Revised: Approved by the School of Music, December 13, 2005
Approved by the USC Committee on T&P, July 2006
Introduction
General procedures governing faculty tenure and promotion have been approved by the voting members of the faculty of the University of South Carolina and are outlined in the most recent edition of The Faculty Manual (detailed guidelines appear in A Guide to USC-Columbia Tenure and Promotion Procedures issued by the University Committee on Tenure and Promotion). Specific guidelines and methods of carrying out the University procedures in the School of Music are set forth in this document
Statement of Mission
Music is an essential component of the human experience. The University of South Carolina School of Music exists to transform lives through excellence in music teaching, performance, creative activities, research, and service. Toward these ends, the school endeavors to:
- prepare musicians for professional careers and leadership in music teaching, performance, composition, research, and related fields;
- serve as a cultural and educational center of excellence for the State of South Carolina and the nation;
- generate research and other creative activities in music that have local, national, and international impact;
- provide meaningful music experiences for all University students through courses designed to foster an awareness of the role of the arts in society;
- enhance the University of South Carolina's commitment to become one of the finest public universities in America.
Description of Faculty Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities of faculty members in the School of Music comprise
one or more teaching activities that may be grouped under three broad categories:
academic, applied, and ensemble. The academic faculty is concerned primarily with
classroom teaching; the applied faculty is involved with instrumental or vocal instruction,
usually on a one-on-one basis; the ensemble faculty is primarily engaged in directing
large performing forces (orchestra, band, chorus, opera). The position and duties
of each individual faculty member often vary in the proportions of, and relative importance
played by, these three categories. Faculty members will be evaluated under the category
or categories determined at their initial appointment; any departure from this rule
will be made by the dean, and any changes in duties and/or responsibilities should
be indicated by the dean in writing to the faculty member at the time such changes
are instigated. Candidates for tenure or promotion would be advised to include in
their files specific definition of their position and duties.
Academic
The mission and professional activities of classroom teachers, primarily in Music
History, Music Theory, Music Education and Piano Pedagogy, are similar to those of
classroom teachers in other colleges at the University of South Carolina. The teaching
load of academic faculty is normally the equivalent of five or six three-credit courses
per academic year. These faculty, however, may also be engaged in other musical activities
such as performance, applied instruction, ensemble direction, and composition. The
academic faculty are additionally responsible for thesis and dissertation direction
as a result of the research requirements for various graduate degrees.
Applied
Applied teachers engage in a mentor relationship with their students that is unduplicated
in the academic setting. In addition to ongoing teaching and supervision of individuals,
applied teachers also prepare students for frequent public appearances in the form
of recital performances, competitions, and semester jury examinations, or in the case
of applied composition, the preparation of students for public exposure of their original
music through concerts, reading opportunities and contests. Recruitment efforts,
often aided through the establishment of a distinguished professional reputation,
are an additional responsibility. Applied teachers normally carry 18 contact hours
per week of one-on-one studio teaching. The teaching load for applied teachers may
be adjusted for those who also teach classes, conduct ensembles, or have additional
responsibilities such as thesis or dissertation direction. Applied teachers are also
responsible for attending recitals and jury examinations within their areas.
Most applied teachers are active performers and need to spend a considerable amount of time developing and maintaining their own performance skills. These activities require a high level of physical, intellectual, and artistic refinement. The expectation of scholarly research is realized primarily through such performance activity.
Ensemble/Opera
Ensemble directors have responsibilities in addition to conducting ensembles, and
teaching loads reflect the unique nature of each appointment. Ensemble directors are
charged with recruiting talented instrumentalists and singers into their ensembles,
arranging and preparing performances, conducting rehearsals, obtaining scores and
performance rights, and in some cases, composing or arranging music. In addition
to the presentation of concerts by performing ensembles on campus, they are responsible
for arranging invitations and concert performances for USC ensembles at national and
regional level conferences and at other professional venues. Ensemble directors are
often expected to assist other University units in planning and providing musical
entertainment for special events. In addition, they may participate in the school's
conducting program and act as mentors for graduate conducting students. Ensemble
directors may additionally be involved in solo performance, classroom teaching, thesis
or dissertation direction, and/or applied teaching. Ensemble directors share with
applied faculty members the responsibility for recruiting good performers. This often
includes acting as liaison with public schools and serving as guest conductors, clinicians,
and/or adjudicators. Ensemble directors may also be involved in planning, organizing,
and directing events that motivate talented high school musicians to visit the University
campus.
I. MEMBERSHIP AND OFFICERS OF THE TENURE AND PROMOTION COMMITTEE
The School of Music Tenure and Promotion Committee comprises all tenured members of the music faculty. It is responsible for the formulation and implementation of procedures on tenure and promotion. The committee considering promotion shall include all tenured faculty members of higher rank than the candidate and the committee considering tenure shall include tenured faculty of equal or higher rank. Officers of the committee shall consist of a chair and chair-elect (selected by the tenured faculty) and other agents should they be elected by the committee.
II. ELIGIBILITY FOR TENURE OR PROMOTION
Each year all non-tenured tenure-track faculty may be considered for tenure, and all tenure-track faculty members below the rank of professor may be considered for promotion. The Tenure and Promotion Committee will consider and vote on all eligible faculty members except those who, in writing, waive consideration until a later year. The Committee must consider for tenure each tenure-track faculty member in the penultimate year of a probationary appointment.
III. PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION
A. Procedures
During the spring semester the dean shall give all appropriate music faculty written
notice so that those desiring consideration for promotion and/or tenure during the
coming academic year may prepare their tenure and promotion file. Meetings of the
committee shall be set in accordance with the yearly calendar for tenure and promotion
published by the Provost's Office. The committee chair shall notify all tenured faculty
in advance of the upcoming deliberations so that each candidate's file may be examined
prior to the first meeting of the committee.
Each candidate's file will be examined and discussed with respect to length of service as well as the candidate's perceived progress toward the next rank, based on review by peers. The School of Music may employ faculty members who have had important experience in fields other than higher education, e.g., as professional performers or as public or private school teachers. This experience may be taken into consideration in deliberations about tenure and promotion. The tenured faculty may also consider relevant time in rank at other institutions of higher learning.
At the conclusion of discussion, ballots will be distributed to those in attendance and a deadline set for their submission. Absentee ballots must be obtained from the dean's office prior to the meeting when ballots are distributed; no ballots are distributed after this meeting. A faculty member on leave may vote only upon notification to the unit chair or dean of a desire to do so before beginning the leave. Each member shall vote "yes", "no" or "abstain." Each vote must be accompanied by a written justification that is to be based solely on the criteria described herein. No material may be attached to the written justification.
In the decision year (i.e., the penultimate year of a candidate's probationary period for tenure), a candidate's file must be sent forward. In all other cases, a file will be sent forward administratively if the appropriate committee members recommend promotion and/or tenure by a majority of the votes cast, including abstentions. Any person dissatisfied with the committee's decision may request in writing that the committee chair send his/her file forward. The committee chair shall notify all music faculty, including those on leave, of the committee's recommendations for tenure and promotion. In addition, the chair shall notify all music faculty when a candidate appeals the committee's recommendation. Each music faculty member, whether or not he or she is authorized to vote on a particular candidate, may write a letter to the dean, and such letters shall become part of the candidate's file at the level to which the letter is addressed.
The dean may address the committee's recommendations in any way he or she desires, but all recommendations, statements, and endorsements must be forwarded through the appropriate administrative channels to the University president.
B. Documentation
The candidate bears primary responsibility for preparation of the file on which the
decision will be based. Each year the provost will send to the dean directions for
organization of the files, which will be forwarded to the candidates. A candidate's
tenure and promotion file shall consist of an official dossier as well as any supporting
materials.
The dossier must include a summary, prepared as directed by the committee chair, of all peer teaching evaluations. Also included must be a summary, prepared as directed by the committee chair, of all student evaluations administered since the candidate's appointment or previous promotion at the University of South Carolina (copies of student surveys will be included as supporting materials). These summaries will become a confidential part of the candidate's file.
A minimum of five external referees will be secured for each tenure and promotion file. Those referees will be chosen by the committee chair in consultation with the dean. Candidates being considered are permitted to suggest a maximum of two names; those suggested referees, if used, will be indicated as such in the candidate's file. Outside referees may not have a current professional association with the candidate. The names of the referees not suggested by the candidate as well as all solicited referee letters become a confidential part of the candidate's file.
Letters written by outside reviewers or faculty members in previous years are not automatically included in the file. The candidate, dean, or chair may include such a letter in the file only after receiving both the candidate's and author's written permission.
IV. CRITERIA FOR TENURE AND PROMOTION
These Tenure and Promotion criteria are adopted by the tenured faculty of the School of Music to fit its particular needs, in recognition of the diverse responsibilities of the School faculty. These criteria are not intended to prescribe a uniform pattern of accomplishments that must be achieved by all candidates for tenure and promotion. Rather, they identify ways of evaluating accomplishments in the three areas of research/performance, teaching, and service while permitting the flexibility necessary to accommodate the individual talents and interests of the School of Music faculty within the guidelines set by the University in the Faculty Manual. Candidates should include in the Personal Statement a description of their activities in research/performance, teaching, and service and the pertinence of these activities to the mission and goals of the School of Music and the University. If a Personal Statement is not included, the candidate should so describe these activities in the documentary evidence.
Faculty members in the areas of Music History, Music Theory and Composition, Music Education, and Piano Pedagogy will normally hold the earned doctor's degree and will have a record of scholarly achievement beyond the doctorate. Applied faculty and ensemble directors are often recruited from the ranks of established performers and artist-teachers. The performance level and artistic success of the professional experience should be considered along with the academic credentials of the candidate.
Tenure
The candidate's entire professional career will be assessed, but particular emphasis
will be placed on development while serving on the faculty at the University of South
Carolina. If a candidate was hired as an untenured associate or full professor, the
unit may consider previous experience in assessing the candidate's record of prior
teaching. A candidate for tenure who is currently at the rank of Assistant Professor
or above must demonstrate, during a probationary period, consistent growth and development
in the areas of teaching, research and/or performance, and service; it is assumed
that an assistant professor is eligible for, and will seek, promotion to the rank
of Associate Professor. The candidate's record will indicate a degree of consistency
and durability that could be expected to lead to the achievement of a national professional
visibility, thereby enhancing the image of the School and the University. This would
be achieved by significant accomplishment of tasks listed in the local/regional section
of the relevant appendices and achievement of some of the tasks listed in the national/international
section.
Usually the School of Music Committee on Promotion and Tenure will recommend un-tenured candidates for promotion and tenure during the same year. An exception can occur if a candidate was hired at the rank of Associate Professor; in such circumstances these candidates could be recommended for tenure without promotion according to the criteria outlined above.
Promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor
The candidate's entire professional career will be assessed, but particular emphasis
will be placed on development while serving in the rank of Assistant Professor at
the University of South Carolina. Candidates for promotion to the rank of Associate
Professor must demonstrate that their activities are beginning to show the promise
of a national and/or international reputation. This would be achieved by significant
accomplishment of tasks listed in the local/regional section of the relevant appendices
and achievement of some of the tasks listed in the national/international section.
Candidates for promotion to Associate Professor must demonstrate a record of good
teaching, a sustained record of excellence in the area of research/performance, and
an effective level of service. A record of good teaching will be defined through
student evaluations that average in the strong or very strong range and through peer
evaluation (including observations of teaching and student performance) of activities
listed in at least the local or regional section of the relevant Appendices that achieve
an assessment of good. Excellence in research/performance will be defined as achieving
a rating of excellent from peers and outside referees in their evaluation of the activities
listed in at least the local/regional section of the relevant Appendices. Performance
at the national level may generally be accepted as prima facie evidence of excellence.
Effective service will be defined by the participation in, and successful completion
of, university, community, and/or national activities as evaluated by peers.
Promotion from Associate Professor to Professor
The candidate's entire professional career will be assessed, but particular emphasis
will be placed on development while serving in the rank of Associate Professor at
the University of South Carolina. Candidates for promotion to the rank of Professor
must demonstrate that their activities have contributed to the establishment of a
national and/or international reputation. This would be achieved by significant accomplishment
of tasks listed in the national/international section of the relevant appendices.
Candidates for promotion to Professor must demonstrate a sustained and outstanding
record of achievement in the area of research/performance, a record of excellence
in teaching, and an effective level of service. A record of outstanding research/
performance will be defined as achieving an outstanding rating from peers and outside
referees in their evaluation of the activities listed in both the local/regional and
national/international sections of the relevant Appendices. Excellence in teaching
will be defined through student evaluations predominantly in the very strong range
and through peer evaluation (including observations of teaching and student performance)
of activities listed in both the local/regional and national/international sections
of the relevant Appendices that achieve an assessment of excellent. Effective service
will be defined by the participation in, and successful completion of, university,
community, and/or national activities as evaluated by peers.