All faculty should attend this semester's promotion workshops, not only those who are eligible for promotion this year. Dates and times below. (photo by Cynthia Eaton)

Over the years, as a union officer, I have had many occasions to meet and speak with faculty from all disciplines across the college. During the course of those conversations individual interests, professional ambitions and pedagogical beliefs inevitably come up and those conversations have always been my favorite part of being a union officer.

Of course I do enjoy the work we as officers do to protect the rights of all faculty but that work would be much more difficult without knowing the goals of individual departments and the incredible work our faculty do to reach those goals.

Although there are many ways that institutions may recognize the work you do I think most faculty, reasonably so, tend to focus on the one that also happens to bring monetary reward: promotion.

No matter where you work or what position you are in, there are always great myths associated with the promotion process such as, “It’s all about who you know!” or “You have to run yourself ragged serving on a million committees or you’ll never get promoted!” To be honest in some industries and professions they are more reality than myth. But as chair of the college personnel committee (and union VP), I am proud to say at SCCC they are myth.

Meet the mythbusting team

In the coming weeks faculty who meet the time-in-rank requirements for promotion will receive letters from the college informing them of their eligibility for promotion.
Although I am not part of the final decision-making process (that belongs to the college promotion committee which is composed of the three executive deans and college AVP’s and VP’s), along with the individual CPC reps, I am here to advocate for you and assist you through the entire process, which includes the development of your application.

If you’re up for promotion now or in the near future, the first thing you should do is attend one of the upcoming campus promotion workshops. These workshops are led by me and your campus executive dean: Wes Lundburg (Ammerman), Dee Laffin (Eastern) and Jim Keane (Grant). During the workshop faculty will learn the specific process regarding promotion, the procedures for applying for promotion and the evaluation process.

Because faculty are held to the same standard on all three campuses, it doesn’t matter which workshop you attend; you will get the same advice from me and all three executive deans.

All faculty will receive the official workshop announcement and RSVP, via email, in the next couple of weeks. The events are already listed on the FA website and are open for registration. For planning purposes please note that promotion workshops will be held on the following dates during common hour:

• Eastern: March 16
• Grant: March 30
• Ammerman: April 6

So, why should you attend, especially if you’ve attended one in the past?

1. The expectations for promotion are different for each rank.
2. Each applicant has a unique situation—individual experiences with teaching/working, service and professional development—so this is your chance to get answers to your own questions from me and your campus executive dean.

Eligibility for adjuncts and full-time faculty

If you are full time and plan to apply, remember that although the full application is not due until June 15, you must submit the cover page of the A Form to your chair or immediate supervisor by May 15, 2016.

If you are an adjunct, the full application is due by March 13, 2016.

Applying for assistant professor

For this year’s promotion cycle, all full-time faculty hired with the rank of instructor on or before September 2014 or hired January or February 2015 are eligible to apply for promotion to assistant professor by June 15, 2016. Adjuncts who have served for at least 10 semesters with 39 teaching hours need to apply by March 2016 for promotion to adjunct assistant professor.

Applying for associate professor

Full-time faculty hired with the rank of assistant professor or granted a promotion to assistant professor on or before September 2013 or hired January or February 2014 with the rank of assistant professor are eligible to apply for promotion to associate professor by June 15, 2016. Adjuncts who have served for at least 14 semesters or obtained 54 teaching hours as adjunct assistant professor need to apply by March 2016 for promotion to adjunct associate professor.

Applying for professor

Full-time faculty hired with the rank of associate professor or granted a promotion to associate professor on or before September 2012 or hired January or February 2013 with the rank of associate professor are eligible to apply for promotion to professor by June 15, 2016. Adjuncts who have served for at least 18 semesters or obtained 69 teaching hours as adjunct associate professor need to apply by March 2016 for promotion to adjunct professor.

Applying for PA and specialist ranks

Full-time faculty hired with the rank of PA, PA1 or specialist or granted a promotion to PA, PA1 or specialist on or before September 2013 or hired January or February 2014 with the rank of PA, PA1 or specialist are eligible to apply for promotion to PA1, PA2 or specialist 2 (respectively) by June 15, 2016. Adjuncts who have served for at least 14 semesters adjunct professional assistant 1 need to apply by March 2016 for promotion to adjunct professional assistant 2.

Note: If you were an adjunct for at least 30 credit hours and then hired as full-time faculty member, the time in rank needed for the first promotion is reduced by one year.

Finally, all full-time promotions (for those applying in June 2016) will be effective September 2017. Adjunct faculty promotions (for those who apply in March 2016) will be effective in September 2016.

If you have any questions regarding the promotion process feel free to contact me and please consider attending the promotion workshop to bust any myths you’ve heard and get all the information you need to be successful.