DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY TENURE AND PROMOTION CRITERIA
[Adopted 10/29/2018]

The Department of Sociology is strongly committed to and values all three academic areas
of research, teaching and service. The Department places a growing emphasis on research consistent with UNT's achievement of Tier 1 National Research University status.

CRITERIA FOR TENURE AND PROMOTION TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

The maximum probationary period for a faculty member appointed as an Assistant Professor is the equivalent of six (6) years of full‐time service. The sixth year will normally be the mandatory tenure‐review year, except in extraordinary circumstances in which a candidate for tenure and promotion may be reviewed early in the probationary period or may request that the probationary period be extended.

Candidates for tenure with promotion to Associate Professor are expected to fulfill some combination of the following criteria.

A. Research
• Publication of articles in peer-reviewed scholarly journals during the probationary period.
• Publication of a peer-reviewed book (or books) by a reputable publisher.
• Publication of chapters in peer-reviewed books and related projects.
• Publication of edited books and related projects.
• Application for and acquisition of external research grants as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator.
• Other types of relevant scholarly publications contributing to the candidate's standing.

These types of scholarship are ranked in preference as above. Articles in peer-reviewed journals count more than do book chapters. A book may be substituted for a certain number of journal articles, as specified at the end of this section. Publications resulting from previous tenure-track positions at other institutions are in part considered so long as the candidate maintains the sustained pace, consistency of publications while at UNT, which will be given a primary consideration.

Regarding quantitative expectations, the publication of six to eight articles in peer-reviewed journals is the primary criterion, although not the only one, as some combinations of publication types are permitted. Reaching the minimum quantity of publications does not guarantee tenure. Rather, it qualifies the candidate to be seriously considered for tenure and promotion. A holistic review of the candidate is undertaken, including contribution of the candidate to each multi-authored publication. Priority is in the following order: Single- or first-authorship as coequal, then second-author, and third-and-other-author. The candidate needs to be sole or first-author on at least three publications. Publishing with graduate students is also highly valued. In the case of multiple authorship, corresponding author in correspondence with a journal or publisher is used as a measure of first authorship. Publications with ten and more co-authors will be considered notes for the purpose of tenure and promotion.

Regarding distinctions of quality among scholarly venues, candidates for promotion and tenure are expected to have two or more of their publications in tier-1 outlets. In making quality distinctions among journals, the following table will be used:

Sociology Journals Interdisciplinary Journals
Tier 1 Google h-index > 20 (see Jacobs 2016*) or impact factor > 1.5 Impact factor > 2
Tier 2 Google h-index between 15-19; impact factor 1-1.4 impact factor between 1.5-1.9
Tier 3 Google h-index < 15; impact factor < 1 or no impact factor impact factor < 1.5 or no impact factor

*Jacobs, Jerry. "Journal Rankings in Sociology." The American Sociologist, 2016.

In making quality distinctions among scholarly venues for books, the following table will be used:

Presses
Tier 1 R1 University presses and highly regarded trade academic presses
Tier 2 Non-R1 University presses, and other presses that use peer-reviews to guide publication decisions (candidate includes documentation of peer review process in the T & P dossier)
Tier 3 Presses that do not use a peer-review process

Books published with subsidy presses that charge author fees or vanity presses will not count toward tenure and promotion.

In terms of a candidate's overall academic standing, it will be assessed through multiple measures that may include citation counts for candidate's publications; the impact factors of journals in which the candidate has published; and the h-index factor for individual scholars, which draws upon citations of conference presentations, articles in a wide range of journals, and books. Another crucial source for accessing a candidate's overall academic standing is external-reviewer letters. The value of external-reviewer letters lies primarily in a broader reputational approach to assessing visibility of scholars in their primary fields of specialization.

The above criteria permit combinations of publication types. The following examples illustrate, but do not exhaust, what is minimally expected for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor, consistent with the stipulation that at least three journal articles must be single/first-authored (while accounting for books):
• Publication of three single/first-authored full-length articles and three other articles--as opposed to short notes, reviews, technical reports, and the like--during the probationary period. The number of pages and words of articles should conform to particular journal requirements.
• Or publication of three single/first-authored articles, two other articles, and two book chapters or two edited books
• Or publication of three single/first-authored articles in combination with one book published by a university or trade academic press
• Or publication of three single/first-authored articles in combination with two book chapters and two edited books
• Or publication of three single/first-authored articles and one other article or two book chapters in combination with one or more external research grants of a substantial size as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator (over $100,000)
• Or publication of three single/first-authored articles and two other articles or three book chapters in combination with one or more external research grants of a minimum size (over $20,000) as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator

B. Teaching
Effective teaching performance is expected and is assessed by multiple measures contained in a teaching portfolio created by the candidate. A complete teaching portfolio must include student evaluations of teaching effectiveness and a statement of teaching philosophy. It may also include peer evaluations, syllabi, class outlines and other materials used in teaching.
Candidates for tenure and promotion are also expected to work with students outside of the classroom, such as serving on master's and doctoral committees, assisting and advising students in their research, and providing career guidance.

C. Service
For tenure and promotion, candidates are expected to have served on Departmental, College and/or University committees with a gradual increase during the probationary period, so that the faculty member can demonstrate being an important and contributing member of the academic community. This service includes contributions to the profession, such as manuscript reviewing, participating on grant panels, and/or chairing sessions at professional conferences.
In sum, candidates for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor are expected to demonstrate a holistic commitment to research, teaching and service excellence in accordance with the University's mission. However, research excellence will be given a primary emphasis as the most important factor for tenure and promotion consistent with UNT being and aspiring to remain a Tier 1 National Research University.
CRITERIA FOR PROMOTION TO FULL PROFESSOR

Promotion to the rank of professor requires evidence of sustained excellence in each of the three (3) domains of teaching, research, and service. Contributions exclusively in one area will not qualify an individual for promotion. Quality in one domain will not compensate for weakness in other domains.

Candidates for promotion to Full Professor are expected to fulfill since promotion to Associate Professor a combination of the following criteria.

A. Research
• Publication of articles in peer-reviewed scholarly journals
• Publication of a peer-reviewed book or books by a university or trade academic press
• Publication of chapters in peer-reviewed books and related projects
• Publication of edited books and related projects
• Application for and acquisition of external research grants as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator
• Other types of relevant scholarly publications contributing to the candidate's national or international standing

These types of scholarship are ranked in preference as above.

Regarding quantitative expectations, the publication of six to eight articles in peer-reviewed journals since promotion to Associate Professor is the primary criterion, although not the only one, as some combinations of publication types are permitted. Reaching the minimum quantity of publications does not guarantee promotion. Rather, it qualifies the candidate to be seriously considered for promotion. A holistic review of the candidate is undertaken, including contribution of the candidate to each multi-authored publication. Priority is in the following order: Single- or first-authorship as coequal, then second-author, and third-and-other-author. The candidate needs to be sole or first-author on at least four post-tenure publications. Publishing with graduate students is also highly valued. In the case of multiple authorship, corresponding author in correspondence with a journal or publisher is used as a measure of first authorship. Publications with ten and more co-authors will be considered notes for the purpose of promotion. Publications resulting from previous tenured positions at other institutions are in part considered so long as candidates maintain the sustained pace, consistency of publications while at UNT, which will receive a primary consideration.

The preceding criteria allow for combinations of the publication types noted above. The following examples illustrate what is minimally expected for promotion to Professor, consistent with the stipulation that at least four journal articles must be single/first-authored (while accounting for books):
• Publication of four peer-reviewed single/first-authored full-length articles and two other articles--as opposed to short notes, reviews, technical reports, and the like--since promotion to Associate Professor. The number of pages and words of articles should conform to particular journal requirements.
• Or publication of four peer-reviewed single/first-authored articles, one other article, and two book chapters
• Or publication of three peer-reviewed single/first-authored articles in combination with one single/first-authored, peer-reviewed book published by a university or trade academic press
• Or publication of four peer-reviewed single/first-authored articles in combination with one other article and two edited books
• Or publication of four peer-reviewed single/first-authored articles in combination with one or more external research grants of a substantial size as Principal Investigator (over $100,000).
• Or publication of four peer-reviewed single/first-authored articles and one other article or two book chapters in combination with one or more external research grants of a minimum size (over $20,000) as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator

Regarding distinctions of quality among scholarly venues, the tables included in the previous section will be used. Candidates for promotion are expected to have two or more of their post-tenure publications in tier-one publication outlets.

Candidates for promotion to Full are also evaluated in terms of national and/or international academic reputation. For the purpose of assessing academic reputation, the Google h-index factor for individual scholars will be used in conjunction with the letters of external reviewers. The calculation of the h-index factor for individual scholars draws upon citations of conference presentations, articles in a wide range of journals, and books. The value of the external-reviewer letters lies primarily in a broader reputational approach to assessing visibility of scholars in their primary fields of specialization. Candidates may include other data, such as citation counts for specific publications, in their promotion dossier if they deem the data relevant to assessing academic reputation.

B. Teaching
Teaching performance must be effective as indicated by multiple measures contained in a teaching portfolio. A teaching portfolio must include student evaluations of teaching effectiveness. It may also include peer evaluations, syllabi, class outlines and other materials used in teaching, integration of research and teaching, and recognition of teaching excellence since promotion to Associate Professor. Another expectation for promotion is working with students. Candidates seeking promotion to Full are expected to have taken a greater mentorship role with graduate students, including chairing master's and doctoral committees as well as serving as such committees, and assisting or advising students in their research and career.

C. Service
Expected service involves, at the minimum, sustained membership on several Departmental or College or University committees, in general proportionately to the number of research and teaching activities and capacities, since promotion to Associate Professor. The expectation is that the candidate will have taken on enhanced leadership roles, such as service as a journal reviewer, journal editor, member of an editorial board, an officer in a regional, national, or international scholarly organization, or membership on grant panels.
In sum, candidates for promotion to Full Professor will be expected to demonstrate a holistic commitment to research/scholarship, teaching and service excellence in accordance with the University's mission. However, research/scholarship excellence will be given a primary emphasis as the most important factor for promotion to Full Professor consistent with UNT being and aspiring to remain a Tier 1 National Research University.

 
Evaluation and Promotion of Lecturers

The department's Reappointment and Tenure committee is responsible for the reappointment and promotion process of non-tenure track faculty. Per University requirement, the committee must consist of no fewer than five (5) members. The promotion dossier must include all materials and information specified in section 06.005 "Non-Tenure Track Faculty Reappointment and Promotion" in Policies of the University of North Texas. Both the Chair of the Reappointment and Tenure Committee and the Department Chair must write a recommendation letter. Negative letters must follow the protocol set by the University in terms of giving sufficient written notice to the Lecturer, with explicit reasons for the negative decision and providing the Lecturer time to appeal the decision. The appeals procedure described in the aforementioned policy document will be followed.

A. Responsibilities and Expectations for Reappointment

Lecturers' primary responsibility is teaching and sustained competence and effectiveness in their field of instruction. Also, their responsibilities may involve, but are not limited to, undergraduate program development, service, professional development, student advising, and other student- related activities. Lecturers with appointments that exceed one year will be reviewed annually and must demonstrate teaching effectiveness.

B. Promotion

Senior Lecturer: To be eligible for Senior Lecturer, a faculty member must show a record of substantial and continued effectiveness in teaching and the equivalent of four years (eight semesters of full-time teaching) of college-level teaching and equivalent professional experience, as well as in other activities consistent with departmental needs. Candidates for promotion to Senior Lecturer must demonstrate their teaching effectiveness through student evaluations and annual merit reviews, and evidence of professional growth and development, including (but not limited) to course development, mentoring other instructional faculty, advising, and maintaining currency in the area of expertise through pedagogical development, conference participation, or research. Faculty promoted from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer receive a standard increase in base salary when the new rank appointment begins. Senior Lecturer appointment contracts are for up to five years and are renewed annually.

Principal Lecturer: To be eligible for Principal Lecturer, a faculty member must have a record of sustained excellence in teaching and have the equivalent of eight years of college-level teaching including at least four years (eight semesters of full-time teaching) at the Senior Lecturer rank, as well as in other activities consistent with departmental needs. Candidates for promotion to Principal Lecturer must demonstrate their teaching excellence through student evaluations and annual merit reviews, evidence of their leadership and professional development within the university, including (but not limited) to coordination of courses or curriculum areas, new course development, mentoring other instructional faculty, advising, and maintaining currency in the area of expertise through pedagogical development, conference participation, and research. Principal Lecturer appointment contracts are for up to five years and are renewed annually.