pletion. The tenure clock does not stop if
the maintenance crew is delayed by emer-
gency remodeling of the Provost’s confer-
ence room.
Request a copy of the faculty manual at
this time because it will specify the general
requirements, the timing of the process and
the potential for flexibility in the tenure
clock to accommodate parenthood or family
emergencies. In addition to the general pro-
cedures outlined in the faculty manual, the
department, school and/or college may
have additional written tenure policies. It
makes sense to know the rules.Create a Record of Productivity
Long before Tenure
Write grant applications before you move
to the new institution so that they will be in
review during the disruption of establishing
the new laboratory. Design some “bread-
and-butter” approaches that are sure toyield publishable results and will document
your ability to complete scientific projects
successfully. Do not abandon your scientific
standards, but it will not hurt to carry out
some lower risk projects also, perhaps with
the help of undergraduate students. If all of
your projects are high-risk, your chances of
obtaining tenure are high-risk. Even if you
are able to pull off a late-breaking scientific
coup, you will still be vulnerable to the
accusation of uneven performance thatmany consider a poor predictor of future
productivity.Gain the Support of Your
Department Chair
The support of your chair is an important
factor in ensuring a smooth transition
through the tenure process. The chair almost
always makes a separate tenure recommen-
dation to the school and college and, because
he or she is presumed to be familiar with
your performance, this evaluation carries sig-
nificant weight within the department and at
higher administrative levels.The chair who hired you often has a stake
in promoting your success and values your
area of expertise. However, sometimes a new
chair with a different vision of the depart-
ment will take charge, and the prospect of an
additional faculty position to be filled with
someone in a favorite specialty area can be
tempting. Educate your chair and depart-
ment about your field by inviting well-
known scientists for seminars.
In some departments, the question of
tenure is not presented for a full departmen-
tal vote. Instead, a committee (appointed by
the chair or elected by the department) makes
a recommendation. This can mean that your
file is not open to the full department and can
work to your disadvantage if your chair is
not supportive.
The moral: make your chair’s life easy.
Make progress with your science, teach well,
do your fair share of work and let your chair
know of your successes.72 CAREER ADVICE FOR LIFE SCIENTISTS
Design some “bread-and-butter”
approaches that are sure to
yield publishable results and
will document your ability to
complete scientific projects
successfully.The chair who hired you often
has a stake in promoting your
success and values your area of
expertise.