UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Office of Faculty Affairs has announced the fall 2024-spring 2025 workshop series on preparing for success in the promotion and tenure process. The series will provide an in-depth exploration of the promotion and tenure process for all Penn State faculty, including tenure-line and non-tenure-line.
This series is offered live via Penn State’s Zoom platform and each session will be recorded for later viewing. Links to recordings will be posted below after each workshop session. Audience questions are highly encouraged. Registration is not required to attend.
If you have questions about the workshop series, contact Associate Vice Provost Ann Clements at acc13@psu.edu. Please visit the Office of Faculty Affairs website for more information, including the Zoom link.
Administrator and Staff Engagement in the Tenure-line and Non-Tenure-line Promotion Reviews Process
Sept. 11, noon-1:30 p.m.
Target audience: Academic unit heads, unit executives, FAAC, and staff (who support promotion and tenure)
Join the Office of Faculty Affairs for a question-and-answer session on promotion and tenure at Penn State. This session will cover any changes to promotion and tenure guidelines that are new for the academic year and is an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the review process for tenure and non-tenure-line faculty, including review committee structure and the work they do, dossier materials, external reviewers, feedback to pre-tenure faculty, PTORP, Activity Insight, and any other aspect of the promotion and tenure process for tenure-line and non-tenure-line faculty. There will be a short formal presentation during this session focused on recent changes to the promotion and/or tenure process, with the majority of the time dedicated to questions and answers.
Committee Chair and Committee Member Engagement in the Tenure-line Promotion Review Process
Sept. 17, 3-4 p.m.
Target audience: College and unit committee chairs and committee members (who will oversee P&T committee work this academic year)
Join the Office of Faculty Affairs for a question-and-answer session on promotion and tenure guidelines and committee work at Penn State. This session will cover any changes to promotion and tenure guidelines that are new for the academic year and is an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the review process for tenure-line faculty, including review committee procedures, administrative guidelines, dossier materials, external reviewers, Activity Insight, and any other aspect of the promotion and tenure process for tenure-line faculty. There will be a short formal presentation during this session focused on recent changes to the promotion and/or tenure process, with the majority of the time dedicated to questions and answers.
Preparing for Promotion and Tenure at Penn State for Pre-Tenured Faculty
Sept. 27, 10:30 a.m.-noon
Target audience: Pre-tenure tenure-line faculty
Join the Office of Faculty Affairs and colleagues to discuss the different stages of the tenure and promotion review process and tips and strategies to successfully navigate the process successfully. The workshop will cover several topics, including the 2-4-6-year review format, AC 21 and 23, components of a dossier and the path a dossier takes at each stage of review, excellence in teaching, research, and service, and the impact of COVID-19 on research plans.
Advancement and Promotion for Non-Tenure-Line Faculty
Oct. 3, 2-3 p.m.
Target audience: Non-tenure-line faculty at all promotion levels
Join the Office of Faculty Affairs and colleagues to learn about the promotion process for non-tenure-line faculty and take advantage of the resources and opportunities for growth and advancement. The workshop will cover several topics, including the three-level promotion process, policy AC 21, the variability of unit-based evaluation processes, assessment committee structure, and the impact of COVID-19 on research and teaching.
Transitioning from Associate to Full in a Tenured Faculty Position
Feb. 4, 2025, 11 a.m.-noon
Target audience: Tenured associate professors
Join the Office of Faculty Affairs and colleagues to discuss how associate professors can prepare for the transition to full professor. This workshop is intended for tenured faculty who are considering applying for full professor. The workshop will cover the nomination process, expectations for the attainment of the rank of full, mid-career decision-making, varied experiences in teaching, research, and service, and the review process, procedures, and documentation.
Tips for Writing a Narrative Statement
Feb. 14, 2025, 10-11 a.m.
Target audience: Tenure-line and non-tenure-line faculty seeking promotion
Join the Office of Faculty Affairs and colleagues to discuss the purpose of a narrative statement, policies around the narrative statement, how to create a story about your work in teaching, research/creative accomplishment, and/or service, the various audiences are who will engage with your narrative, suggestions on how to showcase strengths and how to address weaknesses, and potential differences in the narrative depending on your status as tenure-line or non-tenure-line faculty.
Tips for Creating a Teaching Portfolio
Feb. 25, 2025, 11 a.m.-noon
Target audience: Pre-tenure and non-tenure-line faculty
Join the Office of Faculty Affairs and colleagues to discuss the purpose of a teaching portfolio, how to tell a story about your teaching through the evidence selected, the various audiences who may engage with your teaching portfolio, and suggestions on how to showcase strengths and address areas of improvement.