Connects to the faculty member’s area of academic/professional expertise
• Is voluntary, when outside the university

In general, activities outside the University for which one receives compensation are not considered service, though honorarium or incidental compensation is acceptable. An exception to the voluntary criterion may be made by certain departments with clinical/practice service expectations.

• University Community includes departmental, school, and university-wide levels. Examples of this kind of service would be student academic advising, student and peer mentoring, department chairship or program director, student club sponsor, committees, councils, task force, recruiting, etc.
• Church Community includes the local, union, division and GC or international levels. While the primary church community would be the SDA church, this category also includes other religious or spiritual organizations, including ecumenical ones. Examples would include holding a church office or position, intensive if temporary assistance in a special program/series, committees, taskforce, writing articles in lay church periodicals, etc.
• Scholarly Communities include professional and scholarly groups/societies. Examples would include serving as a board member or officer in a society, organizer or moderator of a professional session, planning committee member, etc.
• Other Communities include civic life, community service agencies, and local, national and international humanitarian efforts. Examples of this type of service would include everything from helping with a soup kitchen to being a member of a national or international task force appointed by a head of state.

GOOD: Majority of the service contributions must exhibit the above desired characteristics and must meet department/school expectation of service. Documentation: participation, contribution, and impact particulars should be documented by letters, citations, evaluation forms, etc….

VERY GOOD: Majority of the service contributions must exhibit the above desired characteristics; and must meet department/school expectation of service. The service must include successful leadership of committees or other units which have done significant work. Documentation: contribution and impact particulars should be documented by letters, citations, etc….

EXCELLENT: Majority of the service must exhibit the above desired characteristics and must exceed department/school expectation of service. The service must be considerable and noteworthy with an extraordinary/outstanding impact. Documentation: this level of merit must be documented through official letters, citations and/or awards received, newspaper or journal articles, etc….

Some individuals, such as chairs of academic departments, program directors and librarians, may choose to make service their area of excellence. Documentation of excellence for a chair should include items such as: a successful accreditation report, approval of a new program or renewal, evaluation forms from his/her faculty and/or students showing he/she has nurtured or served them in an outstanding way, etc….

In regard to the evaluation of the portfolio for advancement in rank or to tenure, the weighting of service will be at least 10%.

Recognizing the special educational partnership between Ruth Murdoch Elementary School, Andrews Academy and Andrews University, especially with the School of Education in the training of educators, Andrews University, assigns appropriate regular ranks to faculty in the above two schools. Advancement in rank for faculty in the Andrews University K-12 system is processed with the advice of the faculty of the School of Education (see policy #2:307:1:2). Except where otherwise indicated, rank titles are given to identify the area of expertise according to the relevant departmental/school rules (see policy #2:307:2).

To qualify for this rank a person must hold a bachelor’s degree. Limited or no teaching experience is expected. The assistant instructor rank is assigned to beginning faculty in the Andrews Academy and Ruth Murdoch Elementary School who hold entry level denominational and state certification in harmony with the K-12 education code of the Lake Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, but who do not otherwise qualify for higher rank. Because of involvement in the training of educators, the rank title shall be Assistant Instructor in Education.

Promotion of an assistant instructor will not be considered until the fourth year of service in this rank or later.

Faculty holding the assistant instructor rank qualify only for an annual appointment.

Assistant instructors who are employed in regular and permanent positions are expected to show evidence of promising and improving skills in teaching; scholarly activity by attendance at scholarly meetings/workshops/in-service training sessions; community involvement; and engagement in further study. Assistant instructors fulfill the requirements for promotion to the next rank or should make substantial progress towards such promotion within the minimum years allowed in this rank.

To qualify for this rank a person must hold a master’s degree or the equivalent OR must hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three years of successful teaching or other academic or practical experience. Teaching experience below the college level may be taken into consideration for the Instructor rank. A faculty member in the K-12 system will be considered for this rank on the recommendation of the relevant principal, the school’s operating board, and the teacher preparation faculty of the School of Education.

When this rank is assigned to faculty in the University K-12 system because of involvement in the training of educators, the rank title shall be “Instructor in Education”.

Promotion of an instructor will not be considered until the fourth year of service in this rank, or later.

Faculty holding the instructor rank qualify only for an annual appointment.

Instructors are expected to show evidence of promise and improving skills in teaching, appropriate scholarly activity by attendance of scholarly meetings/workshops/in-service training sessions, attendance and participation in professional societies, research activities, community involvement, and engagement in further study. After the first year in this rank the faculty member may be assigned committee, advising, or other responsibilities as deemed appropriate by his/her principal, or provost.

Instructors in the K-12 system should fulfill the requirements for promotion to the supervising instructor rank OR should make substantial progress towards promotion to the supervising instructor rank within the minimum years allowed in this rank AND retain the confidence of the patrons of the school as revealed by formal evaluations (see policy # 2:326 for information on faculty evaluations).

To qualify for this rank a faculty member must be employed on a full-time basis for instructional purposes in either the Andrews Academy or the Ruth Murdoch Elementary School. The faculty member must hold the master’s degree, work at the Professional Certificate 6 level, earn credit in at least one graduate course in the area of supervision of instruction, and participate in supervision of student teachers enrolled in the Andrews University School of Education for a minimum of three years. The rank shall be “Supervising Instructor in Education” and shall be recommended to the president by the provost after being advised by the dean of the School of Education in consultation with the relevant principal, the operating board of the relevant K-12 school, and faculty of the Department of Teaching and Learning.

Promotion of a Supervising Instructor of Education will not be considered until the fourth year of service in this rank or later and the accumulation of six years of teaching. Completion a doctor of philosophy degree or its equivalent prior to the end of the term for this rank also justifies consideration for promotion.

A faculty member who holds the rank of Supervising Instructor in Education and who has not attained the tenure status, (see policies #1:712, #2:135, and #2:320); shall qualify for a one year appointment or, after six years of successful teaching experience, for a three-year appointment.

The Supervising Instructor in Education is expected to show appropriate scholarly involvement by activities such as attendance at scholarly meetings/workshops/in-service training sessions; attendance and participation in professional societies; participation in research activities; community involvement; willingness to use appropriate experimental methods in the classroom; and continued involvement in the supervision of student teachers. Completion of at least three graduate courses beyond the master’s degree is expected. The Supervising Instructor in Education should improve his/her modeling expertise, and knowledge of supervision of instruction while ALSO maintaining the confidence of the patrons of the school as verified by formal evaluation (see policy #2:326).