6.7 Demonstrations of Attainment of Promotion Criteria for Teaching Faculty

Governing Policies

Section 8, Faculty Handbook – Promotion and Tenure

PROCEDURE

This section seeks to define clear expectations for Mines teaching faculty members regarding Promotion.  Reviewers at all levels shall consult this document -- in conjunction with pertinent sections of the Mines Faculty Handbook -- and consider these criteria in evaluating promotion applications. Guidelines and expectations for each of the various promotion review groups are provided in Section III below.  In the event of a conflict between the Handbook and this document, the Handbook shall prevail.

I.  Defining a Path to Excellence

Mines is committed to excellence and impact through its teaching, scholarship and service. Mines aspires to be a leading STEM-focused university, known for the uniqueness and quality of its programs, strength of its faculty, success of its graduates, its innovations and entrepreneurial output, strong relationships with industry, and the impact that all of these have locally, nationally, and globally.

The University expectations for promotion discussed below are aligned with Mines’ aspirations and allow for further specification at the portfolio, Department, and Program levels.

II. University Expectations of Teaching Faculty Members Seeking Promotion, and Example Evaluation Elements

The following expectations for promotion are cumulative, as a faculty member being considered for promotion at a higher rank shall meet all the expectations for that specific evaluation as well as all the expectations for lower-level advancements.

The hiring process should be considered a first step in the promotion process. Mines expects that evaluations of faculty candidates consider each candidate’s qualifications and projected future development relative to its promotion expectations; it is also important that the promotion expectations are communicated to the prospective candidates. This is important to ensure that new faculty members arrive at Mines with the expectation they will move through the promotion process successfully and in a timely fashion.

A. ADVANCEMENT FROM TEACHING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR TO TEACHING ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

The University’s expectation is that all faculty members hired as assistant teaching professors will achieve promotion to teaching associate professor by building records that include sustained and impactful contributions in teaching and effective contributions to university service.

Those receiving favorable recommendations for promotion will have a record of accomplishments such that evaluators conclude that the applicant can and will continue to contribute to the goals of the Department, portfolio, and the university at a level expected of Teaching Associate Professors.

The following are expected as appropriate to the department or program:

  1. high level of proficiency in the faculty member’s subject area
  2. development of high-quality curricular and instructional materials
  3. mastery of effective instructional methods
  4. service to the university including membership in institutional and/or departmental committees and/or participation in activities aimed at recruitment or retention of students, such as individual and group advising and development of promotional materials.


More details on possible paths to success are outlined below.

Consistent with Mines’ “excellence” and “impact” goals discussed above, the success and impact of teaching and service are judged relative to norms at comparable programs at peer and aspirational peer universities.

The candidate shall be evaluated solely on the strength of their record in meeting the criteria, not on time served.  Length of service at Mines or elsewhere is not a specific consideration.

Prior to submittal of a completed package for review, potential candidates are strongly encouraged to discuss their cases with the chair of the Departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee (DPT), the Department Head, and colleagues.  

Evidence to support criteria A, B, and C for those promoted to Teaching Associate Professor may include items listed below. The list is not meant to be exhaustive, nor is it meant to be a checklist:

  • Dedicated, high-quality student instruction as demonstrated by the following: student evaluations, peer evaluations/observations, examples of teaching methods and/or effectiveness, and teaching awards. In general, it is expected that all faculty members will participate in the teaching mission of the Department/Program, portfolio, and the university.
  • Designing or leading classroom activities that enhance the educational experience or that are important to the teaching mission
  • Development and implementation of highly effective or innovative teaching methods and incorporation of feedback from formalized assessments, where appropriate.
  • Developing new courses or creating enhancements to existing course structures.
  • Exhibiting the ability to acknowledge problems encountered when teaching and to make appropriate adjustments with the goal of continuous improvement.
     

Evidence to support criteria D for those promoted to Teaching Associate Professor may include items listed below. The list is not meant to be exhaustive, nor is it meant to be a checklist:

  • Member of University, portfolio, Departmental, or Program Committees,
  • Organizer of sessions at professional meetings,
  • Member of a committee in a national or international professional organization,
  • Service to the University through shared-resource acquisition and development or development of teaching infrastructure,
  • Involvement in student clubs or other activities that enhance the student experience,
  • Undergraduate student advising,
  • A history of professional and respectful interactions with other faculty members, students, and staff, within Mines, including collaboration and constructive cooperation in teaching, scholarship, and service

B. ADVANCEMENT FROM Teaching ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR TO TEACHING PROFESSOR

The successful applicant will demonstrate detailed evidence for continued excellence and leadership as noted in A, B, C, and D above, and in addition should promote the vision and goals of their Department and/or Programs and Mines, internally and externally.

The following are expected as appropriate to the department or program:

E. demonstration of leadership, which may include developing upper-level courses, coordinating courses, mentoring junior faculty, and/or coordinating program-wide efforts to assess and evaluate student learning outcomes,

F. demonstration of knowledge and application of existing discipline-specific educational research, and

G. significant service to the university in the categories defined above


Finally, the following criteria may also be considered, but do not have to be met, for promotion to either teaching associate professor or teaching professor:

H. publications related to educational and/or scholarly activities, and

I. significant participation in local, national, or international professional organizations.

More details on possible paths to success are outlined below.

Consistent with Mines’ “excellence” and “impact” goals, the success and impact of leadership, teaching, and service are judged relative to norms for faculty members at the rank of teaching professor at comparable programs at peer and aspirational peer universities.

Evidence to support criteria E and F for those promoted to Teaching Professor may include items listed below. The list is not meant to be exhaustive, nor is it meant to be a checklist:

  • Coordination of courses
  • Mentoring of faculty
  • Initiative and/or innovation in the development of new course or program curriculum or infrastructure, especially efforts influenced by educational research
  • Demonstration of successful out-of-classroom activities that enhance learning or the student experience, including participation in workshops and development activities to improve as an instructor.
  • Demonstrating effectiveness in creating an academic environment that is open, supportive, and encouraging to all students, including development of particularly effective strategies for the educational advancement of students in various underrepresented groups.
  • Course, department, or campus wide efforts to assess and evaluate learning outcomes.

Evidence to support criteria E and G for those promoted to Teaching Professor may include items listed below. The list is not meant to be exhaustive, nor is it meant to be a checklist:

  • Chair of a University, portfolio, Departmental, or Program committee,
  • History of service on University, portfolio, Departmental or Program committees,
  • Successful mentoring of students and/or faculty members,
  • Involvement in activities that enhance the student experience,
  • Undergraduate student advising,
  • Organizer of national or international professional meetings,
  • Officer, or other substantive leadership position, in national or international professional organizations,
  • Service to the university through shared-resource acquisition and development or development of teaching infrastructure,
  • A history of professional and respectful interactions with other faculty members, students, and staff, within the university, including collaboration and constructive cooperation in teaching, scholarship, and service

III. Guidance for evaluators on implementation of the criteria


GENERAL
Each committee and individual involved in the review process shall judge the candidate with respect to the criteria outlined in the Faculty Handbook, evaluating whether the candidate is engaging in a program of work that is both sound and productive.

  • Evaluation of a faculty member's performance in teaching, leadership, and service should be commensurate with their assigned duties.  Reviewers shall exercise reasonable flexibility, balancing when the case requires, heavier commitment and responsibilities in one area against lighter commitments and responsibilities in another.  However, outstanding performance in one area will not automatically compensate for a weak performance in another area. 
  • The criteria listed in this document will also guide the determination of the appropriate academic status for individuals joining the faculty above the rank of Teaching Assistant Professor.
  • The examples listed in section II above are meant to be illustrative of items that candidates may document in a promotion dossier, and candidates are not expected to provide evidence of all the items listed as “examples” above.

INTERDISCIPLINARITY

  • It is recognized that some faculty members may cross disciplinary boundaries in their teaching, and such innovation is valued at Mines.  Evaluators should consider interdisciplinary work with respect to the standards in those disciplinary fields holistically.
  • Development of, and contribution to, interdisciplinary educational programs and courses is highly valued at Mines.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

  • Contributions that promote diversity and equal opportunity are to be encouraged and given recognition in the evaluation of the candidate’s qualifications. These contributions can take a variety of forms including efforts to advance equitable access to education, public service that addresses the needs of diverse populations, or research in a scholar’s area of expertise that highlights inequalities.

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

  • Professional and ethical behavior is also highly valued at Mines.  There is an overarching University expectation that faculty and staff members exhibit the highest standards of personal integrity and professional responsibility as articulated in Section 6.2 of the Faculty Handbook.  Applicants with evidence of hostile, demeaning, aggressive, disrespectful, or exploitive interactions with faculty members, staff, or students shall not be recommended for promotion

PROMOTION TO TEACHING PROFESSOR

  • Every Teaching Professor at Mines is expected to be a University leader, contributing in a major way to the mission of the Department, portfolio, and the University. Excellent performance and impactful activities in most of the major sectors of activity (teaching, leadership, service, engagement) is expected. It is not enough to be successful at a level of productivity that was sufficient for promotion to Teaching Associate Professor for another five years of activity. There is an expectation of some qualitative difference in the scope and level of contributions for the promotion to Teaching Professor. For example, in the instructional arena, the types of activity that would be convincing of university leadership would include: teaching a broader range of classes, designing new courses, or participating substantially in curriculum development. Service contributions could include: chairing committees at the departmental and university levels; exhibiting intellectual leadership that advances the institution beyond the goals of a faculty member’s department and beyond the accolades of their own career; and leadership in student organizations.

Last Revision:

September 17, 2024