Neurosurgery

Approved 09/01/05

DEPARTMENT OF NEUROSURGERY

DEPARTMENTAL STATEMENT
REQUIRED BY SECTION 7.12 OF
REGULATIONS CONCERNING FACULTY TENURE
 

I. 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.

The Department of Neurosurgery is committed to the overall objectives of the University of Minnesota and its Medical School in maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence in programs of undergraduate, graduate and continuing medical education, in the provision of high quality clinical services to patients, and the development of basic understanding of nervous system function and the translation of those understandings into effective treatments for neurologic disease.

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 bases 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."

Standards for Tenure - Department of Neurosurgery

The Department of Neurosurgery accepts and subscribes to the statement on Criteria and Standards for Tenure of Faculty at the University of Minnesota Medical School, with the following standards specific to the department.

A. Teaching

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

The following are educational activities in which competence and accomplishments in teaching can be demonstrated:
 

1.) Participation and competence in teaching undergraduate (pre-baccalaureate) students.

2.) Participation and competence in teaching professional students, including students in the M.D. curriculum, and other professional educational programs.

3.) Service and distinction as a faculty advisor to post-M.D. residents (Medical Fellow Specialists or Medical Fellows), post-residency clinical fellows, or advanced degree candidates in medical disciplines, interdisciplinary programs or collaborative research programs.

4.) Service as a faculty mentor or adviser to students in any of the above categories, including medical students in the clinical courses of the M.D. curriculum.

5.) Service as a faculty mentor to students in any of the above categories who engage in research activities in the department.

6.) Service as invited teacher, course director or developer of a course of continuing medical education.

B. Research/Scholarship

Scholarly activities of a faculty member will be evaluated according to the following standards:

1.) Scientific Publications

Scientific articles reporting quality biomedical research should be published in appropriate peer-reviewed journals related to the discipline(s) of medicine.

Peer-reviewed journals that are recognized as outstanding and appropriate to the discipline include, but are not necessarily limited to: 

            Journal of Neurosurgery (and its subjournals)

            Neurosurgery

            Spine

            Stroke

2.) External Research Funding

A candidate should be the recipient of a grant(s) or contract(s) by designation as Principal Investigator, a major collaborate, or other similar title, from a national or regional granting agency which customarily utilizes scientific peer review as the primary basis for awards.  Examples of granting agencies include, but are not necessarily limited to:

An Institute of the National Institutes of Health, Public Health Services, or other similar federal agency
A unit or affiliate of the American Heart Association
A unit or affiliate of the American Cancer Society
A unit or affiliate of the American College of Surgeons
A unit or affiliate of the March of Dimes
Epilepsy Foundation of America

3.) Publications in Monographs, Reviews and Other Books

Publications through these modalities are part of the scholarly activities of a faculty member, but cannot be considered as the sole basis for tenure.

4.) Service as an Editor or a Member of the Editorial Board of a Reputable Journal or Monograph in a Biomedical Discipline

Examples of appropriate journals include, but are not necessarily limited to those listed in 1 above.

5.) Invited participation in Symposia, Meetings, and Seminars

Faculty Members should be invited by national and international scientific organizations to participate in symposia and meetings and should be invited to give seminars before peers in other institutions both nationally and internationally.  However, this cannot be used as the sole criteria for tenure.

C. Service

Service, although not primary criterion for tenure, will be taken into consideration in making decisions on tenure. Performance of service, however exemplary, cannot substitute for the primary criteria, research and teaching.

III. PROMOTION

The Department of Neurosurgery accepts and subscribes to the statement on Criteria and Standards for Promotion of Faculty at the University of Minnesota Medical School, with the following standards specific to the department.

A. To Assistant Professor

Candidates for appointment/promotion to Assistant Professor are judged on the following standards:

1. Evidence of scholarship as demonstrated in the candidate’s academic record by election to prestigious undergraduate and graduate societies and honors awarded during the academic career.

2. Evidence of accomplishment in research, including publications submitted to and accepted in peer-reviewed professional journals.

3. Participation in professional conferences including selection for presentations.

4. Physicians must be board-eligible/certified or equivalent in appropriate specialty and demonstrate excellence in patient care and evidence of commitment to quality service.

B. To Associate Professor

The criteria and standards for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor are those stated for consideration of tenure and/or clinical track appointment as described by the University of Minnesota Medical School.

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 as for tenure) as stated by the Medical School and Department for the applicable academic track.  Documentation for promotion should include, but is not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Evidence of important scholarly contributions as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications in high quality professional journals
(see II. B 1).

2. Evidence of presentations at regional and national conferences.

3. Evidence of ability to secure research funding as principal investigator or as major collaborator on multi-investigator projects.

4. Evidence of excellent in teaching, as demonstrated by participation and commitment to departmental teaching conferences, student and peer evaluations, and innovation in course development/design.

5. Achievement of certification by the American Board of Neurological Surgery or an international certification board judged by the Department to be equivalent.

6. Letters from nationally recognized individuals evaluating contributions to the field.

C. To Professor

Candidates for promotion to Professor are judged on, but not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Continuing evidence of important scholarly contributions as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications in high quality professional journals (see II. B 1).

2. Evidence of presentations at national and international conferences.

3. Evidence of continuing ability to secure research funding as principal investigator or as major collaborator on multi-investigator projects.

4. Evidence of continuing excellence in teaching, as demonstrated by participation and commitment to departmental teaching conferences, student and peer evaluations, and innovation in course development/design.

5. Evidence of reputation and/or leadership in regional, national, and/or international professional organizations.

6. Maintenance of certification by the American Board of Neurological Surgery or an international certification board judged by the Department to be equivalent.

7. Letters from nationally and internationally recognized individuals evaluating contributions to the field.

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.