Medical School 712 Statement

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

MEDICAL SCHOOL

STATEMENTS REQUIRED BY SECTION 7.12 OF
REGULATIONS CONCERNING FACULTY TENURE

Medical School Statement
[Applicable to all Departments of the Medical School]

1.      INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

This document describes the specific criteria and standards which will be used to evaluate whether candidates meet the general criteria in Section 7.11 of the Regulations Concerning Faculty Tenure .  For a complete perspective, the reader is advised to review Section 7 in its entirety.  Section 7.11 is printed in its entirety in III. Criteria for Tenure (see below).

The criteria, standards, and procedures are applied without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, handicap, age, veteran status or sexual orientation.

II.     MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Medical School is to conduct high quality programs of research, education, and service through which the college contributes significantly to the provision of excellent health care for the people of Minnesota.

A more extensive Mission Statement of the Medical School is enclosed.

III.   CRITERIA FOR TENURE

Section 7.11 of the Regulations Concerning Faculty Tenure states: General Criteria.  The basis for awarding indefinite tenure is the determination that the achievements of an individual have demonstrated the individual's potential to continue to contribute significantly to the mission of the University and to its programs of teaching, research, and service over the course of the faculty member's academic career.  The primary criteria for demonstrating this potential are effectiveness in teaching and professional distinction in research; outstanding discipline-related service contributions will also be taken into account where they are an integral part of the mission of the academic unit.  The relative importance of the criteria may vary in different academic units, but each of the criteria must be considered in every decision.

The individual's participation in the governance of the institution and other services to the University and service to the academic unit may be taken into consideration, but are not in themselves basis for awarding tenure.  Indefinite tenure may be granted at any time when the candidate has satisfied the requirements.  A probationary appointment must be terminated when the appointee fails to satisfy the criteria in the last year of probationary service and may be terminated earlier if it appears that the appointee is not making satisfactory progress toward meeting the criteria within that period.

A recommendation for tenure is made when an eligible faculty member has fulfilled the General Criteria for tenure, as stated in Section 7.11, and the standards stated by the Medical School and the Department.

When distinction in research is the primary basis for tenure, the candidate must also show, at a minimum, evidence of competence in teaching.  When distinction in teaching is the primary basis for tenure, the candidate must also show, at a minimum, evidence of competence in research.  Distinction in teaching requires documented evidence of innovation and effectiveness in teaching which have attracted national recognition.  When outstanding discipline-related service contribution is the primary basis for tenure, the candidate must also show evidence of competence in teaching and research. 

A.  TEACHING

Teaching activities may occur in a variety of educational settings and formats, including: didactic presentations, lectures, seminars, conferences, tutorials, laboratories, case discussions, grand rounds, hospital and clinic rounds, patient care, surgical and other procedures, and continuing education.

Assessment of effectiveness in teaching and advising students is based upon:

1.  Review of course(s) taught, directed, or developed; a list of students and degree candidates for whom the faculty member has served as academic adviser.

2.  Evidence of teaching excellence at the undergraduate, graduate, and/or post-doctoral levels, evaluated by the written statements and/or compiled rates of students.

3.  Written statements by the Head of the Department, academic peers, and others familiar with the candidate's performance in teaching.

4.  Accumulation of above forms of evidence on teaching competence and excellence over a sustained period of time.

B.  RESEARCH/SCHOLARSHIP

Assessment of distinction in research is based upon:

1.  A review of the candidate's scientific publications, particularly those in national or international peer-reviewed journals.  Evidence is sought that the work is scholarly, creative, and of high quality and significance, whether focused on laboratory endeavors, clinical investigations or analysis or synthesis of clinical observations and experience.

2.  Independence of research accomplishments.

Evidences of independence in research include:

a. Naming of the candidate as the first author on multi-authored journal articles and/or documentation of major, substantial contributions by the candidate to the collaborative project and publication.

b. Statements of peer evaluators on the creativity and significance of the candidate's contributions to a collaborative research project and/or to multi-authored publications.

c.  Identification of the candidate as the principal investigator or a major collaborator on peer-reviewed, funded research grants or contracts.

3.  External research funding from federal and other national granting agencies which sponsor programs in biomedical research subject to peer review.

4.  Assessment of competence in research is based upon evidence of significant discipline-related publications, including reports of clinical investigations, substantial case reports, and descriptions of new techniques; participation in invited scientific and clinical symposia, meetings and lectures, and letters from authorities in the candidate's clinical discipline assessing his/her contributions to the discipline.

C.  SERVICE

In the Medical School discipline-related service contributions are an integral part of the academic unit.  Therefore, outstanding discipline-related service contributions, when accompanied by documentation of competence in research and teaching, can be used as a criterion for tenure.  Assessment of outstanding discipline-related service contributions is based upon:

1.  Local, regional, and national reputation for clinical excellence,

2.  Leadership roles in discipline-specific regional and national organizations,

3.  Special or unique roles and skills in patient care, and

4.  Development and leadership of important clinical programs.

IV.    CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR PROMOTION IN FACULTY RANK

A.  To Assistant Professor

For recommendation for promotion to the rank of Assistant Professor, the candidate should have demonstrated ability in teaching and research.  Although independent research will not always be evident, the individual should have demonstrated involvement in high quality research which has been accepted for publication or is published in peer-reviewed national journals.  There should be documentation of

competence and growth in the candidate's skills of communication, including effective communication in teaching students and in oral and written presentations of research.

B.  To Associate Professor

The criteria and standards for promotion to the rank of  Associate Professor are those stated for consideration of Tenure (see III above).

A recommendation for promotion to Associate Professor is made when an eligible faculty member has fulfilled the general criteria applicable to tenure, as stated in Section 7.11, and the specific criteria and standards for promotion to Associate Professor (same standards as for tenure) as stated by the Medical School and the Department.

C.  To Professor

A recommendation for promotion to Professor is made when an Associate Professor has fulfilled the criteria and standards for the rank of Professor as stated by the Medical School and the Department.  The criteria and standards stated for promotion to Associate Professor will continue to be applicable during the intervening period of time.  The proposal of a candidate for Professor will also present evidence of additional academic, scientific, scholarly, and professional achievements such as:

1.  The establishment of a training program for pre- and/or post-doctoral Fellows in a specific discipline.

2.  Election to prestigious scientific and/or professional organizations which recognize excellence and significant academic contributions.

3.  Letters from authorities attesting to the candidate's acknowledged national and international reputation and recognition of leadership in his/her field; letters from prominent, senior faculty members at other universities assessing the candidate's qualifications for promotion to the rank of Professor.

V.     PROCEDURES

In considering proposals for tenure and/or promotion in rank, the Medical School and its Departments comply with the procedures described in the document, Procedures for Reviewing Performance of Probationary Faculty, distributed annually by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  These procedures are provided for by Sections 16.3, 7.4, and 7.61 of the Regulations Concerning Faculty Tenure .

The Medical School issues annually to each department, for distribution and information to faculty members, a set of instructions, memoranda, and other documents, giving detailed information on the procedures to be followed in the preparation and consideration of each proposal for tenure and/or promotion in rank.  The pertinent documents are identified as exhibits enclosed with a cover memorandum from the Dean.

Designated non-tenured faculty members holding appropriate appointment and rank at affiliated hospitals are eligible to vote on proposals for promotion in rank of candidates, in accordance with approval for this procedure granted by the University Tenure Committee and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.