The Tenure Process at the Johnson School
By Mark W. Nelson, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Issue date: 9/9/09 Section: Johnson News
One of my jobs at the Johnson School is to oversee our promotion and tenure process. I described that process to the Student Council last year, and Council members thought it would be useful to explain it to the broader Johnson School community. So, fair warning, here is more about tenure than you probably ever wanted to know…
What is tenure? Tenure basically is a right to stay employed at Cornell for as long as a faculty member desires, so long as the faculty member performs the duties associated with his/her position. Tenure may be withdrawn by the university for non-performance and for other reasons set forth in university policies, but for purposes of this article, consider tenure as a lifetime option to stay employed at Cornell.
Why does Cornell offer tenure? Historically, tenure has been used to provide faculty with job security to engage in long-term, risky and potentially controversial projects. It also can create a spirit of partnership and prevent universities from inappropriate faculty reductions. But, tenure also constrains universities in ways that have been criticized. Finally and importantly, tenure is a reality in the market for academic talent. Even if Cornell wanted to hire faculty without a promise of tenure, it is unlikely that it could do so and still compete effectively for top faculty.
Who can be considered for tenure? Tenure is only awarded to faculty who are involved in both the teaching and research missions of the university. At Cornell, faculty who are on the "tenure track" have a PhD and generally hold the title of Assistant Professor. Tenured faculty generally hold a title of Associate Professor or Full Professor. Some faculty (typically tenured full professors) also hold named professorships that honor the faculty members' exceptional level of achievement as well as the benefactor who gave money to endow their positions. However, many important faculty are not on the tenure track because they focus primarily on only one mission. For example, in the Johnson School we have many lecturers and senior lecturers who focus primarily on teaching. In other areas at Cornell (particularly in the physical sciences) there are many research scientists who do not teach.
When are faculty considered for tenure? The typical arrangement for assistant professors is that they are appointed to an initial three-year contract. They are evaluated in their third year, and, if that evaluation is sufficiently favorable, they are awarded another three-year contract. They then are evaluated for tenure in their sixth year. This six-year "tenure clock" can be extended in some limited circumstances, like for the birth of a child or a leave to provide government service, but in general the tenure clock is not flexible. If tenure is awarded, the faculty member typically is promoted to associate professor. If tenure is not awarded, the faculty member receives a final one-year contract, and after that must leave the university. Thus, the tenure decision is very much an "up or out" evaluation.
On what criteria is the tenure evaluation based? According to university policy, tenure candidates must demonstrate "excellence in carrying out the responsibilities of the position, and unusual promise for continued achievement." They are evaluated for evidence of very high performance in teaching and research, as well as collegiality and service to the Johnson School, the university, and the public. They must meet university as well as Johnson School criteria. Regarding teaching, inputs include course and instructor evaluations, qualitative evaluations provided by a random sample of current and former students, and course materials developed by the tenure candidate. (By the way, if you receive an email requesting an evaluation of a faculty member, please respond and take it seriously, as your views are very important in this process.) Regarding research, inputs include research publications and evaluations provided by a carefully selected set of professors from other universities who are experts in the tenure candidate's research area. All of this material is evaluated by the Johnson School's entire tenured faculty, then two university-level committees, and then Cornell's Provost. Tenure is granted by Cornell's Board of Trustees. This entire process takes about nine months.
A lifetime appointment at the Johnson School is very valuable, and mistakes are very costly to the university, so there are very high standards for tenure. Some faculty choose to leave Cornell before coming up for tenure, and others go up for tenure and do not receive it. Untenured faculty must work very hard in both teaching and research to perform at a high enough level to receive tenure. Personally, though, I think the pressures of the tenure process forced me to become more effective in my teaching and my research. When I received tenure, I was (and continue to be) thrilled to be able to remain a member of the Johnson School's faculty.
What is tenure? Tenure basically is a right to stay employed at Cornell for as long as a faculty member desires, so long as the faculty member performs the duties associated with his/her position. Tenure may be withdrawn by the university for non-performance and for other reasons set forth in university policies, but for purposes of this article, consider tenure as a lifetime option to stay employed at Cornell.
Why does Cornell offer tenure? Historically, tenure has been used to provide faculty with job security to engage in long-term, risky and potentially controversial projects. It also can create a spirit of partnership and prevent universities from inappropriate faculty reductions. But, tenure also constrains universities in ways that have been criticized. Finally and importantly, tenure is a reality in the market for academic talent. Even if Cornell wanted to hire faculty without a promise of tenure, it is unlikely that it could do so and still compete effectively for top faculty.
Who can be considered for tenure? Tenure is only awarded to faculty who are involved in both the teaching and research missions of the university. At Cornell, faculty who are on the "tenure track" have a PhD and generally hold the title of Assistant Professor. Tenured faculty generally hold a title of Associate Professor or Full Professor. Some faculty (typically tenured full professors) also hold named professorships that honor the faculty members' exceptional level of achievement as well as the benefactor who gave money to endow their positions. However, many important faculty are not on the tenure track because they focus primarily on only one mission. For example, in the Johnson School we have many lecturers and senior lecturers who focus primarily on teaching. In other areas at Cornell (particularly in the physical sciences) there are many research scientists who do not teach.
When are faculty considered for tenure? The typical arrangement for assistant professors is that they are appointed to an initial three-year contract. They are evaluated in their third year, and, if that evaluation is sufficiently favorable, they are awarded another three-year contract. They then are evaluated for tenure in their sixth year. This six-year "tenure clock" can be extended in some limited circumstances, like for the birth of a child or a leave to provide government service, but in general the tenure clock is not flexible. If tenure is awarded, the faculty member typically is promoted to associate professor. If tenure is not awarded, the faculty member receives a final one-year contract, and after that must leave the university. Thus, the tenure decision is very much an "up or out" evaluation.
On what criteria is the tenure evaluation based? According to university policy, tenure candidates must demonstrate "excellence in carrying out the responsibilities of the position, and unusual promise for continued achievement." They are evaluated for evidence of very high performance in teaching and research, as well as collegiality and service to the Johnson School, the university, and the public. They must meet university as well as Johnson School criteria. Regarding teaching, inputs include course and instructor evaluations, qualitative evaluations provided by a random sample of current and former students, and course materials developed by the tenure candidate. (By the way, if you receive an email requesting an evaluation of a faculty member, please respond and take it seriously, as your views are very important in this process.) Regarding research, inputs include research publications and evaluations provided by a carefully selected set of professors from other universities who are experts in the tenure candidate's research area. All of this material is evaluated by the Johnson School's entire tenured faculty, then two university-level committees, and then Cornell's Provost. Tenure is granted by Cornell's Board of Trustees. This entire process takes about nine months.
A lifetime appointment at the Johnson School is very valuable, and mistakes are very costly to the university, so there are very high standards for tenure. Some faculty choose to leave Cornell before coming up for tenure, and others go up for tenure and do not receive it. Untenured faculty must work very hard in both teaching and research to perform at a high enough level to receive tenure. Personally, though, I think the pressures of the tenure process forced me to become more effective in my teaching and my research. When I received tenure, I was (and continue to be) thrilled to be able to remain a member of the Johnson School's faculty.
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