Sonoma State University

Sociology Department RTP Criteria

SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Departmental RTP Criteria
Approved Sociology Department 5/15/17, Approved FSAC 5/18/17

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF MATERIALS TO THE CANDIDATE’S FILE

  • Candidates are reminded that all materials are due to the Sociology Department RTP Committee by the university deadline for documents to be added to the WPAF. The Department RTP Committee Chair will review the documents, confer with the committee members, and then advise the candidate with regard to any requested revisions to be made in advance of the university deadline for the WPAF to be declared complete.
  • Candidates shall provide the departmental RTP committee with an electronic version of all supplemental materials (for example, through Dropbox or a similar service) not already provided as a part of the electronic version of the WPAF. The candidate should be prepared to provide prompt electronic access to these supplemental materials to RTP committee members at other levels of review (for example, by providing Dropbox access).

MEETING WITH DEPARTMENT RTP COMMITTEE

  • Candidates are reminded that the university RTP policy requires candidates in their first year of a tenure track appointment to meet with the Department RTP Committee in the Spring semester no later than May 1 to discuss the candidate’s progress. A one-page summary of this meeting, prepared collaboratively by the candidate and department representatives, shall be included in the candidate’s subsequent WPAF.
  • Candidates in probationary tenure track appointments shall consult with the Chair of the Department RTP committee on a regular basis for guidance on departmental teaching, scholarship, and service expectations.
  • Candidates in probationary tenure track appointments beyond the first year are expected to meet with representatives from the Department RTP Committee in the Spring semester no later than May 1 of years in which they are scheduled for Performance (full) Review (2nd and 4th probationary years) and in the Fall semester no later than September 15 of years in which they are scheduled for Periodic (brief) Review (3rd and 5th probationary years) to discuss the candidate’s progress.
  • A no more than one-page summary of this meeting, prepared collaboratively by the candidate and representatives from the Department RTP Committee, shall be included in the candidate’s subsequent WPAF.
  • Post-tenure candidates anticipating future consideration for promotion are encouraged to meet with the Chair of the Department RTP committee and other senior members of the Department on a regular basis for guidance on departmental teaching, scholarship, and service expectations.

TEACHING

  • The Sociology Department values and encourages demonstrated excellence in teaching. Criteria for demonstrated excellence in teaching will be based on peer evaluations, student evaluations of teaching (SETEs and departmental evaluations), review of syllabi and assignments, demonstration of remaining current in the field and demonstration of incorporating professional development activities into classes.
  • Candidates for tenure and/or promotion are expected to follow university curriculum and catalog criteria in the development of a class syllabus and course content. These include, but are not limited to, the Course Outline Policy and General Education goals and objectives.
  • Candidates for tenure and/or promotion are also expected to adhere to departmental course guidelines, which are posted on the department’s website.
  • Candidates are expected to teach a variety of courses each year and throughout progress toward tenure and/or promotion, including both core required courses and electives.
  • Peer observations of teaching shall be summarized in a written evaluation document that reflects the content and format indicated by the Sociology Department’s Peer Observation Form. Any given observation is required to be a minimum of 50 minutes in length.
  • Probationary candidates are expected to include all qualitative comments and quantitative SETE scores from courses taught in the year since the last review with their materials. Post tenure candidates for promotion are expected to include all qualitative comments and quantitative SETE scores since the candidate’s last promotion (or since joining SSU).
  • Probationary candidates are expected to include a summary table of all past individual SETE scores with their materials. Post tenure candidates for promotion are expected to include a summary table of all past individual SETE scores since the candidate’s last promotion (or since joining SSU).

SCHOLARSHIP, RESEARCH & CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS

The Sociology Department expects yearly progress in scholarship, culminating in substantive achievements by the time of tenure and/or promotion, including post tenure promotion. Acceptable evidence of scholarship includes the following activities:

  • Published book
  • Published article in peer-reviewed journal
  • Published article/chapter in non peer-reviewed scholarly journal/book
  • Service as an editor for a scholarly journal or press
  • Accepted book proposal and/or work on book manuscript to fulfill accepted proposal
  • Funded grant proposal and/or work on funded grant proposal activities
  • Published book review in scholarly journal
  • Submitted book proposal
  • Submitted grant proposal
  • Research report or scholarly paper presented at professional conference
  • Participation in professional meetings as discussant, committee member, or organizer
  • Publications for professional associations
  • Active engagement in professional development activities (e.g., engaged participation in the SSU Faculty Writing Program, Professional Development Subcommittee-sponsored events, Faculty Center events, and other relevant opportunities on and off campus)
  • Awards, honors or speaking engagements outside of SSU relevant to the candidate’s scholarly focus
  • Post-doctoral studies or continuing education in an area that deepens or augments the faculty member’s research

SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY AND TO THE COMMUNITY

  • The Sociology Department recognizes and honors the university service requirements inherent in a system of shared governance. The Department values the role that our faculty are expected to play in university service and requires engaged and substantive contributions at the department and university levels for positive recommendation for tenure and promotion.
  • Both departmental and university service contributions are expected to expand in quality and length each year as the probationary candidate moves toward tenure and promotion.
  • Candidates for post-tenure promotion are expected to demonstrate a consistent record of engaged and substantive contributions to service at the department and university level since their last promotion.
  • Probationary candidates are expected to consult with the Department RTP Committee Chair concerning suitable department and university service on an ongoing basis and prior to taking on or discontinuing service activity.
  • Candidates are reminded that the university RTP policy directs the Department RTP committee to evaluate a candidate’s contributions to university and community service taking into account the quality and length of service, as well as to specify whether the candidate was supported by release time for any given assignment and if the candidate was financially rewarded for any particular activity.
  • For probationary candidates who join SSU in the first year of the tenure track (without service credit): Candidates are expected to begin department service (including student advising) no later than the start of the second semester of their first year (first probationary year) and university service no later than the first semester of their third year (third probationary year). By the end of their second year (second probationary year), candidates are expected to be fully engaged in departmental service. By the first semester of their fourth year (fourth probationary year), they should be fully engaged in university service.
  • For probationary candidates who join SSU in the second year of the tenure track (with one year of service credit): candidates are expected to begin department service (including student advising) no later than the start of the second semester of their first year (second probationary year) and university service no later than first semester of their second year (third probationary year). By the end of their second year (third probationary year) at SSU, candidates are expected to be fully engaged in departmental service. By the first semester of their third year (fourth probationary year), they should be fully engaged in university service.
  • For probationary candidates who join SSU in the third year of the tenure track (with two years of service credit): candidates are expected to begin department service (including student advising) no later than the start of the second semester of their first year (third probationary year) and university service no later than first semester of their second year (fourth probationary year) in the tenure track. By the first semester of their second year (fourth probationary year), candidates are expected to be fully engaged in departmental service. By the end of their second year (fourth probationary year), they should be fully engaged in university service.
  • The Sociology Department encourages active involvement in public service as well as service to the community.
  • Published policy and/or grant reports for non-profit or governmental agencies are an appropriate form of public or community service.
  • Following the university policy, the Department recognizes work as critic, reviewer, consultant, or similar duties for a scholarly journal or press as a form of public or community service.
  • Similarly, the Department recognizes service to the profession through active involvement in professional associations within the discipline of sociology (e.g., holding positions on committees, task forces, etc.) as a form or public or community service.