III. Faculty: Personnel Policies, Practices, and Procedures
K. Criteria and Procedures for Reappointment and Promotion or Faculty Librarians
Faculty librarians will be offered long-term renewable contracts in lieu of tenure. The terminal degree for library faculty at Randolph College shall be the Master's degree in library or information science from an American Library Association-accredited graduate school.
1. Reappointment and Promotion Guidelines
a. Instructor
(1) An appointment at this rank shall normally be for one or two years.
(2) An instructor who has not completed all requirements for the terminal degree by June 30 of the third year in rank will not normally be reappointed beyond the fourth year.
b. Assistant Librarian
(1) Normally only those who have earned the customary terminal degree in the field, or have completed all requirements for such a degree, will be given an initial appointment at this rank.
(2) The initial appointment at this rank shall normally be for two years (with a review in the fall semester of the second year); the second normally for two years (with a review in the spring semester of the third year); and the third for three years. During the spring semester of the second year of the three-year appointment there shall be a review to determine whether the librarian is to be promoted to Associate Librarian or not to be reappointed. It shall also be understood that a probationary one‑year appointment may be made at this rank at any time after the first contract, should the individual's performance warrant.
c. Associate Librarian
(1) Contracts at this rank shall normally be for three years.
(2) Under exceptional circumstances, an initial appointment to the rank of Associate Librarian shall be made.
d. Librarian
(1) Promotion to Full Librarian is not automatic by virtue of time in service, but is granted in recognition of special distinction in a combination of teaching, community service, or scholarship. Ordinarily, faculty librarians will not be eligible for promotion to the rank of Full Librarian until the completion of seven years of service at RC as a full-time member of the faculty at the rank of Associate Librarian. Contracts at this rank shall normally be for five years.
(2) Initial appointment at this rank is a mark of special recognition and accomplishment.
2. Criteria for Reappointment and Promotion
Promotion in academic rank requires evidence of performance at a high professional level in areas that contribute to the educational mission of the institution and library. Such work requires evidence of continued professional and intellectual growth through activities related to service and to inquiry and research. The criteria that must be addressed in promotion and contract reviews are further explained in the following sections.
a. Contributions to the Educational Mission of the College
The basic quality that must be evident for contract renewal is performance at a professional level in areas that contribute to the educational mission of the institution, such as reference service, collection development, evaluation and implementation of technology, and bibliographic organization. Also to be considered may be teaching, not necessarily in a classroom situation; organization of workshops, institutes, or similar meetings; and public appearances in the interest of librarianship or information transfer. Evidence of this level of performance may be adduced from the judgments of colleagues on the library faculty, from members of the academic community outside the library, from the judgment of those who are instructed, and from professional colleagues outside the academic institution.
b. Service to the College
Service to the College includes active involvement on departmental, college‑wide, and faculty committees, search committees, and task forces. Other activities such as advising, information technology support to faculty and students, consultation on rare books, special collections, and manuscript materials, or supervising student senior projects and independent study, may be considered.
c. Scholarly Activities
Evidence of continued professional and intellectual growth may be provided through activities related to inquiry and research. Entree into the professional community of librarianship is normally through service in regional, state, and national library associations. Such activity is important for the professional development of faculty librarians, and service to the profession of librarianship is normally expected for promotion. Contributions to the advancement of the profession may occur through such activities as active participation in professional and learned societies as a member, an officer, a committee member or a committee chair, as well as conference presentations, workshops, poster sessions, public appearances in the interest of librarianship or information transfer at the regional, state, or national level, and other collegial activities at the local, state, regional, and national levels. Further, but not required, evidence of intellectual growth may be provided through publications in professional and scholarly journals, presentations of papers, exhibitions, reviews of books, grants, or consulting.
3. Procedures for Reappointment and Promotion
a. A three-person Evaluation Committee chaired by the College Librarian shall be formed when a faculty librarian is to be considered for reappointment or promotion. The other two members shall be appointed by the Dean in consultation with the College Librarian. One of these two should be a librarian of higher rank than the person under review, and the other should be a member of the Academic Personnel Committee. If no librarian is qualified, two tenured faculty members shall serve on the Committee, one of whom is a member of the Academic Personnel Committee.
b. The College Librarian, in cooperation with the Dean, shall establish a suitable schedule for receiving materials from the candidate and for Committee meetings. Candidates shall be informed of the deadline for submission of reappointment and promotion materials at least three months in advance.
c. The Evaluation Committee shall carefully consider all relevant materials and make its recommendation to the Dean of the College, who may consult with the Academic Personnel Committee if needed.
d. The Dean shall review the materials and make a recommendation to the President, who shall make the final decision for each reappointment and promotion.
4. Schedules for reviews
a. Schedule for Fall Reappointment Reviews
1 July Dean send letter to librarian faculty under review
1 October Reappointment materials are due in Dean's office
15 November Report from Librarian Evaluation Committee due
15 December Administrative decisions passed on to candidate
b. Schedule for Spring Reappointment Reviews
1 December Dean sends letter to librarian faculty under review
1 March Reappointment materials are due in the Dean's office
30 April Report from Librarian Evaluation Committee due
30 June Administrative decisions passed on to candidate
5. Materials for evaluation
a. The candidate being evaluated for reappointment shall be responsible for submitting the following materials to the Office of the Dean of the College.
(1) A cover letter affording an overview of the other materials being presented, including a statement about the development of professional accomplishments addressing a. Contributions to the Educational Mission of the College, b. Service to the College, and c. Scholarly Activities.
(2) A current resume.
(3) Books, articles, papers, exhibitions, reviews of books, peer evaluations, conference presentations, poster sessions, public appearances in the interest of the library, is applicable.
(4) Syllabi, reading lists, assignments for courses currently taught, if applicable.
(5) Other materials that the candidate thinks would be helpful in considering his/her record.
