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The Department of Architecture and Interior Design is committed to providing the candidate with as much helpful information and guidance as is practicable and these guidelines are offered as part of that commitment. Candidates are required to meet the criteria enumerated in the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø Policy and Information Manual (MUPIM) in order to garner a positive recommendation for tenure.

MUPIM 7.7 provides:

In order to secure and retain an exemplary faculty, the following all-University criteria, as demonstrated by suitable evidence, shall be used to make tenure recommendations:

1. high-quality teaching and academic advising;
2. research, scholarly and/or creative achievement of high quality and its prospective continuation;
3. productive professional service; and,
4. professional collegiality within the department, division, campuses, and University community.

The usual emphasis, in descending order of significance, for the above criteria shall be:

(1) high-quality teaching and academic advising, (2) a record of research, scholarly and/or creative achievement of high quality and its prospective continuation, (3) productive professional service, and (4) professional collegiality. The University places importance on both teaching and research, scholarly and/or creative achievement. Neither aspect of a candidate’s career should be neglected if tenure is to be achieved.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to suggest quantitative guidelines for what is a qualitative assessment. Nonetheless, we have endeavored to do so. These guidelines are aids rather than substitutes for the professional judgment provided by the candidate’s colleagues. Thus, legalistic or formalistic interpretation or application of these guidelines must be avoided. Achievement of the quantitative standards set forth in these guidelines does not ensure a positive recommendation for tenure, as tenure is primarily a qualitative assessment. Similarly, there may be cases that do not meet the quantitative standards set forth in the guidelines, which merit a positive recommendation for tenure.

All candidates for tenure in the Department of Architecture and Interior Design should refer to Section 7 of MUPIM, Section 4.5 of the School of Fine Arts Governance Document, and Section 7 of the Department’s Governance Document for further information on the procedures and criteria for tenure.

1. Teaching and Academic Advising

   1. Tenure-track faculty members should refer to the Department of Architecture and Interior Design Teaching Evaluation Plan (Appendix A) for a full description of measures of high-quality teaching. Tenure candidates are required to provide at least three indicators of teaching effectiveness; one of these must be ºÚÁÏÉçÇø evaluations. The Teaching Plan provides examples of measures that can be used in addition to ºÚÁÏÉçÇø evaluations. Determination of high-quality teaching will be made by the Department of Architecture and Interior Design Promotion and Tenure Committee and the Department Chair based on all of the information provided by the candidate.
   2. According to MUPIM, all faculty should conduct ºÚÁÏÉçÇø evaluations for all courses taught. The candidate's evaluation data will be compared with the departmental averages that are provided when ºÚÁÏÉçÇø evaluations are analyzed. Candidates are expected to maintain average or above-average ºÚÁÏÉçÇø evaluations on a consistent basis.
   3. Tenure-track faculty members should use the Teaching Evaluation Plan to select at least two additional measures of the quality of their teaching and provide documentation in the tenure dossier.
   4. Candidates for tenure are expected to maintain an advising load commensurate with faculty members in the area. Candidates may (but are not required to) provide evidence of advising effectiveness.
   5. Curriculum and/or course development are considered additional indicators of teaching quality.
      

      Although not all tenure candidates in the Department are expected to develop new courses or curriculum, all are expected to improve the courses they teach on a continuing basis. Evidence of continued course development should be provided in the teaching dossier.

2. Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

   Judgments as to “high quality” research and its “prospective continuation” are made by the Department Promotion and Tenure Committee, the Department Chair, and by external reviewers in the candidate's field. It is important that the candidate document the quality of her/his work by carefully noting all acceptance rates and other measures of quality and/or selectivity. Further, the candidate should note specific contributions on any multi-authored scholarship. Because some tenure-track faculty in the Department conduct conventional research, some are involved in creative activities, and some pursue both activities, multiple guidelines are listed below.

   Categories of activity include (but are not limited to):

   1. Conventional Research
      • Authored or edited books related to the candidate’s field.
      • Articles in refereed journals with international/national stature in the candidate’s field.
      • Presentations at conferences of significant professional organizations in the candidate’s field.
      • Competitive grants.
   2. Creative/Professional Activity
      • Architectural or interior design commissions (built or unbuilt)
      • Architectural or interior design competitions
      • Design consulting
      • Technical consulting
      • Development of new and meaningful pedagogy
      • Professional licensure or certification (NCARB, NCIDQ)
      • Other design work (furniture, graphic, landscape, product, etc.)
      • Studio artwork (painting, sculpture, photography, etc.)
      • Exhibit design
      • Grants in support of any of the above

      Each candidate for tenure will create a written “tenure plan” based on the kinds of activities listed here. The plan will be created in consultation with the Department Chair and P&T Committee chair, and presented to the full P&T committee for comment and approval. The plan can be modified as necessary throughout the duration of the probationary period. While it is understood that assessment of scholarship is ultimately “qualitative,” as determined by the P&T Committee, the Chair, and the external reviewers, the following guidelines are implicit in the review process and can help in the construction of the tenure plan:

      1. Generally, the tenure plan should be central to the mission of the department and to the teaching, research, and creative agenda of the candidate.
      2. The department expects a pattern of activity that is characterized by a sense of growth and continuous productivity. The dossier should evidence potential for continued achievement beyond the probationary period.
      3. Generally, multiple evidence of productivity is required.
      4. Research or creative work must make a contribution to the discipline. Work having a greater level of impact on the body of knowledge or on the current discourse, (as evidenced by citation, review, or dissemination) will be deemed to be more valuable in the assessment of quality.
      5. The department places value on built work, given that it must be resolved at multiple technical and professional levels. Professional consultancy may be understood as “peer-reviewed,” if the process for selection is appropriately competitive and rigorous.
      6. Publication or award made by peer review will be deemed more valuable than similar work that is not peer-reviewed.
      7. Generally, national and international venues will be viewed as superior to regional or local venues.
      8. The relative stature of reviewers, venues, publications, etc. will be considered in the assessment of quality. (It should be noted that a greater value is placed on publications than presentations.)
      9. Generally, work completed during the probationary period is deemed more valuable than work completed prior to the probationary period. The department recognizes, however, that previous work demonstrates a level and pattern of achievement, and also notes the extensive length of time required to complete architectural and interior design commissions (relative to the time frame to complete work in other creative disciplines).

3. SERVICE

   Candidates for tenure are expected to have significant departmental service in multiple areas. This includes service on departmental committees and participation in departmental activities. Experience on the College of Creative Arts and university committees is a valuable addition. Candidates are expected to attend conferences in their field and to provide evidence of involvement in professional organizations as committee members, officers, board members, and presenters. Candidates are urged to pursue distinctive university and or professional service and to articulate the unique impacts of such service on the discipline or on the broader community.

4. COLLEGIALITY

   The Department of Architecture and Interior Design adheres to the definition and guidelines for collegiality in MUPIM as indicated above.