Bylaws of the Department of History

These bylaws are authorized by Section 2.1.2 of the bylaws of the University of Nevada, Reno, and by Section II.8 of the bylaws of the College of Liberal Arts of the University of Nevada, Reno.

These bylaws provide for the organization of the department, duties of its faculty, responsibilities of officers, operation of shared governance, personnel policies including hiring, evaluation, and promotion, and other matters relevant to the teaching, research, service and outreach mission of the department. These bylaws shall be consistent with and subordinate to the bylaws of the College of Liberal Arts, the University of Nevada, Reno bylaws, and the Nevada System of Higher Education Code.

These bylaws shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the regular faculty in a secret ballot (see Section 3 below). Final implementation is contingent upon review and approval in accordance with the procedure specified in the Bylaws of the University of Nevada, Reno.

Any member of the regular faculty may propose an amendment by submitting the proposal in writing to the Chair of the department. The Chair shall submit the proposal to the Executive Committee. If the Executive Committee approves the proposed amendment it shall be put to a two-thirds vote of the regular faculty at a department meeting. If the Executive Committee does not approve, then a member of the regular faculty may petition to bring the proposal to the regular faculty for a two-thirds vote. This petition must be signed by at least one third of the regular faculty.

The interpretation of these bylaws shall be up to the Department Chair in consultation with the Executive Committee.

The Department of History is composed of regular and contingent faculty who carry out the scholarly, educational, service, and related missions of the department. See 8 of these bylaws for faculty definitions.

1. The Chair shall hold at least one meeting of all regular and contingent faculty each semester.
2. All proposals on matters of serious import, involving such things as policy, curriculum, and bylaws shall be submitted in advance to faculty members who will be called upon to decide the matter.
3. Any member of the faculty may call for a secret ballot to be taken on any matter before the faculty.
4. Minutes shall be made of each faculty meeting to reflect all motions made whether passed or defeated. The number of yeas and nays shall be recorded at the discretion of the faculty members present, or when required by these bylaws, the bylaws of the College of Liberal Arts or the University of Nevada, Reno. Minutes are the collective responsibility of the faculty as overseen by the Chair, but the minutes of departmental meetings should be prepared and circulated by the Chair in advance of the following meeting for approval and correction.
5. Special meetings may be called by the Chair at any time or upon petition of at least one third of the faculty by a one-third vote by petition of the faculty.
6. The Chair shall distribute an agenda that includes the main matters to be discussed at the meeting. Any faculty member may request, in advance, that an item be put on the agenda.
7. Voting shall be on formal motions. The procedure shall follow the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

The Department of History consists of Regular Faculty and Contingent Faculty as defined by the University (Section 2.3.3) and College (Section III.10. A-C) Bylaws. Instruction may also be provided by hiring under Letter of Appointment for clearly defined duties that are part-time and/or temporary.

1. Regular Faculty. These faculty members hold state-funded, continuing positions:
   1. Academic Faculty.
      1. Tenure-track Faculty: The tenure-track faculty is composed of three ranks: Professor (IV), Associate Professor (III), and Assistant Professor (II).
      2. Rank I for Instructor, is reserved for academic faculty who have been hired for a tenure-track position but have yet to complete the appropriate degree required by the position.
      3. Non-tenure-track Faculty (Rank 0): The non-tenure-track faculty are hired at rank 0(IV), 0(III), 0(II), and 0(I).
   2. Administrative Faculty. Administrative faculty are executive faculty, supervisory faculty, or support faculty as defined by the Board of Regents, Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 2. Their primary duties involve services to students, faculty, or administrators. Administrative faculty grades are defined in Sections 2.3.2 (b) and 2.3.3 (b) of the University Bylaws.
2. Contingent Faculty (Rank 0). Members of the contingent faculty hold contracts of up to one year that may be funded from state, research, or other sources. These contracts may be “renewable contingent upon funding” (RCUF).
3. Adjunct Faculty. Adjunct faculty, who are persons qualified to provide special services to the University and who receive no compensation from the University (as defined in University Bylaws Section 2.3.6), shall not vote in the college or in any of the departments within the college.
4. “Letter of appointment” contracts may be used for special appointments to meet academic or administrative needs. Letters of appointment are used for teaching, research, and other professional employment activity to augment regular faculty positions. They are issued only for clearly defined duties that are part-time and/or temporary. Unless otherwise stated, the provisions of these bylaws shall exclude letters of appointment. (University Bylaws Section 2.3.2).
5. Post-doctoral fellows are not considered to be faculty. These researchers and instructors are hired in specific departments or programs on annual contracts.

1. Elections. Consistent with the CLA Bylaws (Section III.11.B.1.a), voting in elections for departmental officers whose selection is subject to election shall be limited to academic faculty (as defined by the CLA Bylaws Section III.10.A) with a primary assignment (0.5 FTE or greater) in the department and Rank 0 faculty in contingent positions (as defined by CLA Bylaws Section III.10) after three consecutive years of employment provided their primary assignment is in the department.
2. Hiring. Consistent with the CLA Bylaws (Section III.11.B.1.b), voting on tenure-track positions (both the position definition and description and the hiring decision) is limited to tenure-track faculty with a primary assignment (0.5 FTE or greater) in the department. Voting on non-tenure-track hires is limited to regular faculty with a primary assignment (0.5 FTE or greater) in the department and to Rank 0 faculty in contingent positions provided their primary assignment (0.5 FTE or greater) is in the department.
3. Search Committees. Consistent with Section III.B.1.c of the CLA Bylaws the following procedures shall be followed: The Chair appoints a search committee from among the regular and contingent faculty. Committees may include faculty from other departments with relevant expertise. Contingent faculty may vote within the committee, but may not vote on the department recommendation to hire. Diversity training for all committee members is recommended and may be required by College and/or University policy.
4. Tenure Recommendations. Departmental voting rights on tenure recommendations shall be restricted to those department members who are already tenured at the University of Nevada, Reno.
5. Promotion Recommendation. Departmental voting on promotion recommendations shall be restricted to those members who are at the rank in consideration or higher.
6. Quorum. All voting situations require a quorum of at least 50% of the faculty who are not on approved leave and allowed to vote as defined in the department bylaws.
7. Secret Ballot. Voting on departmental officers, hiring, and tenure and promotion decisions shall be by secret ballot and shall be decided by a majority of those present. Abstentions cannot take the total tally of yeas and nays below the number necessary for a quorum.
8. Proxy voting. No proxy voting is allowed on tenure or promotion decisions. Proxy voting is allowed in all other voting situations. A proxy may be held by any member of the department, including the Chair, who is authorized to vote on the matter in question. The proxy must encompass a specific direction and must be clearly conveyed to the department member exercising the proxy in writing (including email). The Chair must also be informed of the impending exercise of the proxy in advance, although not of its direction (except when the Chair is the holder of the proxy). No faculty member may exercise more than one proxy. In the case of motions on hiring, the best practice is that a member who finds it necessary to vote by proxy, should also have widely participated in the processes connected with hiring (such as campus visits and job talks) so that their advance vote is an informed one.
9. Virtual participation and voting in meetings are allowed. This includes voting in elections, on hiring, and on motions regarding tenure and promotion. A vote under these conditions is not considered a proxy vote. Because secret ballots are required in the case of elections, hiring, and promotion and tenure, the faculty member who is participating virtually should convey their vote directly to the department Administrative Assistant, who serves as the confidential Human Resources Officer for the department.

1. Responsibilities. The Chair is the chief administrative officer of the department. The Chair is responsible to the Dean and to the faculty of the department for implementing policies mandated by the department mission and bylaws, and in advancing the mission of the department. The Chair takes part in the Council of Chairs and Directors, and represents the department and takes part in the leadership of the college. The Chair is responsible for all faculty evaluations, for obtaining annual role statements, for annual and third-year review of progress toward tenure, for scheduling, for program review, and for all personnel procedures involved in hiring, promotion, and tenure. The Chair may delegate some of these responsibilities as well as those described below.
2. Shared Governance. The Chair shall work with the other department officers and committees described below.
3. Budget. The Chair shall determine the use of departmental funds. In doing so the Chair shall seek the advice and consent of the Executive Committee. The Chair shall present a proposed budget each fall at a department meeting and shall provide an opportunity to discuss these decisions. Expenditures from general endowment funds such as the History Enhancement Fund shall be reported to the department annually.
4. The Chair prepares the annual evaluation of the department Administrative Assistant, after consultation with the faculty, and in collaboration with the Executive Committee.
5. Appointment. The Chair is appointed by the Provost upon the recommendation of the Dean of the College for a three-year term. The Chair shall be a tenured member of the department. The department makes a recommendation to the Dean based upon a vote by secret ballot of the regular faculty. The senior member of the Executive Committee, or some other member of the Executive Committee, shall take nominations, oversee the vote, and communicate the results to the Dean. No person nominated shall oversee the vote. No chair shall serve more than two terms consecutively, unless two thirds of the regular faculty vote to suspend this provision. The department shall complete its election by the end of April for a term that commences in July.
6. Evaluation. The Executive Committee evaluates the Chair annually, soliciting feedback from the entire department.
7. Temporary replacement. Should the office of the Chair become vacant, the department will nominate a replacement no later than four weeks after the vacancy occurs. In the interim, the Vice-Chair shall serve as acting Chair, or the Dean may appoint an Interim Chair if necessary.
8. When the department undergoes program review, the Chair shall supervise the entire process, including the self-study. This may be based on departmental guidance provided through master planning exercises. The self-study shall be collectively produced by the department, with the Chair, the Vice-Chair, the directors of the Undergraduate and Graduate Studies committees, and the Head of Shared History participating in shaping the final product. Self-study and departmental response documents will be submitted upon approval by a majority vote of the regular faculty of the department.

1. Responsibilities. The Vice-Chair assists the Chair in duties that may include creating the course schedule, engaging in classroom visits, obtaining letters from external reviewers, hiring temporary faculty, and working with the Chair to nominate faculty for awards. Strategic planning and program evaluation may be part of the Vice-Chair’s duties. The Vice-Chair shall be a member of the Executive Committee. The Vice-Chair acts as Interim Chair when necessary (see Section 10. H) and may substitute for the Chair when necessary in the Chair’s college leadership role. The Vice-Chair shall be a tenured member of the History Department.
2. Appointment. The Vice-Chair shall be nominated by the Chair and confirmed by the department by majority vote in a secret ballot before the end of the semester in which a new Chair takes office. The Vice-Chair shall serve a three-year term concurrent with that of the Chair.

1. The Head of Shared History furthers the aims of the Shared History Program of the History Department. The Shared History Program is a pedagogical and outreach initiative that fosters collaborative relationships with museums, educational, and cultural institutions in order to provide students with training, internships, and professional experience in all types of history. All programs, projects, exhibits, publications, repositories, databases, contracts and other such assets of the Shared History Program are the property of the History Department.
2. Responsibilities. Under the direction of the Chair, in consultation with the Shared History Committee, and in accordance with the regularly reviewed three-year program plan, the responsibilities of the Head of Shared History will be:
   1. Instruction. Teaching in assigned courses; consulting with students and faculty on projects that involve applied or outward facing public history, collaboration with community partners, and service learning opportunities; and, as appropriate, conducting inward and outward facing public history-related seminars and trainings.
   2. Public history programming. In accordance with pedagogical and programmatic goals, developing physical exhibitions both on and, as collaborations permit, off campus, creating digital and/or media-based public and applied history projects and exhibits, developing curriculum, (co-)organizing public history seminars and institutes, furthering the development of public history tools and methodologies, and representing Shared History projects professionally at conferences and in print as appropriate. Undertaking project-related research, including oral history production and publication.
   3. Program development. Engaging with departmental, college, and university colleagues, and undertaking outreach to local institutions, organizations, and communities to further the pedagogical and programmatic of the Shared History program. Applying for grants, as appropriate, to further such goals.
   4. Program management. Undertaking the day-to-day management of the Shared History program including liaising with other institutional and community partners and institutions, supervising student interns and graduate teaching and research, managing expenditures, budget planning, overseeing the Shared History program’s digital and physical infrastructure, and planning and undertaking appropriate archiving of materials, including oral histories. Participating in related departmental, college, and university-level service.
3. Appointment. When the position becomes vacant, the normal search provisions (see Section 3.9.C) shall be followed. At least one member of the Shared History Committee should be appointed to the search committee for the Shared History Head.

1. Responsibilities. In consultation with the Chair, the Graduate Director oversees all aspects of the Graduate Programs according to the requirements of the Graduate School of the University.
   1. The duties of the Graduate Director include advising students and prospective students regarding requirements, admissions, timely progress toward a degree, examinations, and the requirements for completion of theses and dissertations.
   2. The Graduate Director shall ensure that all students form a graduate studies committee according to the requirements of the program and shall serve ex officio on all graduate committees.
   3. The Graduate Director serves as chair of the Graduate Studies Committee and directs the processes for admissions, and for awarding scholarships, teaching assistantships, and fellowships in conjunction with that committee.
   4. The Graduate Director assigns positions to those holding graduate assistantships, in consultation with the Department Chair.
   5. The Graduate Director shall convene an annual meeting of all the graduate students, in conjunction with the Chair.
2. Appointment. The Chair shall appoint a Graduate Director for a three-year term. The Graduate Director may not serve more than two consecutive terms, unless, upon recommendation by the Chair, two thirds of the regular faculty vote to suspend this provision.

1. Responsibilities. In consultation with the Chair, the Undergraduate Director advises undergraduate students (majors and minors) and recruits students to the program.
   1. The Undergraduate Director advises undergraduate majors and minors on the degree recruitments.
   2. The Undergraduate Director conducts the History 499 thesis course and helps students find a 499 advisor.
   3. The Undergraduate Director serves as chair of the Undergraduate Studies Committee.
   4. The Undergraduate Director directs the Undergraduate Studies Committee in awarding scholarships.
2. Appointment. The Chair shall appoint an Undergraduate Director for a three-year term. The Undergraduate Director may not serve more than two consecutive terms, unless, upon recommendation by the Chair, two thirds of the regular faculty vote to suspend this provision.

1. Standing Committees
   1. Executive Committee
      1. The Executive Committee shall consist of three members: the Vice-Chair and two elected members each serving a two-year term. One of the elected members must be tenured in the department. The elected committee members shall be limited to two consecutive terms in office. The Chair is not eligible for membership. Election of the Executive Committee shall be completed before the end of spring semester; the terms of Executive Committee members shall commence in July.
      2. The Chair and the Executive Committee review the applications of faculty members under consideration for tenure and/or promotion.
      3. At the beginning of the spring semester, the Executive Committee and the Chair shall begin the process of annual evaluation.
      4. At the beginning of the fall semester the Chair shall meet with the Executive Committee and discuss the priorities for the academic year, including a discussion of the allocation of operating, travel, and any discretionary funds.
   2. Graduate Studies Committee
      1. The Graduate Director chairs this committee, to which members are appointed by the department Chair. The committee is responsible for overseeing and reviewing the department's graduate programs, for reviewing and voting on all admissions to the programs, and for awarding teaching fellowships. The committee shall assist the Graduate Director in awarding scholarships and advise the Graduate Director on assessment.
   3. Undergraduate Studies Committee
      1. The Undergraduate Director chairs this committee to which members are appointed by the department Chair. The committee sets the goals of the undergraduate program major and minors, oversees assessment, and plans for student recruitment. The committee shall develop programs for undergraduate research and assist the Undergraduate Director in awarding scholarships.
   4. Shared History Committee
      1. The members of the Shared History Committee are appointed by the Chair in accordance with the priorities of the Shared History Program and in consultation with the Head of Shared History. The Chair shall appoint one of these members to be the Director of the Committee.
      2. The Head of Shared History is an ex-officio member of the Shared History Committee.
      3. The Shared History Committee, in consultation with the Director and the Head of Shared History, will develop annual goals in the context of a long-range plan that will be revised at least every three years. As approved by the Chair and Dean, these plans will serve as the basis for annual evaluation and promotion for the Head of Shared History. The Shared History Committee assists the program toward the realization of these goals.
      4. The Shared History Director is responsible for calling a minimum of one meeting per semester, and for communicating between the committee, the Department Chair, and the Head of Shared History regarding progress on realizing the long and short term goals of Shared History. The Shared History Committee Director consults with the Department Chair and Executive Committee on the annual evaluation for the Head of Shared History.
2. Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the Chair as necessary.

A probationary full-time or part-time member of the academic faculty in Rank II, III or IV shall be eligible for appointment with tenure at any time during the probationary period of employment.

An initial appointment may be made with tenure following NSHE Code (Chapter 3.4.3).

1. The process and calendar for evaluating and recommending faculty for tenure or promotion shall in all cases adhere to the bylaws, policies, and procedures of the College of Liberal Arts, the UNR Bylaws (Sections 3.3 and 3.4), and the NSHE Code Chapter 3.
2. A calendar for internal tenure and promotion deadlines is established by departmental guidelines.
   1. Any faculty member who wishes to be proposed for promotion and/or tenure the following academic year shall inform the Chair of this wish and conform to that calendar.
   2. If the faculty member has an extraordinary record prior to the sixth year of the probationary period, the Chair will initiate a process of consultation with the Executive Committee, the Dean of the College, and the Provost that may lead to a recommendation that the faculty member apply for tenure and/or promotion early.
      1. Policies and procedures governing shorted probationary periods are listed in the University Bylaws Section 3.4.3
3. The candidate shall prepare an application for promotion and/or tenure, in accordance with UNR and NSHE policies. This application should include supporting materials related to each component of the candidate’s record: instruction, research and scholarly activity, and service.
4. The Chair shall solicit independent evaluations of the candidate's scholarship in accordance with policies set forth by the College, UNR, and NSHE.
5. The candidate shall submit to the Chair a list of potential peer reviewers. A list of five or six potential reviewers is recommended. This list should describe the candidate’s relationship with each potential reviewer.
   1. In consultation with the faculty of the department the Chair will select reviewers who can provide expert, objective assessments of the candidate in accordance with the policies set forth by the Office of the Provost.
   2. No more than half of the peer reviewers will be chosen from the candidate’s list of potential reviewers. To identify other peer reviewers, the Chair may consult colleagues in the candidate’s area of study within the department or at other institutions of similar stature to UNR.
   3. Peer reviewers from relevant fields other than History may be secured to assess interdisciplinary, collaborative, or non-standard scholarship appropriately.
   4. Peer reviewers will be provided with supporting materials (curriculum vitae and scholarly work), provided by the candidate. The Chair's letter to potential peer reviewers shall follow the guidelines provided by the Office of the Provost.
6. Before the application is due to the College of Liberal Arts, the Executive Committee will review the candidate's record.
   1. Tenured members of the Executive Committee will be responsible for a written evaluation of the candidate's record; however, a member of the Executive Committee applying for tenure or promotion may not review any promotion or tenure applications that year. The Chair will appoint a replacement member to serve exclusively in dealing with tenure and promotion applications.
   2. For each component, this written evaluation shall involve multiple indices of assessment as listed in Section 19.
   3. The Executive Committee’s evaluations and the candidate's entire file (peer-review letters, supporting materials), will be available for review by the Tenure Committee, which consists of the faculty eligible to vote on the case according to Sections 9.D and 9.E of these bylaws.
7. The Tenure Committee shall meet to review the candidate's record and the Executive Committee evaluations, and make a recommendation to the Chair. Determinations shall be made by majority vote of the Tenure Committee in a secret ballot.
8. The Chair will prepare a summary evaluation of the candidate, to be submitted with the supporting materials, including the external and internal peer reviews, to the Dean and the College Personnel Committee. The report will include the vote of the faculty. The Executive Committee will review this summary evaluation before its submission. If the Chair’s recommendation disagrees with the vote of the Tenure Committee, the Chair will explain the reasons for dissenting and shall be obliged to explain that opinion to the Tenure Committee.
9. In tenure and/or promotion decisions for joint appointments where History is the tenure home and research is expected in both units, the chair or director of the joint-appointment department/program (or a designated representative at the appropriate rank) will serve as a voting member of the department’s personnel committee (CLA Bylaws V.22.F). The process will likewise be in keeping with a Memo of Understanding—following the CLA Guidelines for Joint Appointments—between the Chair of the History Department, the director/chair of the other department/program, and the Dean.
10. If a negative recommendation for promotion or tenure is received at any level, the faculty member has the right for reconsideration of the decision following the procedures in the NSHE Code (Chapter 5.2.3 & 5.2.4).

Consideration of a recommendation for appointment with tenure shall include applying the three standards and the ratings contained in this subsection. These will be applied in consideration of the conditions for appointment with tenure stated in Subsection 3.1.2 of the NSHE Code. The burden of demonstrating that these standards have been met lies with the applicant.

In order to be considered for tenure or promotion an academic faculty member must receive an “excellent” rating in either Standard One or Standard Two and no less than a “satisfactory” rating in Standard Three.

1. Standard One: Teaching

   If applying for tenure as a university instructor, a record of effectiveness as a teacher includes, but is not limited to, demonstrated teaching competence and efficiency in the classroom, the ability to communicate effectively with students and demonstrated skill in handling classroom and other duties related to teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Considerations in evaluating teaching include the reliability and commitment of the instructor; the ability to generate student interest and engagement; the extent of preparation and innovation; creation or revision of courses; supervision of independent studies, theses and dissertations; service on students’ graduate committees in History and other departments insofar as the faculty member’s field permits it; and professionalism and care in evaluating, advising, and otherwise interacting with students.

   1. Evaluation of instructional proficiency will be based on multiple measures, which include peer observations of teaching; review of syllabi and other instructional materials; review of assessment data and examples of students’ work; and student evaluations.
   2. Depending on individual role statements and departmental expectations, teaching may also involve additional or variant expectations that differ from traditional classroom, supervisory, and committee service roles. These may involve collaborations with community partner institutions and organizations as delineated in role statements.
2. Standard Two: Research, Scholarly, Creative, or Entrepreneurial Activity.

   This standard refers to demonstrated continuing professional growth related to the academic faculty member's discipline or program area. It comprises a record of research, scholarly, grant, creative, or entrepreneurial activity, each of which may include community engagement, resulting in publication or comparable productivity.

   1. In traditional cases, published books, articles, and book chapters substantiate achievement in research or creative work, and the primary criterion for promotion is the publication of original scholarship in the form of a peer-reviewed monograph. Books under signed contract with publishers, and articles and/or chapters accepted for publication shall be included in the evaluation. To be considered fully, however, a book manuscript must be in press or approved by the board of the publisher. The candidate must show a commitment to scholarly endeavor and the promise of continued intellectual growth through research and writing, and demonstrate the on-going process of establishing a prominent reputation within the field.
   2. For some faculty, other modes of scholarship may be the principal focus of scholarly and creative activity. These may include (but are not limited to) collaborations to create major historical websites, large collaborative grants that do not have a book as their end product, public history programming, or program development. Such paths to tenure and/or promotion, if not formally delineated at the time of hire, must be described in extended faculty role statements agreed upon by the faculty member, the department Chair, and the CLA Dean. These role statements and any accompanying memoranda of understanding should record appropriate evaluation indices and expectations for the alternative modes of scholarship.
   3. Other scholarly achievements such as book reviews and conference papers, external grants, participation in conference panels, and invited addresses also constitute important parts of the record. Such achievements cannot substitute for published works as described above in Section 19.B.1.
   4. Digital scholarship, and work developed with the tools of digital history, should be evaluated in their native media. Scholarship produced collaboratively should be evaluated on the quality of the results and the extent of the candidate’s contribution to the work. Agreements regarding evaluation indices and expectations for such work will be codified through annual role statements agreed upon by the faculty member, department Chair, and CLA Dean. Supplementary memoranda of understanding may document appropriate evaluation indices and expectations for digital or collaborative scholarship.
   5. Entrepreneurial activity refers to the application of sophisticated research and creative methodologies and innovations to the public domain with the goal of developing a market outside the university. A record of entrepreneurial productivity should be recognized as a significant part of a faculty member’s professional achievements. However, such activity is not required of individual faculty members. Entrepreneurial activity must be appropriate to the faculty member’s discipline and approved by the chair and dean as part of the role statement articulating the distribution of duties.
   6. For cases of tenure and promotion to Rank III the candidate’s entire record of scholarship will be considered as part of the demonstrable record of continuing achievement in research and creative work. For promotion to Rank IV all scholarship produced in-rank at any institution will be considered as part of the demonstrable record of continuing achievement in research and creative work.
3. Standard Three: Service.

   In addition to standards One and Two, an academic faculty member being recommended for appointment with tenure must receive a rating of "satisfactory" or better in the area of service. This may include, but is not limited to:

   1. Contributions to the university through service on departmental, college, university, or NSHE committees; activity in university affairs; sponsorship of or participation in other than required education activities; and other work that furthers departmental, college, or university goals.
   2. Service to the discipline through membership and participation in professional organizations and meetings; election to boards of scholarly and academic organizations; recognition by historical organizations; editorial activities for professional journals and academic presses; and other forms of involvement in the discipline of history.
   3. Engagement with the local, national, or international community through activities that bring the faculty member’s knowledge and expertise to audiences outside academia. These may include outreach instruction and public lectures at K–12 schools, local agencies, or community groups; service on boards of directors or committees of businesses, government agencies, or community groups engaged in activities related to the faculty member’s field; and sharing knowledge and expertise through traditional or social media.
   4. Service may also include the day-to-day management of programs and engagement with community and scholarly institutions and organizations.
4. Engagement. Faculty engagement refers to scholarly, creative, pedagogical, clinical, and service activities engaged for the public good and directed toward persons and groups outside the university. Such activities, in the form of teaching/performance of assigned duties, research, scholarly, creative, and entrepreneurial activity, and /or service, develop as collaborative interactions that respond to short- and long-term societal needs. Engagement serves our local community, state, nation, and/or the wider world through academically or creatively informed activities that are intentional in their effort to enrich and improve the lives of people. Engagement may be recognized as a significant part of a faculty member’s professional achievements in any of the standards for promotion as enumerated in Section 19.A, 19.B, and 19.C of these bylaws, and may include other academically informed activities that constitute public engagement. Engagement should be recognized as a significant part of a faculty member’s professional achievements, but it must be appropriate to the faculty member’s discipline and approved by the chair and dean as part of the role statement articulating the distribution of duties. In addition, while engagement should be supported at any phase of a faculty member’s career if it is consistent with the unit’s priorities and practices, faculty whose work does not include engaged activities should not be penalized.
5. In evaluating applicants for appointment with tenure under the standards set forth in this subsection, the available ratings are: “excellent,” “commendable,” “satisfactory,” or “unsatisfactory.” No other rating terminology shall be used in evaluating the applicant for appointment with tenure and promotion.

The following provisions for promotion at various ranks are consistent with the University Bylaws and NSHE Code provisions for conducting promotion evaluations:

1. Promotion to Rank II and to Rank 0 (II). A faculty member in Rank I or Rank 0 (I) shall be eligible for promotion to Rank II or Rank 0 (II) when the faculty member has attained a Ph.D. degree in History or an appropriate related field and has demonstrated potential for developing professional achievement in teaching, research, and service.
2. Promotion to Rank III and Rank 0 (III). A faculty member in Rank II or Rank 0 (II) shall be eligible for promotion to Rank III or Rank 0 (III) when the faculty member has established a substantial record of achievement in teaching/performance of assigned duties; scholarly, creative, or entrepreneurial activity; and service.
   1. For Standard One a record of effective teaching must be documented through the measures listed in Section 19.A.
   2. For Standard Two a record of scholarly achievement must be documented as described in Section 19.B.
   3. For Standard Three a modest level of service on departmental committees, including search committees, the Executive Committee, or the Shared History, Undergraduate, or Graduate Committees is in keeping with expectations and the department’s culture of collective decision making. It is understood that in order to focus on scholarly publication, untenured faculty will not be expected to carry heavy service loads or to act as department officers (e.g. Director of Graduate Studies, Director of Undergraduate Studies).
3. Promotion to Rank IV and Rank 0(IV). A faculty member in Rank III or Rank 0(III) shall be eligible for promotion to Rank IV or Rank 0(IV) upon establishing a sustained record of excellence. Such a record includes a scholarly reputation judged significant by peers in the field; distinguished professional service; and distinction in teaching and related activities.
   1. In Standard One substantial contributions to the curriculum (e.g., developing new courses or fields of study; offering graduate seminars; chairing master’s and Ph.D. committees; supervising independent studies; mentoring students) are expected to be documented through the measures listed in Section 19.A above.
   2. In Standard Two, an on-going record of scholarly achievement and prominence in the field must be documented through peer-reviewed articles and/or book chapters and a second monograph, as well as other contributions to scholarship described in Section 19.B. In cases involving alternative forms of scholarship or of dissemination, appropriate standards for promotion will be established in advance through role statements and memoranda of understanding agreed upon by the Department Chair and the Dean.
   3. Standard Three distinguished performance must include contributions made to the university beyond the department level (e.g., college, university, or NSHE committees or administrative assignments). In addition, professional service marking the faculty member’s distinction, reputation, and accomplishments in the larger scholarly community is expected (e.g., manuscript reviews, service on professional committees, external department evaluations, and positions in professional organizations and on editorial boards). Community engagement may be a significant component of distinguished service.
4. If applying for promotion in a Rank 0 position, there must be a notable record of effectiveness, efficiency, and ability to perform assigned duties, as specified in annual role statements and memoranda of understanding. Evaluation of proficiency may be based on factors such as success in planning and implementing pedagogical programs that extend beyond traditional university classrooms, or expanding outreach activities that promote public learning. Community engagement is an important measure of accomplishment in positions that incorporate such an expectation.