Tenure And Promotion Guidelines In The Performing Arts Program (Revised and Updated Fall 2021)

Note regarding COVID-19 pandemic temporary program standard changes: In line with the 
recently passed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the Evaluation of Faculty and 
Librarians in the Time of Covid, faculty members going through the personnel process at any
stage starting in September 2020 will likely have been negatively impacted by the global 
COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic resulted in 

● Canceled performances, conferences, grants, fellowships, and other funds 
● Closure of rehearsal and performance spaces, libraries, museums, and archives or 
open with limited hours and access, further  inhibiting research 
● Inability to work in person for creative performance projects
● Delays in review and publication of scholarly and creative work 
● Rapid change to remote teaching in Spring 2020, potentially resulting in unavoidable 
problems with teaching/learning, such as student perception of the course/instructor 
due to circumstances  not under the control of the teacher 
● Ongoing change to different teaching modalities and assignments since Fall 2020, 
including most faculty having to move to hybrid or online teaching due to limited 
availability of large classroom spaces and family and health constraints 
● Significant caregiver challenges, which research indicates  disproportionately affects 
women and faculty of color 
● Impact on mental and physical health, of which faculty members of color are also 
more likely to  have been impacted by, due to the pandemic’s disproportionate 
impact on communities 

The Performing Arts Program recognizes the on-going need for its faculty to adjust scholarly 
and creative activity, teaching, and service and for the Program Review Committee to apply 
program standards in light of the above challenges, including limiting the use and/or weight of 
student course and precepting evaluations in the evaluation of teaching, recognizing and 
rewarding the adoption to new teaching modalities and contexts, supporting adjustments to 
scholarly and creative agendas and productivity, recognizing conference acceptances and 
other acceptances or invitations that were canceled due to the pandemic, and recognizing 
unanticipated shifts in availability to complete service work. Supporting our faculty and 
teaching excellence, and recognizing a range of means to evaluate it, remains our priority. 
Excellence in teaching is obligatory for all members of the Performing Arts Program. 
Scholarship and artistic production are necessary and highly valued, as is service to the 
program and university, but without a clear demonstration of teaching excellence, a faculty 
member cannot be tenured or promoted¹

________________
¹Adopted from the Historical Studies program standards: https://stockton.edu/academic-affairs/agreements/historical-studies-program-standards.html 

---

Preamble

Performing Arts Program Standards
The faculty of the Performing Arts supports the Standards of the University and School of 
Arts and Humanities and intends for the elements of this document to further elucidate the 
areas of teaching, scholarship, and service from the perspective of the Performing Arts 
program.  
A uniform set of standards for the evaluation of teaching, scholarship, and community 
services in the School of Arts and Humanities and the Studies in the Performing Arts Program 
must be fair, flexible, and provide reasonable goals and expectations for those who seek 
tenure and promotion in the School and Program.
Such a set of School standards designed to evaluate all faculty in fields as diverse as Visual 
Arts, Communications, History, Philosophy and Religion, Language and Culture Studies, 
Literature, and the Performing Arts must also be broad enough and flexible enough to 
support a wide range of artistic approaches and scholarly activities.

6.0 The Performing Arts faculty have adopted the University standards located in 6.0 of 
the University Guidelines.

6.0.1 It should be noted that, in the Performing Arts, the lines between teaching, 
creative scholarly activity and service are less rigidly defined than in most 
other disciplines. The work we do with students in the classroom is tested in 
our productions as we direct, choreograph, conduct, design, and create. As our 
students take part in our productions, our pedagogy carries over into 
rehearsals and show production and building processes. Likewise, the research 
and creative composition we do is presented, rather than published, and 
directly involves our students. The line between scholarship and service is 
fluid as well. We become ambassadors for the University as our productions 
bring the community into Stockton and often we take our performances out 
into the community.

6.0.2  In light of this (6.0.1), the Faculty of the Performing Arts Program place special 
emphasis on the development of a Faculty Plan, in accordance with the 
provisions of Article 8.0 of the Faculty Evaluation Policies, by new members of 
the Faculty as early as feasible. The Performing Arts Faculty will facilitate the 
development and implementation of such Faculty Plans through the provision 
and incorporation of contemporary guidelines for tenure and promotion as 
promulgated by professional associations, societies and organizations 
appropriate to the respective field of the new Faculty member. Representative 
organizations, in a non-exclusive list, include the Association for Theatre in 
Higher Education, the American Choral Directors Association, the American 
College Dance Association, and the United States Institute for Theatre 
Technology.

Teaching

6.1 The criteria for teaching are located in 6.1 of the University guidelines
Scholarly and Creative Activity

Performing Arts Program Standards

6.2 The criteria for scholarly and creative activity are located in 6.2 of the University
guidelines

6.2.1  Across the range of Arts and Humanities Programs, the School supports a 
variety of scholarly approaches: disciplinary or interdisciplinary research, 
artistic or creative activity, pedagogical research, applied research, integrative 
scholarship, and grant acquisition that support the Performing Arts Program 
and School activities.
6.2.2 The Performing Arts Faculty encourage creative scholarship that incorporates 
students.  Scholarly or creative activities may take many forms and use 
different methods to collaborate with and communicate with the broader 
community.

University and Community Service 
6.3  The criteria for University and community service are located in 6.3 of the University 
guidelines. 

10.0. Expectations for Rank and Tenure


10.1 In addition to University and School standards, Tenure and Promotion to Associate 
Professor in the Performing Arts Program should be based on:

10.1.1 Teaching: A demonstrable commitment to excellence in teaching, which entails
but is not limited to the following
10.1.1.1 An explanation of teaching goals and practices, demonstrated 
teaching excellence, and the successful implementation of the 
program’s stated mission and goals.
10.1.1.2 Knowledge and mastery of the subject matter being taught, 
including recent developments in the area 
10.1.1.3 Expressing a clear vision of what they hope to accomplish in the 
course being taught, including clarity and transparency about the 
course objectives when presenting them to students.  These points 
are often shown through the syllabus
10.1.1.4 Employing methods of evaluation that are sensibly related to the 
course objectives 
10.1.1.5 Development and construction of classes that meet the overall 
Program goals for Performing Arts majors/minors as well as for 
non-majors/minors 
10.1.1.6 Inclusion of writing, performance and other forms of expression as a significant portion of courses being taught 

10.1.1.7 Providing thoughtful and helpful feedback to the students about 
their progress in the course 
10.1.1.8 A willingness to develop and offer new courses in areas that the 
Program deems necessary 
10.1.1.9 Posting and regularly holding office hours at times that are 
reasonably accessible for students 
10.1.1.10 Input and insight into teaching will be gained by peer teaching 
reviews.  The candidate needs to show being open and responsive to 
concerns about areas where they might need improvement in their 
pedagogy 

10.1.2 Active involvement in Program, School, University and community service 
activities.  Many service tasks within the Performing Arts cross-over these four 
interconnected communities.

10.1.3 Clear evidence of an understanding and modeling of Program standards of 
professional deportment in such areas as collaboration, punctuality, sensitivity 
to the concerns and efforts of colleagues and students, and similar best 
practices of the performing arts industry.

10.1.4 A comprehensible and documented record of active and ongoing scholarship, 
artistic or creative production, and professional development.  The candidate 
must provide evidence of this scholarly and creative work within the file, and 
explain with reference to results, theoretical underpinnings, creative 
innovation, and/or intellectual rigor.  It is the responsibility of the candidates 
to explain the significance and impact of their work.  Scholarship may include, 
but is not limited to:

10.1.4.1 Publication of a book with a recognized press in one’s field or the 
equivalent in scholarly articles, especially peer-reviewed articles in 
scholarly periodicals or edited volumes.
10.1.4.2 Professional presentations, conference leadership, critical and book 
reviews, etc.
10.1.4.3 In recognition of the difficulties to defining “Excellence” as it 
pertains to artistic and creative production, the following are 
offered, as a non-exhaustive list of reasonable examples:

 

• • Choreographing, directing, designing, performing, technical 
    directing, musical composing or conducting
    o a public performance presented at on- or off-campus 
    venues.
  • a performance for a film, television, or other 
    broadcast medium or online platform
    o a performance for a site-specific event 

 ● Composition or publication, either in print or through public 
performance or both, an original dramatic script, musical 
score or similar work

 

10.1.4 Video and photographs, along with programs and/or other printed materials, 
as well as available journalistic critical reviews of performed works, will be 
considered as appropriate documentation of artistic creative production, as 
will audience surveys for granting agencies and similar instruments. The 
ephemeral nature of artistic creative production in the performing arts renders 
the evaluation of these works problematic. The full intent and effect of the 
research and creative process can be fully measured only by direct, personal 
experience of a performance.  However, knowing that attendance at all events 
is not possible, the faculty will provide documentation in the form of video 
and/or photographs for creative scholarship, as well as all applicable letters of 
invitation and all programs and other documentation of participation in the 
event and the rigor of the event.

10.1.5 To minimize this issue (10.1.4) to as great an extent as possible, Program 
Faculty make their best efforts to attend colleagues' productions and 
performances, and recommend that peers from outside the faculty also be 
invited to attend and respond critically to the works. The program holds a 
reasonable expectation that the School and/or University will provide 
appropriate financial and logistical resources to support this recommendation. 

10.2  In addition to College and University standards, Promotion to Associate Professor in 
Performing Arts should be based on: 
10.2.1 Commitment to, and demonstration of, excellence and innovation in teaching
10.2.2 Participation in the development and leadership of the Program
10.2.3 Involvement in Program, University-wide, or professional service activities
10.2.4 A continuing and expanding record of active and ongoing professional 
development, scholarship and artistic or creative production whose 
significance and excellence is recognized by one’s academic or professional 
peers, such as peer-reviewed journals or juried exhibitions, or by reviewers or 
critics of statewide, national, or international stature.  Significance can also be 
shown through selection criteria such as inclusion in performance through 
audition or juried applications, etc.
10.3  Promotion to Professor in the Performing Arts should be based on a distinguished 
record of: 

10.3.1 Leadership and excellence in teaching and teaching innovation, including 
mentoring and public engagement.
10.3.2 Leadership in Program, University-wide, or professional service activities, as 
well as membership and/or engagement with regional and national service 
organizations.
10.3.3 A continuing and expanding record of active and ongoing professional 
development, scholarship, and artistic or creative production whose 
significance and excellence is recognized by one's academic or professional 
peers, and whose accomplishments demonstrably further the missions of the 
Program, the School and the University.   A list of reasonable examples of 
creative scholarship can be found in 10.1.4.3, and such creative scholarship 
will show a sustained creative practice that engages with other artists 
nationally and/or internationally.  Research and creative scholarship for 
promotion to Professor needs to show a continued and significant contribution 
to the field, and both scholarly research and creative scholarship are equally 
valued.