© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Navigating the Academic Tenure Process in Ideal and Non-ideal Environments Rhonda Franklin Drayton Associate Professor Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Minnesota

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Overview  Clarify tenure and its significance  Tenure Proposal (i.e. Dossier)  Drayton Philosophy on Tenure Aspects  Tenure tools

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Overview  Clarify tenure and its significance  Tenure Proposal (i.e. Dossier)  Drayton Philosophy on Various Aspects  Tenure tools

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure?  What is tenure?  A permanent employment position that offers the broadest range of opportunities within an academic institution to work on faculty-focused interests.  Difference from industry/government: Work on management-focused interests.  How is it obtained?  From a 2-phase proposal process  Part 1: Tenure Pre-proposal: Interview process based on supervised work  Funded Results: Job Offer  Part 2: Tenure Full Proposal: Pre-tenure academic career phase based on self-supervised work  Funded Results: Tenure + Promotion

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure Rumors…Fact or Fiction?  How do I get tenure?  Teach lots of courses very well  Get great student evaluations  Publish lots of papers  Raise lots of money for research  Supervise and graduate lots of Ph.d. students  Work on campus and national service committees  Establish a national reputation Okay…How Many?….

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Pre-tenure period can feel like… AGE TIME Get a life…. Put non-professional life on hold…… Friendship Relationships Marriage Children

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Big Picture Long-Term Short-Term – Pre-tenure phase Live life, but know the Big Picture age time Possible retirement

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Academic Career Ladder Full Chaired Associate* Assistant Endowed Chair Lab Director Assoc. Dean Dean Head Full Provost President Technical Administrative Track 1 Track 2 Track 3: Combination of 1 and 2 Majority of faculty Tenured position Advancement occurs the following year Career Climbing Career Climbing

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Overview  Clarify tenure and its significance  Tenure Proposal (i.e. Dossier)  Drayton Philosophy on Various Aspect  Tenure tools

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure Full Proposal  Objective:  To describe PI’s demonstrated ability to produce significant return on investment of institutional seed resources - space, start-up funds, student and faculty support, etc. - in areas that align with the institution’s mission.  Institutional Missions ResearchR/TT/RTeaching 100% >50%/T>50%/R 100% 100% >50%/T>50%/R 100%

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure Full Proposal  What constitutes significant return on investment?  Research Institutions:  Effective use of start-up funds to seed new projects  Increased institutional recognition and/or enhancement of institutional reputation from  Research Aspect  Excellence in work  Significant impact  Visibility conferences and publications  National faculty recognition  Active involvement in technical/professional community (e.g. government and industry)  Placement of graduate students in academia, industry or government  Teaching Aspect  Effectiveness in instructing undergraduates  Effectiveness in improving the educational program  Effectiveness in advising and mentorship

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure Proposal Content (Completed work through the N th -1 year)  Teaching Profile  Philosophy  Courses taught  Student Evaluations  Colleague Evaluation  Research Profile  Philosophy  Faculty CV  Productivity Record  Research projects directed  Funded Grants  Publications  Students advised, supervised and graduated  Technical References  Service Profile  Department  College or University  Professional  Technical society  Government and industry

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Overview  Clarify tenure and its significance  Tenure Proposal (i.e. Dossier)  Drayton Philosophy on Various Aspects  Tenure tools

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Drayton’s Tenure Proposal Philosophy – Research Aspects  Year 1:  Evaluate and test your new environment with an old and new idea  Learn the internal proposal submission process and Identify suitable external funding agency for research  Submit proposals to obtain experience and hopefully funding  Year 2:  Prepare the environment to explore new ideas (Round I)  Actively seek funding using preliminary data from university sponsored seed funding  Year 3:  Communicate Round I research outcomes, seek feedback, and listen carefully  Prepare a preliminary Tenure proposal  Year 3 - Proposal review  Year 4:  Plant new research ideas (Round 2) and prepare for Round I project close-out;.  Seek funding for Round 2 ideas  Develop first Draft of tenure proposal and philosophy statements  Year 5:  Wrap-up Round I work and mature Round II ideas  Address weaknesses in tenure proposal  Year 6:  Submit Tenure Proposal (Casebook);  Communicate Round 2 idea results

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Drayton’s Tenure Proposal Philosophy – Teaching Aspects  Year 1:  Develop new course materials  Take courses on instruction  Year 2:  Introduce a new course  Address teaching concerns, if any  Year 3:  Have faculty colleague assess teaching  Year 4:  Develop education community service activity  Year 5:  Address unresolved teaching issues  Year 6:

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Drayton’s Tenure Proposal Philosophy – Work Relationships  Year 1:  Build relationships within your institution – staff, faculty (inside and outside your department), graduate students, sponsored grants office, purchasing department  Hire and train research staff  Year 2:  Build relationships outside your institution - academic, industry, government  Participate in review processes – grants and papers  Get to know your undergraduate students  Prepare for staff transitions (MS and/or PhD)  Year 3:  Develop reference list with colleagues and students ( at least 4 each/yr)  Develop industry contacts for graduate students  Identify several institutional faculty “champions”; nurture these relationships  Year 4:  Actively volunteer service to your technical community  Update academic and technical community about your research  Ask for tenure proposal references  Year 5: Expand industry and government network  Year 6: Consider sabbatical opportunities

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Overview  Clarify tenure and its significance  Tenure Proposal (i.e. Dossier)  Drayton Philosophy on Various Aspects  Tenure tools

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure Tools: Managing Research Projects  Physical  Create an agency specific deliverable model  Report requirements  Template for reporting  Procedure for pursuing additional funding  Develop timeline for  staff hiring needs  project reporting requirements  budget targets and spending rates  People  Prepare graduate students to manage  Prepare to transition between new/old staff hires ( typically, year 3)  Professional Development: Seek management, project management and budget training  Tip: Be patient and flexible while developing your management style.

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure Tools: Creating active collaborations  Pursue summer faculty fellowships  Access: DOD and DOE organizations  Use various leave options, if available  Semester leave  Sabbatical (post tenure)  Take short-term (1-2 week) visits for research collaborations  Use annual conferences to develop proposal and research collaboration meetings  Professional development: Seek grant writing and budgeting training  Tip: Partner student projects with 1 external collaboration to seed relationships.

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure Tools: Funding Research Ideas  Institutional  Seed grants  Campus center grants  Government  Grants (i.e. seed and full proposal)  Contracts  Industry  Contracts  Faculty Awards  Fellowships  Faculty  Student  Professional Development: Seek grant writing and budget training  Tip: Write as much as possible to solidify ideas and improve written communicating skills

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure Tools: Personal Development  Minimize isolation, nurture family and friend relationships  Develop institutional and local professional friendships  Pursue your personal goals (i.e. marriage, children, etc..)  Create a support system where needed (e.g. cleaning and care-giving)  Remember: You cannot violate natural laws: Time is conserved (1 week = 168 hours) for everyone.  Make flexible plans and be adaptive  Take care of yourself; you will get older.  Strive to exercise and eat properly  Remember: A career is a 35-year marathon. Run hard and deliberate, but PACE yourself. You have at least seven 5-year cycles to pursue your interest and dreams.

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Tenure Tools: Managing Distractions  Excessive Service Requests  Participate within reason  Learn to say “NO”, but expect to feel guilty  Don’t isolate yourself; loneliness will make you crave and need to serve others to feel humane  Excessive Opportunities  A successfully developed tenure proposal will create numerous opportunity (i.e. job offers, speaking engagements, reviewing proposals, etc.)  Participate within reason; your academic business should be “open” in your absence. Who will lead, manage, and open the store in your absence?  Focus on clarifying your vision for your work and career. Avoid job hopping without significant motivation for doing so.  Remember: Excellence is a magnet for opportunities.

© Copyright 2006, Rhonda F. Drayton Thank you for your time! Questions?