In December 2011, the faculty in the School of Education officially adopted three statements (below) that describe consensually derived professional expectations in the areas of teaching, service, and scholarship. Further detail regarding departmental criteria in these realms will be negotiated with individual faculty members and laid out in a letter of expectation.
Teaching in the School of Education
Buffalo State has a strong history and an excellent reputation as one of the best teaching institutions in the SUNY system. To build on this reputation, we expect faculty members to continually update their curricular knowledge and instructional practices for the purposes of preparing candidates to meet standards and become strong instructional leaders by:
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Demonstrating effective oral and written communication skills
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Engaging in critical thinking
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Demonstrating excellence in instructional practice
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Demonstrating cultural and linguistic sensitivity and awareness
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Becoming reflective practitioners
Instructional effectiveness is measured by both student and peer evaluations involving content knowledge and creative instruction that is culturally and linguistically responsive. Effective teacher performance also includes the use of innovative methodologies grounded in research, incorporating new technologies for teaching and learning, and demonstrating student learning through a variety of assessment practices. High-quality teaching can also be demonstrated by other means such as leading workshops, and preparing study materials. For every faculty member in the SOE, specific departmental teaching criteria for a favorable personnel review shall be clearly identified in a formal Letter of Expectation. This letter will be developed, agreed upon, and signed by the faculty member, department chair, chair of the department professional welfare (personnel) committee, and the dean of the SOE no later than 90 working days after the first day of employment or following a personnel action.
Service in the School of Education
Faculty are expected to serve on committees and to participate in activities that contribute to the welfare and reputation of the institution at the departmental, school, college, state, and national/international levels. Service can take a variety of forms and is defined for each individual both by college needs and individual abilities. Service activities allow faculty to gain a greater understanding of the broad issues within higher education, make contributions based on their expertise, and develop relationships with colleagues and constituents at local, national and international levels. Over time, faculty should demonstrate diverse and progressively responsible service contributions. Generally speaking, individuals looking for rank promotions or tenure should demonstrate active service contributions at the departmental, school, and college level. Additionally, service to professional organizations and to local community organizations is highly desirable. For every faculty member in the SOE, specific departmental service criteria for a favorable personnel review shall be clearly identified in a formal Letter of Expectation. This letter will be developed, agreed upon, and signed by the faculty member, department chair, chair of the department professional welfare (personnel) committee, and the dean of the SOE no later than 90 working days after the first day of employment or following a personnel action.
Scholarship and Creative Activity in the School of Education
Faculty engagement in scholarly activity is a high priority at Buffalo State College, generally, and within the School of Education, particularly. Faculty engaged in scholarship demonstrate the strong correlation between quality research/creative activity and exceptional teaching. We encourage faculty to take advantage of the many opportunities available through the College to develop and expand their skills and abilities to make scholarly contributions to the profession. As a teaching-intensive institution, we recognize that scholarly output will vary by individual and will be affected by the other professorial work domains, i.e., teaching and service. Some areas of research have few potential audiences, while other areas have many. This, too, can affect professorial productivity. Still, there is a wide range of scholarly work that can contribute to rank promotions and the acquisition of tenure at Buffalo State, but peer-reviewed publications are a necessity for these steps. In the School of Education, therefore, we have established minimal criteria in this regard. It is hoped that these criteria will assist individuals in assessing progress at term renewal points in addition to promotion/tenure bids.
Generally speaking, it is expected that candidates seeking rank promotions and/or tenure should be ready to exhibit a minimum of two to four peer-reviewed publications, depending on individual department expectations, and should serve as lead author on at least one. Additionally, serving as principal investigator and co-author of successful major grants that contribute to the field of education, broadly construed, can serve in lieu of one or more peer-reviewed publications. High-level reports generated in fulfillment of major grant obligations may also serve in lieu of peer-reviewed publications. Finally, specialty association reports count as scholarly products within the SOE, but cannot serve as a complete publication record. As professors move through professorial ranks, it is expected that scholarly efforts will become progressively more substantive. For every faculty member in the SOE, departmental scholarship criteria for a favorable personnel review shall be clearly identified in a formal Letter of Expectation. This letter will be developed, agreed upon, and signed by the faculty member, department chair, chair of the department professional welfare (personnel) committee, and the dean of the SOE no later than 90 working days after the first day of employment or following a personnel action.
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