Whereas the current UHM dossier guidelines and forms are dated, unnecessarily complex, and bureaucratic for the candidates and reviewing bodies,  

Whereas the current process is also wasteful and cumbersome, producing huge stacks of multiple copies of large folders that must be securely transported and stored,

Whereas a review of the dossier process that included interviews with key stakeholders as well as two focus groups of faculty who had recently submitted dossiers produced no evidence that the dated format and submission process adds anything in terms of quality or value,

Whereas 15 out of 18 benchmark institutions* limit candidates’ narrative length, and most tend to use 3 page limits per section (generally research, teaching and service),

Whereas 7 out of 12 peer institutions** provide suggested page limits and 2 others suggest brevity is desirable,

Whereas none of our benchmark or peer institutions have a separate section in which the candidate addresses his/her Present and Future Value,

Whereas the 2007-08 University of Hawai`i at Mānoa Faculty Senate passed a resolution supporting the effort to streamline, simplify, and codify existing guidelines and forms to make for a more efficient submission and review process,

Therefore be it resolved that the following Statement of Endeavors description substitute for current language in the Criteria and Guidelines for Faculty Tenure/Promotion Application beginning Fall 2009:

STATEMENT OF ENDEAVORS (RECOMMENDED LENGTH: 1-9 PAGES, 12 point) Candidates for tenure and/or promotion have the option of providing a personal statement about the unique aspects and special significance of their accomplishments and future plans in teaching, research and/or service. Statements should be directed toward readers who may not be specialists in the candidate’s field. 

FACULTY STATEMENT ON TEACHING:  This narrative is an opportunity for the candidate to speak directly to the review committee membership, highlighting major teaching activities, innovative or unique aspects in teaching, notable successes in advising, and future value/plans. 

FACULTY STATEMENT ON RESEARCH/CREATIVE WORK:  This narrative is an opportunity for the candidate to speak directly to the review committee membership, highlighting major contributions, describing the impact of research/creative work, addressing any unique aspects of the scholarly record, and projecting future value/plans.

FACULTY STATEMENT ON SERVICE/ OUTREACH:  This narrative is an opportunity for the candidate to speak directly to the review committee membership, highlighting major contributions and future value/plans in service or outreach to the University, professional organizations, and/or the public.

And be it further resolved that “Present and Future Value” will no longer be a separate section of the dossier.

Note: Statement of Endeavors adapted from University of Colorado at Boulder, http://www.colorado.edu/, University of California-Davis, http://www.ucdavis.edu, University of Maryland College Park, http://www.umd.edu

*Benchmark Institutions

Indiana University at Bloomington

Michigan State University

State University of NY at Buffalo

University of Arizona

University of California-Berkeley

University of California, Davis

University of California, Los Angeles

University of Colorado

University of Florida

University of Illinois at Urbana

University of Iowa

University of Maryland

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

University of Missouri, Columbia

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

University of Oregon, Eugene

University of Washington, Seattle

University of Wisconsin, Madison

**Peer Institutions:

Colorado State University

Iowa State University

Louisiana State University

Oregon State University

University of California-Davis

University of Georgia

University of Kentucky

University of Missouri, Columbia

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

University of Utah

University of Virginia

Contact dave at math.hawaii.edu with comments regarding this site.