|
MERIT GUIDELINES
Adopted February, 1999
The History Department expects its members to be active in teaching, service, and scholarship. The Appalachian State University mission statement identifies scholarship and service as complementary to the primary mission of instruction. Expected performance in each of these three areas is defined in the Appalachian State University Faculty Handbook, the Supplement to the Resource Book for New Faculty, and the History Department Guidelines for Promotion and Tenure.
Meritorious performance is a matter of quality and/or quantity. Carrying out the responsibilities specified in the above documents well or doing more of them makes the individual eligible for merit compensation. Since individual faculty members have different strengths and the focus of their work changes as they move through their careers, meritorious performance can vary from person to person through time. Meritorious performance in the three areas highlighted below is seen in the context of a person’s overall contribution to the Department and the University. Thus the three areas are not seen as separate and unconnected entities but as areas of concentration that underpin a person’s total performance. The evaluation of merit will not abridge any faculty member’s rights to free speech, free association, and due process. A description and examples of meritorious performance for each area are provided below.
Teaching
Engaged and effective teaching is expected of all faculty members at Appalachian. Inside the classroom, professors are expected, among other things, to deliver the course content capably, set clear course objectives, and to develop appropriate instructional materials and evaluation mechanisms. Competent teaching outside the classroom can include sitting on graduate or undergraduate thesis committees, working with students on special projects, and contributing in a systematic manner to the development of new curricula or instructional methods.
There is no single indicator of meritorious teaching, rather excellent teaching is evidenced by a combination of factors. Such indicators include receipt of teaching awards, consistently high student and peer evaluations over several years, effective efforts to improve one’s teaching, using effective teaching techniques, and accessibility to and engagement of students inside and outside of the classroom.
Scholarship
Both research and scholarship are expected of all historians at Appalachian. The University and the History Department recognize published research, applied research (oral presentations, museum/professional displays, consultations, etc.), and the integration and transmission of research (evaluation or assessment, grant writing; consultation; and recognition by peers through awards, honors; etc.).
Recognition from peers for outstanding work in any of the three categories of research distinguishes meritorious performance. In the area of publication, all peer reviewed publication is considered meritorious. Because the Department recognizes the expenditure of time and effort required by major projects such as articles and books published by major academic presses, the research record of the individual for the past several years will be considered during the evaluation of merit. Additional examples of such recognition include the reception and use of one’s scholarly work in the field, the funding of a grant, and the awarding of an honor in recognition of the scholar’s particular or long term activities.
Service
Service is the third expectation of all faculty members at Appalachian. Service activities may be performed at the department, college, and university levels, as well as to the profession and the general public during a faculty member’s career. It is recognized that a faculty member will not generally be active in all of these areas at the same time; however, continuous contribution to the work of the Department is expected of all faculty.
Normally, a faculty member’s emphasis will be on teaching and scholarship. Merit in the area of service is dependent upon two related factors, the quality of the individual’s effectiveness or contribution and the importance of the role undertaken by the faculty member. Examples of meritorious roles include serving as the chair of the Advisement Committee or Faculty Senate, chairing a university committee or a special ad-hoc committee at the department, college, or university level. Recognition by professional organizations for exceptional service will also indicate meritorious service within the Department. It is important to understand that the quality of one’s service is more important than the number of committees to which one belongs.
|