Bylaws of the Tombras School of Advertising and Public Relations

Table of Contents

Name 2
Introduction 2
Precedence of Bylaws 2
Faculty Membership 2
Criteria for Rank 2
Faculty Responsibilities 3
Director of theSchool 3
Faculty Meetings 4
Committees 4
Curriculum Changes 5
Faculty Searches 5
Appointment,Retention,Tenure,Promotion,EvaluationandAppeals 5
Amendments 5
Implementation 6

Addendum I – Workload Policy 7

Overview 7
Expectations and Performance 7
Guidelines for Research/Creative Activity 7
Aspirational Venues 8

Addendum II – Annual Faculty Performance Review 10

Scoring 10
Teaching 10
Research/Creative Activity: 11
Service 12

Addendum III – Criteria for Tenure and Promotion 13

Expectations for Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor 13
Expectations for Promotion to Professor 13

Adopted February 1986

Revised April 1999, April 2005, September 2015, April 2017, October 2019

Name These bylaws are created for the School of Advertising and Public Relations [hereinafter referred to as the “School”].
Introduction The School is one of four administrative units in the College of Communication and Information [hereinafter referred to as the “College”]. The School offers courses that lead to the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees. The Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications accredits the School’s undergraduate programs. Undergraduates may choose advertising or public relations as their major when applying to UT. Current students should contact the School for current admission procedures. The graduate office of the College coordinates all graduate admissions. Administrative offices are in 476 Communications Building.
Precedence of Bylaws School bylaws, particularly when dealing with the responsibilities and authority of administrators and faculty, and with annual evaluations, tenure, and promotion, shall reflect the policies and procedures found in the current Faculty Handbook, Manual for Faculty Evaluation, and other official documents stating University of Tennessee policies.
Faculty Membership Section 1: The School faculty consists of all professors, associate professors, assistant professors, instructors and lecturers who hold an appointment in the School of Advertising and Public Relations. Section 2: The voting faculty includes all full-time members. Those who are retired, those who are visiting members, and those who are part-time lecturers are not voting faculty. Section 3: At the discretion of the Director of the School, and with the consent of the voting members, non-voting members may be granted the floor to address a matter about which they have particular knowledge or experience. The decision of the Director to allow a non-voting member to speak may be appealed by a voting member and overturned by a majority of voting members.
Criteria for Rank The School follows the criteria outlined in the Faculty Handbook (section 3.2) for criteria of rank. See Addendum III for further detail on criteria for tenure and promotion by rank.
Faculty Responsibilities Section 1: TEACHING. As detailed in Addendum I, the School recognizes teaching as a key faculty responsibility. In general, the teaching role focuses on employing useful methods to facilitate student learning:
1. In formal class settings
2. Through independent study tutorials
3. Through distant learning
4. Through advising and mentoring of both graduate and undergraduate students Section 2: RESEARCH/CREATIVE ACTIVITY. As detailed in Addendum I, the School recognizes research/creative activity as a key faculty responsibility. In general, the research/creative activity role focuses on:
  1. Activities that try to transmit a cultural/artistic heritage and/or expand or deepen the audience’s horizons
  2. Activities that try to expand disciplinary frontiers of knowledge
  3. Activities that try to transcend disciplinary boundaries by relationships with other disciplines
  4. Activities that try to provide practical applications for research- generated knowledge
  5. Activities that try to synthesize or reiterate research findings for newly identified audiences
  Section 3: SERVICE. As detailed in Addendum I, the School recognizes service as a key faculty responsibility. In general, faculty members will:
  1. Participate in college, departmental, and university governance
  2. Serve their disciplines
  3. Benefit the community beyond the institution
Director of the School Section 1: The chief administrator of the School is the Director, hereafter referred to as the “Director.” The Dean of the College of Communication and Information appoints him or her with consultation from the faculty. Section 2: The Director is appointed to a five-year term, serving at the will of the Dean, and can be reappointed by the College Dean. Section 3: Initiating a search for a new Director will follow the procedures outlined in the University of Tennessee Faculty Handbook. Section 4: The Dean of the College shall conduct an annual review of the Director’s performance. All faculty members will have the opportunity to formally evaluate the Director in the spring of each year using the forms provided by the university. Section 5: The Director is obligated to consult with faculty regularly on matters concerning the School. Such matters include, but are not limited to, governance of the School, budgeting priorities, and salary adjustments. Section 6: The Director works with the faculty to appoint part-time instructors, lecturers, and distinguished lecturers as detailed in Section XII of these bylaws. Section 7: The Director appoints graduate teaching associates, graduate teaching assistants, and graduate assistants with input from the faculty. Section 8: The Director appoints the clerical staff for the School.
Faculty Meetings Section 1: Faculty meetings are to be held at least twice each semester. Additional meetings will be called as School business requires. Section 2: The Director presides at all faculty meetings and either the Director or her/his designee serves as recording secretary. The recording secretary will record discussion and action taken at the meeting. These minutes shall be distributed to members in a timely manner. Section 3: Any faculty member may request a School meeting for any reason. Section 4: Informal procedures will be used at School meetings. Section 5: The Director is responsible for scheduling meetings, notifying faculty members of the dates and times of such meetings, and, where appropriate, preparing an agenda. Section 6: Part-time faculty, graduate teaching associates, and graduate teaching assistants can attend faculty meetings to express their views on matters that concern the School. Section 7: The Director shall distribute to all members an agenda in advance of a schedule School meeting.
Committees Section 1: School’s standing committees include:
1. The assessment committee will implement assessment of course outcomes and draft reports.
2. The diversity committee will work on diversity initiatives. Section 2: The Director as deemed necessary, may appoint ad hoc committees.
Curriculum Changes Section 1: The requirements of the curriculum are described in the University undergraduate and graduate catalogues. Section 2: Changes in course requirements, degree requirements, and rules and regulations for admission and graduation are the responsibility of the faculty. Section 3: Proposals for changes in curriculum must be presentedin writing to the faculty at a scheduled meeting. Undergraduate curriculum change proposals follow the Curricular Submission Guidelines for the Undergraduate Council and graduate curriculum change proposals follow the Curriculum Submission Guidelines for the Graduate Council. Proposals must be submitted to members in advance of the scheduled meeting. Section 4: Each instructor of record is expected to follow the Teaching Guidelines for Advertising and Public Relations Courses in implementing the curriculum.
Faculty Searches All faculty positions must be filled in accordance with the guidelines “Steps for Conducting a Standard Search” on the Office of Equity and Diversity website (http://oed.utk.edu/searches/steps/).
Appointment, Retention, Tenure, Promotion, Evaluation and Appeals Section 1: All actions of the School concerning appointment, retention, tenure, promotion, evaluation and appeals of the faculty are governed by the language of the University of Tennessee Faculty Handbook and the University of Tennessee Manual for Faculty Evaluation. Section 2: All actions of the School concerning appointment, retention, promotion, evaluation, and appeals of non- tenure track faculty are governed by the language of the University of Tennessee Faculty Handbook and the University of Tennessee Manual for Faculty Evaluation Section 3: See also Addendum II – Annual Faculty Performance Review
Amendments Section 1. Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed either by the Director, by any faculty member, by a standing committee, or by an ad hoc committee. Section 2. Amendments will be presented to the faculty and voted upon at a scheduled meeting. Prior to the scheduled meeting, all School members must receive notice of an intention to amend, proposed amendments, and an agenda that provides opportunity for discussion and voting on proposed amendments. A two-thirds majority vote of the faculty shall be necessary for adoption.
Implementation

Section 1. These bylaws will become effective immediately upon approval by two-thirds majority vote of the faculty.

Section 2. Copies of the bylaws will be distributed to all faculty members and to the Dean of the College.

Section 3: Should any member of the School believe that his or her rights established in these bylaws have not been upheld, he or she may pursue an appeal through channels as described in the University of Tennessee Faculty Handbook and the University of Tennessee Manual for Faculty Evaluation.

These bylaws were adopted by a vote of 5-0 on Feb. 6, 1986 and revised by a vote of 5-0 on April 13, 1999. These bylaws were revised by a vote of 11-0 on March 29, 2005. These bylaws were revised by a vote of 15-0 in September 2015. The fourth version was passed by a vote of 9- 0 in April 2018.

Addendum I – Workload Policy

School of Advertising and Public Relations

Overview Passed March 2016 Faculty in the School of Advertising and Public Relations will follow the College of Communication and Information Work Load Expectations and the general guidelines for teaching, research/creative activity, and service provided in the School of Advertising and Public Relations Bylaws. Every faculty member contributes to the School of Advertising and Public Relations and supports our efforts to be recognized as a program of excellence that is recognized internationally, nationally, and regionally for the caliber of its teaching, research/creative activity, and service.
Expectations and Performance Expectations for the balance of teaching research/creative activity and service will be agreed on by the faculty member and director every three years when workload assignments are developed and also at every annual review. The director will rate the faculty member on how well those expectations were met each year using the university-approved scale: far exceeds expectations, exceeds expectations, meets expectations, falls short of expectations, falls far short of expectations. Teaching Performance will be assessed based on both quantity and quality of instruction, mentoring, and advising. Among the measures that may be considered are number and type of courses taught, student credit hours generated, student evaluations, peer evaluations, thesis/dissertation committees chaired as well as service on those committees, teaching awards, and participation in professional development activities designed to improve teaching. Research/Creative Activity Performance will be assessed on both the quantity and quality of research/creative activity outputs and outcomes. Faculty members aspire to publish, present, and exhibit their work in top-tier advertising, public relations, and communication venues that enhance the visibility of our scholarship. But other research and creative activity will also be considered. Guidelines for the relative importance of specific types of research/creative activities are listed at the end of this document. The examples are illustrative and are not meant to be complete or exclusionary. Service performance will be assessed on both quality and quantity of service to the school, college, campus, and discipline. Service assignments should reflect a balance between participating in shared governance and engaging in activities that enhance the profile of the school internationally, nationally, and regionally.
Guidelines for Research/Creative Activity Priority A: (each output will typically be worth 1.0 research/creative unit but could be more for major work)
1. Peer reviewed journal articles
2. Research book (author)
3. Peer reviewed book chapter
4. Editor of a peer-reviewed collected work (e.g., book, journal special issue)
5. Funded peer reviewed research proposal from an external agency
6. Major creative activity (exhibitions or contributions at an international or national level) Priority B: (each output will typically be worth .75 research/creative unit)
  1. Textbooks
  2. Edited non-peer-reviewed collected work Priority C: (each output will typically be worth .50 research/creative unit, up to a total of one unit per year)
    1. Presenter of a paper or poster at national or international conference
    2. Research articles in non-refereed journals or trade publications Priority D: (each output will typically be worth .25 research/creative unit, up to a total of one unit per year)
      1. Presenter of a paper or poster at a local or regional conference
      2. Non-peer-reviewed participation in a conference
      3. Encyclopedia entry
      4. Peer reviewed conference proceedings papers – not abstracts (in national or international conferences)
      5. Submission of research proposal to an external agency (unfunded)
      6. Minor creative activity (exhibitions or contributions at a regional or local level)
      Qualitative assessment includes:
      1. Publication is in the list of Aspirational Publication Venues – Journals
      2. Percent of effort on co-authored publication
      3. Other factors
Aspirational Venues The purpose of the list is aspirational and its use will heighten the recognition of the faculty and the school. This list will be used in an advisory capacity for faculty as they seek outlets for the research and creative activity. In addition, the List:
1. is not intended to add additional criteria for tenure and promotion;
2. is not intended to discourage faculty from seeking to publish in sub-discipline or interdisciplinary journals;
3. is not intended to be exclusive or curtail new conceptualization of research areas;
4. serves as a resource for identifying journals that publish research utilizing specific methodologies and theoretical frameworks;
5. serves as a guide for faculty members to assess the placement of their research and publication contributions to the field of advertising and public relations, thereby enhancing recognition for the school and university for their scholarly activities; and
6. is intended to be a dynamic document that will be reviewed and revised regularly.

The list of conferences includes those venues likely to have the largest concentration of Advertising and Public Relations faculty.

Conferences

American Academy of Advertising

Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication International Communication Association

National Communication Association

The list of journals includes the leading publication from each of the associations listed above as well as the leading research journals that focus specifically on advertising and public relations.

Journals

International Journal of Advertising

International Journal of Strategic Communication Journal of Advertising

Journal of Advertising Education

Journal of Applied Communication Research Journal of Communication

Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising Journal of Interactive Advertising

Journal of Public Relations Research Journalism and Mass Communication Educator Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly Management Communication Quarterly

Public Relations Review

Addendum II – Annual Faculty Performance Review

School of Advertising and Public Relations Passed Oct. 10, 2018

The purpose of this bylaws addendum is to provide greater clarity about the criteria the school director will use to assess faculty performance across the various categories of the university’s annual review system.

Scoring The total score for an annual review will be calculated based on the score for each of the sections of the review multiplied by a faculty member’s percent of load in each area. A typical faculty calculation would be: Teaching (.40) + Research (.40) + Service (.20) = Overall Score. The individual faculty member workload should be negotiated with the director in light of School needs. Workload may also be renegotiated within a given year depending on acute needs of the School. In all categories, the following criteria will be used to assign numeric scores: 5 Far Exceeds Expectations: Your accomplishments are exceptional and go well-beyond what would be expected. 4 Exceeds Expectations: Your accomplishments go significantly beyond what is expected. 3 Meets Expectations: You are doing well. The range of accomplishments that would earn this label is large, and ranges from meets minimum workload to performing somewhat (but not significantly) above expectations. 2 Falls Short of Meeting Expectations: You need to do better. You have not met minimum workload expectations as defined in this document. 1 Falls Far Short of Meeting Expectations: Your performance is unacceptable. You are performing significantly below what is expected. The inherent challenge and subjectivity of these assessments is acknowledged, though the school director should make every effort to provide rigorous and equitable evaluations across courses, faculty members, and faculty groups. The school director will consider the following general definitions, principles, and guidelines when performing an annual faculty performance review.
Teaching
1. Excellence is the goal in the classroom as a basic expectation across all ranks for both tenured/tenure track and non-tenure track faculty when teaching is a job assignment. The evaluation should consider both experience in teaching a course and number/sophistication of course preparations assigned.
2. Following are core expectations for teaching:
  1. A competent instructor who is teaching the core learning objectives in the course(s) assigned,
  2. Is applying appropriate rigor,
  3. Experiencing no major organizational or pedagogical problems in the courses taught, and
  4. Achieving a reasonable student satisfaction level when controlling for the nature of the course and the professor’s experience teaching the course,
    1. In reviewing teaching, directors should consider not only core expectations, but also broader types of mission-directed contributions, including, but not limited to:
      1. Willingness and demonstrated ability to teach multiple course preparations, or step in and take new preps, additional sections, independent studies, when the school is in need, as appropriate to rank and that person’s appointment, skills and expertise
      2. Willingness and demonstrated ability to teach in multiple programs (undergraduate, masters and Ph.D. programs) as per school and college needs if appropriate to that person’s appointment or needs of the unit.
      3. Willingness and demonstrated ability to generate innovative offerings that enhance student skills, experience or professional preparation.
      4. Inclusion of diversity assignments, readings, discussions, or experiences
      5. Any formal reviews of teaching performed during the reporting period.
      6. Any awards (or nominations for awards) given for excellence in the classroom.
      7. Any other inputs that contain valuable information for assessing teaching effectiveness.
Research/Creative Activity:
1. Research is expected from tenured/tenure-track faculty. Research/creative activity is considered from a multifaceted perspective.
2. First, as defined in the workload policy, all faculty members must produce at least two research/creative activity units to be rated as “meets expectations.” Each year faculty will calculate their research outcomes as part of the annual review.
  1. However, qualitative measures are also considered in the evaluation process. In particular, the following will play a role in determining whether faculty are meeting and/or exceeding expectations for rank.
  2. Indicators that scholarly activities are having an impact on the external visibility of the faculty member, the school and the college. Examples include keynote presentations at prestigious conferences, citations, research awards, etc.
  3. Activities that enhance the scholarship of the school, such as writing grants, collaborating with doctoral students, supporting research efforts of junior faculty, etc.
  4. Other inputs that provide information for assessing the faculty member’s research/creative accomplishments. Examples include top paper or other research awards.
3. In addition, differential general guidelines are to be used in the determination of evaluation scores for research for various faculty levels.
  1. Assistant Professors are expected to show promise in developing a program of research and scholarship that is gaining external recognition. The probationary (pre- tenure) period is intended to allow time for an assistant professor to develop a research portfolio targeted at the school’s top journals that will show clear achievement of this goal. Thus, the annual reviews should shift focus from “promise” to “accomplishments” over the course of the probationary period. For assistant professors, “meets expectations” for research represents steady progress towards a portfolio that establishes a scholarly reputation in their field and meets the number of research units required by the workload policy.
  2. Associate Professors are expected to continue to target the school’s top journals and produce scholarly output that enhances their professional reputation and makes them recognized contributors in their discipline. A rating of “meets expectations” for research represents steady progress toward a portfolio that establishes the faculty member as a nationally recognized scholar in their field and meets the number of research units required by the workload policy.
  3. Full Professors are expected to continue to target the school’s top journals and produce scholarly output that enhances their professional reputation and makes them recognized contributors in their discipline. A rating of “meets expectations” for research represents continued contribution to research/creative activity that meets the number of research units required by the workload policy and that will further broaden their national or international recognition within their field.
Service
1. One of the core responsibilities of all faculty is service to their school, the college, the university, and their profession. Service activities should reflect a balance between participating in shared governance and engaging in activities that enhance the profile of the school internationally, nationally, and regionally. Service activities should contribute to the overall student experience.
2. Generally, service expectations for tenure-track faculty are lower during the pre-tenure (probationary) period than for tenured faculty.
3. Directors should work with all faculty members to carefully negotiate service workload assignments to enable them to provide optimal levels of service while maintaining exemplary teaching and research performance.

Addendum III – Criteria for Tenure and Promotion

School of Advertising and Public Relations Passed Nov. 14, 2018

The University of Tennessee has criteria for tenure and promotion described in the Faculty Handbook. The following are the additional criteria for the School of Advertising and Public Relations.

Expectations for Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor Faculty members will generally spend five years as an Assistant Professor, and apply for tenure during the sixth year. Faculty may be hired with credit for years spent at another institution. This decision is negotiated during the hiring process.
1. Research Expectations: By the time of the tenure application, an assistant professor should have a strong publication record that is leading to a national reputation of expertise in a research area. The candidate is expected to have published an average of two scholarly units per year with an emphasis on peer reviewed articles in the top journals outlined on the Workload Policy. External letters from top scholars from the candidate’s area of research will be an important consideration in the tenure review. The candidate will select five articles from his or her top peer reviewed publications in his or her primary research stream for inclusion in the external review packet. Scholarly output should include a mix of single- and co-authored works, as appropriate. It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide evidence of the quality of the publication venues not included in the Workload Policy.
2. Teaching Expectations: By the time of the tenure application, an assistant professor is expected to have contributed significantly to the teaching mission of the School of Advertising and Public Relations. Faculty are expected to be excellent teachers. Peer and student evaluations will be utilized to evaluate teaching. By the time of the tenure application, according to the UT Faculty Handbook, faculty members will have undergone two peer teaching reviews; positive outcomes on both of these reviews are expected and any deficiencies noted in the peer evaluations should be addressed.
3. Service Expectations: By the time of the tenure application, an assistant professor is expected to contribute to the service mission of the School and take on increasing service responsibilities in the two years before tenure application. The assistant professor should be serving on School, College, and/or University committees. Disciplinary service is similarly important, and contributes to a faculty member’s national reputation. Excellence in service is not a substitute for excellence in research or teaching.
Expectations for Promotion to Professor
1. Research Expectations: Associate professors who go up for the rank of professor are expected to be a nationally recognized researcher (with the potential for international recognition). They must have an active and distinct research agenda and a distinguished record. The candidate is expected to have published an average of two scholarly units per year with an emphasis on peer reviewed articles in the top journals outlined on the Workload Policy. External letters from top scholars from the candidate’s area of research will be an important consideration in the tenure review. The candidate will select five articles from his or her top peer reviewed publications in his or her primary research stream for inclusion in the external review packet. Scholarly output should include a mix of single- and co-authored works, as appropriate. It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide evidence of the quality of the publication venues not included in the Workload Policy, such as national level research awards, invitations to research presentations, citations and other evidence of national reputation.
2. Teaching Expectations: The candidate for professor is expected to take a leading role in contributing to the teaching mission of the School. Faculty are expected to be excellent teachers. Peer and student evaluations will be utilized to evaluate teaching. For promotion to Professor, associate professors are expected to be engaged in teaching activities including but not limited to development of new courses, serving on project, thesis and dissertation committees, and teaching at the undergraduate, masters, and/or doctoral levels.
3. Service Expectations: By the time of promotion to professor, the candidate is expected to take a leading role in contributing to the service mission of the School and the profession. The candidate should be serving on or chairing School, College, and University committees. Disciplinary service is similarly important, such as serving as leaders of academic divisions/organizations, serving as a peer reviewer for journals, conferences, and grant proposals.