Promotion, Tenure, Retention and Evaluation

Our Rationale
As English teachers increase their use of computers in their research, their classrooms, and their service, their work tends more and more to include techniques, strategies, and presentations that move beyond the traditional methods for assigning value and worth to what they do.

Our Response
To establish guidelines and strategies for evaluating the work of all writing and literacy teachers, whether focusing on promotion and tenure, retention, academic recognition, or some other form of evaluation.

Adding Your Comments
The committee sponsors a web forum where everyone can share policy statements and personal narratives on these issues. Feel free to comment on the current resources, tell us something about your experiences, or post details on the evaluation process at an institution you're familiar with.

Current Resources
The 5th C Special Interest Group meeting in Milwaukee (1996) focused on promotion and tenure issues, leading to a Sense-of-the-House motion that called for specific guidelines.

The committee's preliminary work was coordinated with the NCTE Instructional Technology Committee. Efforts included sponsored online discussion in 1995 and a presentation at the Wyoming Conference in 1995 to gather information.

In the Spring of 1998, a draft of guidelines for evaluating work with computers for Promotion and Tenure candidates and committees was drafted by committee chair, Marcy Bauman. This draft was reviewed at the committee's meeting at CCCC, revised over the summer, and submitted to the CCCC Executive Committee in November 1998. The guidelines were adopted and will be published in a forthcoming issue of CCC.

Also at the 1998 CCCC meeting, a special session focused on issues of promotion and tenure. This session included draft guidelines for Evaluating Instructors, Adjuncts, & Part-Time Faculty Teaching English with Computers. These guidelines included suggestions on Working Conditions, Evaluating Teaching, and Departmental Policies.

Tenure and Promotion Cases for Composition Faculty Who Work with Technology