How to Apply for a Promotion

The decision to promote faculty members is an important part of ensuring continued and enhanced academic quality. While criteria is laid out for a promotion, the decision to promote is ultimately based on how a faculty member contributes to academic excellence today and anticipated future contributions.

For all faculty promotions, the academic and minimum requirements for the next faculty promotional level must be met. In addition, the faculty member will have started to take over some of the responsibilities of the next promotional level. It is also assumed that faculty would only be promoted one level at a time. 

Promotions are initiated by the faculty member and reviewed by the Director or Dean; those that are approved at that level are then submitted to the Provost. The Provost makes the final promotion decision.

Directors with a consistent teaching load, typically at least one course each semester, are eligible for faculty designations. The process for requesting faculty designation or promotion to the next level includes the same academic and minimum requirements. Evaluation components and timeline are the same.

Promotion Evaluation Components

Promotions will be evaluated on the following components. Faculty members can compile the components with or without the assistance of their dean or director.

Teaching Excellence

  • Track record of positive student surveys
  • Evidence from faculty member:
    • Contributes to teaching / learning outside of the classroom
    • Examples of innovative teaching
    • Examples from syllabi, learning activities, labs, etc.

Service to industry / professional / academia

  • Industry partnerships
  • Continued practice in field
  • Research and/or writing in industry-related publications
  • Speaking at industry-related conferences

Service to College

  • Student recruitment / placement
  • Advising student groups
  • Committees / taskforce
  • Collaborative work
  • Models Dunwoody core values and performance factors

Timeline

April 1st

Application form and supporting documents sent to Dean/Director

May 15th

Promotion recommendations sent from Dean/Director to Provost

July 1st

Dean/Director and Provost approve/deny promotions, and notifies faculty member

Deans Council meeting to discuss approving/denying Professor level promotions

August 1st

Promotions announced and go into effect

October 1st

Salary increases go into effect

Academic Requirements

Degree level appropriate to the courses being taught

Minimum Requirements

3 years industry / professional / academia (I) experience (preferred)

Responsibilities 

  • Facilitate learning activities so that students learn the principles, theory, skills, and work ethic necessary to become proficient for entry level positions
  • Create a positive learning environment
  • Monitor, assess and advise learner on technical and academic progress and performance
  • Use current academic and industry practices in assigned courses of instruction
  • Develop and upgrade lesson material, training aids, and maintain equipment within assigned course of instruction
  • Assist in the recruitment and placement of learners
  • Participates in industry Program Advisory Committee (PAC) to monitor and assess curriculum, budgets, and equipment needs
  • Other duties as assigned

Academic Requirements

Degree level appropriate to the courses being taught

Minimum Requirements

  • 3 years of teaching (T) experience (preferred)
  • 3 years industry / professional / academia (I) experience (preferred)

Responsibilities 

  • Facilitate learning activities so that students learn the principles, theory, skills, and work ethic necessary to become proficient for entry level positions
  • Create a positive learning environment
  • Monitor, assess and advise learners on technical and academic progress and performance
  • Use current academic and industry practices in assigned courses of instruction
  • Develop and upgrade lesson material and training aids and maintain equipment within assigned course of instruction
  • Assist in the recruitment and placement of learners
  • Participates in industry Program Advisory Committee (PAC) to monitor and assess curriculum, budgets, and equipment needs
  • Participate in industry and/or professional organizations in order to maintain and enhance program health and academic integrity
  • Lead the process of maintaining equipment and recommend new equipment purchases within assigned program
  • As a part of a team, design and develop new curriculum within assigned program
  • Provide support, coaching, and guidance to faculty members
  • Other duties as assigned

Academic Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree or higher

Minimum Requirements

  • Advanced industry or teaching credentials as appropriate to the industry or field
  • 5 years of teaching (T) experience (preferred)
  • 3 years industry / professional / academia (I) experience (preferred)

Responsibilities 

  • Facilitate learning activities so that students learn the principles, theory, skills, and work ethic necessary to become proficient for entry level positions
  • Create a positive learning environment
  • Monitor, assess and advise learners on technical and academic progress and performance
  • Use current academic and industry practices in assigned courses of instruction
  • Develop and upgrade lesson material and training aids and maintain equipment within assigned course of instruction
  • Assist in the recruitment and placement of learners
  • Participate in industry and/or professional organizations in order to maintain and enhance program health and academic integrity
  • Lead the process of maintaining equipment and recommend new equipment purchases within assigned program
  • Provide support, coaching, and guidance to faculty members
  • Participates in industry Program Advisory Committee (PAC) to monitor and assess curriculum, budgets, and equipment needs
  • Lead a team to design and develop new curriculum within assigned program
  • Assist the academic dean or manager in scheduling, budgeting, and curriculum health improvements in an assigned program
  • Provide work direction and supervision to student employees
  • Assume department leadership responsibilities in the academic dean’s or manager’s absence
  • Other duties as assigned

Academic Requirements

Master’s Degree (or professional degree when appropriate)

Minimum Requirements

  • Advanced industry or teaching credentials as appropriate to the industry or field
  • Combined 10 years of industry / professional / academia plus teaching experience
    • T + I ≥ 10
    • T = teaching experience
    • I = industry/ professional / academia regionally recognized as a leader in industry and/or professional organizations in direct support of academic programming
  • Displayed effective teaching excellence

Responsibilities 

  • Facilitate learning activities so that students learn the principles, theory, skills, and work ethic necessary to become proficient for entry level positions
  • Create a positive learning environment
  • Monitor, assess and advise learners on technical and academic progress and performance
  • Use current academic and industry practices in assigned courses of instruction
  • Develop and upgrade lesson material and training aids and maintain equipment within assigned course of instruction
  • Assist in the recruitment and placement of learners
  • Participate in industry and/or professional organizations in order to maintain and enhance program health and academic integrity
  • Lead the process of maintaining equipment and recommend new equipment purchases within assigned program
  • Participates in industry Program Advisory Committee (PAC) to monitor and assess curriculum, budgets, and equipment needs
  • Provide support, coaching, and guidance to faculty members
  • Lead a team to design and develop new curriculum within assigned program
  • Assist the academic dean or manager in scheduling, budgeting, and curriculum health improvements in an assigned program
  • Provide work direction and supervision to student employees
  • Assume department leadership responsibilities in the academic dean’s or manager’s absence
  • Performs research and/or contributes to publications that add to the knowledge base of the industry
  • Speaks at industry-related conferences on industry or field of study trends and research results
  • Seeks out and works on grant-writing initiatives to include research, writing and maintenance
  • Other duties as assigned

Academic Requirements

Doctorate Degree

Minimum Requirements

  • Combined 20 years of industry or field plus teaching experience
    • T + I ≥ 20
    • T = teaching experience
    • I = years industry / professional / academia preferred
  • Significant contributions to the advancement of the field or industry
  • Nationally recognized as a leader in research and/or publications that add to the knowledge base of the industry
  • Sought out to speak at regional & national conferences on industry trends and research results
  • Exhibited success on grant-writing initiatives to include research, writing and maintenance
  • Displayed effective teaching excellence

Responsibilities 

  • Facilitate learning activities so that students learn the principles, theory, skills, and work ethic necessary to become proficient for entry level positions
  • Create a positive learning environment
  • Monitor, assess and advise learners on technical and academic progress and performance
  • Use current academic and industry practices in assigned courses of instruction
  • Develop and upgrade lesson material and training aids and maintain equipment within assigned course of instruction
  • Assist in the recruitment and placement of learners
  • Participate in industry and/or professional organizations in order to maintain and enhance program health and academic integrity
  • Lead the process of maintaining equipment and recommend new equipment purchases within assigned program
  • Participates in industry Program Advisory Committee (PAC) to monitor and assess curriculum, budgets, and equipment needs
  • Provide support, coaching, and guidance to faculty members
  • Lead a team to design and develop new curriculum within assigned program
  • Assist the academic dean or manager in scheduling, budgeting, and curriculum health improvements in an assigned program
  • Provide work direction and supervision to student employees
  • Assume department leadership responsibilities in the academic dean’s or manager’s absence
  • Performs research and/or contributes to publications that add to the knowledge base of the industry
  • Speaks at industry-related conferences on industry or field of study trends and research results
  • Seeks out and works on grant-writing initiatives to include research, writing and maintenance
  • Other duties as assigned