Promotion and Tenure criteria for Penn State Harrisburg's School of Science, Engineering, and Technology (SSET) faculty are consistent with the established missions of the School, the College, and the University.
It is the mission of the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology to acquire, evaluate, disseminate, and advance technical knowledge and applications in the fields of computer science, engineering, engineering technology, mathematics, and the natural sciences. Land-grant principles provide the historic and philosophic basis for the School's programs, which through "liberal and practical education," prepare graduates for specialized technical occupations.
It is mandated therefore that faculty excel in the areas of teaching, research, and service, and will be measured in terms of the outcomes relevant to the nature of the School's curricula, and diverse areas of expertise. The School recognizes differences in disciplines represented within its programs and emphasizes a balance of effort and efficacy in scholarship stemming from basic and applied research, research advising, teaching, outreach, curriculum development, academic advising, and service to the School, College, University, profession, and community.
I. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Excellence in teaching is defined as the candidate's effectiveness in providing education, integrating educational material, applying that material in and across the curriculum, and discovery that results from teaching activities. It is expected that faculty will teach courses as assigned by the program, including general education courses as needed and in accordance with the Candidate’s expertise and School’s needs. Teaching efficacy may apply to assigned credit courses including residential, hybrid, and online courses, and continuing education.
Activities that can demonstrate excellence in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Excellent teaching as demonstrated by strong positive reviews by peers* and students
[* Each faculty candidate undergoing P&T review will be asked to submit names of five faculty peers willing to provide a teaching peer evaluation to the School Director. All proposed faculty must be tenured and at the rank higher than the rank of the candidate. Two of the faculty must be outside the candidate’s department. School Director will ask at least 3 of the proposed faculty to provide a written peer teaching evaluation. To the extent possible, these 3 faculty should not be serving on the School or College P&T committee.] - Use of professional development opportunities to improve teaching
- Development of new courses to reflect programmatic improvements
- Significant course updates to reflect new professional standards and expectations
- New methods of course delivery
- Development of new tools and materials to enhance student learning
- Supervision of undergraduate research activities, such as capstone projects or honors’ theses
- Development of laboratories and laboratory experiments
- Use of research expertise to develop new courses and program specialties
- Use of research expertise to develop and disseminate information on the use of new instructional technologies
- Undergraduate and graduate student academic advising
- The primary means for documenting teaching performance shall be peer and student evaluations, supplemented by the other activities above. Peer evaluations shall be based on classroom visits and the instructor's course materials. Student evaluations shall be based on compilations of Student Ratings of Teaching Effectiveness (SRTEs).
II. The Scholarship of Research and Creative Accomplishments
Excellence in research is defined as the candidate's contributions in investigation and discovery, the integration of that discovery into other research and teaching activities, the application of material learned to real-life problems, and the imparting of that knowledge to students and society as a teacher and mentor. Progress in the scholarship of research and creative accomplishments may be demonstrated by the following:
- Reputable refereed journal articles.
- Publication of refereed articles in reputable conference proceedings. It is recognized that in some SSET disciplines refereed proceedings in reputable conferences are the preeminent form of publishing.
- Refereed books, monographs, and book chapters
- Professional conference proceedings
- Submitted grant proposals. Success in securing external funding for research will be viewed as an important part of the scholarly accomplishments
- Presentations at national/international, regional, and local conferences
- Provisional patents, patents, or other intellectual property related to the faculty member's technical specialty
- Research reports to sponsor
- Published textbooks and laboratory manuals
- Development and publication of computer software
- Dissemination of peer reviewed research findings in mediums other than conventional publications
- Outreach that demonstrates the use of the candidate’s expertise, such as collaborations with faculty from other campuses or universities and industry
External letters of assessment from experts who are knowledgeable in the candidate’s field will be solicited by the University as part of the Promotion and Tenure process and added to the review of the candidate’s qualifications.
Evaluation of the research and scholarly output of faculty will be based on the research expectations of their profession.
III. Service and the Scholarship of Service to the University, Society and Profession
Excellence in service is defined as the candidate's effectiveness in applying his or her expertise to academic, professional, and societal aspects of service at the School, College, and University levels. Faculty may pursue service by sharing expertise with professional and learned societies, participation in community, government, corporate, and clinical pursuits, as well as task forces, authorities, and hearings. Meaningful contributions may be demonstrated in one or more of the following categories:
- Internal service to Program, School, College, and/or University, including Faculty Senate Committees and/or Student Organizations
- Active and sustained contributions to the profession
- Dissemination of knowledge to the general public as a representative of the University
- Active participation in civic and service organizations using the candidate’s expertise
Attributes of an Associate Professor
An Associate Professor in the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology has established an area or areas of expertise that allow them to apply the scholarship to teaching, scholarly research and writing, grants activity, and service to the School, College, discipline, and community. The individual uses their expertise to add, broaden, and apply the knowledge that is applicable to the classroom, to academic publishing, and to the concerns of the community.
An Associate Professor is an active participant in the affairs of the School, College, and University, through impactful teaching, engagement in faculty governance, careful advising of students, and mentoring of untenured faculty. They participate actively in the duties associated with program delivery, assessment, and improvement. They demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Through publishing, grants writing, participation in professional conferences and committees, and significant application of expertise to community and public affairs, the individual strives to develop a national reputation that reflects the quality and value of his or her scholarship.
Attributes of a Full Professor
The Professor in the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology has established a national and/or international reputation for excellence in a field or area of scientific endeavor. This is manifested through a combination of accomplishments including, but not limited to the following:
- high-impact publications and scholarly works (books, monographs, peer reviewed research reports, patents, etc.);
- sustained and nationally recognized research that advances the scholarship in their field. External funding of research will be viewed as a significant part of the scholarly accomplishments; and
- application of service, tools, and expertise in the advancement of their profession, all together enhancing visibility and peer recognition.
The Professor is thus considered a leader in their chosen field, as evidenced by the holding of leadership positions in professional/academic/civic organizations, membership on editorial and grant-review boards, regular participation in national and international conferences, invited speakerships, and other forms of intellectual exchange commensurate with the establishment of a productive and dynamic research group. The creative aspects of investigation at the Professorial level are expected to translate into the incorporation of current research, in concert with continued professional development, into existing and newly established courses, programs, activities and educational modalities that reflect the sustained and expected scholarship and excellence inherent in the Penn State Harrisburg cadre of SSET Professors.
The Professor also provides leadership in program management and development including the support and mentoring of faculty with less experience, as well as undergraduate and graduate students in their research activities. They demonstrate a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Within Penn State Harrisburg, the Professor takes leading roles in faculty governance through service on School, College, and University committees, and is expected to provide input into scholarly endeavors (e.g., Capstone Project) and hallmark programs (e.g., Honors Colleges). The Professor also works assiduously with peers to ensure the quality of School, College, and University undertakings, underpinning the advance and future well-being of our SSET student charges. This is cogently reflected by the integration of scholarship into the life of the academic community, with commitment to teaching and dedication to out-of-classroom, student-centered development representing the highest of values associated with the academic profession and rank of Professor.
Approved by Chancellor/Dean on May 24, 2023.