Policy on Clinical Faculty Appointments

Clinical Faculty Promotion Criteria

Promotion Criteria for Clinical Faculty Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI

This document outlines the IU School of Liberal Arts’ criteria for promotion within the clinical ranks, including the awarding of long-term (multi-year) contracts. Candidates for clinical positions should be practitioners who have at least three years of appropriate experience in the clinical, professional, or community context as well as academic achievements [for example, a terminal degree or published work in their field] in keeping with their appointment.

Promotion from Assistant to Associate Clinical Professor is normally considered during the sixth year at the Assistant Clinical Professor rank. In exceptional cases, promotion to Associate Clinical Professor may be pursued after the third-year review during the fourth or fifth year in rank. The Promotion to Clinical Professor may be sought at any time by an Associate Clinical Professor; however, this promotion is typically recommended after a period of five or more years at the Associate Clinical Professor rank.

In order to be awarded promotion, the candidate must be judged as (1) excellent in teaching and at least satisfactory in service, (2) excellent in service and at least satisfactory in teaching, or (3) highly satisfactory in both teaching and service (i.e., a balanced case).

Research is not a category for evaluation of clinical faculty performance. However, research and creative activity may be used to support the categories of teaching and service where appropriate.

Criteria for Promotion to Associate Clinical Professor

To be judged as excellent in either teaching or service, assistant clinical professors seeking promotion to the rank of associate clinical professor are expected to have developed at least a local or regional reputation, with scholarly contributions disseminated in peer-reviewed forums relevant to their work locally, regionally, or nationally.

The criteria for promotion include:

TEACHING

Excellent Performance in Teaching. The candidate must successfully document a commitment to pedagogy through highly effective teaching and important contributions to student learning, as judged by departmental standards, whether in the classroom, online, or other instructional contexts. In demonstrating teaching excellence, candidates must have a record of publicly disseminated and peer-reviewed scholarship in teaching at the local or regional level (at least), such as through local/regional or national presentations or workshops, curricular products, or publications, consultations, grants, teaching awards, memberships in teaching colloquia or fellowships (e.g., FACET or Mosaic). In addition to student and peer evaluations, there are many activities and achievements that candidates should also engage in addition to substantiate further their excellence in teaching, including professional development and advising or mentoring of students. 

Highly Satisfactory Performance in Teaching (for balanced cases). The candidate must successfully document a commitment to pedagogy through effective and innovative teaching, as judged by departmental standards. The candidate must successfully document an emerging record of publicly disseminated and peer-reviewed scholarship in teaching at the local or regional level, such as, local/regional or national presentations or workshops, consultations, grants, teaching awards, memberships in teaching colloquia or fellowships (e.g., FACET or Mosaic), curricular products, or publications. A candidate should also provide additional evidence of effective teaching through professional development and impactful advising or mentoring of students.

Satisfactory Performance in Teaching. The candidate must document a record of teaching that is in keeping with departmental and university objectives (e.g., PULs), as well as performance in advising, and mentoring; the pursuit of professional development in teaching should also be documented (e.g., workshops, involvement with the Center for Teaching & Learning).

SERVICE

Excellent Performance in Service. The candidate must document significantly more than a routine amount of involvement in, as well as some leadership of, service activities of outstanding quality and effectiveness, including involvement (where appropriate) in the outreach efforts of the School of Liberal Arts to its various constituencies. Additionally, evidence of a developing reputation for excellence in professional service at the campus level and beyond must be evident. For professional service, the candidate must document that these activities have contributed to the betterment of the School or disciplinary field. In addition, the candidate must show a record of publicly disseminated and peer reviewed scholarship in service at the local or regional level or beyond, such as presentations or workshops, consultations, grants, service awards, or publications.

Highly Satisfactory Performance in Service (for balanced cases). The candidate must document more than a routine amount of involvement in service activities of quality and effectiveness, including involvement (where appropriate) in the outreach efforts of the School of Liberal Arts to its various constituencies. There should be evidence of involvement in one or more initiatives over a period of time that contributed to the unit goals or school mission; independent documentation should be provided to show significance, impact, role and effective communication with others. For professional service, the candidate must document that these activities have contributed to the betterment of the School or disciplinary field. In addition, the candidate must show an emerging record of publicly disseminated and peer reviewed scholarship in service at the local or regional level or beyond, such as presentations and workshops, consultations, grants, service awards, or publications.

Satisfactory Performance in Service. The candidate must document a record of departmental, school, or university committee involvement and some participation in professional organizations or service to outside groups.

Additional Criteria

In addition to consideration of teaching and service activities, long-term contract recommendations should be based on a prognosis of the candidate’s future achievements, as determined by dependability, growth, originality, potential, and versatility of the candidate’s work in relation to the mission of the School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI and of the particular unit within the School to which the faculty member is assigned. That is, careful consideration should be given to the individual faculty member’s potential contribution to the unit and School missions.

Criteria for Promotion to Clinical Professor

Promotion in rank to clinical professor requires at least some level of national peer-reviewed dissemination of scholarship. However, the expectations for the quantity and impact of such scholarship must be moderated by the teaching and service loads of the candidate.

The criteria for promotion to clinical professor include:

TEACHING

Excellent Performance in Teaching. The candidate must document consistently outstanding performance in teaching, through modes of instruction, advising, and mentoring, that demonstrates student academic and professional achievement. Candidates should provide evidence of a significant educational impact on their particular discipline or across disciplines, including inside or outside the School of Liberal Arts. Evidence of outstanding teaching might include teaching awards (school, campus, university, or disciplinary), indications of the success of students, student and peer evaluations, publication of textbooks or other curricular materials, active participation and leadership in organizations and initiatives devoted to teaching, or curriculum/program development and assessment.  Additionally, the candidate must document a record of publicly disseminated and peer-reviewed scholarship in teaching at the local or regional level as well as show attainment of national visibility for scholarly contributions to teaching, such as presentations or workshops, consultations, grants, teaching awards, memberships in teaching colloquia or fellowships (e.g., FACET or Mosaic), curricular products or publications.

Highly Satisfactory Performance in Teaching (for balanced cases). The candidate must successfully document an ongoing commitment to pedagogy through effective and innovative teaching, as judged by departmental standards. The candidate must successfully document a record of publicly disseminated and peer-reviewed scholarship in teaching at the local or regional level (or beyond), such as, local/regional or national presentations or workshops, consultations, grants, teaching awards, memberships in teaching colloquia or fellowships (e.g., FACET or Mosaic), curricular products, or publications. A candidate should provide additional evidence of effective teaching through professional development and impactful advising or mentoring of students.

Satisfactory Performance in Teaching. The candidate must document a record of teaching that is in keeping with departmental and university objectives (e.g., PULs), as well as performance in advising or mentoring; the pursuit of involvement in professional development in teaching should also be documented (e.g., workshops, involvement with the Center for Teaching & Learning).

SERVICE

Excellent Performance in Service. The candidate must document the nature and impact of service, including leadership roles, well beyond the routine expectations of professional educators, including involvement (where appropriate) in the outreach efforts of the School of Liberal Arts to its various constituencies. Additionally, evidence of an established reputation for excellence in professional service (service that is directly tied to the candidate’s field of knowledge) beyond the local level must be provided, including involvement in and contributions to organizations and professional service at the national level. For professional service, the candidate must document that these activities have contributed to the betterment of the School or disciplinary field. In addition, the candidate must document a record of publicly disseminated and peer-reviewed scholarship in service at the local or regional level as well as show attainment of national visibility for scholarly contributions to service, such as presentations or workshops, consultations, grants, service awards, or publications.

Highly Satisfactory Performance in Service (for balanced cases). The candidate must document a major role in one or more service activities of quality and effectiveness over a period of time, including involvement (where appropriate) in the outreach efforts of the School of Liberal Arts to its various constituencies. Additionally, evidence of active and ongoing professional service (service that is directly tied to the candidate’s field of knowledge) beyond the local level must be evident, including some involvement in and contributions to organizations and professional service at the national level. Independent documentation should be provided to show significance, impact, role and effective communication with others. In addition, the candidate must document a record of publicly disseminated and peer-reviewed scholarship in service at the local or regional level, such as presentations, workshops, consultations, grants, or publications; while most work may be local or regional in nature, at least some level of national peer-reviewed dissemination of scholarship is required.

Satisfactory Performance in Service. The candidate must document performance of a range of departmental, school, or university committee assignments, as well as participation in professional organizations or service to outside groups at the local or regional level or beyond.

Approved by School of Liberal Arts Faculty Assembly November 10, 2017