Two Documents
Article XII in our contract: Faculty Personnel Standards and Procedures
FSU Guide to the Tenure Process
Start early
Start early to get materials, outside letters
Time between your 4th year review and tenure is only 1 year: keep your 4th your materials and add to these.
Not your responsibility to assemble your file
You give material to your department DPC or chair and they assemble the file, table of contents. They can get your AFRs, teaching evaluations.
You give them the materials: publications, CV, etc.
This should be a collaborative process
Between your DPC, your chair, yourself
People should help you, so get their help and advice.
What to submit in the file
See Article XII f(1) for a list.
You can also add anything to your file: letters of appreciation from students, thank you letters from professional organizations praising your talk or service.
Start now
Importance of AFRs in documenting your achievements: document everything here. If you did something 2 years previously and don’t have it in your AFR, people may question it.
Keep copies of conference programs, fliers, referee reports, etc., so you have all the documentation for everything you do.
Document your service and who was the chair and committee members.
Go on the conference circuit: Serve as chair, discussant, invite big names to chair or be a discussant. Go to the social events, dinners, lunches. Meet people. These will be the people who can write letters for you for your external review.
Don’t overpromise in your 4th year review
Or this will be used against you.
Instead, say what you are capable of achieving
I will publish a book plus three articles and win the Nobel Prize
Well, maybe I’ll have a book manuscript
under review
Read your review letters carefully after your fourth year review
“We look forward to reading the path-breaking book the Professor will publish”
“The Professor is an average teacher.”
You need to improve your
teaching
Does the book have to be
published in a year?
“A book manuscript is okay with
us.”
You can add anything to your file at any time
Do this if you have a new publication.
Do this to clarify/correct a recommendation from your DPC/CPC/Dean/Provost, etc.
“The CPC states that none of my articles are published in important journals, but actually, the Journal of Massachusetts Benchmarks is the preeminent journal in urban studies and has a ranking of 1.3….”
Monitor your file and progress
Take an active part in your files and reviews
Contact senior members of your faculty if you have questions or need advice.
Contact the Faculty Staff Union as well.