Educational Areas

Making A Difference

Impact Summary Reports

 

Support UNL Extension

Promotion and Tenure Considerations and Procedures

Promotion and Tenure Considerations

The ultimate form of scholarship for Extension faculty is to document and report the impact of your overall educational program.  The thrust of your educational program is that agreed to by you and your unit administrator and should be reflected in your position description.  The documentation needs to show how your educational program has helped individuals, families, and/or communities improve their economic, environmental, and social well being.  Your educational program must contribute to Extension's goal to be relevant, responsive, and respected. Scholarship outputs for Extension include:

Program impacts.
(Impact assessment, outcomes) All faculty need to report how their programs have made a difference. Faculty are expected to conduct or participate in a well-planned program evaluation that describes achievement of program goals. Evaluations may involve a team and should be focused on significant educational programs. It is expected that impact will be reported in the EARS system.

Scholarly Achievement.
Categories of scholarship include: 1) Extension teaching including use of innovative and creative methodologies;  2) Creation of program curriculum, materials and decision making tools;  3) Assessment of program impacts, new educational approaches, and/or evaluation techniques with regional, national, and international peers and colleagues.

Evaluation of quality.
Peer recognition, adoption of program materials by University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension faculty, use of materials by persons in other states, national presentations, and selection for regional/national assignments provide some assessment of quality. Evidence of impact on clientele, as demonstrated by changes in behavior or actions and application of information delivered by the educational program, is further evidence of quality.

The following measures provide an indication of excellence in Extension programming.

Extension Program Competency.
Exhibits mastery of discipline, understanding of the research base, technical competence, and competency in delivering an Extension educational program that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of clientele.  Clientele view the delivered Extension program as credible and unbiased.

Educational Instruction.
Demonstrate the ability to design a set of educational or learning objectives/goals for a target audience and a breadth of successful teaching activities designed to achieve the specific program outcomes and impacts.  Examples include development of curriculum, use of distance education methodologies, in-depth transformational programming for learners, in-service programming, etc.  Educational activities should not stand alone but support a plan for achieving educational goals.

Creativity.
Demonstrate a willingness to introduce new subject matter that addresses priority issues.  Utilize new and diverse methodology, technology, and innovative approaches in development, delivery, and evaluation of educational programs.  New teaching methodology may include eXtension, other distance education delivery, and emerging electronic technologies.  Willingness to take risks.

Leadership/Teamwork/Partnerships.
Support of and leadership within issue-based programming teams and work groups is critical. Evidence of contributions to an Extension action team and/or collaboration with other University partners beyond IANR, agencies, institutions or private entities is expected.

Communications.
Timely, relevant and effective communications with clientele, stakeholders and other faculty/staff members is crucial in implementing programs and reporting successes.

Grants and User Fee Support.
Faculty are expected to be proactive in seeking and obtaining outside support for program enhancement. It is recognized that some discipline areas will have greater opportunity than others.

Initiative.
Engage stakeholders, learners, and decision makers to plan, develop, deliver, and evaluate educational programs and communicate the relevance of Extension accomplishments.  Faculty are to position their programs to be relevant and proactive.

Inclusive.
Faculty should be aware of and exhibit a commitment to serving all members of the learning community.

University Citizenship.
Active participation at the department/district, division, and University level to support ongoing functions and create a positive image of the University.  Demonstrate a commitment to student recruitment for the University.

Revised October, 2008

Back to Top

Promotion Criteria for Extension Educators

Extension Instructor:

  1. A Master's degree in an appropriate field
  2. Recommendations and qualifications to indicate potential success as an Extension Educator

Assistant Extension Educator:

  1. All qualifications of lower rank
  2. Relevant experience desired
  3. Meets position requirements in a highly desirable manner and at a level expected of a well-qualified individual and team player

Associate Extension Educator:

  1. All qualifications of lower ranks
  2. Time-in-rank at the assistant level is ordinarily at least five years and typically is six years
  3. Requires the development and execution of Extension plans of work which demonstrate creativity, credibility, impact, and a high degree of acceptance by clientele
  4. Meets position requirements in a highly desirable manner and at a level expected of a well-qualified individual including evidence of professional growth, especially in team roles

Extension Educator:

  1. All qualifications of lower ranks
  2. Recognition by colleagues and clientele for intellectual depth, and effectiveness in Extension activities which contribute substantially to program impact
  3. Demonstrated continued professional growth potential and interpersonal growth especially in team roles
  4. Meets position requirements in a highly desirable manner and a level expected of a well-qualified individual that generates substantial program impact
  5. Normally a minimum of seven years in the Associate rank

Back to Top

Promotion Criteria for Extension Assistants

Extension Assistant to Extension Associate

In order to recognize the additional knowledge, skills, and abilities that University funded Extension Assistants have acquired since their hire date which makes them more valuable to University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension, the following promotion criteria and procedures have been developed.

Criteria

  • Five (5) years at the Extension Assistant rank.
  • Above average ratings on the last three consecutive performance evaluations.
  • Evidence from the application file could include:
    1. Examples of contribution to program impact data collection, evaluation, and reporting showing the difference a program has made.
    2. Rapport with clientele indicating the applicant has gained their confidence.
    3. Growth in job responsibility compared with the current job description.
    4. Growth in professional competence and ability to work with less supervision from the immediate supervisor.
    5. Educational materials developed.
    6. Participation in program development.
    7. Professional development efforts that have enhanced the applicant's ability to provide subject matter expertise within their program area.
    8. Creativity as demonstrated by the willingness to try new concepts and/or new delivery methods.
    9. Quality of activities as related to goals identified in the position description and the Annual Report of Activities.
    10. Teamwork contributions on both the local and EPU level.
    11. Contribution to successful grant applications

Procedures

  • By March 15, the employee (or at the urging of the Unit Leader or Immediate Supervisor) will petition for promotion to the District Director.
  • The Employee will develop the following supportive materials and submit them as an Application File:
    1. Three consecutive performance evaluations.
    2. Copies of the five previous Annual Report of Activities.
    3. Current job description.
    4. Professional development efforts.
    5. A letter of support from the Unit Leader or Immediate Supervisor.
    6. A cover letter from the employee.
  • By April 1, the District Director evaluates each file received and provides either a positive or negative recommendation.
  • Positive recommendations will result in the District Office preparing and forwarding a PAF on each successful applicant through the Dean and Director's office.
  • Steps 1 through 4 will be complete by May 1 for implementation of the promotion by July 1.
  • Equal opportunity promotion, and pay of all employees of the University shall be without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, or political affiliation. The University will strive to achieve realistic affirmative action promotion goals.

Back to Top

Promotion File

Organizing and Assembling Your File

  • Three-ring binder 1 ½ inch size
  • Section dividers with tabs

Section One - Letter of Transmittal

  • Address to Unit Administrator
  • Write the letter like a cover letter of a job resume
  • Highlight your strengths and accomplishments
  • Don't overdo it; generally limit to one page

Section Two - Recommendations

This section is blank -- as your file progresses, your peer committee and Unit Administrator will add letters to the file in this section along with Summary of Recommendation forms.

Section Three - Position Description

  • Current Position Description
  • If your position has changed since your last appointment or promotion, add the other position description.

Section Four - ARFA

  • Current year only of Annual Report of Faculty Accomplishments
  • Should include major program impact in a clear, concise manner
  • Reader must be able to quickly find program goals and outcomes
  • Goals for the coming year should state measurable outcomes
  • Stay in a current page limit

Section Five - Annual Evaluations

  • Four most recent evaluations

Section Six - Summary of Accomplishments

  • Be concise, but thorough -- 8 to 10 pages
  • Cover the period since last promotion or appointment
  • Show sustained program efforts over time
  • Should include well documented accomplishments and a thorough evaluation of at least one major program that shows a change in the social, environmental or economic well-being of individuals or communities
  • Identify measurable impact can also be in practice change or in KASA (knowledge, attitudes, skills and aspirations).
  • This is the most important section of the file.

Back to Top

Guidelines for Evaluation and Promotion of Extension Educators Located in Academic Departments

The annual performance evaluation will be conducted jointly by a District Director and the Head of the Department. The supervising District Director and Department Head will be designated on the job description. The job description will also indicate which unit administrator will take the lead for the evaluation process.

As part of the annual evaluation, progress toward promotion will be discussed.

Extension Educators located in Academic Departments will be evaluated for promotion by the District Promotion Committee in the District of the supervising District Director. The job description will list which District Promotion Committee will conduct the evaluation. The designated District Promotion Committee will provide input on progress toward promotion and recommendations on promotion to the supervising District Director and Department Head.

A promotion and tenure committee member, who has an Extension appointment, from the Department where the Extension Educator is located will join and be a voting member of the designated District Promotion Committee which makes the promotion recommendation and reports on progress towards promotion. The Department promotion and tenure committee member will participate only in evaluation of Extension Educators located in their Department.

Back to Top

Policy on Interruption of the Tenure-Track Clock

Policy on Interruption of the Tenure-Track Clock in Cases of Maternity, Disability or Family/Medical Leave

Section 4.10 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska provides that the "total period of full-time service on a faculty Appointment for a Specific Term prior to acquisition of a Continuous Appointment shall not exceed seven years, including all previous tenure-related full-time service with the rank of instructor or higher in all accredited institutions of higher education...."

It will not be considered to be a violation of Section 4.10 of the Regents' Bylaws if in cases of absence because of maternity, disability or family and medical leave, the seven year limitation on the period of full-time service prior to acquisition of a Continuous Appointment is extended to allow a faculty member additional full-time service to make up for full-time service lost because of maternity, disability or family/medical leave. When a faculty member on a Specific Term Appointment experiences an interruption in full-time service because of maternity, disability or family/medical leave, and circumstances warrant that the faculty member's period of full-time service be extended to accommodate for time lost because of the leave, the faculty member's appointment in the year the leave began shall be converted to annual Special Appointment and such annual Special Appointment shall be disregarded in calculating the total period of full-time service for the purpose of Section 4.10 of the Regents' Bylaws.

Back to Top