The University Policy Register (See, relevant section) dictates that promotion is based on two major sets of criteria: (1) academic credentials and university experience and (2) academic performance and service.
Academic Credentials and University Experience
i. Minimal Requirements. Departmental requirements as to credentials and experience are as follows:
(a) TT Assistant Professor: must have the doctoral degree in political science or cognate field.
(b) TT Associate Professor: must have the doctoral degree in political science or cognate field and normally have served four years at the Assistant Professor rank before they are eligible for promotion to Associate Professor;
(c) TT Professor: must have the doctoral degree in political science or cognate field and normally must have served five years at the TT Associate Professor rank before they are eligible for promotion to TT Full Professor.
ii. General Principles
(a) The above-listed requirements are understood to be necessary but not sufficient conditions for promotion in rank.
(b) While the general criteria for promotion to TT Associate Professor and to TT Full Professor are the same for both, promotion to the latter rank is understood to involve a more stringent application of those criteria.
iii. Presentation of Supporting Material
(a) Candidates for promotion are primarily responsible for presenting the necessary documents for consideration by the Ad Hoc Promotion Committee.
(b) Specific guidelines for the promotion file are provided at the end of this section of the Department Handbook.
(c) Materials reviewed for promotion for persons hired at the instructor or TT Assistant Professor rank shall consist primarily of those items generated since the initial hiring. The vitae submitted in applying for the position should be used as a baseline, with materials already published or listed as forthcoming being given less weight than those produced after the submitted vitae. Exceptions will be made when incoming TT faculty are explicitly given credit toward promotion for prior experience. For promotion from TT Associate to TT Full Professor, materials reviewed for promotion shall consist primarilyof those items generated since promotion to TT Associate Professor.
iv. Regional Campus Application
(a) These criteria for promotion apply to political science TT faculty at both the Kent campus and the regional campuses. The Department’s Ad Hoc Promotion Committee makes recommendations for all members of the Department, regional campuses as well as the Kent campus.
(b) Application of the same set of criteria does not imply, however, that the criteria must be given identical weights for the two situations. In particular, it may be expected that in evaluating regional campus TT faculty for promotion, greater weight may be accorded the scholarship of teaching and university service.
Academic performance and service
i. For promotion to TT Associate Professor:
(a) Documented evidence of suitable achievement in scholarship and teaching appropriate for the rank of TT Associate Professor is required.
(b) Documented evidence of suitable achievement in university citizenship is required. This shall be understood to mean contributions beyond minimal participation in departmental service functions, such as mere attendance at departmental meetings.
ii. For promotion to TT Full Professor
(a) Documented evidence of significant, sustained achievement in scholarship and teaching appropriate for the rank of TT Professor is required.
(b) Documented evidence of suitable achievement in university citizenship is required. This shall be understood to mean contributions beyond minimal participation in departmental service functions, such as mere attendance at departmental meetings. In addition, extra-departmental service to the University and/or College generally shall be expected as well as service to the profession in the candidate’s field of expertise.
iii. For the types of evidence appropriate in making a case for promotion, see sections C.1.b. (“Scholarship), C.1.c. (“Teaching”), and C.1.d. (“University Citizenship”) above.
iv. Files for promotion should follow the same guidelines as files for tenure, which are described in section C.1.e. (“Tenure files”) above.
