Abstract
This article addresses the complexities of promotion, tenure, and merit decisions in higher education, emphasizing the variability of criteria across institutions and even within campuses. While teaching, scholarship, and service remain the standard categories, their definitions, relative weight, and assessment methods differ widely, creating uncertainty for faculty and administrators alike. The discussion highlights how personal commitments and oral statements by administrators often conflict with the institutional memory, which rests solely on written records. To ensure fairness and consistency, the argument stresses the importance of documenting expectations, criteria, and evaluations in writing, thereby protecting both faculty and institutions. Ultimately, clear, written standards are presented as essential to aligning individual careers with institutional goals and maintaining integrity in personnel decisions.
Recommended Citation
Young, Ronald R.
(1987)
"Standards for Promotion, Tenure, and Merit Decisions,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 60, Article 18.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol60/iss1/18
