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Selecting external reviewers for tenure

One of the most critical aspects of any tenure and promotion case are the letters from external reviewers. The number of reviewers varies by institution, but typically anywhere from 6-10 letters will be solicited from scholars who can speak to the quality and impact of your research. Often, these letters play a significant and even outsized role in the evaluation process. In today’s post, I will share some suggestions for selecting external reviewers for tenure and advice for navigating what can be a confusing process.

Selecting external reviewers for tenure

Photo credit: Flickr Karen
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Use backward design for project planning

As we get ready to move into the summer months, have you thought about your goals and what you want to get accomplished? Before we know it, August will roll around and it will be time to gear up for another academic year. Whether you are planning a productive summer or just thinking about a large project, there are some specific steps you can take to make sure you have a plan to achieve your goals. In today’s post, I will share how the principles of backward design can be used to come up with a plan to get your work done.

Photo credit: Crispin Semmens

Without a concrete plan of action, you may struggle to complete your most significant work. 

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Alan Alda on teaching science

Alan Alda is an award-winning actor known for his roles on the hit television shows M.A.S.H. and The West Wing. However, Alda is now more passionate about improving teaching science. He has spoken across the nation and world about his work at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University. I recently attended a lecture by Alda and want to share my insights from his talk in today’s post.

Alan Alda on teaching science

I’ve always loved Alan Alda. He is such a classic actor to me. He seems to really embody the character.

Given a personal health crisis and his own experience as a T.V. doctor, Alda has begun to use his celebrity to support the cause of communicating science better.

While much of his work is talking about communicating with a broader public, there are some specific lessons for anyone involved in college teaching— in the sciences and beyond.

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Happy 3rd Birthday Higher Ed Professor

When I began this blog, I had no idea that it still be going three years later. Yet, today is the 3rd anniversary of Higher Ed Professor going live. During these years, I’ve attempted to share content to help inform faculty and administrators and offer my take on the current higher education environment. I have tremendously enjoyed the process and getting to know so many readers.

Photo credit: Roberto Cancho Toca
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Top 10 Posts from Higher Ed Professor’s Third Year

We are celebrating our third birthday! As is our tradition, I want to share the top posts from this past year. I always love seeing the posts that people find the most interesting and connect with readers. For our new readers, I hope you will enjoy seeing some of these posts for the first time. If you’ve been with us from the beginning, did you favorite post make the grade?

  1.  What is the typical teaching load for university faculty?
  2. The five advantages of teaching with discussions
  3. Four qualities of a great research assistant
  4. The strengths and weaknesses of lecturing
  5. Are millennials the dumbest generation?
  6. Studying at the Library of Congress Main Reading Room
  7. What is tuition discounting and why do colleges do it?
  8. The changing curriculum:  Yale Report of 1828
  9. Are college students more brilliant?  The grade inflation debate
  10. Higher education’s endangered values