Tenure Review Survival

By Mickey HongLACC Staff & Organizational Development Coordinatorhongmj@lacitycollege.edu

You made it through…

…the wilderness.

Somehow you made it through.

Now, you’re about to start your 4th year as a probationary faculty and you should prepare for your Tenure Review.

I will guide you…

…if you promise not to turn into this after you become tenured.

“The juvenile sea squirt wanders through the sea searching for a suitable rock or hunk of coral to cling to and make its home for life. For this task it has a rudimentary nervous system. When it finds its spot and takes root, it doesn't need its brain any more so it eats it. It's rather like getting tenure.”

- Daniel C. Dennett, Consciousness Explained

Tenure Review Committee

Make sure you have all 5 members of the committee, plus a mentor, before the fall semester of your tenure review year (the 4th year).

1. Department chair (voting)2. Department designee (voting)3. Evaluee designee (voting)4. Academic senate designee (non-voting)5. Administrative designee (non-voting)

Tip

Find a buddy/ partner in your department or New Faculty Academy class for mutual support.

Do your homework

Read Article 42, “Tenure Review and Evaluation of Contract (Probationary) Faculty” in the Agreement Between the Los Angeles Community College District and the Los Angeles College Faculty Guild Local 1521, CFT/AFT, AFT/CIO (July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008), pp. 144-151.

http://www.laccd.edu/collective_bargaining_agreements/AFT/aft.htm

If you are up for tenure next academic year, make sure you obtain the new agreement/contract.

Print out the forms on pp. 176-179

This is your game plan for the year

15-weeks of review

But it will be worth it

Organize!

Buy a binder and tab dividers and label the different sections to collect the materials for what is to become your tenure review portfolio.

What you should’ve done

Revise/update your tenure review portfolio materials annually. Keep a copy of all your Basic and Comprehensive Evaluations.

Student Evaluation

Administer student evaluation at least every year even if it is an informal one. Simply ask students to write a few sentences on what they liked most about the class and what can be done to improve the course. If you are a new instructor, mid-semester evaluation is also a good idea to get feedback from students earlier.

The Student Evaluation of the Instructor is also in the Agreement/Contract, pp. 199-200. You CANNOT be in the classroom while students fill it out. Inform the chair that you will be conducting an evaluation. Arrange with a colleague to monitor the evaluation and collect the forms.

It’s best to

Actively participate in all campus committees and events. Tenure review should be an opportunity for you to stand out--when you finally, proudly get to present what you have accomplished in the last 4 years at LACC. Enjoy the process.

What to include in your Tenure Review Portfolio

List of courses taught each semester. If you don’t remember, check on the LACCD Instructor System:

www.laccd.edu/faculty_staff/services_logon.asp

Graph it!

Keep track of class enrollment and student success. Records available at the Office of Institutional Advancement (AD 209). Make graphs, if possible. Hopefully, the graphs shows that your class enrollment went up or were always full, and more students are passing your courses every year.

List

Professional and teaching development (i.e. conference attendances, presentations, etc.) and campus activities (i.e. committees, projects, etc.)

When our flex portal is finally ready

Copy your flex credit reports.

Prepare

You may be asked to write a Self-Evaluation (2-pages, i.e. strengths & weaknesses).

Curriculum Vitae

1. Educational background

2. Teaching and research background

3. Campus activities

4. Awards, fellowships, grants

5. Experiences abroad, volunteer experiences

6. Professional affiliations (i.e. AFT)

7. Presentations

8. Publications

Flaunt

Copies of awards or certificates.

Mad Skillz

Printed pages of your course/educational website

Others

Syllabus of every course taught. Exams of every course. Assignments, handouts, and

worksheets of every course Copies of official and unofficial Student

Evaluations.

Repeat

“I will not turn into a sea squirt after I become tenured. I will metamorphose into a butterfly.”

Just Do It. Good luck!