Ten Tips for Successful Navigation of Promotion and Tenure

The purpose of this paper is to summarize ten key tips or recommendations for successful navigation of the promotion and tenure process. The ten key tips to successful promotion and tenure are: (1) Know institutional expectations, (2) Develop action plan at least 2-3 years in advance, (3) Identify YOUR balance of teaching, scholarship, service, (4) Synergize activities and develop a niche, (5) Prioritize time to activities of high-impact to P&T, (6) Track achievements in format expected for P&T application, (7) Seek out faculty development on P&T, (8) Meet with mentor(s) regularly to review progress, (9) Have a well-written personal statement, and (10) Have final dossier reviewed by colleagues. Faculty members are more likely to be successful through timely and appropriate planning, balancing and synergizing activities, tracking activities and achievements, developing a well-written personal statement, and requesting help from experienced colleagues.