NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS STATEMENT OF FUNCTIONS AND CRITERIA
department-policies/StrategicPlanTheatreUpdate20192020.docx
UPDATED 8/13/19
1 NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY’S MISSION AND VISION
New Mexico State University is the state’s land-grant university, serving the educational needs of New Mexico’s diverse population through comprehensive programs of education, research, extension education, and public service. The university is dedicated to non-discrimination and equal opportunity in education and employment in compliance with state and federal laws which prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, color, physical or mental disability, EEOC-based retaliation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, serious medical condition, sex, sexual orientation, spousal affiliation or protected veteran status. The New Mexico State University System will be a premier university as evidenced by demonstrated and quantifiable excellence in teaching, research, extension, outreach, service, economic development, and community engagement relative to its peer institutions.
2 COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES’ MISSION
The College of Arts and Sciences provides the foundational education for every NMSU student and a wide array of degrees preparing students to be knowledgeable and responsible citizens of our world. We promote life-long discovery and improvement of society through cutting edge research and creative activity and by fulfilling our land grant mission through outreach and engagement with the larger community and through interaction with various programs and institutions in the region.
3 DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE ARTS’ MISSION
The mission of the Department of Theatre Art derives from, and is consistent with, New Mexico State University’s mission and the mission of the College of Arts and Sciences. Theatre Arts’ mission is to provide quality education for students, advance knowledge and enrich culture through scholarship and creative activity, and provide educational service and outreach to the people of New Mexico. We achieve this by providing a broad-based, liberal arts education that combines theatre literature, history, theory and practice with theatrical production. The department also serves as a major cultural asset through its production season and outreach activities in association with American Southwest Theatre Company.
4 THEATRE ARTS OBJECTIVES
The department of Theatre Arts evaluates all faculty members based on the annual allocation of their effort in the areas of Teaching; Scholarship and Creative Activity; Service; and Extension and Outreach in accordance with the Guidelines for Promotion and Tenure issued by the College of Arts & Sciences and the New Mexico State University Policy Manual. Leadership in these four areas is also considered and recognized. University policies regarding promotion and tenure supersede department and college policies.
4.1 Teaching Objectives
The Department of Theatre Arts’ objectives for Teaching are: to broaden an appreciation of theatre; to provide experiences which integrate the theory and practice of the discipline; and to prepare students for advanced studies or careers in theatre.
4.2 Scholarship and Creative Activity Objectives
The Department of Theatre Arts’ objective for Scholarship and Creative Activity is to advance knowledge and enrich culture through discovering and creating, researching and disseminating, and applying knowledge and skills to societal concerns through theatrical productions, scholarly publications, and conference presentations.
4.3 Service Objectives
The Department of Theatre Arts’ objective for Service is to support the workings of the profession, New Mexico State University, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Department of Theatre Arts.
4.4 Extension and Outreach Objectives
The Department of Theatre Arts’ objective for Extension and Outreach is to enrich culture through discipline-relevant activities that provide educational offerings to the community.
4.5 Leadership Objectives
The Department of Theatre Arts’ objective for Leadership is to demonstrate discipline-relevant leadership in the campus, local, regional, national, and international communities and should be reported within the four main areas of faculty activity.
5 THEATRE ARTS FUNCTIONS
The Department of Theatre Arts’ functions derive from its mission and objectives. Evaluation of a faculty member’s annual performance and qualifications for promotion and tenure are based on departmental functions.
Each tenure-track faculty member is responsible for teaching, scholarship/creative activity, service, and outreach.
Each college faculty is responsible for teaching, service and outreach.
Associate and Professor ranked tenure-track and college faculty are additionally responsible for demonstrating departmental leadership in one or more of these areas.
The allocation of effort among the categories of Teaching, Scholarship and Creative Activity, Service, and Extension and Outreach will be decided on an annual basis as part of the faculty member’s yearly statement of goals. The allocation is based on conversations with and approval of the department head and acceptance by the dean. Allocation of effort may be changed after acceptance only with approval from both the department head and the dean.
5.1 Teaching Functions
Every faculty member is expected to strive for excellence in teaching and provide exceptional instruction in disciplinary subject matter. As needed or requested by the department, faculty members are expected to participate in teaching-improvement activities.
Tenure-track faculty will normally be responsible for an 11-14 credit hour teaching load per semester, with a three credit hour release granted at the discretion of the department head with approval from the dean and in relation to the allocation of effort in this area. Awarding of release time is dependent on theatrical production responsibilities or evidence of substantial scholarly activity, outreach or service.
College faculty will normally be responsible for an 11-14 credit hour teaching load per semester.
Faculty teaching duties, including assignments of courses and instruction days and times, are assigned by the department head so that necessary courses are offered and the needs of students are met.
The Department of Theatre Arts recognizes that teaching extends to mentorship of students within the academic major as well as graduate school and career pursuits.
Additional teaching activity recognized by the department includes serving on thesis committees for students outside the discipline, offering non-credit instruction through master-classes or workshops, and teaching for universities that are part of a consortium with New Mexico State University.
5.2 Scholarship and Creative Activity Functions
The department is strongly committed to scholarly and creative activity. Each tenure-track faculty member is expected to conduct scholarship and/or creative activity that results in high-quality publications, productions, or conference/public presentations, as judged according to professional disciplinary standards. Dissemination of such activity to a local, regional, national or international audience is expected.
Scholarship and creative activity responsibilities for tenure-track faculty normally include developing and maintaining an active scholarly/creative activity agenda; disseminating the results of one’s work publicly in professionally appropriate and acknowledged ways; and, when relevant, involving students in scholarship/creative activity outside of university productions.
5.3 Service Functions
Significant service to the department is expected for all faculty.
Tenure-track faculty members are expected to contribute to departmental governance; participate in assessment efforts; assist in recruiting and retention efforts; serve in leadership roles on department projects and committees; and develop new courses as needed. If appropriate and time allows, tenure-track faculty may take on a minimal amount of college/university service to broaden their contributions.
Tenured faculty members are also expected to participate on college, university and/or professional committees.
College faculty are expected to participate in assessment efforts; assist in recruiting and retention efforts; serve on department projects and committees; and develop new courses as needed. College faculty may also accrue service credit within the college/university.
5.4 Extension and Outreach Functions
Every faculty member is expected to demonstrate significant discipline-based interactions with the university’s constituencies in effective and continuing ways. Common forms of outreach include conducting workshops for schools or community groups and providing subject matter expertise to community or educational organizations. Additional forms of outreach include holding positions or active memberships in discipline-related organizations.
5.5 Leadership Functions
Every faculty member is expected to demonstrate leadership within the department. This will normally be demonstrated by chairing departmental committees, initiating and leading special projects for the betterment of the department, and being actively engaged in the improvement and growth of the department’s academic and production programs.
Tenured faculty members are also expected to demonstrate leadership outside of the department.
5.6 PERFORMANCE CRITERIA AND EVIDENCE FOR TENURE-TRACK AND COLLEGE FACULTY IN THE AREA OF TEACHING
Teaching will consist of formal classroom and/or studio instruction; mentoring of students in the major; serving on thesis committees for students outside the discipline; artistic mentorship of students that occurs through creative activity and scholarship; non-credit instruction through master-classes or workshops; teaching for universities that are part of a consortium with New Mexico State University; and coaching students in preparation for advanced study or professional work.
Quality instruction consists of creating a stimulating environment for critical and independent thinking; providing clear course objectives and an organized syllabus; administering examinations and projects that are accurate measures of learning; providing timely assessment of assigned work; demonstrating concern for student progress; making oneself readily availability to students outside of class; and keeping current in teaching and educational practices in the discipline.
Student course evaluations will be collected each semester for every classroom and/or studio course taught in the Department of Theatre Arts by faculty. Student evaluations must be conducted in accordance with university and college procedures. Results of course evaluations will be tabulated and analyzed and a summary will be made available to faculty as soon as possible after the semester in which the evaluations were completed. Annual performance reports and promotion and tenure applications must include tabulation summaries and all student comments, in the format specified by the college. If paper evaluations are used, supporting documentation for annual portfolio review and promotion and tenure applications must include all original copies of student evaluations for each course in which evaluations were distributed.
Student evaluations from courses taught at universities in which New Mexico State University is part of a consortium should be distributed, collected, tabulated, summarized with all student comments and provided with annual performance reports and promotion and tenure applications if the teaching is to be fully credited and assessed.
Faculty must submit a self-evaluation for each regular, independent study and special topics course taught, including those taught at universities in which New Mexico State University is part of a consortium. Practicum courses where no direct instruction occurs do not require a self-evaluation but should be noted as practicum courses in the self-evaluation document. In cases where a faculty member teaches two or more sections of the same course in the same semester or the same course over two semesters in the same academic year, one self-evaluation for the course may be submitted but should note differences and similarities between the sections and/or semesters.
For assistant-ranked faculty, and college-track faculty, the department head, their designee, or another appropriate peer will conduct one or more class visits per academic year and submit a peer review of the visit. These reviews should be included as a form of teaching effectiveness in the promotion and tenure portfolio and annual performance report. The department head, their designee, or peer is not required to seek permission from the faculty member before attending a class to conduct this review.
Letters from current and former students and/or participants in master-classes or workshops may be solicited to indicate effective teaching and mentorship.
Student mentoring may also be considered when evaluating teaching performance. Forms of evidence of mentoring effectiveness may include letters from mentees or written evaluations/assessments from senior faculty within the department.
7 PERFORMANCE CRITERIA AND EVIDENCE FOR TENURE-TRACK FACULTY IN THE AREA OF SCHOLARSHIP AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY
The Department of Theatre Arts is committed to excellence in both scholarly and creative activity and evidence of either or both is considered a vital component of each tenure-track faculty member’s professional activity. Publication and conference presentations are indications of scholarly activity. Creative work includes acting, choreography, creating/devising, design, directing, dramaturgy, fight direction/choreography, musical direction, playwriting (production], stage management, and vocal directing/coaching for a theatrical production or related creative work in another media (See Appendix).
In accordance with the principles of Ernest Boyer’s Scholarship Revisited, the Department of Theatre Arts recognizes four categories of scholarly activity and production: Scholarship of Discovery, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Scholarship of Engagement, and Scholarship of Integration. As an aid to understanding the application of Boyer’s principles to theatrical endeavors, The Association of Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) released a white paper entitled: Scholarship for the Discipline of Theatre.
In the area of traditional scholarship, ATHE suggests that the Scholarship of Discovery may include such areas as publications or presentations concerning theatre history; critical theory; performance theory; studies of plays, artists or theatrical artifacts; performance in historical contexts; and dramaturgy. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning are those publications or presentations concerning how students accomplish the learning of theatre and how it might be improved. The Scholarship of Engagement might include dramaturgical work for production, where some level of the work is publicly presented; editing scholarly journals or organizing scholarly meetings; leadership in scholarly societies; or organizing events to increase the public’s involvement in the arts. Finally, the Scholarship of Integration would include the use of disciplinary knowledge outside the discipline of theatre to illuminate processes, practices, and productions within the discipline of theatre.
While Boyer classifies creative work as a segment of the Scholarship of Discovery, the ATHE white paper contends the placement of a work in a Boyer category depends on the artist’s initial impetus for the work, the form of documentation for the work, and the focus of peer review and peer evaluation. As examples, the ATHE paper suggests that writing a new work would be considered the Scholarship of Discovery, but so too would the re-conceptualization and directing of a “classic” play. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning might include the creation of new technologies for teaching or the production of a play using new acting techniques for the student actors. The Scholarship of Engagement might include participation in a production whose main focus is making connections with the community, and the Scholarship of Integration might include productions using historical periods or applying the theories of another field in creating a production.
7.1 Publications
Books published by a high quality press and publication of articles in refereed national or international journals will be considered evidence of excellence in scholarship. Publication of dramatic texts by a nationally-recognized dramatic publishing press will also be considered evidence of excellence in scholarship.
Publication of articles in non-refereed journals, book reviews, and production reviews, although significant, will not normally be valued as highly as the aforementioned evidence of excellence in scholarship.
Self-published work and articles, books and dramatic texts authored but unpublished will not normally be valued as highly as the aforementioned scholarship.
7.2 National Professional Association Conference Presentations and Attendance
Keynote or similar addresses, paper presentations or seminar/workshop presentations at a national professional association conference or professional theatre will be considered evidence of excellence in scholarship.
Similar presentations at regional professional association conferences or university/fringe theatres or presentations at conferences outside the discipline, although significant, will not normally be valued as highly as the aforementioned evidence of excellence in scholarship.
Similar presentations at local conferences or amateur theatres and attendance at national and regional professional association conferences are normally not assessed as highly as the aforementioned works.
7.3 Creative Activity at Professional Theatres
Creative work produced or performed at nationally or internationally-recognized theatre companies will be considered evidence of excellence in creative work. Productions operating under any Actors’ Equity Association contract will be considered nationally-recognized.
7.4 Creative Activity at University/Fringe Theatres
Creative work produced or performed at universities or regionally recognized fringe theatres, although significant, will not normally be valued as highly as the aforementioned evidence of excellence creative work.
7.5 Creative Activity at Amateur Theatres
Creative work produced or performed at amateur theatres is normally not assessed as highly as the aforementioned theatres.
7.6 Creative Written or Created/Devised Work
Fully-produced creative written work, which includes playwriting, screenwriting and the like, or created/devised work produced with a contributing organization, will be considered evidence of excellence in creative work.
Staged readings or developmental workshops of creative written or created/devised work in which a substantial allotment of rehearsal time has been given and which has been performed for an audience, although significant, will not normally be valued as highly as the aforementioned evidence of excellence in creative work.
Readings of creative written work performed for an audience or created/devised work presented in part for an audience will also be considered evidence of creative work though not normally be valued as highly as a staged reading or developmental workshop.
Readings or workshops of creative written work or created/devised work performed without a publicly-invited audience are considered developmental and do not constitute creative activity.
7.7 Additional Considerations for Creative Activity
In all matters of creative activity, the type of theatre (professional, university/fringe, amateur), the scope (local, regional, national, international] and the frequency of dissemination (number of performances, etc.) will also be considered.
7.8 Documentation of Creative Work
See Appendix for required documentation of creative activity.
8. PERFORMANCE CRITERIA AND EVIDENCE FOR TENURE-TRACK AND COLLEGE FACULTY IN THE AREA OF SERVICE
Evidence of meaningful service to the profession, university, college, and department will be considered when evaluating a faculty member’s annual performance and when making decisions concerning promotion and/or tenure, with service to the profession regarded as highest.
Membership on departmental committees and assisting in recruitment and retention activities is essential and considered part of every faculty member’s normal activity.
Administrative/leadership positions such as Department Head, Managing Director or Producing Director will be considered evidence of excellence in service when verified as such in an evaluation from a Dean or Department Head.
Membership on committees of professional organizations in the discipline will be considered evidence of excellence in service.
In all matters of service, the type of organization served and the frequency of activity will also be considered.
8.1 Tenure-track Faculty
Membership on university and college committees by tenure-track faculty, while extremely desirable and significant, will not normally be regarded as highly as service to the profession.
Chairing departmental committees is essential and considered part of every tenure-track faculty member’s normal activity.
8.2 College Faculty
Membership on university and college committees by college faculty will be considered evidence of excellence in service.
Chairing departmental committees by college faculty, while extremely desirable and significant, will not normally be regarded as highly as service to the university and college.
9 PERFORMANCE CRITERIA AND EVIDENCE FOR TENURE-TRACK AND COLLEGE FACULTY IN THE AREA OF EXTENSION AND OUTREACH
Evidence of meaningful discipline-related work in the community will be considered when evaluating a faculty member’s annual performance and when making decisions concerning promotion and/or tenure.
Leadership positions in professional organizations, discipline-related work with K-12 students/the community that involve other disciplines or organizations, outreach activities with professional theatre groups, invited honorary speaking engagements such as keynote speaker and the like for community organizations, will be considered evidence of excellence in extension and outreach.
Memberships in discipline-related professional organizations that require application and acceptance, discipline-related work with K-12 students, outreach activities with fringe/amateur theatre groups, and public lectures or talkbacks and the like, will be considered evidence of significant extension and outreach activity.
Membership in discipline-related professional organizations that do not require application and acceptance, meeting with prospective students, and leading tours for community groups is essential and considered part of a faculty member’s normal activity.
In all matters of outreach, the type and size of population served and the frequency of activity will also be considered.
10 PERFORMANCE CRITERIA AND EVIDENCE FOR TENURE-TRACK AND COLLEGE FACULTY IN THE AREA OF LEADERSHIP
Evidence of leadership within the profession, community, university, college, and the department will be considered when evaluating a faculty member’s annual performance and when making decisions concerning promotion and/or tenure.
Administrative positions in which an election or appointment was made, such as Department Head, Managing Director or Producing Director, will be considered evidence of substantial leadership.
Leadership positions in which an election or appointment was made, such as chair of university committees, head of special university projects, and leadership positions in the Faculty Senate or other university functions, will be considered evidence of substantial leadership.
Leadership positions which a faculty member assumes through volunteering for the position, while significant, will not normally be considered as highly as leadership in which an election or appointment was made.
10.1 Tenure-track Faculty
For tenure-track faculty, leadership in departmental committees and activities, including special projects, is essential and considered part of a faculty member’s normal activity.
10.2 College Faculty
For college faculty, leadership in departmental activities is essential and considered part of a faculty member’s normal activity.
11 GRANTS, COMMISSIONS AND HONORARY AWARDS
Grants, commissions and honorary awards obtained related to teaching, scholarship and creative work, service, extension and outreach, and leadership activities may be considered as evidence of excellence or significance in those areas. The size and reputation of the grant, commission or award shall be considered when assessing a faculty member’s activities.
12 COLLEGIALITY
Collegiality is an important component in promotion and tenure decisions. Typical aspects of collegiality include: maintaining a high level of professional integrity and moral conduct; the ability to actively assume a responsible role in the academic and administrative operations of the department and sharing the agreed upon view of policies and programs; and the ability to actively and positively contribute to the long term mission of the department through professional contributions and positive interactions with the other participants.
Academic collegiality shall not be related to conformance with views and opinions of colleagues and administrators, nor to personal issues related to sociability or likability. Rather, it is related to the ability of faculty members to extend their professional effort to support the common mission of the department, college and institution.
13 THE EVALUATION OF TENURE-TRACK AND COLLEGE FACULTY PERFORMANCE AND APPLICATION FOR TENURE AND/OR PROMOTION
The Department of Theatre Arts and its faculty will comply with all procedures concerning annual performance evaluation and applications for promotion and tenure as established by the New Mexico State University Policy Manual and appropriate documents from the College of Arts and Sciences. University policies regarding promotion and tenure supersede department and college policies.
Performance evaluations for all faculty are conducted annually. The department head shall set a deadline for annual performance reports to be submitted and shall ensure they are forwarded to the dean by the college deadline. After approval by the college dean, the department head shall distribute performance evaluations to the faculty and meet with each to discuss the evaluation. Faculty members may submit a written response to their annual performance evaluation which will be included in their file and forwarded to the college dean. While the annual review process is based upon the academic year, the promotion and tenure review taking place each spring is based upon the calendar year, and will be a cumulative review of all materials leading up to tenure and/or promotion.
The department head will meet with all faculty annually to set performance goals and allocation of effort. Additionally, the department head will meet with each untenured tenure-track faculty member annually regarding progress towards promotion and tenure. The department head will assign each tenure-track faculty member a mentor within the department. Tenure-track faculty will also be encouraged to receive further mentoring from on-campus sources.
In all matters concerning the promotion and/or tenure application process, confidentiality of records and procedures will be maintained through all levels of evaluation. The department head shall ensure this through keeping all pertinent records in a file kept in a lockable cabinet accessible only by the department head and the department’s administrative assistant.
The department’s written Statement of Functions and Criteria shall be reviewed every four years and updates made, if necessary. All tenure-track and college faculty at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor shall constitute a committee during the spring semester in the year of review to evaluate the document and recommend changes. Changes must be reviewed by and receive approval from the department head and the dean before being adopted. If the policy should change during a faculty member’s pre-tenure or pre-promotion period, the faculty member will choose one of the policies for evaluation purposes by expressing the choice in writing and including it in the application for tenure and/or promotion.
The department’s tenure and promotion committee shall be comprised of current, tenured members of the Department of Theatre Arts, one tenured faculty from outside the department, and any such outside members to equal between three and five. In no case shall the committee be comprised of fewer than three members. Should the department have more tenured members than allowed by the size of the committee, an election will be held at the first faculty meeting of each school year to elect such members. All tenure-track faculty are eligible to vote in the election.
The department’s tenure and promotion committee shall annually review the university’s Conflict of Interest policies, rules and procedures, prior to evaluating any faculty member.
In cases of promotion, committee members must hold a rank at least equal to the rank for which the candidate is applying. For college faculty cases, the required outside member shall be college faculty at the rank at least equal to the rank for which the candidate is applying.
There is no term limit for service on the department’s promotion and tenure committees.
The dean, department head or a comparable administrator may meet with the promotion and tenure committee to discuss procedural matters.
Each year during the probationary period preceding application for tenure, untenured tenure-track faculty will submit a progress towards tenure and/or promotion portfolio for annual review by the department promotion and tenure committee and the department head. The department head will provide information regarding what materials to include in the portfolio, the deadline for submission, and the proper submission format. The portfolio will be assessed by the department promotion and tenure committee, who will then submit a letter addressed to the dean through the department head summarizing its assessment and recommendations. The letter must reflect the majority view, contain specific commendations, concerns, and recommendations addressing each area in the departmental promotion and tenure criteria, and allow for dissenting opinions. The department head will then submit a letter summarizing both its recommendations addressing each area in the departmental promotion and tenure criteria and the letter submitted by the promotion and tenure committee. Both letters will conclude with a statement recommending or not recommending the rehire of the untenured faculty member. The tenure-track faculty member will receive both letters within two weeks of the completion of each. Candidates are allowed to submit a brief supplemental document with their materials to explain and/or refute any comments by either the department head or the department promotion and tenure committee. The department head or departmental committee may write a brief response to such supplemental documentation. All letters and supplemental documents will be forwarded to the dean’s office, provided to the candidate, and placed in the departmental file for the candidate.
When applying for promotion and/or tenure, the faculty member shall submit a portfolio in accordance with University regulations, College procedures and the Department’s Function and Criteria document. The formal application will be assessed by the department promotion and tenure committee, who will then submit a letter addressed to the college dean through the department head summarizing its assessment and recommendations and the numerical vote count. The recommendation must reflect the majority view, contain specific commendations, concerns, and recommendations addressing each area in the departmental promotion and tenure criteria, and allow for dissenting opinions. The department head will then submit a letter summarizing both its recommendations addressing each area in the departmental promotion and tenure criteria and the letter submitted by the promotion and tenure committee.
Candidates for promotion and/or tenure shall receive, in writing and within one week upon the completion of each, a summary of the departmental promotion and tenure committee’s recommendations and numerical vote count and a copy of the department head’s letter. Candidates are allowed to submit a brief supplemental document with their materials to explain and/or refute any comments by either the department head or the departmental promotion and tenure committee. The department head or departmental committee may write a brief response to such supplemental documentation. All letters and supplemental documents will be forwarded to the dean’s office, provided to the candidate, and placed in the departmental file for the candidate.
Deliberations and voting by the promotion and tenure committee will be conducted in closed session only among committee members. All voting shall be conducted through secret written ballot. All voting shall be conducted in person and all vote counts shall be recorded.
For a period of seven calendar days after it is submitted to the departmental committee for review, a candidate may change, add or delete materials from the tenure and/or promotion application portfolio. The portfolio will be kept in the office of the department head upon receipt from the candidate until the end of process, unless requested by the dean. The department head will contact the candidate and provide at least two full working days before submission to the dean’s office to allow the candidate time to review all items included in the portfolio, including external letters.
The promotion and tenure committee may request additional information in writing to the candidate in a memo addressed through the department head assuming sufficient time is available to comply with the request before the application deadline.
For tenure-track faculty only, external letters attesting to the quality of scholarship and creative activity must be included in the portfolio. When external letters are solicited, the candidate shall submit the names, contact information, and a brief summary of qualifications for three reviewers in their field. The promotion and tenure committee shall provide three additional names, contact information, and brief summaries of qualifications for three reviewers. Reviewers must be faculty at or above the rank for which the candidate is applying, or a professional with a national reputation in the field as approved by the department head. The department head shall choose one reviewer from the candidate’s choices, one from the committee’s choices, one additional reviewer from either list, and two alternates from either list. The three letters shall become part of the application. Letters from alternates shall be solicited only in cases where the original reviewers are unable to complete the request or unable to complete it by the deadline provided in the solicitation. The department head shall coordinate and conduct the process of letter solicitation and put the external letters into the candidate’s portfolio. Instructions to reviewers for letters will request a brief statement regarding the individual’s qualifications for serving as a reviewer, a request that the reviewer indicate the relationship between the candidate and reviewer, notification that the candidate will have an opportunity to read the letter of assessment, notification that third parties may review letters in the event of an EEOC or other investigation into a tenure or promotion decision, and request a detailed assessment of the candidates qualifications and achievements as referenced against the Functions and Criteria document for the department. Reviewers perceived as having a conflict of interest due to the relationship with the candidate will not be chosen for the review.
For external letter solicitations, the candidate shall provide 3-ring binders as needed, and a digital version, containing the department’s Functions and Criteria document, a current C.V., and a written summary of Scholarly and Creative Work to be assessed along with supporting materials.
Unsolicited letters addressed directly to the department head or committee will be provided to the candidate who may or may not choose to include them in the application packet. The candidate may choose to solicit and include additional letters of support from former students, colleagues, and the like. These letters will be submitted via the supplemental materials and not the core file.
In accordance with University regulations, College procedures and the Department’s Function and Criteria document, a candidate may temporarily suspend the promotion and tenure time process or withdraw from further consideration.
The post-tenure review will occur in accordance with University regulations, College procedures and the Department’s Function and Criteria document. Appeals can be made in accordance with those policies and procedures.
Sample portfolios are available to candidates through New Mexico State University’s Teaching Academy. Candidates may also request to view sample portfolios from current Theatre Arts faculty if available and upon receiving permission from said faculty member.
Faculty may request mid-probationary reviews, in accordance with University regulations, College procedures and the Department’s Function and Criteria document, after their completed third year of service; this review will be initiated only by request from the faculty member. A portfolio, prepared in accordance with University regulations, College procedures and the Department’s Function and Criteria document, should be prepared by the candidate. The portfolio shall be reviewed by the department promotion and tenure committee, the department head and, if requested by the candidate, the College Promotion and Tenure Committee. The submission to the department should occur in mid-January at a time set by the department head. The department committee will provide a written formative evaluation to the department head and the candidate and the department head will provide a written formative evaluation to the candidate. If the candidate requests a College Promotion and Tenure Committee review, the review will be conducted in accordance to the same processes and procedures as for a regular promotion and tenure case.
In general, a tenure-track assistant professor in Theatre Arts seeking tenure and promotion to associate professor should clearly establish a national reputation in their field in the area of scholarship and creative activity and earn consistently strong evaluations in the areas of teaching, service and outreach. A tenure-track associate professor seeking promotion to professor should clearly establish a prominent and significant national or international reputation in their field and earn consistently strong evaluations and demonstrate leadership in the areas of teaching, service and outreach.
A college-track assistant professor seeking promotion to associate professor should clearly establish a consistent record of teaching excellence and strong evaluations in service and outreach. A college-track associate professor seeking promotion to professor should clearly establish a consistent record of teaching excellence, demonstrate leadership in the department, and provide strong service and outreach activity.
Date Effective: _09/11/2019______________
Appendix
Documentation for Creative Work
Acting
Choreography
Creating/Devising
Design
Directing
Dramaturgy
Fight Direction/Choreography
Musical Direction
Playwriting (Production)
Stage Management
Vocal Directing/Coaching
Related Creative Work (including other media)
- Activity performed (multiple activities on the same production may be listed together]
- Statement indicating the name of theatre, type of theatre (professional, university, fringe, or amateur] and where theatre is located
- Brief description of the activity performed, including total time commitment
- Self-analysis of the work
- At least one outside source of evaluation
Review from newspaper or other media (complete review]
Letter from Director/Artistic Director/Managing Director
Letter from Peer/Collaborator/Participant
