This document serves as a supplement to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Faculty Standards of Competence and Performance to provide additional expectations appropriate to the department’s discipline. It serves to clarify how the collegiate standards can be applied and evaluated within the department.
Department values statement
Department values statement
In accordance with their track and rank, faculty in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences are expected to make significant and sustained contributions to knowledge, mentor undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs, train clinical scientists, deliver rigorous classroom instruction, and provide meaningful service to the department, college, university, and profession. In all of these endeavors, we embrace a growth model that encourages and rewards efforts on the part of faculty at all levels to continuously improve their knowledge and skills. Our collective goal is to continually improve the quality of our contributions so as to raise the reputation and visibility of the department and help our trainees achieve their professional goals.
Tenure-track faculty expectations
All tenure-track ranks
All tenure-track ranks
Teaching
- When appropriate and possible, it is expected that faculty will recruit and effectively mentor postdoctoral scholars.
Research
- The department does not stipulate a particular rate of publications or set of journals, but a rule of thumb is that each research-active faculty member will maintain a laboratory that produces an average of at least 2-3 publications in reputable, peer-reviewed journals each year. Assistant professors are expected to work toward that level of productivity as the tenure year approaches.
- A reputable scientific journal is characterized by a commitment to rigorous peer review, high-quality production standards, and transparent editorial policies. Other characteristics include an active and distinguished editorial board, inclusion in reputable indexing databases (e.g., Web of Science), high rejection rates, and a history of publishing credible research.
- The department values research contributions that significantly advance knowledge in the field, are performed rigorously, are innovative, and are communicated transparently.
- The department acknowledges that subdisciplines differ widely with regard to the time and effort required to produce a significant empirical or theoretical publication. Accordingly, it is anticipated that even the most accomplished faculty members may have very different rates of productivity.
- The department recognizes a variety of markers of increasing reputation. For example, invitations to give talks at other institutions and at conferences are a sign of the visibility of a scholar’s research program, and also are beneficial to the faculty member’s trainees and the department. Other markers include awards from prestigious societies, receipt of an endowed position, editing special issues for reputable journals, and organizing scientific conferences, workshops, and symposia.
- Grants enable faculty to sustain and expand their research programs while supporting the development of their trainees. They also strengthen the department’s reputation both internally and externally, and generate funds that help address critical departmental needs. Research-active faculty without funding are expected to submit grants (e.g., to Federal agencies and foundations) on a regular basis (e.g., for associate and full professors, at least 1-2 submissions per year).
- The department acknowledges that extraordinary circumstances may arise that severely limit opportunities for external funding. When such circumstances arise, other metrics of likely future success (e.g., strong scores on submitted grants) may be considered in annual or promotional reviews.
Service
- Senior faculty are generally expected to mentor and support more junior faculty, especially when requested to do so by the DEO as part of the departmental mentoring system.
Assistant professor
Assistant professor
Teaching
- Effectively mentor graduate students and guide them toward the PhD in a timely manner.
- Note that the department does not expect assistant professors to complete a doctoral student before the promotion-and-tenure year.
Research
- Develop an increasingly active and visible research program and a steadily increasing rate of significant publications that are authored independently of former mentors.
- Submit grant proposals and secure major funding to support research beyond the promotion-and-tenure year.
Associate professor
Associate professor
Teaching
- Effectively mentor graduate students and guide them to the PhD in a timely manner.
Research
- It is expected that associate professors will accumulate evidence of increasing reputation.
- Maintain major external funding to support research and trainees.
Service
- Expand the range of service contributions within the department.
Full professor
Full professor
Teaching
- Continue to effectively mentor graduate students and guide them to the PhD in a timely manner.
Research
- It is expected that full professors will possess a national and international reputation and maintain a research program that further enhances that reputation.
- Maintain major funding to support research and trainees.
Service
- Expand the range of service contributions within the department by, for example, serving as chair of a search committee or promotion committee.
Instructional-track faculty expectations
Assistant professor of instruction/practice
Assistant professor of instruction/practice
No additions or clarifications to the CLAS standards.
Associate professor of instruction/practice
Associate professor of instruction/practice
Teaching
- Participate in professional development opportunities to further grow as an instructor and stay informed about current instructional practices.
Service
- Expand the range of service contributions within the department.
Full professor of instruction/practice
Full professor of instruction/practice
Teaching
- Participate in professional development opportunities to further grow as an instructor and stay informed about current instructional practices.
Service
- Expand the range of service contributions within the department by, for example, serving as chair of a promotion committee for instructional-track faculty.
- Contribute to discussions on effective teaching practices in the department, college, and broader professional community.
Clinical-track faculty expectations
All clinical-track ranks
All clinical-track ranks
Teaching
- Engage in clinical teaching and supervision in alignment with the needs of the department.
Clinical practice
- Work effectively within a system to appropriately balance the interests of multiple stakeholder groups (e.g., students, department, recipients of services).
Clinical assistant professor
Clinical assistant professor
No additional unique expectations beyond those outlined for all faculty in the CLAS and PBS standards.
Clinical associate professor
Clinical associate professor
Service
- Expand the range of service contributions within the department.
Clinical professor
Clinical professor
Service
- Expand the range of service contributions within the department by, for example, serving as chair of a promotion committee for clinical-track faculty.