Getting Promoted to Full ProfessorGetting Promoted to Full Professor

Susanne Hambrusch, Purdue UniversityLori L. Pollock, University of Delaware

CAPP 2005

Personal Life Milestone Career Point Year

Married and moved ……………….………………….Start Assistant Professor, Rice 85/86 First child……………………………………………………after 2 years in that position ’88

Second child ………………….…………………………..the yankees move north ‘90 First PhD student graduates

Start as Visiting Asst Prof, UD ’91 Tenure track Asst Prof, UD ‘92

Husband leaves industry to be high school teacher, summers off ‘94Third child……………………………………………………4 years in UD position ‘95 Promotion to Associate Prof ‘98

Two teenage girls + 2nd grader………………. Promotion to Full Professor ‘04

Lori’s JourneyLori’s Journey

Susanne’s JourneySusanne’s Journey

Personal Milestone Career Point Year

2-body challenge …… Assistant Professor, Purdue 82

Associate Professor and Tenure 87

First child ………………….…………………………………………………………………88

Second child ………………………………………………………………………………..92

Promotion to Full ……..……………... 93

Associate Head …………………..……. 00

Head ………………………………………… 02

Susanne’s head historySusanne’s head history

• Just finished third year as head• Handled

– six successful tenure cases– two full processor hires

• Female faculty– Hired two (one assistant, one full)– One promotion from assistant to

associate

Comparing the Promotion Comparing the Promotion ProcessesProcesses

• Pre-tenure: – Regular (yearly/3-year) formal reviews by

various department/college committees– Official mentoring structures– deadline

• Post-tenure:– Yearly reviews by Dept. Head – Get feedback, hopefully in writing– Continue your mentoring relationships– No deadline

Example Process - PurdueExample Process - Purdue

• Annual review of all assistant and associate professors – Vita, teaching evaluations, proposal

activity– Written report given to assistant

professors• Annual meeting with the head• Annual faculty submit activity

reports for raises

Process remarks - PurdueProcess remarks - Purdue

• Generally there is a nomination by two or more full professors

• An associate professor can ask to be considered for promotion to full

• Attention is paid for promoting “at the right time”

• An unsuccessful promotion is a ticket to losing good faculty

Formal Criteria - DelawareFormal Criteria - Delaware

Promotion Guidelines from UD CIS’s Faculty Handbook (as an example)

• To Full: The candidate must demonstrate substantial evidence of sustained excellence in research, along with the promise of future sustained excellence. In addition, the candidate must provide evidence of excellence or high quality in teaching, and of an appropriate level of service.

• Evaluation: – quality (and to some extent quantity) of activities – quality of media where disseminated– opinions of objective specialists from outside the

University .

Formal Criteria - PurdueFormal Criteria - Purdue• Tenure decision in 6th year

“A successful candidate should have a significant record of accomplishment as a faculty member and show promise of continued professional growth and recognition.”

• Promotion to full “A Successful candidate should be recognized as an authority in the fields of specialization by external colleagues -- national and/or international as may be appropriate in their academic disciplines -- and be valued for intramural contributions as faculty members.”

Timeline for promotionTimeline for promotion

Is there an informal timeline for promotion to Full Professor ?

Common is a six year “clock” Four- years would be fast Eight+ years would be slow

Some data show women take longer

Research ExpectationsResearch Expectations

• Do what you did to become tenured• Do better and more!• Research maturity and leadership• National and international reputation in

some area of CS research• Leader of a nationally known research group• Editorial board member of respected journal• Program committee service

Department Size and Department Size and Composition may matterComposition may matter

• Purdue CS: 41 faculty members

Associate11

Full21

Assistant9

Male90%

Female10%

Research ExpectationsResearch Expectations

• Maintenance of a coherent research direction, while responding to new interests and areas

• A history of successful publication in top conferences and journals

• Continuous funding in a constantly changing funding world

• Support for MS/Ph.D thesis students

• Successfully advising graduate students• Graduating Ph.D students

• Possibly research multidisciplinary collaborations

Letters are importantLetters are important

• Purdue and UD request letters from ten references (5 names from candidate, 5 from committee) out of a larger pool

• Credentials of letter writers are important

• Let the head know whom you consider the leaders in your area

• Are there people you don’t want to be contacted?

Conferences versus journalsConferences versus journals

• At higher levels in your institution, different departments will have different opinions about conference publications

• For tenure, there seems to be better acceptance of the view that in certain areas in CS conference papers are the primary form of publication

Teaching – What to ExpectTeaching – What to Expect

• Positive teaching evaluations – Take advantage of teaching workshops

offered at your institution

• Possibly develop new/revamp courses– What are your colleagues doing?– Articulate your own interests

• Advise honors or undergraduate research

Teaching-oriented institution or Teaching Associate Prof:

“Have an impact on education, and distinguish yourself in some way that has visibility and applicability beyond the university (not necessarily in research)”

Variations on Criteria for Variations on Criteria for PromotionPromotion

Promotion based on Teaching Promotion based on Teaching

• Create or update key courses• Help develop new programs/majors/minors• Lead review/revision of curriculum• Assess impact of above activities and

publish results, if appropriate • Bring in grants/awards targeted at

education • Participate in SIGCSE community• Caution on writing this best selling text book

Service – It’s Payback TimeService – It’s Payback Time

• Hopefully, you have been sheltered from doing too much service as an Assistant Professor.

• Now, it is your turn to do more. Not so fast! Your answer: “Yes,

but…” No one gets promoted to

Professor based primarily on service!

Service Teaching Research

Look outsi

de your dept.

for greater im

pact

of your s

ervice

• Government – NSF review panels– Agency advisory boards

• Professional & Research community– Leadership roles in key

conferences in your field (e.g., program committees)

– Associate Editor of leading journal in your field

– Involvement in SIGCSE

• Department– Undergraduate – Graduate admissions– Recruiting

• College & University– Faculty Senate

(elected)

Service – Many Choices AvailableService – Many Choices Available

Choose Service that Choose Service that MattersMatters

Cost/benefit analysis+ better environment + visibility + connections – stress– time

Just say “no” to the “should’s”

Personal

Professional

CRA-W

JournalEditor

SIGBoard

Spacecomm

UgradMentoring

Admitcomm

Somebody“should”

When is it time to go for When is it time to go for promotion?promotion?

• Read promotions guidelines• Ask the head-- ‘with your vita in hand’• Talk to a full professor you trust• If the answer is “not now,” ask about

your weaknesses• Look at vita of a recently promoted

colleagues

General Advice (1)General Advice (1)

• visit departments and give talks• invite visible colleagues as colloquium

speakers• stay in touch with leaders in your area

and network with possible letter writers• accept responsibilities wisely• don’t say yes to everything (especially

when it comes to serving on committees)

• seek out leadership• have a mentor and be one

General Advice (2)General Advice (2)

• Continue to ask to teach courses that enhance your research

• Do not volunteer for the large, service courses

• Do departmental/university service, but don’t go overboard

• Make your professional service help your visibility in the community

• Do things you LIKE to do

What to avoid?What to avoid?

• Switching research areas and then going up for promotion

• Spending too much time on teaching• Accepting too many administrative

responsibilities • Seeking promotion against the

advice of respected senior faculty

When a promotion is not When a promotion is not successfulsuccessful

• At the departmental level– Try to get constructive feedback– Purdue: no votes are given, only reasons

• At a higher level– Did the weakness already exist in the

department?

• How to handle the disappointment– anger, withdrawal, considering leaving,

shrugging it off

Final recommendationFinal recommendation

• Get yearly feedback• Communicate with your head and

mentors• Be visible – professionally and in your

department• Document activities and keep

documents and your webpage updated• Take an active role in your promotion• Don’t wait for your promotion to

happen