1. Process for Promotion in Professorial Rank

Faculty who are eligible for consideration for promotion in rank must submit a Letter of Intent to their Dean by April 30 (Spring semester before submission); the FEA&P chair will then ask Academic Affairs to confirm that the faculty member is eligible for promotion by mid-May. Early in the Fall semester, the candidate must confer with again their School Dean (or the Vice President for Academic Affairs in the event that the applicant is a School Dean) and attend a mandatory promotion tutorial. The complete and final digital portfolio with the Letter of Application is due to the School Dean by the first Friday in January. All applicants must receive a recommendation for promotion letter from the School Dean before submitting a Letter of Application for promotion and a digital portfolio of evidence to the FAE&P Committee by 5:00 p.m. on the third Friday in January. Faculty who do not receive a recommendation letter will not be considered for promotion in rank.

Applications for promotion in professorial rank are considered on an annual basis at the beginning of the January semester, first by the School Dean, then the Faculty Affairs, Evaluation, and Promotion Committee (FAE&P), and, if recommended by the committee, by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and finally by the President and the Learner Success Committee of the Board of Trustees, whose decision is final.

With the recommendation of the FAE&P Committee, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will evaluate the candidate and forward their decision to the President for review. The President and the Learner Success Committee of the Board of Trustees make the final decision.

It is the faculty member’s responsibility to provide evidence or verifications of teaching effectiveness, curricular design and delivery, scholarship or creative activity, and University and community service, as well as ensure that all relevant records, transcripts, certifications, professional development credentials, and honors and recognitions are included in the portfolio or in the official personnel files in the Office of Human Resources and/or Office of Academic Affairs.

For the purposes of credentialing and promotion in rank, Bay Path recognizes only those degrees earned by faculty from institutions accredited by an accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or, in the case of international degrees, those that are comparable to degrees from institutions accredited by an accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Faculty being considered for promotion in rank will not attend meetings of the Faculty Affairs, Evaluation, and Promotion Committee when promotion requests are being reviewed, and an alternate faculty member will attend those meetings instead as a substitute committee member.

It is highly recommended that all materials submitted as part of the application for promotion be organized according to the categories provided in the checklist below.

Overall Checklist for the Required Portfolio of Evidence:

1. Letter of Application with reflective narrative summarizing eligibility, strengths, progress and achievements. (To ensure adequate depth, this letter is expected to be five pages in length.) At minimum, this letter should include the following information:

• Rank assigned upon initial hire to Bay Path University and year appointed;

• Present faculty rank and years in present rank;

• Major accomplishments as a faculty member;

• How their work supports the University’s educational mission;

• How the faculty member has satisfied each of the specific criteria for promotion.

2. Letter of recommendation from School Dean providing specific evidence of the faculty member’s effectiveness according to the annual faculty report and performance review categories.

3. Updated Curriculum Vitae

4. Copies of Annual Faculty Reports and Performance Reviews
From the three most recent years.

5. Substantial Evidence of Teaching/Curriculum Effectiveness:
Table of contents/overview of folder materials; brief analysis/synthesis of teaching philosophy and strategies including evidence of progress in scope, depth and effectiveness of teaching and learning. Evidence should include a list of courses taught with enrollment arranged by academic year; sample syllabi; sample materials from courses created or modified; fieldwork/practicum supervision; case studies/simulations, number of advisees and approach to advising; peer review letters from faculty colleagues (at least two); special awards or recognition for teaching and/or curriculum effectiveness.

6. Substantial Evidence of Scholarship, Creative Activity and Professional Development
Table of contents/overview of folder materials; overview of professional development activities, published articles, books, etc.; grants developed and/or implemented; educational materials produced; study guides; special awards or recognitions for scholarly activity or creative work; creative endeavors (exhibits, film, short story, etc.); panel presentations; discipline-specific professional association involvement; workshop facilitator; research projects; book reviews; licenses, designations, certifications.

7. Substantial Evidence of University and Community Service
Table of contents/overview of folder materials; statement of service roles and impact, particularly to the Bay Path University community, along with documentation of results and evidence (ex: important emails, meeting minutes, etc.) of service to University/community including standing committees and/or task forces; service to professional organizations; memberships on board of directors; media interviews; special projects such as participation in student trips; search committees; career support; open houses; advisor for student organizations; adjunct liaison; etc. Evidence may also include letters of commendation, awards, and recognitions.

8. Course Evaluations
Student course evaluations for all courses taught over the three most recent years must be included with the faculty member’s portfolio.

2. Policy Guidance and Commentary from the Faculty Affairs, Evaluation, and Promotion Committee to Candidates for Promotion:

• Quality of work is generally superior to quantity. Of course there is a balance between the two, but faculty should be advised that the University is seeking to promote and retain the best qualified faculty.

• Approximate weighting of candidate’s areas of performance: Given the University’s teaching mission, the appropriate weights of evaluation for the three most crucial areas of a faculty member’s professional life are described under Faculty Evaluation. The Faculty Affairs, Evaluation and Promotion Committee has listed these as ranges in order to maximize the faculty interests, area of expertise, and to balance those with the needs and aspirations of the University. Ideally these weights would be formally established for each faculty member during goal/expectation setting meetings at the time of candidate interviews, during the hiring process, and annually each fall term when professional development plans are established for the year in collaboration with their dean.
  
  Categories of Evaluation are: 

  • Noteworthy

  • Proficient

  • Acceptable

  • Inadequate

• To be promoted a candidate must achieve at least a “proficient” evaluation in the teaching and student learning category, regardless of performance in other areas.

• Within the teaching and student learning category, student evaluations of faculty performance will be weighted at 50 percent or less. The remainder of the evaluation will be based on other elements of a faculty member’s teaching such as assessment techniques, documentation of student learning and achievement, quality of syllabi, in-class evaluation by dean(s) and colleagues.

3. Timeline for Promotion

• April (spring semester before submission): Letter of Intent to apply for promotion is due to the School Dean.

• Fall semester (early): potential candidates confer with their School Dean to ensure they are progressing sufficiently toward completion of the materials.

• Fall semester (twice): FAE&P committee will hold promotion tutorials for prospective candidates on how to prepare a suitable portfolio and how to successfully navigate the process.

• Candidate digital portfolio, complete and final, due to the School Dean by 5pm on the first Friday in January.

• Digital portfolio, letter of application and School Dean’s recommendation due to the Chair of the Faculty Affairs, Evaluation and Promotion Committee by 5 p.m. on the second Friday in January.

• Report of FAE&P committee due to the Vice President for Academic Affairs by 5 p.m. on the fourth Friday in January.

• The Vice President for Academic Affairs’ recommendation due to the President no later than the first Friday in February.

• Recommendations for promotions in rank are voted for approval by the Learner Success Committee of the Board of Trustees during the Winter/Spring meeting which typically takes place in the 2nd or 3rd week of February.  

The quantitative criteria for promotion in rank constitute the minimum requirements for promotion and follow the guidelines and definitions as stated in the Annual Faculty Report and Performance Review. Candidates are eligible to apply for promotion in rank if they meet the required quantitative criteria outlined below by when the applications for promotion in rank are due:

• Assistant Professor:
  The Assistant Professor should have a minimum of three years of proficient full-time college teaching experience at Bay Path University, demonstrate potential for scholarly and professional leadership, and demonstrate active participation in the college community and relevant service to the larger community beyond the college. Normally, the faculty member will have a terminal degree, be enrolled in a program, or have made continuous progress toward the completion of the terminal degree.

• Associate Professor:
  The Associate Professor should have a minimum of six years of proficient full-time teaching experience at Bay Path University with at least three years at the assistant professor rank), demonstrate achievement and continued potential for professional and scholarly development, and continue to demonstrate active participation in the University community and relevant service to the larger community beyond the University. Normally, the faculty member will have a terminal degree or have made significant and continuous progress toward the completion of the terminal degree.

• Professor:
  The Professor should have a minimum of eleven years of proficient and noteworthy full-time college teaching experience with at least five years at the Associate Professor level, provide evidence of leadership in the academic community, as well as continuous and significant contributions to the University and to the larger community beyond the University. The candidate will hold the appropriate terminal degree for the candidate’s field.

The qualitative criteria for promotion in rank constitute the following. Eligibility for promotion in rank is a function of years of service and documented achievement in each of these areas, with “achievement” generally associated with “proficient” according to the definition in the Annual Faculty Report and Performance Review: “Performance met expectations; included contributions to the department and to the University.” Application portfolios will consist of annual review reports (or the equivalent) with a cover letter specifying the rank sought and synthesizing the faculty member’s unique contributions to the University as documented in the Annual Faculty Report and Performance Reviews. For advancement to the rank of Professor, applicants should have at least some “noteworthy” designations in the areas of curriculum design, teaching, scholarship, and/or service, and present significant evidence of achievement in all areas.

4. Salary Compensation for Promotion in Rank

Additional compensation for promotion in rank may be awarded when the University determines that the institution’s financial conditions permit it. Compensation for promotion in rank must be approved by the President.