Language and Culture Studies Program Guidelines for Tenure and Promotion

The faculty of the Language and Culture Studies Program supports the Standards of the
College and School of Arts and Humanities and intend for the elements of this document
to further elucidate the areas ofteaching, scholarship, and service fi·om the perspective of
the Language Program. Candidates for reappointment, reappointment with tenure, and
promotion, need to refer to both the College and the Language and Culture Studies
Program standards.

1.0 Preamble

1.1 The Language and Culture Studies (LANG) Program Guidelines
document defines and states the requirements for candidates seeking
tenure and/or promotion to associate and full professor. This document
was developed by the LANG faculty in the spring of2008. It is understood
that these guidelines can be amended or modified depending on demands,
changes or new expectations fi·om the Program. The individual faculty
plan will be created by new faculty in consultation with senior faculty for
two reasons. First, it is important that program guidelines are in alignment
with both the institution's and the school's guidelines. Second, it is
imperative that clear, attainable and professional goals be established.
This will ensure direction and allow LANG candidates to meet the
expectations of the institution, the school and the program.

1.2 In general, the candidate has to fit into the unique nature of the LANG
Program. In recent years, the teaching of foreign languages and cultures
has undergone tremendous changes in what pertains to research, pedagogy
and methodologies. Furthermore, the Program values candidates who
continue his/her professional development as an educator in order to
incorporate modern approaches to the teaching of second language
acquisition, cultures and literature. The LANG Program works in
collaboration with professional associations in the nation, such as The
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the
Modem Language Association (MLA), and the American Philo logical
Association (APA). 

1.3 The LANG Program seeks candidates who can strengthen and fulfill our
mission to prepare students for an ever-present multicultural global
community. We believe that in the process oflearning languages and
cultures, students become more attuned to different cultural practices and
perspectives. This cultural sensitivity is central to the mission of the
division of Arts and Humanities (ARHU). By exposing and immersing
students in different languages and cultures at Stockton or abroad, we
form individuals who will be able to communicate better both in a highly
diversified and pluralistic world. Our primary objective is to enable
students to attain an international outlook, paving their way to bridge the
gaps between peoples and cultures. 

1.4 The Program endorses candidates who can suppott or add to the deeply
inherent interdisciplinary nature of the Program and its wide scope of
knowledge. Professors already teach Latin, French, Spanish, Greek, and
Hebrew language courses, from the novice to the advanced levels. We
hope to expand our Program by adding more language offerings in the
near future. Moreover, the teaching of a given language is also the
teaching of a culture. The concept of culture is defined broadly as the
historical, social (social classes, economy, race, ethnicity, inter/cultural
exchanges), political, artistic and literary knowledge of a region or people.
Professors draw knowledge from their varied experiences and avid
interests in Peninsular, Latin American and Caribbean Studies,
Hemispheric Studies, French and Francophone Studies, Greco-Roman
Studies and Comparative Literature.

1.5 Criteria for tenure and/or promotion involve a balance of teaching,
scholarly and creative activity, and service. 

6.1 Teaching Standards for the LANG Program

6.1.1 Faculty shall be well-versed in the subject matter being taught, including
any recent developments in the area. This may involve research and/or
travel directly related to course development
6.1.2 Faculty shall have a clear vision of what s/he hopes to accomplish in the
course and be clear and open with students about these objectives on the
course syllabus.
6.1.3 Faculty shall provide thoughtful and constructive feedback to their
students about their progress in the course, and do so in a timely fashion.
6.1.4 Faculty shall employ methods of evaluation that are sensibly related to the
objectives of the course.

6.1.4.1 IDEA forms will be the main method for evaluation for each class.
6.1.4.2 Evaluation of LANG course by other member of LANG faculty.
6.1.4.3 Evaluation ofLITT or G-course by other member ofARHU
faculty. 

6.1.5 Faculty shall construct classes that meet the overall program goals for
language majors/minors as well as non-majors/minors. This may include
creating, teaching, and leading courses abroad during the summer. 

6.1.5.1 Faculty might also be called upon to teach Independent Studies to
majors/minors and non-majors/minors as needed.

6.1.5.2 Academic year study tours and/or sununer study abroad presents a
number of non-traditional teaching expectations (writing letters to
parents, establishing a relationship between students and the
Financial Aid Office, solving passports or visa concerns, offering
orientation meetings, establishing connections with travel agencies,
marketing the study tour, confirming appointments with museums
and other cultural activities, etc.,) and should be duly noted.
Additionally, the plmming and preparation for an academic year
study tour and/or a summer study abroad program begins far in
advance of the academic term it is taught. 

6.1.6 Faculty shall incorporate writing into a significant pmtion of courses being
taught.

6.1. 7 Faculty shall teach content (historical, socio-political, cultural, artistic and
literary information) tlu·ough listening, reading, and speaking exercises in
a linguistic medium other than English.

6.1.8 Faculty shall be willing to offer new courses or significantly revise
existing courses in areas that the Program deems necessary.

6.1. 9 Faculty shall be responsive to concerns about areas where the professor
might need improvement in his/her pedagogy. This may involve teaching
methodologies and/or instructional technology workshops.

6.1.1 0 The LANG Program offers an extremely valuable contribution to other
programs, such as Historical Studies and Literature, among others. LANG
professors often fulfill additional teaching responsibilities by promoting
language instruction to students in related academic fields of study.
Working alongside these programs also promotes interdisciplinary ties. It
enables academic programs to remain connected as they incorporate
language study into their disciplines, allowing students to meet their
program's graduation requirements. Our collaboration with other
programs entails great amounts of time and dedication, as LANG faculty
must work in conjunction with the academic expectations of other
disciplines. This additional responsibility increases the teaching load for
LANG faculty because many of the course offerings must be scheduled
during the summer sessions, ensuring that students fi·01n other programs as
well as our own LANG students graduate in a timely fashion. Teaching
summer courses on a regular basis will be recognized as an invaluable part
of program building. It can significantly alter a faculty member's individual plan,
especially with regard to the timely production of scholarly and creative work. 

6.1.11 Faculty will be expected to support students outside of the classroom by
advising students to apply to study abroad programs and to present their
research at Stockton and other appropriate venues, to correspond with
matriculated majors/minors, and to write letters of recommendation as
needed or where appropriate. 

6.2 Scholarly and Creative Activity

6.2.1 The faculty of the LANG Program embraces the idea that scholarship,
written in English, Latin, French, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew, and in other
world languages enhances creative classroom activity and a service to the
profession. Furthermore, the members view a continuing commitment to
these activities, in national and international contexts, as not only part of
an academic career but enjoyable and wmthy in their own right. Scholarly
and creative work grows out of the life of the mind we all cherish. It
stimulates intellectual growth and cross-cultural understanding.

6.2.2 Candidates must have made contributions to their field of study
commensurate with academic standards of their fields and disciplines for
tenure and/or promotion to associate and full professor. Quantity alone is
an insufficient measure of scholarship and creative activity. Therefore, the
Program will not list any specific quantitative measure that candidates for
tenure and/or promotion must meet. The faculty will address such issues in
their individual faculty plans. 

6.2.3 LANG faculty must oftentimes be generalists who, in addition to
constantly demonstrating their expertise of the subject matter through
course work and research, simultaneously prove to be linguists, historians,
translators, literature and philosophy professors.

6.2.4 Student involvement in one's research is encouraged within Program and
General Studies courses.

6.2.5 The Program recognizes a wide variety of scholarly and creative activities
for tenure and/or promotion. These may take many forms and be directed
at the academic and/or wider community. We welcome traditional
scholarly activity in Latin, French, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew, and in other
world languages. Language teachers are also by nature advocates of that
language and its culture. Therefore, new translations, new editions, study
abroad, or exhibitions as well as other activities that introduce
international authors and their works to a new audience are an integral part
of our mission. The candidate, in consultation with other program faculty,
will decide how and in what manners/he wants to meet the goals for
scholarly and creative activity in the individual faculty plan. 

6.2.6 A candidate is encouraged to present scholarly work at academic
conferences or other appropriate venues. The Program expects faculty
members to pursue various scholarly interests, even projects outside one's
area of specialization. The Program and candidate for tenure and/or
promotion will work together to determine the significance and impact of
their work and of the venues in which their work should appear.

6.2.7 The College guidelines state "it is always the case that the burden is on the
candidate to document the excellence of one's work." Because the LANG
faculty must evaluate this work, the Program will share the responsibility
of documenting its quality. The Program is best suited to make such
judgments and will render them when aiding candidates in the
composition of their individual plans and when recommending a candidate
for tenure and/or promotion. 

6.3 Service

6.3.1 Stockton recognizes three levels of service: service to the Program, service
to the College, and service to the community. The LANG Program
stipulates that candidates must contribute on the first two levels and that
the candidates will determine the degree to which they can contribute on
the third level. Furthermore, service for LANG faculty should include
student engagement and program assessment of student learning. The
candidates, in consultation with the LANG Program, will spell out in their
individual faculty plan the contributions they intend to make in each area.

6.3.2 Program Level: The following activities are examples of acceptable
general requirements for service to the Program:
• leading language-specific clubs, trips, or other activities
• creating or managing a study abroad program
• contributing to program assessment and planning
• contributing to program reports and other program documents
• acting as a liaison to other programs and divisions
• working in a collegial fashion with fellow program faculty
• participating in oral, reading, and writing proficiency activities in the
modern languages
• representing the Program in recruiting activities
• creating and offering independent study courses

6.3.3 College Level: The following activities are examples of acceptable general
requirements for service to the College:
• contributing to or chairing ARHU committees
• contributing to or chairing college-wide committees
• serving as a Faculty Assembly officer
• serving as a Stockton Federation ofTeachers officer
• attending various college functions
• making scholarly presentations to the college community
• writing repotts or other documents for the College
• mentoring new faculty members
• being active in Hellenic Studies
• contributing to the Stockton artistic community
• contributing to a Board of Trustees committee
• guest lecturing in other programs or divisions
• team teaching a course
• organizing conferences, symposia, and guest lectures at the College
• organizing student events
• assisting in the monitoring and the documentation of program
assessment 

6.3.4 Community Level: Service to the community may include, but not be
limited to the fo Bowing activities:
• contributing to or chairing local, state-wide, or national entities such
as charitable organizations; civic and advocacy groups and
institutions
• acting as a consultant to charities, institutions, civic or advocacy
groups
• volunteering to perform outreach to the local community.
• organizing or planning conferences outside of academic settings
• conducting in-service or lectures at local schools
• lecturing at local, state, or national gatherings

6.3.5 Additional Evaluation Criteria
Where the Program believes the candidate has met these guidelines, it will
state so in the annual program letter. The individual faculty plan will also
indicate sufficient progress toward such goals. If the Program believes that
the candidate has not performed sufficient service, it will indicate in the
program letter specific recommendations for improving the candidate's
performance. For service in other categories, the following will serve as
assessment:
• letters from committee chairs detailing the candidate's contribution
• letters from  fellow committee members detailing the candidate's
contribution
• letters from outside evaluators
• letters from staff recognizing the candidate's contribution
• awards or other types of public recognition
• event programs indicating the candidate's contribution
• membership listings