Hispanic Studies Guidelines

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The Hispanic Studies Department at Hamilton College expects all faculty in the department to demonstrate excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.

Teaching

The Department of Hispanic Studies, in accordance with the description of instruction by the Modern Language Association, defines effective teaching first and then offers the criteria used at Hamilton for assessing the teaching contribution of tenure-track faculty.

Effective teaching in Hispanic Studies, as in any other discipline, takes many forms, different methods, and a broad variety of styles. There is no single method, style, or approach to be imposed in teaching.  However, there are certain elements that suggest effective pedagogical practices within this eclectic diversity. The following criteria may be assessed through the means noted in parentheses, corresponding to the assessment evidence listed below.

• Effective teaching begins with imaginative, conscientious course design, and ongoing efforts to maintain and develop subject-area expertise. (1, 2, 6)
• Effective teaching incorporates inclusive and equitable teaching practices. (1, 2, 6)
• Effective teaching challenges students intellectually. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
• An effective teacher recognizes that students learn by interpreting, synthesizing, and evaluating what they hear and read, and endeavors to respond to students' ideas frequently and constructively. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
• An effective teacher respects students and establishes a classroom environment in which students know they are valued. (1, 2, 3, 4)
• An effective teacher communicates in a clear and organized manner, both in classroom instruction and in written materials (syllabi, assignments, visual presentations in the classroom, written feedback to students.) (1, 2, 3, 4, 6)
• An effective teacher meets professional obligations conscientiously by holding regular office hours and returning papers promptly. (1, 3)
• Recognizing that valuable learning occurs both inside and outside the classroom, effective teachers encourage student conferences, small group meetings, and informal conversation about students' ideas. (1, 6)

The assessment evidence used to examine the teaching trajectory in the Department of Hispanic Studies include:

1. Self-evaluation (through annual reports, teaching statements, etc.)
2. Classroom evaluations by tenured faculty members and peer observation reports (See below)
3. Student course evaluations
4. Student letters (selected and random) for the reappointment, promotion, or tenure file
5. Direction of the senior project and to the senior honors theses
6. Peer review of syllabi and course materials (demonstrating knowledge, rigor, variety, creativity, effort, innovation, course revision and development)

Faculty in non-tenurable positions will be reviewed using the same processes as those in tenure lines.

Following CET Guidance (Nov 2021), peer review of teaching will include:

1. A pre-observation meeting in which subjects such as session goals, course goals, pedagogical approaches, and assignments are discussed
2. Review of available course materials to contextualize the session
3. A classroom observation of a single class session
4. A post-observation meeting
5. Written documentation of the review that addresses the pre-observation conversation, review of teaching materials, and observations about various aspects of the class session such as content, clarity, and organization; student engagement; teacher-student  interactions; and attention to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. This will be shared with the person reviewed in a timely manner.

The department chair (or designated senior faculty member) will make peer review assignments at the beginning of each semester, the reviewer will take responsibility for scheduling on a mutually convenient date, and the department chair (or designated senior faculty member) will ensure that the review occurs by the end of the semester.” Each tenure-track colleague and visiting colleague will be observed by a tenured member of the department once per semester. When possible, all voting members of the department should observe tenure-track colleagues at least once prior to reappointment and/or tenure. 

Written class observation reports are not submitted by the department for reappointment/tenure files, but are referenced in the department recommendation letters. Individual faculty presenting for reappointment, tenure, or promotion may elect to include class observation reports in their file if they wish.

Scholarship

The Department of Hispanic Studies is committed to accomplishment in scholarship.  The scholarship of candidates for tenure should show ongoing engagement within their field.

The normal expectation for scholarship is that a successful candidate for tenure will have a completed manuscript of an original scholarly book accepted for publication; or at least one article or essay a year published in peer-reviewed disciplinary, interdisciplinary, or area studies journals or other equivalent venues for peer-reviewed multimodal or digital scholarship. Edited books, textbooks, creative writing publications, and chapters in thematic volumes are important to establish oneself as recognized and respected scholars in their field within the discipline, but these publications must be secondary to monographs and peer-reviewed publications. Regardless of the form it takes, the quality of the candidate’s scholarship should be judged to be high by evaluators in the field and the Hispanic Studies department. In terms of quantity, an expected level of productivity is the publication of one to two scholarly items per year with at least one being a scholarly journal article or book chapter. Scholarly journal articles and book manuscripts must be specific to Hispanic Studies, or the area of specialization of the scholar (film, theater, gender studies, cultural studies, etc.). The journal or press must have a policy of submission and peer review, with a minimum of 2 readers prior to publication decision. The publication or editor of scholarly journals must be affiliated with an academic institution or organization. The submitted article should have a minimum word count of 4,000, including notes but not works cited lists or translations. Shorter texts (book reviews, for example) are considered as part of the faculty member’s scholarship, but for the purposes of reappointment, tenure and promotion, will be considered as supplemental to journal articles or book chapters, and not a substitution for them. A successful candidate for tenure will provide clear evidence of a strong and enduring commitment to research and scholarship. 

For reappointment, tenure, and promotion, senior members of the Department should review in depth the candidate’s scholarly work. Each faculty member has the capacity to pass judgment at least on the articulation, the organization and the appropriateness of the topic and its development and conclusion, if not on the candidate’s expertise in the field and the theme itself of the scholarly pieces. For tenure and promotion cases, outside evaluators are not a substitute for the careful assessment of every senior member of the department, but rather supplement the departmental appraisal.

Service

Candidates must have demonstrated a willingness and an ability to be an effective and engaged departmental citizen. Dedication in Service means evidence of an ongoing commitment to share with colleagues the tasks of various departmental and College activities and programs.    

Department members should interact with other colleagues and deans, and become familiar with College matters in general, as a way to make known their own presence and the workings of our Department, for example attending faculty meetings, and other all campus faculty activities. 

Expectations for service for reappointment and tenure:

• Student advising, services in minor College committees, and active participation in Departmental activities, including searches.
• Leadership each year in at least 1 of the following activities: Spanish Club, Spanish Table, Encuentros, radio program, organization of conferences, speaker visits, and academic and cultural Hispanic Studies activities on campus, Teaching Assistant (TA) coordination, Teaching Fellow (TF) search and mentoring, Volunteer Spanish Teaching Program in the Clinton Elementary School. Support of these activities and active and/or periodic participation are expected from all faculty, including those in non-tenurable positions.

Accelerated tenure tracks

Occasionally newly hired faculty may opt for an “accelerated” tenure track with the approval of the department and the Dean of Faculty. The typical tenure track is a full five years prior to submitting materials for tenure consideration at the end of the fifth year, with the tenure decision made during the sixth year. The accelerated tenure track is an option for colleagues who have an established record of successful teaching, scholarship and service prior to beginning the tenure track at Hamilton College, and is granted when the department agrees that the faculty member does not need a full five years to demonstrate success in these areas. In these cases, reappointment is also accelerated, as part of the accelerated tenure-track. The department’s expectation is that the colleague in question will continue to demonstrate successful teaching as defined by our departmental guidelines for reappointment, tenure and promotion. Their scholarship should also advance as stipulated in the departmental guidelines, but in proportion to their reduced time on the tenure track. Thus, when a newly hired colleague opts for an accelerated tenure track, scholarship produced prior to starting the tenure track at Hamilton will be considered as part of the tenure file, but the faculty member is still expected to produce new scholarship during the time on the tenure track in line with the departmental guidelines regarding yearly progress. For example, while a colleague on a 5-year tenure track is expected to have 5 scholarly publications (or book) at the time of consideration for tenure, a colleague on a 3-year tenure track is expected to have 3 scholarly publications (or book) produced during the time on the accelerated track, in addition to scholarship published prior to starting the tenure track. (The faculty member should have recent publications that justify the accelerated tenure track, as all candidates for tenure must meet the expectation of 5 publications or a book set forth by departmental guidelines.) The departmental guidelines establish expectations for service to the department and the college; the amount of service expected should be proportional to the time spent on the tenure track, whether that is 5 years or fewer.

Promotion to Professor

The Faculty Handbook (July 2024) specifies that those promoted to the rank of Professor “are expected to provide distinction to the Faculty as teachers, to have demonstrated sound, continuing growth as scholars, and to serve as leaders of the academic community. Promotion to Professor marks eminence as a teacher and a scholar” (page 29). In the section “Additional Principles for Promotion to Professor,” the Handbook states, “Promotion to Professor shall be granted to those faculty members who have in their years at the College distinguished themselves as teacher-scholars, and for whom it can be stated that high achievement is likely to continue.” It also states, “Distinguished teaching should reflect the growing maturity and scholarly imagination necessary to challenge all types of students. Sound and developing scholarship, an important sign of sustained learning, creativity, and professional growth, should be demonstrated through forms of public scholarship such as publication, critical investigation, invention, and the presentation of papers, or exhibitions or performances. Each candidate for promotion to Professor may have different strengths in teaching, scholarship, and service. In all cases, however, it is expected that the candidate will present evidence of accomplishments in all three categories. Of these three categories, the first two are the more important, but all weigh in the decision” (page 38).

When considering candidacy for promotion to the rank of Professor, the department expects that the candidate will have demonstrated continued accomplishments in the areas of teaching, scholarship and service. The candidate should have a demonstrated record of excellence in teaching (as evaluated by the criteria mentioned previously) since receiving tenure, and by the time of full professorship, this scholarship should have deepened and expanded to the level of eminence in the field of Hispanic Studies, making significant contributions to the candidate’s field of expertise. This scholarship may take the form of scholarly articles, an original scholarly or creative book, invited talks, research presentations, contribution to volumes, receiving grants, creative writings, and so forth.

As a senior faculty member, it is expected that a candidate will have devoted more time and attention than before the awarding of tenure to areas of service concerning the department and the college.  

Expectations for service for promotion to professor:

• Student advising, service in College committees, and active participation in departmental activities
• Leadership in various activities in the Department or in the larger campus community, and/or serving as department chair or resident faculty member in Madrid (HCAYS)
• Active participation in Search Committees and/or HCAYS program: The Hispanic Studies Department is very active on campus and has a prestigious program in Spain. The department acknowledges that repeated terms as General Director or Resident Director of HCAYS (prior to 2025-2026), or department chair, affect the rate of scholarly production. While service should not replace scholarship, its relationship to scholarly production will be taken into consideration when reviewing a colleague’s candidacy for promotion to professor.

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 Approved by COA: 5/15/25