Living Out Our Values: Adding DEI Expectations for Promotion and Tenure

The IU School of Medicine (IUSM) has been grounded in the core values of excellence, respect, integrity, diversity and inclusion, and cooperation for many years. In 2021, these core values were expanded upon through a significant revision of the IUSM Honor Code, which now more fully describes how the core values are to be upheld by all members of the community. As faculty in academic medicine, we shape the next generation of doctors and researchers. With this in mind, we are proud to see faculty engaging in activities to foster diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across the school, campus and university, community, and health system.

The Proposal

To align faculty expectations with the values articulated in the Honor Code, a proposal is under review to modify the school’s promotion and tenure expectations regarding DEI activities.

  • Faculty members would be required to show effort toward advancing DEI in at least one mission area for which they are evaluated by including a short narrative DEI summary in their personal statement and by listing DEI-related activities on their CVs.
  • Activities related to DEI would not need to be within the faculty member’s area of excellence.
  • Engaging in professional development activities (such as attending a workshop) would be an acceptable way to fulfill the requirement.
  • If approved, the expectation would be phased in over 3 years and faculty members will have several years to complete the requirements.

Examples & Evaluation

These efforts would look different depending on the faculty member’s specialty and appointment. A list of example activities is available. Future resources would include a rubric, an updated dossier checklist, example diversity statements, workshops/training for faculty, chairs, primary committee, and school committee members.

Candidates would summarize their contributions in a short narrative DEI section of their personal statement and note DEI-related activities on their CVs.

Timeframe

The proposal is currently under review by the Faculty Steering Committee (FSC), which has a representative from every department. As the elected faculty governance body of the IUSM, the FSC will vote on the proposal later this year.

If approved, the expectation would be phased in over three years. During the phase-in period, the school will facilitate training opportunities for faculty, departmental leaders, and promotion and tenure committees to learn how to meet, articulate, and evaluate this new requirement. Faculty members would have several years to complete this requirement.

Background

In addition to aligning with the IUSM Honor Code, this proposal also aligns IUSM more closely with recently approved efforts by the IUPUI Faculty Council to recognize DEI activities for promotion and tenure. Since IUSM does not use the balanced case structure for promotion and tenure, this proposal operationalizes the DEI work of our faculty within the IUSM promotion and tenure framework.

Feedback

We want to hear from you! On behalf of the FSC we are gathering feedback on the proposal. Visit the open comments page to read the full proposal, submit your comments and ask questions by May 15.

By adding expectations for DEI contributions to our promotion and tenure criteria, we are making clear our institutional values in one of our most important recognition processes.