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[skinnymargarita]

Wasn't sure where to post this question, so hope it is not a repeat. I didn't find anything on a search.

I am a recent EdD working as adjunct at a couple universities. I have done a couple volunteer activities and have some documentation of them. I am wondering if it is too soon to start a portfolio. I don't really know what to put in it or how to organize it. All I really know is that they are used for promotion and am guessing that the more you have in them probably better. So, if you suggest that I do start compiling things into a file of sorts, what types of things are appropriate? One more thing to do when up in the middle of the night. Hooterific...

[grasshopper]

I'm confused - are you talking about a tenure portfolio? Because I think (and someone with more experience could correct me  here), but I think that for these, schools usually only want stuff that you've done since being hired.

Or are you compiling a portfolio for promotion within the adjunct system at your school?

At any rate, I think it's a safe bet to save records of the work you've done, because you'll want all that impressive stuff on your CV.

[skinnymargarita]

I'm confused - are you talking about a tenure portfolio? Because I think (and someone with more experience could correct me  here), but I think that for these, schools usually only want stuff that you've done since being hired.

Or are you compiling a portfolio for promotion within the adjunct system at your school?

At any rate, I think it's a safe bet to save records of the work you've done, because you'll want all that impressive stuff on your CV.

I was thinking a tenure portfolio, but didn't realize the post-hire issue. Maybe I could check with the colleges I work for and see if there is a possibility of promotion within the adjunct system. I have records at this point, but they are saved within documents from the peer review, etc. I could just make copies and put in a folder and keep a file for now while I am checking into it. Thanks Hopper!

[untenured]

Save it.  The cost is low (a box) and the benefit is potentially high (influencing a future search committee or tenure committee).  I kept everything from my adjunct days.  While it did not help me get tenure, it helped me get my first job.  That in turn helped me get my second job.  So this stuff matters.  One never knows if you'll need it.

Untenured

[skinnymargarita]

Save it.  The cost is low (a box) and the benefit is potentially high (influencing a future search committee or tenure committee).  I kept everything from my adjunct days.  While it did not help me get tenure, it helped me get my first job.  That in turn helped me get my second job.  So this stuff matters.  One never knows if you'll need it.

Untenured

Thanks UT! What types of adjunct items would be helpful to the committee? I am not sure I still have my old eval's, but still with the college. I suppose it would look unimpressive if I asked them for another copy...

[grasshopper]

I am not sure I still have my old eval's, but still with the college. I suppose it would look unimpressive if I asked them for another copy...

The people you would be asking wouldn't be the people doing the hiring, so I wouldn't worry about it.

[skinnymargarita]

I am not sure I still have my old eval's, but still with the college. I suppose it would look unimpressive if I asked them for another copy...

The people you would be asking wouldn't be the people doing the hiring, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Such wisdom, kind grasshopper!

[seniorscholar]

When people are hired to a TT job they should at once begin to save *everything* -- record of every course taught every semester (with note of number of students, and whether it was a new prep), syllabus for every course, class evaluations, perhaps a sample of graded papers, all annual reports, applications for grants of any kind, minute record of research, articles sent out, etc., minutes of committees they've served on, all communications from anyone in the department or university with a saying "good job" or "thank you for . . ." -- everything. The reasoning: when it does come time to put together the tenure portfolio, or to assemble a letter of application and other materials for a search for a new job, it can be hard to remember details that make the application convincing, whether or not the materials themselves are helpful.

I think that an advanced grad student or new EdD should be doing the same thing to prepare for making the major job search. As untenured says, the cost is minimal, and you might be surprised to discover, a few years from now, that that volunteer workshop you did for new part-time teachers in some other department would turn out to be key in applying for a position you haven't even known existed. And if you don't save the announcement and a sketch of your materials, you'll forget what you did and the e-mail sent by that department's chair to thank you.

[skinnymargarita]

I think that an advanced grad student or new EdD should be doing the same thing to prepare for making the major job search. As untenured says, the cost is minimal, and you might be surprised to discover, a few years from now, that that volunteer workshop you did for new part-time teachers in some other department would turn out to be key in applying for a position you haven't even known existed. And if you don't save the announcement and a sketch of your materials, you'll forget what you did and the e-mail sent by that department's chair to thank you.

Excellent. Will do. Would not have thought to do that much but I can see the importance through your description. On this note, I do have a lot to pull together. One more question - is the most recent syllabus for the course sufficient or should I save each one? I have an electronic file but not sure how many times it was changed since teaching the first time. Cheers!

[glowdart]

I think that an advanced grad student or new EdD should be doing the same thing to prepare for making the major job search. As untenured says, the cost is minimal, and you might be surprised to discover, a few years from now, that that volunteer workshop you did for new part-time teachers in some other department would turn out to be key in applying for a position you haven't even known existed. And if you don't save the announcement and a sketch of your materials, you'll forget what you did and the e-mail sent by that department's chair to thank you.

Excellent. Will do. Would not have thought to do that much but I can see the importance through your description. On this note, I do have a lot to pull together. One more question - is the most recent syllabus for the course sufficient or should I save each one? I have an electronic file but not sure how many times it was changed since teaching the first time. Cheers!

I would advise that you get in the habit of not electronically over-writing the syllabus file each semester.  We have to submit every single syllabus for tenure, and they mean the 48+ that you have distributed in those years. 

Plus, if you alter an Intro syllabus for one school but then find that your syllabus from three semesters ago from a different school is actually more appropriate for your next school, then you don't have to reinvent the wheel.   

[skinnymargarita]

I think that an advanced grad student or new EdD should be doing the same thing to prepare for making the major job search. As untenured says, the cost is minimal, and you might be surprised to discover, a few years from now, that that volunteer workshop you did for new part-time teachers in some other department would turn out to be key in applying for a position you haven't even known existed. And if you don't save the announcement and a sketch of your materials, you'll forget what you did and the e-mail sent by that department's chair to thank you.

Excellent. Will do. Would not have thought to do that much but I can see the importance through your description. On this note, I do have a lot to pull together. One more question - is the most recent syllabus for the course sufficient or should I save each one? I have an electronic file but not sure how many times it was changed since teaching the first time. Cheers!

I would advise that you get in the habit of not electronically over-writing the syllabus file each semester.  We have to submit every single syllabus for tenure, and they mean the 48+ that you have distributed in those years.  

Plus, if you alter an Intro syllabus for one school but then find that your syllabus from three semesters ago from a different school is actually more appropriate for your next school, then you don't have to reinvent the wheel.    

Brilliant! That might be a lifesaver some day!

So, when you show up at your tenure "meeting" do you haul in a trunk with all your documentation? No, seriously, how exactly is the tenure portfolio presented to the committee? It sounds like you might have to rent a room at the Smithsonian and sell tickets...

Danke!

[punchnpie]

We have to submit every single syllabus for tenure,

Question for tenure review here - I have 2 versions of my syllabi, one for the students and one for me, which includes notes, class activities, etc. Since that version includes activities that are about 1/3 of the class time, should I include that version? Or is it more kosher to include the one that the students saw? Or shoot, should I go crazy and submit both?

I suppose more organized people would have the class activities as a separate note, but if I don't put this stuff all together in each week's module, I'll never remember what's going on and I think I'd have too many pieces of paper to keep straight. But as usual, I'm willing to listen to the more sage forumites on this topic.

[systeme_d_]

Skinnymargarita,

Here's how it's done at my place.

You collect all of your materials and organize them according to a specified format, and you also write up a dossier "core," which includes both narrative statements and charts addressing your research teaching, and service.  This is also in a specified format. (You adhere closely to these specifications on pain of death.)  

You put all these things together in a binder or two. (We still use binders, but some places do it electronically now, which involves a lot of scanning and conversion to .pdf documents.) This will eventually go to the departmental P&T committee, who write up a report either recommmending you for tenure and promotion, or recommending denying tenure and promotion.  

You also create a different set of binders containing only materials relating to your research.  These are sent out to your external evaluators.  We require four.

The external reviewers send back their evaluations in the form of a letter to your chair.  The chair may or may not give these letters to the departmental P&T committee. (This varies by department at my place.)

The P&T committee then writes up their report and gives it to the chair.  The chair then writes up a letter that is an overview of the whole deal, incorporating the P&T committee report and the external letters.  This gets put in your binder, along with the external letters themselves, and the departmental P&T report.

The binder then gets sent to the Dean.  The Dean adds a letter of support or otherwise, and sends it on to the university-wide P&T committee.  The university-wide committee then makes their recommendation.  This is usually the vote that counts, and their vote (and your binder) gets sent up to the Provost, then the President, then the Board of Trustees.  All must approve the P&T committee's decision.

You don't go to any meetings.  Everyone else does. :)


Oh, and Punchnpie, I am not ignoring your question, it's just that I have no good answer for you.  While our (internal, not external) binders do include syllabi, we don't include assignments of any sort.  However, the narrative part of the "dossier core" includes the possibility of explaining the nature of assignments and activities.  YMMV.

[punchnpie]

However, the narrative part of the "dossier core" includes the possibility of explaining the nature of assignments and activities.  YMMV.

Thanks, that makes sense.

[glowdart]

We have to submit every single syllabus for tenure,

Question for tenure review here - I have 2 versions of my syllabi, one for the students and one for me, which includes notes, class activities, etc. Since that version includes activities that are about 1/3 of the class time, should I include that version? Or is it more kosher to include the one that the students saw? Or shoot, should I go crazy and submit both?

I suppose more organized people would have the class activities as a separate note, but if I don't put this stuff all together in each week's module, I'll never remember what's going on and I think I'd have too many pieces of paper to keep straight. But as usual, I'm willing to listen to the more sage forumites on this topic.

We have to include what we give the students.  They seem to care very little about having concrete evidence on how we prepare what we do, but instead focus on what we give to the students.   (Thus, the included materials are assignments, syllabi, graded work, exams, but never lecture materials & approaches.  That's all covered in the narrative.)