Answering questions: Explaining promotion and tenure to new technology faculty

The authors review the peculiarities of the promotion and tenure process for technology faculty and discuss the development of personalized strategic plans. It is noted that the use of a strategic plan for promotion and tenure provides a number of clear benefits. Strategic planning involves the untenured faculty early, avoiding loss of valuable time. It clarifies department expectations and helps the faculty understand what specific actions will be necessary to personally gain tenure. It also efficiently focuses faculty and department resource/efforts in the most important activities. By periodically reviewing strategic plans, the department not only accurately assesses the faculty\´s progress toward tenure, but takes partial "ownership" in the validity of the career paths. With greater likelihood of successful promotions and the knowledge that faculty efforts are part of goal-oriented plans, anxiety is reduced for both the faculty and the administration