IUPU I Writing a Successful Candidate s Statement Gail F. Williamson, Director of Faculty Enhancement IUPUI Office of Academic Affairs Professor, School of Dentistry
Welcome and Introductions Overview of Candidate s Statement Small Group Work and Consultation Takeaways Evaluation Agenda
CANDIDATE S STATEMENT Content Overview
Address topics outlined in the guidelines Be brief and well-organized with headings and subheadings Consider the audience statement should be understood outside your discipline Assess accomplishments in teaching, research /creative activity, service, performance Clearly identify present and future focus Candidate s Statement Should
Focus on your area of excellence Clearly articulate what you have done to meet the criteria for promotion/tenure Tell your story, describe your journey and achievements along the way Address the impact of your work and its significance to the discipline, profession, unit, campus and community Focus on products, outcomes, tangible aspects of your work Candidate s Statement Should
Discuss the interrelated aspects of your career - how the various elements come together to produce a greater whole Discuss how you have developed your national reputation; area of expertise; for what are you known Make a case or argument for P&T with evidence to support your claims of excellent and satisfactory performance Candidate s Statement Should
CANDIDATE S STATEMENT Self-assessment
1. Is my statement well-organized, free of spelling and grammatical errors, reflective and thoughtful? 2. Does it read and flow well? Is there a theme or thread that helps to pull it all together? 3. Have I clearly explained what I do and my area of expertise? Will reviewers from different disciplines understand? Is it too technical? 4. Have I demonstrated the impact, significance and outcomes of my work? 5. Have I provided adequate evidence of the quality of and dissemination of my scholarship? Self Assessment
6. Have I made a clear, sound case for excellence? 7. Have I checked to make sure that I have provided evidence to support all of my assertions? Does my statement correlate well with my CV? 8. Have I effectively described how I have met the criteria for satisfactory performance in my other area(s) of evaluation? 9. Have I demonstrated achievement of an emerging or sustained national reputation? 10. Have I discussed my goals and plans for the future? Self Assessment
SAMPLE EXCERPTS Candidate s Statement
Candidate began with a philosophy statement of teaching and beliefs about effective instruction. Teaching excellence in a school becomes visible when faculty receive quality evaluations, are selected for teaching awards, and demonstrate quality contributions toward the teaching mission. The outcomes of my teaching have been noted in student evaluations, awards, and selection for fellowship in prestigious academies. Student evaluations of my teaching have been excellent with ratings consistently between 4.5 and 5.0. I have received internal teaching awards including... (Pamela Jefferies, DNS) Teaching Excerpt
I am seeking tenure and promotion on the basis of excellence in research. My professional contributions reflect my background as a medical sociologist with a strong emphasis on applied and qualitative research, along with civic engagement. More specifically, I am interested in enhancing and applying knowledge about the social dimensions of living with HIV/AIDS My goal is to produce knowledge that can inform policies and programs reduce the prevalence of AIDS stigma and improve the lives of people with AIDS. An overview of my research, teaching and service activities follow (Carrie Foote, PhD) Research Excerpt
I am seeking tenure and promotion with service as my area of excellence. I specialize in the field of forensic pediatrics, also referred to child abuse pediatrics, a branch of pediatrics focused on the evaluation and management of potentially abused children My research, clinical and teaching efforts since joining the faculty have been dedicated to the improved, multi-disciplinary recognition of child abuse, neglect and child fatalities My professional service in the area of child abuse has been extensive and comprehensive, uniquely positioning me for leadership opportunities at the city, county, state and national level (Antoinette Laskey, MD, MPH) Service Excerpt
Introduction Brief overview of academic career Declaration of excellence and rank sought; basis for claim Area of Excellence - Teaching Philosophy, goals, implementation; reflection on outcomes Assessment of teaching activities supported by evidence of learning outcomes, course development outcomes, curricular products; student and peer evaluations Teaching innovations and outcomes; grant support Sample Approach
Area of Excellence - Teaching Discussion of disseminated, peer-reviewed scholarship in teaching; publications, presentations, other scholarly products National reputation leadership roles in discipline-related educational organizations; invited presentations; participation in setting national standards Awards and recognition in teaching Plans for continued professional development and future teaching goals Sample Approach
Research Assessment of performance in research - how the criteria was to met to demonstrate satisfactory performance Description of research program goals, nature of the research, grant support, role in projects, outcomes; how it integrates with and informs teaching efforts Evidence of scholarship in research publications, presentations, dissemination outlets, quality and impact on discipline Future plans and goals in research program Sample Approach
Professional and University Service Assessment of service activities how criteria was met to demonstrate satisfactory performance; integration with teaching Description of university service and contribution to department, school, campus; significance of contribution Description of professional service activities offices held, significance of contribution, evidence of effective outcomes National reputation associated with service impact, awards, publications, presentations Sample Approach
CANDIDATE S STATEMENT What do the Guidelines Say? http://academicaffairs.iupui.edu/promotion-tenure/
5-page statement that reflects your assessment of your accomplishments and prospects for continued development Option to add up to 2 single-spaced pages on area of excellence Candidate s Statement
Content - reflective commentary that responds to the criteria for P&T Present interrelated aspects of an integrated career Discuss integration of teaching, research, service Assess your achievements in each area Describe work that cuts across specialization and disciplines to integrate and apply knowledge to broad patterns of intellectual activity Candidate s Statement
Faculty engaged in interdisciplinary work Represent your effort in the scholarship Discuss the significance and value of the work Provide clear, sufficient information about individual roles in collaborative projects, publications, presentations, grants Explain how your service Contributes to the good of campus/university Reflects department and school expectations Candidate s Statement
Assessment of the impact, significance, value of your work to your discipline or profession, unit, campus & society at large Tenure track faculty should Identify specific agenda for research/creative work Plans to enhance teaching effectiveness Continued professional service Candidate s Statement
Prospects for continued development other ranks. Non-tenure track faculty - focus on respective areas of performance. Librarians - indicate the prospects for maintaining excellent performance and continued engagement in professional development and service activities. Candidate s Statement
Faculty who seek advancement based on excellence in area of professional service Demonstrate that the service is academic work with significant results and evidence of dissemination and peerreview Professional service must meet criteria and clearly relate to the mission of the University, campus, school Candidate s case for excellence must be made in relation to the department, school, campus and University criteria Candidate s Statement
RANK EXPECTATIONS By Category
Tenure-track Faculty Excellence in one area: Teaching, Research/Creative Activity, or Service Satisfactory in other areas Balanced Case: Excellent overall performance (comparable to excellent in one area and satisfactory in others) with at least highly satisfactory in all three areas. Rank Expectations
Tenure-track Faculty Associate Professor - Record of nationally and/or internationally disseminated, peer reviewed scholarship with emerging national reputation Professor - Record of nationally and/or internationally disseminated, peer reviewed scholarship with sustained national reputation Rank Expectations
Library Faculty Associate Librarian - excellence in performance; beyond satisfactory in either professional development and research or service; satisfactory in the other Librarian - Excellence in performance; excellence in either professional development and research or service with satisfactory in the other; national recognition in the library profession Rank Expectations
Clinical Faculty Clinical Associate Professor - Excellence in either teaching or service with satisfactory in other area; publically disseminated, peer-reviewed scholarship in area of excellence Clinical Professor - Excellence in either teaching or service with satisfactory in other area; sustained nationally and/or internationally disseminated, peerreviewed scholarship in area of excellence Rank Expectations
Senior Lecturers Excellence in teaching Satisfactory in service Publically disseminated, peer-reviewed scholarship in teaching Evidence of national recognition Rank Expectations
Research Professors Associate Research Professor - excellence in research; service expectations as set by unit; nationally and/or internationally disseminated, peerreviewed scholarship and/or grants in research Research Professor - excellence in research; service expectations as set by unit; sustained nationally and/or internationally disseminated, peerreviewed scholarship and/or grants in research with evidence of independent work Rank Expectations
Research Scientists Associate Scientist/Scholar - excellence in research; service expectations as set by unit; nationally and/or internationally disseminated, peer-reviewed scholarship in research; evidence of substantial research contributions Senior Scientist/Scholar - excellence in research; service expectations as set by unit; nationally and/or internationally disseminated, peer-reviewed scholarship in research; evidence of substantial research contributions Rank Expectations
EXCELLENCE In Brief
Demonstrated by extraordinary success in teaching, advising, mentoring and learning outcomes Documented by peer and student evaluation over time and evidence of the impact on student performance Characterized by a sophisticated teaching philosophy that is reflective, innovative and that has evolved over time Characterized by a record of nationally and/or internationally disseminated, peer-reviewed, high quality scholarship Teaching Excellence in Brief
Evidence of dissemination of high quality scholarly work including peer-reviewed presentations and publications in top tier journals Significant contributions to the knowledge base in field that improved the work of others National recognition of expertise and the quality of the research Acquisition of external funding from competitive, valued sources Evidence of independent program of research Research Excellence in Brief
Evidence of dissemination of high quality scholarly work including peer-reviewed presentations and publications in service Awards and recognition that reflect the significance and academic nature of the service National recognition of the quality of the service work and leadership in service Evidence of significant impact and outcomes of service Service Excellence in Brief