Service not as valued as teaching in tenure policy
Some professors say a low emphasis on service dissuades non-tenured faculty from participating in activities that add to the life of the university.
Antoinette Vega
Staff Reporter

Faculty members disagree on whether or not service should be recognized as much as teaching and research criteria in the tenure system.

As the search for a new chancellor continues, faculty members say they would like the next chancellor to help increase the importance of service when considering candidates for tenure.

Despite faculty opinions, Provost William Koehler said service should never be valued as much as teaching and research.

“Although service, engagement of students, including advising and continued professional development are essential functions, the primary mission of the university is learning,” he said. “Teaching and research are important to the distribution of knowledge.”

Service is one of the six criteria on the tenure track, ranking third after teaching and research, according to the tenure policies adopted from the American Association of University Professors in the Faculty and Staff Handbook. The policy specifies that tenure depends primarily upon teaching and research ability, requiring more than 75 percent of faculty members’ time go to teaching or research.

However, Andy Fort, a religion professor, said service needs more recognition because it contributes to the health and life of the university.“Through service in committees, councils and the Faculty Senate, professors add to the life of the university,” he said. “A school can’t function without the involvement of professors on committees.”

Peggy Watson, chairwoman of the Faculty Senate, said the senate would benefit by recognizing service more because its membership would increase.

Faculty Senate counts as service under the tenure system, but because service is not considered as important as other criteria, many professors hesitate in joining, she said.

“The senate requires a big time commitment,” she said. “Many faculty members do not want to invest so much time in something that is not rewarded in the tenure system.”

Each college and department has their own set of criteria for promotion and tenure consistent with university policies.

The criteria policy for the M.J. Neeley School of Business states that the promotion to the rank of full professor requires a demonstrated competence in teaching at the graduate level and achievement of national recognition as an outstanding educator and authority in their field. For non-tenured faculty, teaching and research are the highest priority and considered equal in importance, ranking higher than professional service, according to the policy.

Donald Nichols, an accounting professor, said the tenure system does not need changes.

He said in the business school more time commitment is given to teaching and research because they are important.

“Service commitments should be held to a minimum because professors need to devote more time enhancing the quality of their teaching,” he said.

Mary Volcansek, dean of the Add Ran College of Humanities and Social Sciences, said their college is waiting to get the new criteria for the tenure system approved but that teaching and research will be listed as the top criteria.

“A university is about teaching students,” she said. “Service is expected as part of the job, but teaching and research publication are what count.”

Antoinette Vega