Framework for the Assessment of Creative Professional Achievement

1. Introduction

   The Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering is a professional Faculty within the University of Toronto. It is important within a professional Faculty that scholarly academic work and creative professional achievement complement each other, and that there be a recognition of the distinct value of these contributions by the individual in building the collective success of the Faculty enterprise.

   In January 1981, Dean Gordon Slemon produced guidelines for the assessment of professional achievement. These same guidelines form the basis of this document, and will serve to assist individual faculty members to understand what is meant by the terms professional achievement or creative professional work in the context of tenure/ promotion decisions and in the course of on-going performance evaluation.

   The requirements for tenure and promotion are described in detail in the University of Toronto's Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments [amended Nov., 1983] and Promotions Policy [amended April, 1980] respectively. The specific text relevant to the terms professional achievement or creative professional work are provided below:

   On tenure, from Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments [amended Nov., 1983], page 9 of 27, item 13 reads:

   "Tenured appointments should be granted on the basis of three essential criteria:

   • achievement in research and creative professional work,
   • effectiveness in teaching, and
   • clear promise of future intellectual and professional development.

   Contributions in the area of university service may constitute a fourth factor in the tenure decision but should not, in general, receive a particularly significant weighting.

   a) Achievement in research or creative professional work is evidenced primarily, but not exclusively, by published work in the candidate's discipline. In this context published work may include books. monographs, articles and reviews and, where appropriate, significant works of art or scholarly research expressed in media other than print. It may also be evidenced by various other types of creative or professional work, including community service, where such work is comparable in level and intellectual calibre with scholarly production and relates directly to the candidate's academic discipline. Research also encompasses unpublished writings and work in progress. Scholarly achievement may be demonstrated by consideration of theses or other material prepared or written under the candidate's direct supervision. In some exceptional cases, weight should be given to "unwritten scholarship" of the type displayed in public lectures, formal colloquia and informal academic discussions with colleagues."

   Creative professional achievement is not to be confused with service to the profession. Teaching in a professional capacity, serving on professional societies, organizing professional conferences, etc. are to be evaluated in the same way as service to the University and service to the scholarly community. For tenure consideration, University policy requires "only outstanding performance with respect to University service should be given any significant weight and, even then, only if there are no substantial reservations relating to the research, teaching and future promise criteria."

   On promotions, from Promotions Policy (amended April, 1980), page 4 of 13, item 11a on the Attributes of Scholarship reads:

   11a. "Scholarly Activities . Scholarly activities to be considered in promotion decisions include research work and certain kinds of professional or artistic activity. Successful research leads to the advancement of knowledge through contributions of an original nature. It is expected that it will be communicated through the publication of books, articles, papers, reviews and other scholarly work. Creative work in professional and artistic fields may be expressed in other ways: these may include, for example, original architectural or engineering design, important artistic contributions and original techniques in clinical or professional areas, in every case, evidence of originality and importance to the field is sought."

2. Interpretation

   In the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, it is the intention that achievement and future promise in professional work be considered on an equal basis with achievement and future promise in research when considerlng tenure. The same intention applies to the assessment of research and professional achievement for promotions.

   The activities of a member of the professorial staff may be considered to be distributed non-uniformly along a spectrum extending from research contributions to 'pure' knowledge at the one end, to professional contributions to application at the other end. Near one end, the short term impact is largely on the discipline, while at the other end the impact is largely on the community. No dividing line between research and professional work exists, nor is one needed. The integral of achievement over the spectrum is to be assessed. The inference is that a person whose accomplishments are concentrated toward one end of the spectrum will be expected to demonstrate a higher peak of accomplishment there than would be required of one whose achievements were more evenly distributed over the spectrum.

   While the University criteria for tenure require "Demonstrated excellence in one of research (including equivalent and creative or professional work) and teaching, and clearly established competence in the other" (page 10 of Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments), it is desirable that many professors in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering have clearly established competence in all three of teaching, professional practice and research, and demonstrated excellence in at least one, so that students will encounter role models that exemplify the range of professional achievement.

3. Criteria for Professional Achievement

   In professional work, and also in research work, the criteria for achievement must reflect accomplishments beyond competence in use of accepted methods, approaches and techniques. Demonstration of creativity is a requirement in both research and professional activity.

   The following are criteria which may assist in defining creative professional achievement:

   • Exemplary practice
   • Innovation in practice
   • Peer acknowledgment
   • Public impact
   • Professional scholarship

4. Evidence of Creative Professional Achievement

   Creative achievements in research are evidenced primarily by works published in reviewed scholarly journals. The process of disseminating the results of research and subjecting it to peer review automatically provides a record which is continuously available for assessment. In the area of professional work, it is necessary to accummulate similar evidence of accomplishment and of peer assessment if the evaluation committees are to be provided with an adequate information base for judgment. It is suggested that this evidence be collected continually throughout the professional career in anticipation of the expected tenure and promotion reviews.

   The following are some suggested items of evidence which may appropriately be assembled and presented for tenure and promotion consideration:

   1. Professional employment record, including positions held, degree and areas of responsibility, letters of evaluation from peers or superiors, or from external sources.
   2. Project record, including position description and responsibility and project description, assessment by peers, superiors and clients, relating to innovations, creativity and leadership, with copies of reports where available and appropriate.
   3. Consulting client record, including nature of work, degree of responsibility and judgment required, copies of reports (where available), letters of evaluation from clients, recognition as expert in legal matters.
   4. Professional society record, including memberships, service record, evidence of leadership among peers, offices held, conferences organized.
   5. Professional presentations and publications, including submitted and invited papers, speeches, submissions to agencies and commissions, editorials.
   6. Service on government and public advisory boards, committees and task forces, authorship of policy documents, reports with evidence of influence on practice.
   7. Professional accreditation, including licensing by professional organizations (Professional Engineer, Consulting Engineer, Specialist).
   8. Interprofessional activity, including evidence of interaction with other professions on interface matters.
   9. Professional awards and honours.
   10. Evidence of demonstrable change in professional practice resulting from creative work.
   11. Grant and contract record, including evidence of impact on activity of industrial clients.
   12. Innovation and entrepreneurial activity, as evidenced by new products or new ventures launched or assisted, licensed patents.

5. Conclusions

   For the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering to continue to achieve its academic and professional objectives, it must attract and reward faculty members in accordance with the unique blend of talents that they bring to bear in fulfilling their University responsibilities. These guidelines have been written to ensure that the appropriate recognition is given to creative professional achievement within the Faculty and to suggest the means by which professional work may be placed in evidence before the appropriate assessment committees.

6. References
   1. University of Toronto Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments (amended Nov., 1983).
   2. University of Toronto Promotions Policy (amended April, 1980).
   3. Gordon R. Slemon, "Guidelines for Assessment of Professional Achievement" January 9th, 1981.
   4. "Guidelines on Creative Professional Achievement", Faculty of Management, University of Toronto, April, 1995.