Going up for Tenure: Lessons Learned, Lessons Shared

Applying for tenure and promotion can be an intimidating and angst-ridden process. From the initial job interview until the faculty portfolio is submitted, tenure-track professors shed the proverbial blood, sweat, and tears worrying they won’t make the grade. In some cases, the process itself seems like an overwhelming mystery. The goal of this article is to reduce some of the dread by providing tips derived from personal experience going up for tenure and promotion.

1. Plan ahead and start early. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and get behind when navigating the tenure process. It’s not the hard-and-fast dates that are the problem. You will meet those. It’s the time between when you submit the notice that you are going up for tenure and when you submit the binder that flies. The due date for the binder is non-negotiable, and once the binder is submitted, you will not be able to add to it. Therefore, start early, make a plan, stay focused, and be on time.
2. Quality over quantity. When I went up for tenure, I had a massive binder. It was one of the 6-inch versions, crammed full. In a way, that does a disservice to my colleagues who haven’t yet gone through the tenure process. Coming from a research-oriented doctoral program, I was in a unique position that led to me having that massive binder. The important point to remember if you feel your binder is too small is that quality is more important than quantity. For example, a published paper in a top tier journal is worth two (or three) pubs in a less prestigious journal. Serving on  a committee that meets regularly is better than serving on one that meets once in a blue moon. Focus on the quality, and the rest will fall into place.
3. Avoid predatory journals.  There are numerous journals that prey on faculty needs for publications. According to Elmore and Weston (2020) predatory journals are publications that claim to be legitimate scholarly journals but misrepresent their publishing practices. Some common forms of predatory publishing practices include falsely claiming to provide peer review, hiding information about Article Processing Charges (APCs), misrepresenting members of the journal’s editorial board, and other violations of copyright or scholarly ethics (p. 607)

Not only do articles published in predatory journals not count towards tenure, the presence of such articles in your portfolio calls into question your other publications. With the number of predatory journals and publishers on the rise, it is the job of the faculty member to double-check a journal’s standing before submitting work. There are several websites that list predatory journals (e.g., Beall’s List of Predatory Journals & Publishers), so it pays to take a few extra minutes to make sure a journal is legitimate before submitting your work. Are journals that charge fees automatically predatory journals? Not necessarily. With the model for academic publications changing toward an open access market, some journals charge publication fees in exchange for letting the author(s) retain the copyright for their work (Yildizhan, 2020). 

4. It’s about more than pubs. The most frequently asked question when discussing tenure revolves around the number of pubs that you need. Tenure is about more than meeting a specific number of publications. The tenure binder tells a story, the story of who you are as a faculty member. You are more than your pubs. The tenure picture includes other aspects of your work, such as student evaluations, syllabi for courses, service to the university and to the profession. 
5. Don’t stuff the binder. It is tempting to make your binder look as full as possible. One way to do this is to put each sheet (or two sheets) into a plastic sleeve. As tempting as it is to make a binder appear fuller than it really is, Don’t Do It. This, and other forms of stuffing your binder, practically screams that you aren’t confident in your work. You lack confidence in the quantity or quality or both. Being confident in your work is half (ok, a large part) of the battle.
6. Know what counts and what doesn’t. Different universities have different expectations regarding the weight given to different measures. For example, at my university, internal grants and awards are not considered for tenure. Only outside awards and grants received are counted towards meeting tenure expectations.
7. Don’t forget the tenure statement. Even if a tenure statement isn’t part of the stated requirements for your portfolio, it’s a good practice to include one. Your tenure statement should reflect you as a faculty member. Typically, tenure statements are five single-spaced pages in length and cover the three aspects of tenure: research, teaching, and service (Kelsky, 2011). The primary focus of your university (i.e. teaching, research) should get the bulk of your attention. 
8. Don’t forget your colleagues. There are journal articles, websites, and even books dedicated to shepherding faculty through the tenure process. While these resources are helpful, nothing compares to the resource in the next office. Make plans to chat with colleagues who are newly tenured. Most faculty want their fellow members to be successful and will take the time to tell you about what the actual process at your school is like. They can tell you the little things that make or break at your school and leave you far more prepared than any single article or book ever can.

The tenure process is never going to be fun, but it can be less daunting if know what you are facing. Instead of thinking of it as a make-or-break checklist, try thinking of it as a snapshot of who you are as a faculty member. It’s a chance to show off your accomplishments and focus on making it the best picture that you can. 

Melissa Hawthorne, PhD is an associate professor in the School of Education at Louisiana State University in Shreveport. She teaches graduate research and adult education courses for the Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction and the Master’s in Educational Leadership programs.

References

Elmore S.A., & Weston E. H. (2020).Predatory journals: What they are and how to avoid them. Toxicol Pathol.,48(4):607-610. doi: 10.1177/0192623320920209

Kelsey, K. (2011). Here’s what goes in your tenure portfolio: A special request post. The Professor is In, https://theprofessorisin.com/2011/07/21/your-tenure-dossier/

Yildizhan E.  (2022) Avoiding predatory journals: Four main points. Noro Psikiyatr Ars. 59(3):167-168. doi: 10.29399/npa.28243.