Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, Office of Education, Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota

Guidelines for Departmental Statements Required by Section 7.12 of Regulations Concerning Faculty Tenure

July 1999: Approved

I. Introductory Statement
This document describes criteria which will be used to evaluate whether candidates meet the general criteria of Section 7.11 of the Regulations.  For a complete perspective, the reader is advised to read Section 7 in its entirety.  This, and additional information is available at www1.umn.edu/usenate/faculty_senate/tenure.html.

II. Departmental Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development is to advance knowledge in the fields of genetics, cell biology, and developmental biology through research, and to transfer knowledge in these fields through undergraduate, graduate, professional and postdoctoral education.

III. Criteria for Tenure
Section 7.11 of the Regulations Concerning Faculty Tenure states: "General Criteria.  The basis for awarding indefinite tenure is the determination that the achievements of an individual have demonstrated the individual's potential to continue to contribute significantly to the mission of the University and to its programs of teaching, research, and service over the course of the faculty member's academic career.  The primary criteria for demonstrating this potential are effectiveness in teaching and professional distinction in research; outstanding
discipline-related service contributions may also be taken into account.  The relative importance of the criteria may vary in different academic units, but each of the criteria must be considered in every decision.

The individual's participation in the governance of the institution and other services to the University and service to the academic unit may be taken into consideration, but are not themselves bases for awarding tenure.

Indefinite tenure may be granted at any time when the candidate has satisfied the requirements.  A probationary appointment must be terminated when the appointee fails to satisfy the criteria in the last year of probationary service and may be terminated earlier if it appears that the appointee is not making satisfactory progress toward meeting the criteria within that period.

The Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development adheres to the statement of Criteria and Standards for Tenure of Faculty in the University of Minnesota Medical School and for Tenure of Faculty in the College of Biological Sciences.  To be recommended for indefinite tenure, a probationary faculty member should demonstrate strong performance in both teaching and research and superior performance in at least one.  Service to professional organizations and federal agencies may be taken as evidence of nationally recognized stature, but without the accompanying research and teaching contributions, cannot be the basis for awarding tenure.  The following standards are specific to the Department.

A. Research/Scholarship
Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development are research-oriented disciplines.  The recommendation for tenure is based primarily on scholarly activity and requires evidence of the ability to establish and maintain a vigorous research program.  Scholarly activity will be judged in the following areas:

1. Publication in rigorously peer reviewed journals
Scientific articles reporting high quality research should be published in rigorously peer-reviewed journals appropriate to the disciplines of genetics, cell biology, and development.  Contributions to prestigious review journals, monographs, etc., that are not peer reviewed will be taken into consideration, but cannot be the primary basis for a decisions.

2. External Research Funding
The candidate must have an independent research program.  The candidate is expected to attract nationally competitive, peer reviewed grant support as a Principle Investigator from federal, international, or private agencies appropriate to the discipline.

3. Significant scholarly contributions
Evaluations sought from national and international leaders in the candidate's field of research that the candidate's contributions are scholarly, creative, and of high quality and significance.  The assessments will also provide clear evidence of whether or not the candidate has a national or international reputation in the discipline of Genetics, Cell Biology or Development.

4. Invited seminars at Symposia, Universities and Companies and participation in national meetings
Faculty members are expected to present their work at national meetings on a regular basis.  Faculty members should be also invited by national or international scientific organizations to participate in symposia, meetings and conferences and should be invited to give seminars before peers in other institutions nationally or internationally.  However, this cannot be used as sole criterion for tenure.

Strong Research
A strong research performance will be characterized by positive evaluations on the four criteria listed above and recognition of the candidate's ability to establish and maintain an active research program.  In addition, the pattern of performance should be sufficiently consistent to indicate that the faculty member is likely to continue to contribute to the research mission of the department over the course of his/her career.

Superior Research
To be considered superior, the research of the faculty member must be recognized nationally.  This may be documented by regular publication in major refereed journals, a high level of nationally competitive grant support, extramural invitations to give seminars, participate in symposia, and write reviews, the development of vigorous research program that attracts students, postdoctoral fellows or visiting scientists from other institutions, and letters of recommendations containing favorable comparisons with other nationally prominent scientists at comparable career stages.

B. Teaching
Skill in teaching can be demonstrated in the following areas:

1. Participation in the teaching of degree candidates in the undergraduate, graduate and professional schools.
2. Participation in the advising of degree candidates in the undergraduate, graduate and professional schools.
3. Service as a thesis advisor to candidates for advanced degrees (Master's and/or Ph.D.) in the MCDB&G graduate program or in other graduate programs. 

A strong teaching performance can be documented by positive evaluations in the four areas listed below:

1. Review of courses taught, directed or developed by the candidate at undergraduate, graduate and professional student levels.
2. A listing of the degree candidates advised in the graduate and professional schools, and undergraduate research students advised.
3. Written evaluations by undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.
4. Written statements by faculty mentors within the department and others familiar with the candidate's teaching performance.

In rare cases, a superior teaching performance may be appropriately be considered to be the primary basis for tenure.  To be considered superior, the candidate must have a national reputation for teaching in the field.  A superior teaching performance is recognized by positive evaluations on the four criteria listed above and additional contributions as described below:

1.  High scores on teaching evaluations, receipt of teaching awards, and student testimonials.
2. Design of effective new courses.
3. Demonstrated dedication to improving the quality of science education beyond the normal teaching assignment, including seminars, honor's courses and colloquia.
4. By authoring teaching-related publications such as books, peer-reviewed journal articles, audiovisual aids, etc. that are widely adopted at the national level.
5. Participation in a leadership position in national organizations that have significant activities devoted to education and educational development.
6. Organization of short courses or workshops.
7. Letters from leading educator's in the field attesting to the candidate's national reputation, and assessing the candidate's contributions to development of advances in education in the field.

C.  Service
Service to professional organizations, learned societies, state and federal agencies, and to the community, when appropriate to the candidate's academic expertise and the mission of the Department, will be considered during tenure deliberations.  Similarly, service to the Department, the College of Biological Sciences, the Medical School, and the University will also be evaluated.  Evidence of the ability to contribute satisfactorily to the service needs of the professions will be required of all successful candidates.  However, external or internal service activities are not in themselves bases for recommending tenure.

IV. Promotion
Standards for Promotion: Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development accepts and subscribes to the statement on Criteria and Standards for Promotion of Faculty at the University of Minnesota Medical School and in the College of Biological Sciences, with the following standards specific to the department:

A. To Assistant Professor
A candidate for promotion to Assistant Professor is judged according to the following standards.

1. Awarding of an earned doctoral degree (Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent) and postdoctoral (or equivalent) research experience in a department or laboratory with a high professional reputation.
2. Evidence of participation in high quality research that has been or about to be published in leading refereed journals and evidence that the candidate has potential for conducting independent research.
3. Evidence indicating a multidisciplinary approach to research.
4. Documentation through courses taught and/or seminars given of excellence in teaching and communicative skills.

B. To Associate Professor
The criteria and standards for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor are those stated for consideration of tenure (see III. above).

A recommendation for promotion to Associate Professor is made when an eligible faculty member has fulfilled the general criteria applicable to tenure, as stated in Section 7.11, and the specific criteria and standards for promotion to Associate Profess (same as for tenure).

C. To Professor
A candidate for promotion to Professor is judged according to the following standards:

1. Continued adherence to the standards on which promotion to Associate Professor was based, with respect to performance and accomplishments in teaching and research, and in addition,
2. Establishment of a training program for pre- and/or postdoctoral trainees that has resulted in placing of trainees in academic or industrial positions.
3. An international reputation, as demonstrated by invitations to international symposia, election to prestigious scientific organizations, editorial boards, national review panels and holding offices in national and international societies.
4. Letters from authorities in the candidate's field, assessing the candidate's scientific contributions and demonstrating that she/he is among the leaders of his/her field.

V. Procedures
The Department complies with the procedures for reviewing the performance of probationary faculty in accordance with sections 7.4, 7.61, and 16.3 of the Faculty Tenure Regulations.

This format will be used to provide a summary of accomplishments since the previous review:

Name
Month, Year of Appointment
Year of Promotion to Associate Professor

A. Research

1. Brief statement of work accomplished and future plans.
2. Grant Applications - Contributions indicated if not sole PI; include independent funding of personnel, if applicable.

a. Current grant funding
b. Pending grant applications

3. Publications - contributions indicated if not solely from PIs laboratory

a. Peer reviewed publications
b. Non reviewed publications (reviews, book chapters etc.)

4. Presentations from lab - list date, meeting name, title and presenter

a. Poster presentations
b. Meeting or other abstracts

5. Seminars - list date, meeting name or institution and presentation title

a. At meetings
b. At other institutions
c. At the University

6. Personnel trained in laboratory - for current graduate students list program and year of study; for former graduate students list current position

B. Teaching - list teaching in applicable categories

1. Primary Teaching assignment(s)

a. Class taught
b. number of lectures given - length of lectures - number of students
c. Student evaluations - including computer compiled scores and written comments

2. Secondary Teaching

a. List all guest lectures given

3. Publications related to teaching (textbooks, textbook chapters, journal articles, etc.)
4. Teaching related presentations at meetings

C. Service - list service in applicable categories

1. Departmental
2. Graduate Program(s)
3. Medical School
4. College of Biological Sciences
5. University
6. Professional (editorships, editorial boards, study sections, ad hoc reviewer (list grant agencies/journals)
7. Field related community service (outreach)