Criteria for Tenure Evaluation: Service
Service is one of the four primary areas considered by the rank and tenure committee. With service a faculty member is expected to contribute to the collegial functioning of the University, School, and home department.
Service provides an opportunity to be a "good citizen" and participate in the shared governance of the University, which is a right and a responsibility of each faculty member. As you write your tenure or promotion letter you should consciously consider how you demonstrate these attributes in your service.
Guiding Questions
Service should be supported with appropriate documentation. As you prepare your service section, you might find the following questions helpful.
- Are there products from your work in the service area?
- Will you detail your contributions or will committee chairs?
- What were your duties concerning work on various committees? Consider explaining your specific role in the collegial functioning and productivity of your service work.
- Is there context to your service that should be explained or clarified? For example, there may be a strong need to serve within a newly established program, at the level of the entire College, or based on expertise and background which could preclude service to the school, home department, or other area. An explanation in the dossier about why specific service opportunities were undertaken can be helpful.
Reflections on Service
- The service component should be written to ensure readers will understand the relevance of the service to one's position in the University, profession or community.
- Individuals might choose to blend their service work with their teaching and or scholarship. This provides an excellent opportunity to be reflective on the interrelationships among the different parts that make up the faculty experience.
- Note that blending service into either teaching or research is not an expectation.
Service Resources
Various sub-sections from the AAUP website consider the theme of service. For example: