Faculty Handbook Sections III.A. and III.C.
General Information
Full-time faculty who wish to be considered for Tenure and/or Promotion will apply to the Committee on Faculty Status through the Office of the Provost. Each year the deadlines for submission will be posted on the Faculty Status page.
Faculty applications will be accepted through Digication ePortfolio. Each year during the spring and fall, faculty training sessions will be offered by ITS and Academic Affairs. Instructions to create, prepare and submit an application via ePortfolio are posted on this site, as well. Faculty are notified about scheduled training sessions via email. Applicants should inform Laurie Fay (fay@siena.edu) of their intention to apply for tenure, promotion and/or sabbatical by the deadline date listed, in order to be added to the ePortfolio Faculty Status Assessment Group for the particular year of application.
Departmental Standards (FH iii.A.1.d)
Each academic department has approved standards for tenure and promotion. For purposes of tenure, the Departmental Standards operative when the faculty member was hired shall be used to evaluate the faculty member. For consideration other than tenure, Departmental Standards in effect at the time of consideration will apply.
Preparing your Application Materials
The application for Tenure and/or Promotion should include, at a minimum, the items listed below. The application does require specific materials presented in a certain order. Candidates are encouraged to obtain guidance from their respective dean and department chair, and if desired, department members and other colleagues. Note that complete citations are required for all materials that you submit.
Materials REQUIRED for Application for Tenure and/or Promotion
Candidates should submit separate applications for Tenure and for Promotion. ePorfolio allows for easy upload of the same documents to different applications.
- Table of Contents
- Cover letter to the Provost
- Narrative - This is your written self-analysis followed by thorough description that supports your record of achievements. In this section, make your statement and include facts and elements that the Committee on Faculty Status will consider. Your narrative should include a reflection on your teaching, addressing how you have enhanced it over time, particularly in response to comments from faculty peers and students. This should not exceed 10 pages.
- Departmental Standards in Effect for your application
- Faculty Personal Data Record / Curriculum Vitae
- Your Department’s Letter, signed by the department chair
- Your Dean’s Letter, signed by your dean
- Evaluations (your classroom observations) – These include one observation per semester by the department head, and one observation per academic year by your dean.
- Your Two-Year and Four-Year Reviews
- Summaries of your Student Evaluations
- Ancillary Materials that you wish to include (see more info below).
Ancillary Materials are optional items you choose to submit in support of your application for tenure and/or promotion. Items may include, but are not limited to:
- Papers, books, abstracts, manuscripts, grants
- Copies of exams, curricular materials, i.e., study guides, assignments, syllabi, lab handouts, manuals, etc.
- Individual rating sheets from student evaluations - you should include copies of all summary sheets and a representative sample of narrative comments from students."
- Video, audio
Faculty Handbook Section III.a.
Evaluation of Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty – This section outlines general College expectations. Departmental promotion and tenure guidelines will describe specific expectations consistent with these College guidelines and disciplinary standards.
Evaluation of Faculty Members shall be based on:
- Performance in Teaching: The primary function of faculty at Siena College is to teach. Therefore, evaluation of the faculty member's teaching contributions will be the most important factor considered. Teaching includes classroom performance, the professional development necessary to carry out the teaching function and availability to students outside the classroom. The faculty member is required to present to the Committee on Faculty Status the administrative evaluations as defined in Section III.B.2 of the Faculty Handbook, together with some documentation of formal systematic evaluation of teaching performance which shall include student evaluations and may include self-evaluations, as well.
- Scholarship: Scholarship consists of research and public presentation of scholarly work within a professional setting. Evidence of such activity or the actual work must be presented.
- Service to the College: A faculty member must document his or her activity in service. Service is aligned with the mission and values of Siena College and may include academic service, academic program service, advisory service, and service with the poor and marginalized. Examples of service in this area could include the following, with no priority implied:
Academic Service:
- College and departmental committee and task force membership
- Departmental leadership: serving as Department Chair, etc.
- Administrative tasks within the department and at the School or College level
- Leadership in professional organizations, including local, regional, national, and international affiliations
ACADEMIC Program SERVICE:
- Innovative programming that ensures respect and dignity for the worth of all
- Honors colloquium participation
- Leading and participating in skills building workshops
- Guest speaker at other colleges or universities or community organizations
- Coaching and mentoring
- Participating in community school outreach programs that link contemporary skills and issues with Franciscan values
- Leadership or innovative programming pertaining to the moral dimensions of decision-making in business, health sciences and liberal arts professions
Advisory Service Roles with Student and Non-Student Organizations:
- Working directly with student, faculty and community groups to promote Siena’s core values within the Siena community, or, the greater Albany area
- Raising awareness of the needs of students of color
- Raising awareness of the needs of LGBTQ+ students
- Service to organizations both, internal and external to the College, that is related to the faculty member’s professional expertise
Service with the Poor and Marginalized:
- Compassionate leadership service that affirms the worth and dignity of the individual, particularly the poor and marginalized
- Service in dialogue with people from different religions, races, cultural traditions, sexual orientations, and/or gender identities.
- Advocacy work and social justice service that raises awareness of systemic racism
- Service that connect students to the plight of people marginalized in our society and invites Siena students to become more empathetic people
Additional examples of Service activities specific to one's discipline may be outlined in departmental Promotion and Tenure Guidelines.