This does not constitute an employment contract.

American University
College of Arts and Sciences
 

Department of Performing Arts
Statement of Understanding Regarding the Evaluation of Tenure-Track and Tenured Performing Arts Faculty

Approved by the voting faculty of the department on September 11, 2024
Approved by the Office of the Provost December 2024

The following guidelines seek to clarify the process of merit consideration, reappointment, tenure-track evaluation, appointment with tenure, and promotion of performing arts faculty in the categories of scholarship, teaching, and service. These guidelines are governed by and subject to the current American University Faculty Manual, and the clarifications provided in the current “Instructions for Submitting Files for Action” (from the Committee on Faculty Actions and the Dean of Faculty).

The Department of Performing Arts is committed to equity in faculty actions. All faculty appointments, reappointments, and promotions must support the university’s mission by demonstrating AU’s commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, as expressed in AU’s Plan for Inclusive Excellence (2018 and 2021), as amended, and the ethos and culture of inquiry, as articulated in the Faculty Senate’s Statement of Values on Free Expression (May 2022), as amended. Every faculty action presents an opportunity to acknowledge and reward the full range of a colleague’s achievements. Faculty reviewers are encouraged to recognize multiple pathways taken by candidates to achieve excellence in all areas of their work. Substantive weight should be given in faculty reviews to cross-disciplinary and community-based accomplishments and contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion in teaching and activities associated with service and currency in the field.

An initial version of these guidelines was approved by a vote of the faculty on February 11, 2011, by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences on February 15, 2011, and by the Provost of the University on February 16, 2011. Revisions were approved by a vote of faculty on April 8, 2015, November 20, 2019, April 22, 2020, March 1, 2023, September 25, 2023 and September 11, 2024.

A. Scholarship/Creative/Professional Work

A.1. The Department of Performing Arts expects faculty to make innovative and impactful contributions to their fields and to demonstrate the excellence of their work through clear evidence of its positive impact, reach, or evaluation (see A.6.).

A.2. The Faculty Manual provides a broad definition of scholarship that includes “research, scholarship, creative or professional activity.” All references to scholarship, scholarly work, or scholarly activities within this document are to be viewed in an inclusive spirit as referencing any or all these activity areas.

A.3. The Department of Performing Arts honors and supports inclusive and innovative scholarship that demonstrates excellence beyond conventional academic measures. Examples of inclusive scholarship include, but are not limited to:

• Community-based scholarship that centers participants as co-authors and collaborators;
• Public-facing scholarship that animates public discourse that is inclusive of all communities;
• Research that uses creative experimentation and production as a means of inquiry;
• Working in cross-disciplinary and intellectually diverse research teams;
• Disseminating outputs to diverse audiences, which may entail using non-traditional outlets that are open source, or similarly accessible;
• Engaging in other open practices, such as:
  • Putting pre-prints and manuscripts in repositories;
  • Pre-registering protocols;
  • Making research data, presentation materials, code, or other research materials openly available.

A.4. Faculty members at all levels are expected to demonstrate continued substantive development, growth, and increasing visibility or impact in their scholarly work. The candidate’s portfolio should demonstrate a clear and discernible trajectory of ongoing work that speaks to their contributions and impact within the discipline.

A.5. A faculty member’s portfolio may be directed toward publication, professional work, creative work, artistic performance, or a combination of these as long as a clear agenda appropriate to the individual’s discipline is articulated and a discernible forward trajectory of ongoing work is maintained. In making an overall assessment of scholarly activities, the Department of Performing Arts will employ a multidimensional process of evaluation as described below.

A.6. The assessment of scholarly enterprises in the performing arts is based on the following principal components, both separately and in combination:

• Nature of Project and Participation
• Venue/Dissemination
• Evaluation, Reception, and Impact

A.6.1. Nature of Project and Participation
Faculty should place the scholarly work in context and identify their role. For collaborative projects, faculty must clearly articulate the nature of their participatory role and identify their contributions and involvement. A description of the collaborators’ professional qualifications should be included when appropriate.

For cases in which project preparation involves significant research or development that is not apparent in the final work, the faculty member must persuasively articulate how this form of scholarship informs the project.

Scholarly work in progress is understood to be a sign of continued forward trajectory but is rarely evaluated at par with that of completed work products.

A.6.2. Venue/Dissemination
The concept of venue is used here in a very broad sense, encompassing physical spaces (concert hall, theater, gallery), printed and digital media (journal, publisher, record label, digital platform), presenting bodies (arts or other nonprofit organization, broadcasting agency, foundation), and other forms of publication, distribution, and dissemination. Because of the variety of venues and outlets available to faculty in the Department of Performing Arts and the traditions within each discipline, the range and types of venues will vary based on the individual candidate’s area of specialization. Faculty members must clearly articulate the importance of venues through which they present their work and provide documentation and supportive materials to help evaluators assess the significance of each venue relative to the aims of the work.

The Department of Performing Arts expects faculty to place their work in top-ranked outlets and significant venues. The faculty manual emphasizes achievements of the highest quality and with national or international impact. While this may vary by discipline the department also recognizes that some local and regional outlets may allow for innovative or cutting-edge work. In these cases, it is the candidate’s responsibility to articulate how local, regional, national, and international venues are important to their specific work and discipline.

Public scholarship, including community-based work are also valued as part of a faculty member’s portfolio.

A.6.3. Evaluation, Reception, and Impact
The Department expects its faculty to have strong reputations in their fields. Qualified peer and outside reviewer testimonials are critical and required for establishing the reputation of the faculty member and their work. Critical evaluation in the performing arts can occur either before, during, or after the realization of the product. Faculty must provide documentation regarding the process of assessment, rates of acceptance (where appropriate), and qualification of the reviewing body or individuals. Directly requested testimony by colleagues, external evaluators, and invited adjudicators is acceptable as supplemental evaluation, but is not usually considered to be as valuable as independent peer-reviewed evaluation.

Invitations, commissions, public testimony, and applied research can be indicators of a faculty member’s reputation and standing in the field. Likewise, the attainment of competitive grants, awards, honors, fellowships, and other forms of recognition can be a valuable component in assessing a faculty member’s professional profile. Faculty must provide an explanation and documentation regarding the process of assessment and selection, as well as the qualifications or importance of the inviting, commissioning, or awarding bodies or individuals.

The repetition and frequency of performances of newly created works, editions, or other creative materials, especially in new venues and by different organizations, can be indicative of positive reception. As with other forms of scholarly work, the importance of venues relative to the aims of the work must be articulated.

Faculty are also encouraged to include evaluation, reception, and impact measures beyond the potentially bias-entrenching approaches of impact scores and citation counts. Additional ways of judging scholarly impact include the following, as recommended by AU’s University Library:

• Altmetrics, such as views, downloads, and other measures of engagement with an output
• Qualitative information such as reviews, testimonies, or surveys.

A.7. A File for Action will emphasize the work completed while at American University, but any assessment will be based on the aggregate productivity and impact of the faculty member’s work since degree completion, consistent with the Faculty Manual [Section 10 (a) iii].

A.8. Productivity and impact are expected to be consistent with the standards of the faculty member’s specific discipline. Because scholarly works in the arts can follow a wide variety of timelines and completion requirements, the faculty member is expected to articulate the relationship between quality and quantity. Productivity is expected to remain steady, and the trajectory of a faculty member’s work should be clearly articulated in their File for Action in order to demonstrate likelihood of continued impact and success. Likewise, during any review process within the DPA, the Rank and Tenure Committee and Chair should provide the candidate with clear feedback that aligns with stated expectations in the faculty member’s discipline and this document.

A.9. Submission of a File for Action on the date requested by the Department will constitute the last date for placement of scholarship materials in the file, with updates allowed for reporting publication acceptance(s) or other scholarly activities already referenced in the file (following the procedures provided by the Committee on Faculty Action’s “Instructions for Submitting Files for Action”).

B. Teaching

NOTE: Current faculty resources for teaching portfolios are available on the Provost’s website. Please see https://www.american.edu/provost/academicaffairs/facultyresources.cfm

B.1. The Department of Performing Arts supports and expects high standards of teaching excellence across our faculty – tenured, tenure-track, term, adjunct, and guests. And while the selection, renewal, and promotion guidelines for these categories of faculty follow different policies at the university, we seek to align our standards as much as possible across all categories of faculty appointment.

B.2. To assess and evaluate teaching during the reappointment, tenure, and promotion process, the Department of Performing Arts uses a multidimensional “portfolio” approach. Files for action in the DPA must adhere to all university requirements. At least one written assessment, made within the last two academic years by a faculty member from inside or outside the teaching unit, is required for all actions for promotion.

B.3. Teaching in the performing arts often includes production and performance, with extended rehearsal and working with students outside scheduled sessions. Faculty members involved in such experiential teaching should articulate the nature of the work, the time commitment, and the outcomes.

B.4. Faculty who are engaged in community-based teaching activities are encouraged to include evidence of the significance and impact of this work. These activities may include faculty-led workshops, master classes, training sessions, or other educational activities that engage faculty as artists, practitioners, managers, and educators at venues or institutions beyond the university.

B.5. In this spirit and given the Department’s commitments, the Department encourages the adoption, development, and promotion of “inclusive and antiracist teaching strategies to enhance classroom climate” (“AU Plan for Inclusive Excellence,” Goal 1, Action Step 2). Such strategies may include various types of antiracist pedagogies and inclusive course design to account for learners from diverse backgrounds. Following the AU “Guidelines Updates,” the Department notes that “inclusive excellence in teaching may be applied not only in the classroom, but also in office hours, independent studies, student research supervision, recommendations of students for merit awards, career advising, and other teaching-related settings.

C. Service

Service to the University

C.1. In addition to the expectations in the Faculty Manual regarding service, the Department of Performing Arts considers internal service to be an important component of a faculty member’s work. Evaluation of service in the Performing Arts is made by examining contributions within the university at the varied levels listed below, as well as by considering the important contributions to external organizations within a candidate’s field.

Service to the student: faculty are expected to post and hold office hours, write letters of recommendation, provide mentoring, and make themselves accessible to students.

Service to the program: faculty members are expected to attend program meetings, and to participate in auditions, juries, recruitment, committees, and various other projects.

Service to the department: faculty members are expected to attend and participate in faculty meetings, serve on committees, attend performances and department events, and be active participants in department conversations.

Service to the college: faculty members are encouraged to serve on college-wide committees and/or to work with college-specific initiatives, although this level of service for tenure-track faculty needs to be carefully balanced against their necessary focus on scholarship and teaching.

Service to the university: Tenured faculty members are encouraged to run for Faculty Senate positions and/or to serve on university-wide committees and initiatives.

C.1.1. The public nature of the performing arts means that faculty members are often asked to present or perform for other constituents in the university. This is considered an important and valued component of university service. The effort required in mounting such performances or production-related events – such as outreach, receptions, panels, etc. – is evaluated as service.

C.1.2. The Department of Performing Arts also recognizes faculty contributions to an inclusive climate, culture, and community as important forms of service. These can include, but are not limited to:

• Contributions to activities that promote recruitment and mentoring of students and faculty inclusive of all backgrounds;
• Membership, and especially leadership, on DEI-related committees;
• Serving as faculty advisor for student groups;
• Work on processes, policies, and tools that promote equitable and inclusive practices within the department, the college, or across the university, including revising search committee criteria, job descriptions and evaluations, evaluation of proposed curricula, etc.;
• Work on events to promote a diversity of perspectives, ideas, and creative expression;
• Less formal mentoring of students inclusive of all backgrounds;
• Participation in workshops aimed at facilitating community discussions about DEI issues.

Service Beyond the University

C.2. The Department of Performing Arts considers external service to be an important component of a faculty member’s work. In evaluating service, the Department of Performing Arts will consider the faculty member’s commitment and standing with professional organizations beyond the university. Faculty must articulate the importance of the work and how it benefits both the faculty member’s and the university’s stature.

C.3. In support of inclusive excellence across our disciplines as well as in our university, this external service can also include:

• Efforts to advance opportunities for students from all backgrounds through membership, internships, fellowships, and awards in professional organizations;
• Presentation of papers at, and participation in, professional or creative associations or meetings related to the needs of all communities;
• Engagement in seminars, conferences, or institutes that address the concerns of all groups;
• Participation in service that applies up-to-date knowledge to problems, issues, and concerns of all groups;
• Election to office, or undertaking service to professional and learning societies, including editorial work, or peer reviewing for a national or international organization addressing disparities in access to higher education;
• Selection for special public service activities and invitations to give talks within the field that address the needs of culturally diverse groups.

D. Promotion to Professor

D.1. The assessment guidelines for promotion to Professor follow the same general criteria for scholarship, teaching, and service outlined above, but must also show the following:

D.1.1. Scholarship: Candidates for the rank of Professor are expected to show continued visibility and impact in their scholarship and prominent accomplishments in the field. As with promotion to Associate Professor, the portfolio should demonstrate a clear and discernible forward trajectory of ongoing work that speaks to their contributions and stature within the discipline, as well as evidence of sustained impact.

D.1.2. Teaching: Candidates for the rank of Professor are expected to show continued quality teaching and, where appropriate, the development of new courses for their program or department, assistance in curricular redesign for their program or department, and mentoring of individual students as the need shall arise.

D.1.3. Service to the University: Candidates for the rank of Professor are expected to show a wide range of significant service contributions to the department, the college, and to the university. This may include service to thesis committees, service as Department Chair, and service to college-wide or university-wide committees (standing and ad hoc) and task forces. A strong record of mentoring in the areas of scholarship, teaching, and service is essential for promotion to Professor.

D.1.4. Service Beyond the University: A significant record of external service to professional organizations or other institutions is also expected. External service commitments should be indicative of the strong professional standing of the faculty member. Obligations should include commitments such as: principal roles within professional artistic organizations; working as a member of an editorial board; serving on active committees for the drafting of guidelines or procedures; serving as members or leaders of conference or symposium planning committees; holding state, regional, or national offices within professional organizations; serving as an external tenure reviewer for another institution; serving as a pre-press reviewer for an important publisher; or other service work that can be shown to make a significant contribution to the welfare of one’s discipline and its related community of professionals.

E. Activities Applicable to More than One Area of Review

E.1. In some cases, a performing arts faculty member will have to determine where best to place in their file or vitae a project that may fit more than one of the three categories of scholarship, teaching, and service. Activities should not be included in more than one area. The candidate may, however, choose to direct readers to other sections of the file containing additional pertinent or related activities that further inform another category.

F. Work Samples in the Performing Arts

F.1. Faculty members who are submitting files for promotion and/or tenure will be asked to provide materials for both internal evaluation and external referees. Guidelines provided by the Committee on Faculty Actions (CFA) should be adhered to regarding the selection and presentation of these materials. Given the variety of disciplines within the department, however, it will be the faculty member’s responsibility to provide applicable off-prints, media (audio, video or other forms), or materials considered appropriate and acceptable to those within their specific field. If the faculty member has any questions regarding the kinds of materials that should be provided, they must consult with the Department Chair prior to compiling the portfolio for external evaluation. In some cases, external readers may request additional materials during their evaluation process. The Department Chair, in consultation with the Dean, will determine if the requests are reasonable, and if so, the candidate will be responsible for providing any additional materials to the degree to which they are available.

F.2. In addition, all work samples of performance/production, other creative, scholarly, or professional work, regardless of the media, must be appropriately labeled or accompanied by an additional record with the details for each element provided, including:

• date of publication/performance/production/presentation;
• candidate’s role in the work product;
• title or brief description of the work (this can be presented in the candidate’s narrative);
• if appropriate, title and type of ensemble/company (i.e. professional, student, honors, or other);
• if appropriate, whether the performance/production was live or studio produced, or if there was any editing of the media.

F.3. When preparing samples of performance, production, scholarly, or other creative work for external referees, faculty members are asked to provide an assortment of samples that address the various areas in which the faculty member has produced work.