Tuesday, February 1, 2000 2:-3:30
Grainger Engineering Library Commons (2 nd floor)
FRC Committee present: Beth Sandore, Chair; Jim Williams, Gene Rinkel, Session Recorder; Al Kagan; Pat Allen; Jane Block; Beth Woodard ; Janice Johnston.
Three documents were distributed:
A sign-in sheet was distributed to those present to aid the committee in follow-up planning.
Beth Sandore welcomed a group of 23of the tenure-track and other faculty, explaining the purpose of the meeting. An agenda was distributed giving the content, presenters and a suggested time frame for the presentations and discussion. Questions were received and answered within each portion of the presentations with a final summary discussion led by Beth Sandore with further opportunity for questions. Q = question A = answer C = comment
Jane reviewed the form, purpose and content of the Annual Report used for annual salary merit reviews:
-- FRC Committee: Each of the 9 divisions of the Library is represented by one member on the Faculty Review Committee.
--The guidelines are not promulgated by FRC but originate with the Provost and the general Guidelines of the campus for P & T.
--FRC is also the 1 st level of review for Promotion & Tenure and monitors Visiting Committee reports.
-- Annual Reports are due April 3 rd, 2000. They are reviewed during April and rankings are completed by May 6, 2000. The rankings into three groups (plus separate rankings of non-tenure track faculty, half-time, etc.) are sent to the University Librarian by June 23 rd, 2000.
-- All faculty members (Including Visiting, Associates, Half Time, etc.) are required to complete an Annual Report by the due date to be included in the rankings.
-- An updated (current) Curriculum Vitae must be submitted with the Annual Report.
Content:
--Evaluation is of three areas and their weighting: Librarianship/Instruction (5); Publications and Creative Works (3); Service (Public, Professional/Disciplinary, and University Service) (2).
--The content of Librarianship (basic job performance) is reported for the current year (January 1 through December 31, 1999.
--The content for Publications and Creative works and for Service is reported for a 3 year period. 1997,1998,1999.
--The updated CV including the period of this report (1999) must accompany the Annual Report.
--Requirements and Suggestions were made for collecting data and preparing the Annual Report. (E.g. Keep a calendar of presentations with subject, number of people, purpose of the presentation.)
--You do not have to report something for every section. The form is designed to accommodate a wide range of activities which may or may not be included in your job area. Over time in research and publication and in service you should have an increasing level of activity.
--Keep to a maximum of eight (8) pages in length. Describe your activities clearly but briefly. There is no credit given for longer reports.
--You should be able to explain to colleagues and those not acquainted with your area of expertise without using jargon. Your report should be understandable to someone who does not specialize in your field.
--Don't worry about minor mistakes of placing your activities in the correct category. You Visiting Committee members may provide guidance or ask questions of a FRC member or someone who knows.
--Report significant activities briefly and state the significance to the library, university, profession or the general public.
--How the evaluation is performed:
--The weighting scale of Librarianship 50%, Publications and Creative 30%, and Service 20% are each scored on a ten point (1 to 10) scale. Six (6) is the norm for librarianship. Ten (10) represents Outstanding performance.
--Four committee members, one from each of three assigned divisions plus the chair reads each report and gives a score to each area evaluated.
--All scores are reviewed in committee by the entire committee.
--Each area receives an aggregate of the scores of the evaluators.
--Scores are reported after dividing them into high, middle, and low rankings.
LIBRARIANSHIP/INSTRUCTION:
--1 year report covering the calendar year 1999 only. Include a short statement on each area applicable to your basic job indicating the benefits to librarianship of your specific tasks. Include all significant aspects of your job even if they are not specifically mentioned in the guidelines.
--Collection Development: Quantify and state benefits: What? How much? Significance? Etc. Be as specific as possible.
--Original Cataloging: Areas covered, how much, etc.
--Reference: How many hours per week ? Hand outs or guides prepared? Etc.
--User Education: How many presentations? How many students? Faculty? In-house exhibits? Kind of contacts and significance.
--Faculty contacts: Newsletters, Current Contents, e-mail, in person, etc.
--Systems: Database development; System responsibilities, etc.
--Management: e.g. Kinds of workshops; quantity.
--Budgetary: What funds are you responsible for? Grants received or implemented, etc.
-- Descriptive Data: Instruction: Note that not all are involved in B. Formal instruction C. Supervision of graduate student practica and D. Course development and independent study, etc.
Questions, Answers, and Comments:
Q. I began on September 1 st, 1999. Do I include in my annual report previous activities before taking this job?
A. Cover only the activities that occurred after you arrived at UIUC on your annual report. In your P&T dossier, include all activities in a cumulative fashion, both prior to and after arriving at UIUC.
Q. Where do you list certain types of instructional activities?
A. List any kind of bibliographic instruction under User Education. Do not omit just because there is not a specific category.
C. (Comment) The use of tables provides a good format for reporting information such as class, date, topic.
Q. Is the preparation of a web site a publication? Is a database (selection?) also a research project?
A. The preparation of a web site is not a publication in and of itself. There are many reasons why one might prepare a web site-it could represent a guide or a point-of-used instructional aid; a bibliography created either as part of your work, as committee service, or as a scholarly reviewed or invited publication. You can list such an activity in more than one place. If it leads to a publication place it also in research.
A. There is more than one aspect of a project. In your annual report it is important to describe exactly what your project entails, and what the end result(s) represent.
C. Having an interview with a candidate at lunch was given as a bad example of significant activity. However the significant aspect of having lunch with a candidate might be part of your faculty liaison responsibilities, and ought therefore to be mentioned under faculty liaison.
PUBLICATIONS AND CREATIVE WORKS: (COVERS A 3 YEAR PERIOD 1997, 1998, 1999)
--See the Provost's Communication #9 (Consult the Website for this and related documents): http://www.admin.uiuc.edu/provost/comm/
--Emphasis is on quality, execution and impact on the field, not quantity. Report the significance of your research.
--It is not really a number that will get you tenure. It is quality.
Q. How is impact determined?
A. P & T is guided by outside readers. --Conflicting reports are moderated by submission to several reviewers. --Progress should be cumulative measured over a three year span. Ten years in progress without results raises questions as to merit.
A. It is helpful to see publication in refereed journals. This validates the outside impact of your work on the field. Report which publications are peer reviewed, which are invited-each type of publication is important.
Q. Can something be both invited and peer reviewed?
A. Yes. Explain why the organization to whom you submitted it invited it.
Q. Some leading journals may not be refereed?
A. Yes, e.g. Notes is not referred but it is the premier journal for music. It is important to note the relative significance of where your work appears when you list your publication.
A. Global assessment of impact is more important than numbers or refereeing technicalities.
Q. Lectures and conference presentations. How are they evaluated versus the reading of a paper.
A. Depends on National organization and role versus the local impact.
A. There are several levels of presentation: e.g. poster sessions, invited lectures, etc.
A. When reporting a lecture, give length of the lecture, audience, significance.
--Editors. Do you read manuscripts? Specify your role.
--Grants. Give the amount and significance of the project.
Research in Progress:
--Publications. Give number of pages of unpublished (e.g. present length of a manuscript) as well as for published works.
--There are ten categories in which you can place the contribution. Select the most appropriate category and explain your contribution.
--The majority of your publications should be individually authored.
--Formulate and report a research agenda. Status. Grants. Related Field Trips. Resources. Drafts completed. Estimated time for completion of research.
--Give name of journal to which submitted. Invited? Reflects on scholarly reputation.
SERVICE (Public, Professional/Disciplinary, and University Service: (Presented by Beth Sandore)
(Covers 3 year period: 1997, 1998, 1999.)
--National Professional associations are essential to building contacts and establishing peer review.
--P & T Dossier must include more than library committee service.
--Need a maximum of professional involvement (ALA, MLA, SLA, ASIS, etc.) with focus of service in one or two associations.
--This should constitute 20% of your activities.
D. To Local or regional activity should be added National.
--Community service/ outreach is important but not as significant for P & T. It should be related to librarianship.
E. Honors, Recognitions, Outstanding Achievements.
-- e.g.. An article or book receiving a special award.
-- e.g., Best reference book of the year in your field. Etc.
Q. On Service: None
--A "Supervisory" role in evaluation is under discussion.
--Goal statements should be related to Unit goals and strategic plan. How would your
goals fit into the Unit's goals and objectives.
--Feedback is needed on how this could be accomplished.
Review of form and content
--Why do we prepare the same information in this form also? It provides an early draft of your promotion and serves as a guide to discovering strengths and weaknesses.
--Serves as a "dry run" for P & T. It is especially critical for the 3 Y review.
--The outline of the P & T Dossier is the form in which promotion papers must be prepared.
--The Dossier is cumulative over a five year period.
--The Library uses the Supplement to the guidelines to define Librarianship/Instruction.
--The Dossier does NOT include research in progress -- only accepted or published research.
--The section on evaluation in the Dossier is done by the Visiting Committee during the "dry run."
--The candidate completes all other sections of the Dossier.
--Promotion papers will have an evaluative statement prepared by a colleague assigned by the University Librarian to write promotion and tenure papers.
Q. At 3Y are only internal (campus) referees consulted?
A. External referees may be consulted at any time the VC considers it necessary to make an evaluation.
C. VC in the past evaluated only librarianship. It is now required to cover all three areas.
C. You do not "use up" external referees at 3Y -- the same ones can be called upon again to provide evaluative information in the year that you go up for promotion and tenure.
C. Getting peer review of your work over time is important and helps build your pool of external referees.
--Professional service parallels what is in the Annual Report. The evaluation section is completed by the preparers of your promotion papers.
--In addition to the statement in your Annual Report, the Dossier requires a Statement of Research Goals and Accomplishments.
e.g. "I want to be an expert in X, Y, Z, in 5 years.
--Provide a summary of accomplishments that match the goals.
e.g. "Am I making an impact in X field? Is there evidence of cumulative focus of research and results?
--National professional organizations provide the contacts to prepare them to evaluate your research. They may say after hearing a paper, "Yes, my work was impacted by candidate X."
--Since the P & T Dossier is cumulative you should rewrite the Statement of Research Goals and Philosophy of Service each year to correct and expand to reflect your activities.
--The Dossier is due May 1 st, 2000. The Annual Report is April 3 rd, 2000. VC reports reflect the Dossier as well as the Annual Reports.
Q. What sample statements are available?
A. Sample evaluative statements are available. http://www.library.uiuc.edu/~staff/statement.htm
A. FRC's goal is that each candidate supply his or her visiting committee with both a print and a diskette version of their P&T Dossier, so that the VC can complete the evaluative portions of the P&T Dossier and simply print out the entire package and forward that to FRC.
C. Be sure to maintain a complete, cumulative CV. They will be necessary for future promotion papers.
Q. When is the final (5Y) Dossier due?
A. See P & T Calendar. First draft July 1 st. Both diskette and hard copy.
Q. How are external reviewers chosen?
A. Candidate nominates some. The Executive Committee selects from 5 - 7 names which may include others than those nominated by the candidate.
A. Reviewers cannot have published or worked with the candidate.
A. The EC may ask the people you nominate to suggest others.
C. Be able to state the qualifications of reviewers. Why did you nominate? Brief biographical data on the referee is necessary.
C. Choose those who understand tenure and the purpose of the review. They must be a peer in your field.
Q. Once letters are received which ones are used?
A. All letters are sent forward to the Campus committee even if not positive. The University Librarian
reviews and makes comments to justifying sending the papers (if they are forwarded) even if some
reviews are negative.
Q. Who chooses the preparer of the papers?
A. The EC recommends and the University Librarian appoints in consultation with EC.
C. The Library has several experienced preparers of P & T papers. Often more than one reviews the
papers for continuity and consistency.
C. You do not see the final evaluative statements unless specifically requested under the Freedom of
Information Act.
C. FRC reviews and votes on recommendations for promotion and tenure and sends the recommendation
to the P & T Committee as a second level of review. The Final Evaluative Statement is added by the
University Librarian.
C. The preparer should be a person close to your field. The Library does not want bad papers to go
forward.
--Pat compared the Annual Report, pointing out that sections of the Annual Report cover 1 year for Librarianship and 3 years for Research and Publication and 3 years for Service.
--The P & T Dossier is cumulative over the period of achieving tenure.
--The P & T Dossier is a way for the Library to evaluate and the Campus to award P & T
--The P & T Dossier is used to market the candidate, urging the use of creativity in preparing statements for the Dossier.
--The similarities are obvious. It is a cut and paste exercise.
--Beth Sandore demonstrated how to locate the P & T Documents, Visiting Committee forms, etc. on the Web. http://www.library.uiuc.edu/~staff/frcindex.htm.
--Pointed out links to campus documents FAQ. http://www.admin.uiuc.edu/provost/comm/comm9/index.html.
--Campus recognizes tension between the three areas evaluated. It is unlikely that tenure will be awarded on the contributions in one area alone.
--"Remember the weighting is in each of three areas. If you do or report nothing in an area you would be scored "0" in that area. This is a group agreement. It affects both the Annual merit review and it also affects your P & T Dossier."
Q. What is the time frame for the preparation and final submission of promotion papers?
A. Papers are submitted in the 5 th year. The 6 th year is the "waiting" year.
C. Keep working throughout the process.
C. You will be notified by the University Librarian about the status of your case for promotion and tenure. Promotion and tenure dossiers are reviewed and voted on first by the FRC, then by the Library Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee. All dossiers, whether the vote is positive or negative, are transmitted to the campus Committee on Promotion and Tenure, some time in December of each year.
C. You should check along the way with the University Librarian on your status if you have any questions.
Q. What percent are tenured of those recommended by the Library?
A. The campus rate is 10% turndown. However, 1/3 of entry level members leave the University for various reasons before being considered.
C. The Department does not want to send questionable papers forward.
C. The 3 rd year is important to indicate potential.
C. We should take rumors circulating cautiously. Less than half of untenured fell into the category of "needs improvement."
C. Worst case scenario is you are building a vita for a job elsewhere.
C. Although there is much discussion in the Library now about what ought to constitute an acceptable case for promotion and tenure, the requirements have not changed yet and may not change before this group completes the tenure process.
C. Push your Visiting Committee to give you critical feedback in all three areas.
C. Reading other reports is helpful.
Q. Are sample Annual Reports and Research Statements available?
A. FRC will work on making sample annual reports available for review, as well as sample statements of research for the P&T dossier. Ask a colleague whose work you admire if he or she is willing to share their annual reports with you.
C. Before you submit anything for publication, ask at least one other colleague to read it and provide you with critical feedback.
Any more questions?
C. We need future orientations like this.
A. FRC is holding a similar session with Visiting Committees to orient them this Spring.
A. Visiting Committee guidelines are being revised and the proposed revisions and clarifications will be discussed at the February Faculty Meeting.
Format & content problems FRC noted in 1999 merit evaluation (Beth Sandore):
Time did not permit detailed discussion of Visiting Committee reports. More to come in February.
Resource documents and people (Library P & T Calendar, FRC documents; Campus information and guidelines: http://www.admin.uiuc.edu/provost/comm/ )
Gene K. Rinkel, Recorder
February 3, 2000; Revised February 23, 2000.
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