Recognizing Public Engagement in the Faculty Reward System
Many faculty realize that publicly engaged research and teaching would be valuable and even enjoyable, but are deterred because engaged scholarship is often not adequately rewarded in promotion, tenure, and salary decisions. We're wrestling with how to strengthen the University of Minnesota's commitment to public engagement; here are some of the ideas we've come up with.
Promotion and tenure guidelines
- Urging from the Provost's office that departmental P&T statements be updated to more explicitly value engaged scholarships
- Noting that the Faculty Culture Task Force identified public engagement as a priority
- Incorporating peer review from community partners into P&T deliberations
- Extending the tenure clock for engaged scholarship, when extension is carefully justified
Faculty governance
- Discussing public engagement with faculty senate committees that deal with teaching, research, and faculty affairs
Orientation programs
- New faculty: How can engaged scholarship be a "safe" route to a successful academic career?
- New chairs/heads: How can engaged scholarship enhance departmental priorities and reputations, and expand the conception of faculty life and work?
- Providing examples/case studies of successful work and opportunities
Faculty recognition
- Outstanding Community Service Awards
- Competitive small grant program
- Incorporating engagement as a criterion in outstanding teaching awards
Enriching scholarly work
- Discussing with department and college leaders to discuss how engaged scholarship fits within and enhances unit missions
- Embarking on engaged scholarship during mid-career changes of emphasis
- Using service-learning as a change agent for curricular innovation
- Taking advantage of the diversity of an urban campus