From Teaching to Transformation: Recognizing the Broader Impact of Faculty Work

As a faculty member, you have the professional responsibility and the power to define the standards by which your work will be evaluated. Whether you are on the tenure track or a member of the clinical, teaching, lecturer, or research faculty, your participation is critical to ensuring that Boise State’s Promotion and Tenure standards reflect the full range of contributions that make our university thrive.

This effort emerged from grassroots conversations among faculty who felt that our current P&T policies were not fully recognizing the innovative, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged work that defines Boise State’s unique role as a comprehensive research university. Faculty members have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to shape these policies so that they reflect not just traditional scholarship and creative activity, but also the many ways in which your work positively impacts students, local communities, and society at large.

By participating, you have the chance to ensure that the work you do is fully valued and rewarded; you will also help protect the integrity of the faculty’s role in shaping university policies and ensuring that Boise State remains a dynamic institution where creativity, collaboration, and public service are valued and rewarded.

The future of our profession and its role in society depends on it.

Academic freedom and tenure are essential for fostering bold, innovative scholarship. The P&T modernization process strengthens these principles by broadening the criteria used to evaluate faculty, ensuring that contributions across disciplines and faculty ranks are fully recognized. Tenure remains a vital protection for faculty, allowing them to engage in meaningful, impactful work that serves both the university and the public.

At Boise State, faculty are committed to continuous reflection and improvement in how we recognize and reward their contributions. The faculty-led effort to modernize P&T standards demonstrates proactive engagement in maintaining high standards of accountability, transparency, and public service—values that resonate with the expectations of both the university and the broader community. This effort is also aligned with national trends to reassess promotion and tenure standards. Rather than reacting to external critiques, this process highlights the ongoing commitment of faculty to uphold the very principles of rigor, excellence, and public accountability that ensure the success of Boise State’s mission.

By actively shaping these policies, faculty demonstrate how the work they do in teaching, research, and service addresses societal needs, elevating the public good while maintaining academic freedom and integrity.