The Characteristics of a Quality System
The Faculty Reward System

• A promotion and tenure system linked to institutional mission requires that individual schools, colleges, and departments have clearly articulated missions and priorities.
• A quality faculty review process will include many of the same features, whether it is used for annual review, promotion, tenure, or post-tenure review.
• Changes in faculty reward structures require a clear institutional mission and vision.
• A quality promotion and tenure system must be sensitive to:
  • the different strengths of faculty
  • the differences among the disciplines
  • the mission and priorities of the individual academic units
• A mission-driven promotion and tenure system requires that all institutional documents relating to faculty rewards are consistent and integrated.
• Revisions in the promotion and tenure system must be developed with the active participation of the faculty.
• Changes in promotion and tenure policies or practices require the education of faculty serving on promotion and tenure committees.
• A quality promotion and tenure system requires the education and support of faculty members preparing for review.
• Promotion and tenure policies and practices must have provisions that address:
  • special assignments (administrative; non-scholarly)
  • stopping the tenure clock
  • new disciplines, interdisciplinary or collaborative work
• Promotion and tenure guidelines must describe the criteria that will be used to assess scholarly, professional, and creative work.

— Robert M. Diamond Ph.D.