RTP For new faculty A brief introduction

Retention, tenure, and promotion basics Year 1: Periodic evaluation in spring semester by departmental committee. Years 2 – 6: Performance review beginning fall semester by departmental committee and chair, college committee and dean, university committee, and provost. This review serves as the basis for annual reappointment and tenure.

Retention, tenure, and promotion basics Working Personnel Action File (WPAF): --The Personnel Data Summary, a written document providing a candidate statement and information on accomplishments in teaching, professional growth, and service --“Five significant items” evidencing most impactful accomplishments in teaching, professional growth, and service --Teaching evaluations --Review letters

Retention, tenure, and promotion basics Criteria: Teaching excellence, professional growth, and service. See the Senate policy files, as well as RTP policy files from your department and / or college. External review: Mandatory in College of Sciences; in other colleges, may be requested by any party to the review. Tenure: Probationary faculty may request consideration for tenure at any point. Please consult with your mentor, department chair, school director, and / or dean in making this decision.

Where to find more RTP information Faculty Affairs website: Includes timelines and checksheets Includes links to SDSU Senate Policy File and CFA Collective Bargaining Agreement Chair, director, admin. coordinator, faculty mentor(s) Department and college RTP policy documents: ask for a copy from your chair, director, or coordinator

Four most important things to do now Identify a mentor or mentors. You may have different mentors for research, teaching, and personal / professional development. You may co-mentor with others in your cohort. Especially for underrepresented, LGBT, and women faculty, it is important to seek out mentors who identify as you do, but also those who do not. Sources of mentors: invite a colleague or colleagues to coffee, ask your chair or dean for a recommendation. If you do not have a mentor on campus by the end of this year, contact AVPFA.

Four most important things to do now 2. Understand standards for tenure and promotion at SDSU and in your discipline nationwide. Consider impact factor, authorship status, and hierarchies of value in scholarly activity in your field (conference presentation, grant, peer reviewed article, book review, encyclopedia article, etc.).

Four most important things to do now 3. Draft a five-year plan focusing on the accomplishments you know will secure your standing in the profession. Work backwards from tenure, factoring in time lags in grantseeking and the review and publication process. Build in check-in points where you and your mentors can revise your plan if things are not proceeding as anticipated. Focus to build momentum towards a coherent scholarly portfolio. Prioritize opportunities that lead to the accomplishments most necessary to secure your standing in the profession.

Four most important things to do now 4. Start a box where you can store potentially significant items: article off-prints, letters of acceptance, contracts, thank you letters for service, syllabi, etc.