260 260 College & Research Libraries May 1998 Academic Librarians and the Pursuit of Tenure: The Support Group As a Strategy for Success Jeannie P. Miller and Candace R. Benefiel Faculty status with the accompanying quest for tenure is a fact of life for three out of four academic librarians, and achieving tenure is a tough proposition. Most librarians have not received extensive training in re­ search methodology, their work schedules lack flexibility, and they usu­ ally have limited access to research funds. Given these constraints, the support and assistance of colleagues is crucial, and the establishment of an informal tenure support group can provide a mechanism for dis­ cussing common concerns and channeling efforts toward finding effec­ tive solutions. aculty status for academic li­ brarians, like national politics, is one of those highly emotional, highly partisan topics that make life so interesting. As Bruce R. Kingma and Gillian M. McCombs stated in a re­ cent article in College & Research Libraries, “Faculty status for academic librarians is a topic which has consumed the atten­ tion of the profession for the last forty years.”1 The pros and cons of faculty sta­ tus have long been hotly debated, and the issue continues to draw comment from detractors and supporters. In No­ vember 1993, College & Research Libraries News contained an antifaculty status po­ lemic from the late Rice University librar­ ian Beth Shapiro,2 and the following Feb­ ruary saw a spirited defense from Fred Hill and Robert Hauptman from St. Cloud State University.3 Reading the related lit­ erature, such as Stephen E. Atkins’s over­ view of the subject in his book, The Aca- demic Library in the American University,4 makes one thing abundantly clear: This is not an issue on which academic librar­ ians are ever likely to reach consensus. Whether loved or loathed, faculty sta­ tus is a daily fact of life for many, if not most, academic librarians. According to a 1987 study by Emily Werrell and Laura Sullivan, 79 percent of academic librarians have some form of faculty status,5 as de- Whether loved or loathed, faculty status is a daily fact of life for many, if not most, academic librarians. fined by the ACRL’s “Standards for Fac­ ulty Status for College and University Li­ brarians.”6 Although this figure may be on the high side, nonetheless, the implication remains that approximately three out of Jeannie P. Miller is Senior Science Reference Librarian in the Sterling C. Evans Library at Texas A&M University; e-mail: jmiller@tamu.edu. Candace R. Benefiel is Senior Humanities Reference Librarian in the Sterling C. Evans Library at Texas A&M University; e-mail: candace@tamvm1.tamu.edu. 260 mailto:candace@tamvm1.tamu.edu mailto:jmiller@tamu.edu The Pursuit of Tenure 261 four academic librarians are faced with ful­ filling tenure requirements. Achieving tenure is a tough proposition, even under the best of circumstances. Al­ though the goal is clear, expectations are not always clearly defined, so success is basically up to each individual. Most librar­ ies with a tenure track for librarians re­ quire evidence of research and publica­ tion, but levels of support for these activi­ ties are, at best, limited and, at worst, non­ existent. For example, a 1985 survey of academic librarians with faculty status re­ vealed that 50 percent received no release time to pursue the scholarly activities that were required for tenure and promotion.7 Librarians also face additional hurdles that are not shared by other university faculty. Most librarians have not received exten­ sive training in research methodology, their work schedules lack flexibility, and they usually have limited access to re­ search funds. In addition, many librarians, whether new from library school or with years of experience, find themselves fac­ ing a “sink-or-swim” mentality, wherein little help with fulfilling requirements or even assistance in interpreting the nature of the requirements is forthcoming. Al­ though it may be convincingly argued that this attitude is an accurate reflection of the practices of many academic departments, it is nonetheless an added burden for li­ brarians who have not been exposed to either the rigors or the mentoring inher­ ent in most doctoral programs. Those who argue (and they have been numerous) that the MLS program as it currently exists is insufficient to prepare fledgling librarians for the difficulties of performing the re­ search and publication expected of faculty on the tenure track do have considerable justification. In recent years, the role of more expe­ rienced librarians as mentors to those newer in the profession has gained a great deal of support, and the positive effects of mentorship and role models cannot be overstated. Connie Van Fleet explored the variations in the basic approaches to mentoring and provided references to ar­ ticles on the responsibilities, benefits, and formal implementation of mentor–protege relationships in the library setting.8 How­ ever, one problem with mentorship as a support mechanism is that, in many cases, new librarians are unable to find some­ one willing or able to assume the mentor Peer support can be an excellent addition to the arsenal of resources a librarian brings to the fight for tenure and promotion. role. For example, whereas a supervisor or department head may be the ideal choice in many situations, it is not uncom­ mon to find a librarian in a supervisory role who has yet to attain tenure and there­ fore may not be the best source of advice in this area. Roma M. Harris points out another pitfall in the mentoring process. She states that “mentoring is, by defini­ tion, a special relationship within an orga­ nization. It extends only to a handpicked few the counseling, role modeling, and in­ terest that might benefit every motivated young employee.”9 On the other hand, even if a librarian on the tenure track is able to establish a sound and beneficial relationship with a mentor, he or she will still gain benefits from the opportunity to share experiences, problems, and ideas with others at the same level. Peer sup­ port can be an excellent addition to the arsenal of resources a librarian brings to the fight for tenure and promotion. This idea is supported in a recent special, La­ bor Day report in USA Weekend by best­ selling author Stephen Covey.10 He indi­ cated that although mentoring was essen­ tial for advancing in the old, hierarchical organization, the constant change and tur­ moil of today’s workplace has invalidated this premise. It seems that no one has time to be a mentor, so individuals are encour­ aged to compensate for this by “modeling” their behavior on that of a successful co­ worker or by setting up “study groups” to share pertinent information. http:Covey.10 262 College & Research Libraries May 1998 With these considerations in mind, however, and given that neither the na­ ture of education for librarianship nor the requirements of faculty status are likely to undergo radical or sudden change, the question of what tenure-track librarians can do to help themselves becomes over­ whelmingly important. Proposed Solution What is the solution? How can librarians initiate programs and activities that may give them the support and resources they need to fulfill ever-increasing re­ quirements and demands for research, publication, and professional involve­ ment? With these constraints, is it pos­ sible to fulfill the requirements for tenure and still satisfy job performance respon­ sibilities? Undoubtedly, there are many answers, but one possible aid for untenured librarians fighting their way up the tenure track involves a mechanism for enlisting the mutual support and as­ sistance of colleagues. The atmosphere of caring and sharing that results from a support group can remove one more hurdle in the tenure process and increase the productivity and success of each member. The establishment of an informal ten­ ure support group can provide an outlet for discussing common concerns and channeling the participants’ energies to­ ward finding effective solutions. The at­ mosphere of caring and sharing that re­ sults from a support group can remove one more hurdle in the tenure process and increase the productivity and suc­ cess of each member. Establishment of a Tenure Support Group Librarians in the Sterling C. Evans Li­ brary at Texas A&M University are on tenure track and are expected to main­ tain high levels of job performance as well as show evidence of professional activity and a continuous record of re­ search and publication. Although formal methods of support and evaluation of promotion and tenure activities exist in the library, many untenured librarians felt a need for an informal means of shar­ ing the experiences, problems, fears, and triumphs of the tenure process. In 1991, in response to this perceived need, a few untenured librarians started an informal monthly discussion group to address tenure and promotion topics. This discussion group evolved into the Tenure Support Group, which has taken the form of a monthly “brown-bag” lunch meeting open to all librarians, tenured and untenured. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and if there is an in­ vited speaker, an informal lunch pre­ cedes the presentation, followed by questions and discussion. The group is led by cochairs elected for one-year terms. The primary functions of the co­ chairs are to: organize the agenda for the year based on suggestions from the group; identify and invite speakers; pub­ licize meetings on e-mail through inter­ nal library listservs; find answers to ques­ tions that arise during the meetings; and start up the group in the fall of each year. Although participation in the Tenure Support Group is not mandatory, it is rec­ ommended by both supervisors and the library’s Committee on Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure as a valuable source of information on the tenure pro­ cess and related topics and as a source of moral support throughout the years of pursuit of tenure. Role of the Tenure Support Group The role of the Tenure Support Group is to provide: emotional support for faculty members currently on the tenure track; a forum to share practical ideas, discuss the resources of the institution, and positive strat­ egies for success in the quest for tenure; speakers and information concerning the tenure process; an opportunity for people The Pursuit of Tenure 263 to share current projects and to meet oth­ ers who might be interested in either col­ laborating on projects or proofreading others’ work; an opportunity to get a criti­ cal “first read” of works; and an opportu­ nity to share “triumphs.” Although the group’s membership con­ sists almost entirely of untenured librar­ ians, tenured library faculty are welcome to join the meetings and discussions, and frequently are invited to speak to the group as a means of making the myster­ ies of the tenure process and its require­ ments more understandable and less in­ timidating to newer, untenured librarians. Examples of Programs Examples of topics that have been pre­ sented to the Tenure Support Group over the past six years include: • Overseas fellow experience: A tenured librarian from the library faculty who was chosen to participate in an interna­ tional project shared her experiences as an overseas fellow. • Evans Library tenure document: Members of the library’s Committee on Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure met with the group to discuss the ten­ ure document, as well as the timetable and procedures of going up for tenure. • Participation in ALA committees: Ex­ perienced librarians shared tips and strategies to enhance the conference experience and indicated that active participation in ALA committees was a good way to make a positive contribu­ tion to the profession and to identify possible peer reviewers. • ALA poster sessions: Over the past fifteen years, Texas A&M librarians have presented almost one hundred posters at ALA conferences. Experienced librarians shared knowledge of procedures and in­ sight in using this means of sharing re­ search results. Although posters in and of themselves do not count heavily toward tenure, they can serve as the foundation for more extensive research and subse­ quent publication of a scholarly article. • Funds for research: The Library Re­ search Committee visited to explain various methods of getting university funding for research projects, especially through library research funds and uni­ versity minigrants. • Random sampling: A professor from the statistics department met with the group to discuss techniques of random sampling for statistical studies. Members of the group were surveyed recently to suggest topics for future meet­ ings. Some of the many worthwhile sug­ gestions included: the mechanics of writ­ ing and submitting articles for publication; clarification of library policies on release time for professional development; how to select a mentor and develop a mentoring relationship; further instruc­ tion on statistical research methodolo­ gies; given the increasing emphasis on outstanding job performance, how librar­ ians can use materials analogous to teaching portfolios to quantify job perfor­ mance; and speakers from library schools. Tangible Benefits of Group Participation A survey of the members of the Tenure Support Group revealed a number of tan­ gible results from participation in the group. Members cited examples such as: getting a poster session accepted for pre­ sentation at ALA as well as subsequent publication of this research; using the les­ sons from the session on random samples to design a research project; acquiring funding for a research project; being ap­ pointed to an ALA committee and, in one case, becoming vice chair of an ALA com­ mittee; and finding a colleague with shared interests with whom to begin a research project. One former member who was recently awarded tenure used advice from a group meeting in organiz­ ing his personal tenure dossier. In addi­ tion, members felt that they had created an ongoing forum which gave the untenured library faculty a unified voice in issues relating to promotion and ten­ 264 College & Research Libraries May 1998 ure. The final “seal of approval” which marked the Tenure Support Group as a legitimate body was its recognition by the library administration in the Sterling C. Evans Library Employee Diversity Policy as an effective tool in the recruitment and retention of high-quality faculty. Positive Elements of Participation Many of the group members also com­ mented on positive elements of their participation in the group, citing feelings such as: • being able to share common ex­ periences and anxieties, which made them feel less alone in the struggle; • enjoying the opportunity to meet colleagues from other parts of the li­ brary, networking and learning their concerns, especially those related to tenure; • finding out projects on which oth­ ers are working; • sharing information and receiving suggestions, guidance, and help in gen­ erating new ideas for research; • finding an open forum for discus­ sion in a relaxed, informal atmosphere; • receiving assistance from the group in focusing on professional de­ velopment activities and helping mem­ bers to become more involved; • providing a good place to find col­ leagues interested in collaborative ef­ forts; • offering an opportunity to wel­ come new librarians and a place where new librarians can get acquainted with their colleagues; • hearing high-quality speakers who presented useful and timely infor­ mation. Summary and Conclusion The impact of the Tenure Support Group is not necessarily quantifiable in terms of success rate of librarians seeking tenure at Texas A&M University. In many cases, librarians “self-select” out of tenure re­ view by pursuing opportunities at other institutions rather than risk a negative outcome. What the Tenure Support Group can—and does—accomplish is to assist untenured librarians in maximizing their resources and improving their under­ standing of the tenure and promotion pro­ cess. This is one of many factors in their successful negotiation of the process. One former member who was recently awarded tenure used advice from a group meeting in organizing his personal tenure dossier. The monthly meetings of the Tenure Support Group have provided a forum for the untenured librarians to explore issues and activities related to the pro­ motion and tenure process. A true grassroots movement, initiated and or­ ganized by the rank-and-file librarians, the Tenure Support Group has given the untenured library faculty a unified voice in the library. Library administration has come to view the group as a significant and positive addition to the library cul­ ture, as shown by its recognition of the group’s positive contribution in retaining untenured librarians and preparing them for tenure review. Most librarians who have participated in the group’s meetings wholeheartedly endorse both the group’s activities and ideals. Achiev­ ing tenure is difficult under the best of circumstances, and feelings of isolation further contribute to this difficulty. Cre­ ating a group to bring together col­ leagues pursuing a common goal fos­ ters collegiality, encourages excellence, and increases the possibility of a suc­ cessful finish on the tenure track. How­ ever, there are no guarantees. The pri­ mary efforts of each faculty member must remain focused on the three peaks: professional performance, service to the profession, and most daunting, research and publication. Without assiduous de­ votion to these, attendance at monthly meetings of a tenure support group will not ensure a favorable outcome. The Pursuit of Tenure 265 Notes 1. Bruce R. Kingma and Gillian M. McCombs, “The Opportunity Costs of Faculty Status for Academic Librarians,” College & Research Libraries 6 (May 1995): 258–64. 2. Beth J. Shapiro, “The Myths Surrounding Faculty Status for Librarians,” College & Re- search Libraries News 54 (Nov. 1993): 562–63. 3. Fred Hill and Robert Hauptman, “Faculty Status for Librarians? A Response,” College & Research Libraries News 55 (Jan. 1994): 26. 4. Stephen E. Atkins, The Academic Library in the American University (Chicago: ALA, 1991). 5. Emily Werrell and Laura Sullivan, “Faculty Status for Academic Librarians: A Review of the Literature,” College & Research Libraries 48 (Mar. 1987): 95–103. 6. ALA, “Standards for Faculty Status for College and University Librarians,” quoted by William Miller, “Faculty Status in the College Library,” in College Librarianship, eds. William Miller and D. Stephen Rockwood (Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Pr., 1981), 122–23. 7. W. Bede Mitchell and L. Stanislava Swieszkowski, “Publication Requirements and Ten­ ure Approval Rates: An Issue for Academic Librarians,” College & Research Libraries 46 (May 1985): 249–55. 8. Connie Van Fleet, “Advising and Mentoring: Complimentary and Essential Roles,” in A Service Profession, a Service Commitment: A Festschrift in Honor of Charles D. Patterson, eds. Charles D. Patterson, Connie Van Fleet, and Danny P. Wallace (Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Pr., 1992), 155–77. 9. Roma M. Harris, “The Mentoring Trap: A Warning for Entry Level Librarians,” Library Journal 118 (Oct. 1993): 37–39. 10. 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