The Academic Council examined the efficiency and fairness of the University's tenure policies Thursday, considering the suggestions of a recent report from the ad hoc Committee on the Appointments, Promotion and Tenure Process.
The report said that the current process of evaluating faculty members achieves the goal of "promoting excellence," but could be streamlined in several ways. Of the report's 15 recommendations for improving the process, a proposal to formalize the currently unwritten "up or out" policy drew the most reaction from professors.
That policy refers to the traditional refusal of the APT committee to reconsider tenure cases that have been rejected previously. All tenure decisions across the University must be approved by that group.
"We don't want everyone going up [before the APT committee] two or three times. Departments should have a good feel for when their candidates are ready," said Peter Holland, James B. Duke professor of psychology-experimental and chair of the review committee.
Professors disagreed about allowing for exceptions to the rule, but the report expressed satisfaction with the overall percentage of professors achieving tenure.
Of all the candidates entering the process over the past nine years, 56 percent have won tenure.
Departments serve as the biggest "gatekeeper" for candidates, the report said, because many candidates leave before the process begins due to departmental advice about their chances.
For those who are reviewed, Holland said that the standards for promotion are "rather variable," and his committee's report suggests changing the standards "to match current reality."
Specifically, the report advocates promotion consideration for candidates who excel in just one of the three factors-scholarship, teaching or service.
Many of the report's recommendations focused more on the efficiency of the process rather than the treatment of candidates. The report advocates streamlining the work of the APT committee by eliminating extraneous information and meetings. "We suggest ideas for streamlining the APT process without compromising the integrity of the process," Holland said.
IN OTHER BUSINESS: The council unanimously approved changing the name of the Department of Psychology-Experimental to the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences.
Christina Williams, professor and chair of the department, said the new name better reflects the identity of the department.
"We are a natural sciences department, not a social sciences department. We do research in laboratories, we work with subjects and we test hypotheses. Our professors teach natural science courses," Williams said.
Vice Provost for Information Technology Betty Leydon updated the council on the general state of technology on campus, including classroom technology, public clusters and a planned laptop requirement for new students.
Leydon suggested the University consider purchasing portable wireless systems-a kind of technologically-advanced projector system-to put in some classrooms to facilitate professors' presentations to their students.
Leydon-who will be leaving for Princeton University in June-came to Duke in 1994 and has pushed for improving technology on campus.
"Betty has insisted that the teachers and researchers at this university have a say in the future of the technology that is so important to our work," said Peter Burian, council chair and professor of classical studies.
The council also unanimously approved the re-election of Lawrence Evans, professor emeritus of physics, as editor of the Faculty Forum, the faculty's opinion journal. Evans, the sole candidate, will serve a two-year term.
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