Guide to Promotion and Tenure - Service

Service

In This Section 

Expectations
Managing Your Time and Expectations

Expectations  

In previous handbooks, some activities which we now consider teaching activities were included as service activities. Service is intricately intertwined with your teaching and research activities because, above all, you must meet your responsibilities to your students in the classroom and as an academic and/or research advisor. But you are also expected to be actively involved with curriculum development, administrative committees, and service on behalf of the university community.

Service to the greater community and your field in general are also taken into consideration during your evaluations. Recognizing that in order to develop a successful research profile it is necessary to carefully prioritize service activities, particularly in the period preceding tenure review, the standard for service is somewhat lower for faculty approaching tenure than it is for those approaching post-tenure promotion. However, from the beginning of your time at the University you should be developing the commitment and ability for long-term positive impact on your discipline. Well rounded service will include an emerging pattern of service and leadership at the various department, school or college, and university levels. The following are examples of leadership in academic and administrative service:

• Departmental administration and curriculum, personnel, and policy committees or activities

• College or school administration and committees or activities

• University or state system administration and committees or activities

• Service and activities on behalf of the larger community (local, state, national, and inter-national governmental bodies, etc.)

• Academic contributions to community activities either as an individual or as a representative of the university

• Academic service on behalf of public bodies

Managing Your Time and Priorities  Back to top

The same advice follows for service as for teaching and professional growth.

• Keep thorough records of your efforts, from your very first year.

• Maintain an enlightened self-interest: take on a few tasks and do them well, but don't spread yourself too thin. If you feel overly taxed by the many demands on your time and energy, sit down with your department head, decide together how much you realistically should be doing in terms of service at this stage of your career, and then prioritize the tasks asked of you.