2008 Woodie Awards
Tenure awarded to 12 professors
Karie Schmidt, Student Reporter
Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: News
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Filling out teacher evaluations at the end of the semester may seem like a waste of time but for ACU professors, this can be an aid on the path to promotion and tenure.
This year, 17 faculty members received tenure or a promotion,
and nine of these 17 received both.
Professors can begin applying for tenure and a promotion five years after they begin teaching at a university, and they can receive tenure with their sixth year teaching at the institution.
"Tenure does make you feel good because your peers acknowledge you as a good person and teacher," said Dr. Neal Coates, associate professor of political science, who received tenure and a promotion.
According to the Adams Center For Teaching Excellence
Web site and academic tradition, tenure is designed to give professors the necessary freedom for scholarship and progress in their disciplines. Tenure also affirms the individual faculty member's contributions to ACU and verifies the institution's long-term commitment to the faculty members' pursuit of
knowledge. Promotions are based on professional preparations,
performance of duties and fidelity to the Christian purposes of the University.
"It's an honor and relief… it's job security more than anything else," said Dr. Jeffrey Wherry, professor of psychology, who received tenure.
Applicants who wish to receive tenure or a promotion must apply and turn in an extensive portfolio to their department and the university tenure promotion committee. The committee
is comprised of five members, including Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen, provost of the university. VanRheenen told the Optimist last year that the application process is a learning process for the applicants, which usually begins as soon as they begin working for the university.
"Students provide ratings and comments, and those comments are not ignored and can supplement an application for tenure," Wherry said. These comments are submitted in the portfolio that the professors send to their colleagues and the tenure promotions committee. Students are not the only people who have say in how the professor ranks. Dr. Wherry said his psychology colleagues rate him before anyone else.
This year, 17 faculty members received tenure or a promotion,
and nine of these 17 received both.
Professors can begin applying for tenure and a promotion five years after they begin teaching at a university, and they can receive tenure with their sixth year teaching at the institution.
"Tenure does make you feel good because your peers acknowledge you as a good person and teacher," said Dr. Neal Coates, associate professor of political science, who received tenure and a promotion.
According to the Adams Center For Teaching Excellence
Web site and academic tradition, tenure is designed to give professors the necessary freedom for scholarship and progress in their disciplines. Tenure also affirms the individual faculty member's contributions to ACU and verifies the institution's long-term commitment to the faculty members' pursuit of
knowledge. Promotions are based on professional preparations,
performance of duties and fidelity to the Christian purposes of the University.
"It's an honor and relief… it's job security more than anything else," said Dr. Jeffrey Wherry, professor of psychology, who received tenure.
Applicants who wish to receive tenure or a promotion must apply and turn in an extensive portfolio to their department and the university tenure promotion committee. The committee
is comprised of five members, including Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen, provost of the university. VanRheenen told the Optimist last year that the application process is a learning process for the applicants, which usually begins as soon as they begin working for the university.
"Students provide ratings and comments, and those comments are not ignored and can supplement an application for tenure," Wherry said. These comments are submitted in the portfolio that the professors send to their colleagues and the tenure promotions committee. Students are not the only people who have say in how the professor ranks. Dr. Wherry said his psychology colleagues rate him before anyone else.
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