Theatre

In addition to traditional classroom teaching, the candidate may be responsible for an element of the Department Mainstage Production as part of the teaching load, including serving as director or member of the creative or production team (e.g., scenic designer, costume designer, lighting designer, stage manager, production manager, etc.). In this role, the candidate serves not only in an artistic capacity, but in an instructional capacity, overseeing the process by training and managing students enrolled in production courses (THETR-141/142 and THETR-398) related to their discipline.

Note that while the separation of duties between the creative and production teams is distinct, these roles are also inherently collaborative. Candidates are evaluated primarily with respect to the specific area to which they are contributing (e.g., design or directing), alongside their willingness to communicate and collaborate with all members of their team, including students. Directors and designers are to be evaluated on the basis of their conceptual work and/or designs, their timeliness with respect to communication and meeting deadlines, the effectiveness of their collaborations with members of the creative and production teams, as well as their guidance and oversight of students enrolled in production courses.

The candidate must demonstrate efficacy in their assigned capacity through regular and thoughtful engagement in weekly developmental design/production meetings; providing timely work and communication; participation in production-related presentations and talk backs; creating and providing weekly student work schedules that reflect the fulfillment of course credit hours requirements; and modeling industry standards.

Sources of evidence include course syllabi with clearly articulated requirements and objectives, specialized production schedules (e.g. rehearsal schedule created by a director; production and work call schedules created by design and production faculty), colleague observations and letters, random and select student letters, student evaluations, letters from external collaborators/guest artists, and examples of work completed by students.

Primary demonstrations of teaching excellence for reappointment, promotion and tenure are to be provided through the following evidence:

• A comprehensive section within the personal statement that outlines the candidate’s philosophical and pedagogical approaches to teaching, and provides evidence of growth as an educator
• Course materials, including:
  • Syllabi, learning outcomes, and assessment documents, and course schedules; documentation of curricular updates initiated
• Examples of assignments, exams, and corresponding student work samples
• Student evaluations of a course or a production process
• Random and select letters from current and former students
• Observation reports from senior and voting colleagues who have witnessed the candidate’s teaching/pedagogy in the classroom, rehearsal hall, studio/production lab spaces, or as demonstrated in department productions

Additional demonstrations of teaching excellence may include the following, as applicable/available:

• Evidence of multidisciplinary or cross-disciplinary engagement with other departments as related to special topics, parallel themes, content, resources, and/or special collections
• Reports from colleagues who have engaged in team teaching with the candidate
• Documentation of supervised activity resulting in the acceptance of a student or former student into specialized programs or pre-professional experiences (e.g. research opportunities, internships, graduate school, juried exhibits and/or performances)
• Documentation of student integration in professional, off-campus activity in collaboration with faculty
• Presentations or publications related to pedagogy within the college, at invited talks, and/or conferences
• Grants garnered for pedagogical development
• Documentation of newly-developed courses
• Documentation of advised independent studies, capstones, and theses led to completion
• Evidence of materials supporting Hamilton’s commitment to inclusion and belonging

Expectations for Reappointment

Candidates for reappointment should demonstrate their ability to communicate course content effectively, to challenge students intellectually, and to articulate and incorporate an understanding of current industry standard practices and knowledge within the context of courses and/or department productions. Candidates should demonstrate that they are progressing toward meeting the criteria for excellent teaching expected for tenure, including for courses related to departmental production, and that they respond constructively and thoughtfully to feedback from student course evaluations, class visitations by colleagues, and annual reviews by the department chair.

Expectations for Tenure

In addition to continuing to meet the standards outlined for reappointment, by the time of tenure review, candidates should be able to document their ability to teach courses at all levels, including introductory, intermediate, and advanced/specialized courses. At the time of review, candidates for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor are expected to provide evidence for excellence in teaching and to address any previously articulated concerns about their teaching—including concerns related to lab courses tied to departmental production—while demonstrating continued growth and improvement.

Expectations for Promotion to Professor

Candidates for promotion to Professor are expected to provide clear evidence of distinction as a teaching scholar/artist, to stay current with developments in the field, and to incorporate these developments into their courses. A distinguished record of teaching involves consistently high levels of effective teaching (definition and evaluation described above), in addition to evidence that the faculty member has continued to engage in reflective and iterative growth. Evidence for such growth should be outlined in the candidate’s personal statement, and demonstrated in the revision of existing courses and/or development of new ones, and participation in pedagogical development activities.

Peer Review/Classroom/Rehearsal Observations

Observations by Theatre faculty colleagues will consider how often faculty under review have taught each course. We understand that teaching a course for the first time has challenges, and teaching the course over time gives opportunities to improve based on feedback.

Peer review of teaching will include:

• A pre-observation conversation in which session goals, course goals, pedagogical approaches, and assignments are discussed
• Review of available course materials to contextualize the session
• A classroom observation of a single class session
• A post-observation meeting
• Written documentation of the review that addresses the pre-observation conversation and post-observation meeting, 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. The written review will be shared with the candidate within two weeks of the observation.

Peer review process:

• 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. The department chair (or designated senior faculty member) will ensure that the review occurs by the end of the semester.
• Faculty in their first semester of teaching will be reviewed for formative purposes only; no written documentation of the first semester review will be generated.
• Frequency of observation:
  • Assistant professors will be observed 1-2 times per semester.
  • Associate professors will be observed once per year.
  • There is no requirement that Professors be observed, though they may be if requested by the faculty member or department chair.
  • Non-tenurable faculty (other than Lecturers) will be observed once per year.
• All ad-hoc committee members will have firsthand knowledge of teaching through the peer review process before voting on reappointment, tenure, or promotion.
• The department will reference the written documentation of review (classroom observations, course materials, etc.) in reappointment, tenure, and promotion letters.

Creative Activity and Scholarly Research

Candidates are expected to maintain an active research/professional agenda, either as working artists, scholars, or a hybrid of the two, a role known as the “scholar-artist.” In terms of evaluation, it is important that neither creative activity nor scholarly research be favored, and that reasonable standards of evaluation be created for each. The Department recognizes that the line between creative work and original research is not always clear-cut. Because of the great number of variables involved and the nature of the creative process and the profession, it is not possible to provide a specific number of creative or research products required for reappointment, tenure, or promotion. We would expect that a candidate would provide a strong record of artistic and/or scholarly achievements, as described below, with most of the scholarship/work to be completed while employed at Hamilton. Candidates may choose to include work completed up to three years prior to their hire date for consideration for tenure, while candidates on an accelerated clock may include up to five years.

Creative Activity. Achieving professional recognition in theatre, film, television, or digital media depends on performing, directing, devising, writing, designing, and/or having one’s original creative work performed, produced, and/or published.

Candidates may demonstrate successful creative activity in a variety of ways, including a combination of the following, with the first tier holding the greatest weight:

• Tier 1
  • Invited or commissioned artistic work (acting, directing, designing, writing, devising, producing, technical directing, or other appropriate work on a creative team) at off-campus venues, such as national or international commercial/for-profit theatres, national or international production tours, recognized League of Regional Theatres (LORT) venues, national and regional non-profit venues, festivals, performance series, and professional conferences, including collaborations with professional, semi-professional, academic, community-based, or affinity-based theatres or collectives
  • Writing/creating an original play, including devised work and collective collaborations, that is produced and/or published
  • Developing and sustaining applied and community-based theatre program initiatives (e.g., Drama in Education or Theatre for Social Change) which substantially address the needs of a particular community on a national, regional, international, local, or campus level
  • Developing, designing, or establishing immersive, experiential, and/or site-specific theatre and venues
• Tier 2
  • Receiving nominations and/or awards for creative work
  • Receiving an award of a grant, fellowship, and/or residency for the development and/or production of an original artistic work or theatre production
  • Conducting or performing/presenting in workshops or guest lectures, and/or speaking about one’s creative practice at academic or artistic conferences, academic institutions, and/or through master class instruction or intensive workshops
  • Providing interviews for publication or for the media about one’s creative work and/or practice
  • Reviews of creative work in periodicals, newspapers, and/or media outlets, including digital publications
  • Written evaluations by qualified adjudicators and/or evaluations by other artists who served as collaborators on creative projects
• Tier 3
  • Earned membership with trade unions such as Actors Equity Association (AEA), the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), the Dramatists Guild (DG), the Writers Guild of America (WGA), the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), and United Scenic Artists (USA)
  • Affiliation with or representation by professional talent agencies
  • Serving as an invited participant in a staged reading
  • Serving as an invited consultant for a film or television program, theatrical production or immersive, experiential, or space-specific venue
  • Participation in exhibitions or retrospectives of theatrical work and/or adjudicated exhibitions or events

Scholarly Research. Achieving recognition in academic research depends on presenting and/or publishing the results of research conducted. Outside evaluation comes most often through publication in peer-reviewed journals or reviews of published work, or selection and presentation of research at conferences.

Candidates may demonstrate successful research in a variety of ways, including a combination of the following, with the first tier holding the greatest weight:

• Tier 1
  • Publication of a single-authored or co-authored book with an established press in the academic or artistic community
  • Publication of peer-reviewed articles or chapters in scholarly journals, edited collections or scholarly books, and/or trade publications, including digital journals/publications
  • Serving as a dramaturg for productions of existing plays or for new play development
• Tier 2
  • Editing or co-editing academic journals, published collections of scholarly essays, or published collections of plays, including digital journals/collections with an established press in the academic or artistic field.
  • Invited lectures or workshops presented at colleges and universities
  • Reviews of books and performances in scholarly journals
  • Presentation of research at academic conferences
  • Panels curated and chaired at academic conferences
  • Awards, external grants, and/or fellowships for research
  • Publication of research in a collection, journal, or trade publication that is not peer-reviewed
  • Translation of plays, essays, interviews, etc.
  • Adaptations of plays, screen plays, and other original works
  • Interdisciplinary contributions that yield practical applications of research (e.g., conducting and sharing research that inspires or informs some element of theatrical production)
• Tier 3
  • Serving as a research consultant for a film or television program or theatrical production
  • Writing articles or notes for professional production programs
  • Lecturing to audiences for professional productions
  • Leading discussions in performance-related talkbacks
  • Reviews of the candidate’s writing published in academic journals
  • Citation of the candidate’s work by other scholars or professionals in the field
  • Research conducted with students resulting in published work is permissible; however, a significant portion of the writing must be done by the candidate.

Evaluation of research / creative activity

In accordance with the Faculty Handbook, it is the responsibility of the department chair, with the assistance of the VP/Dean, to have creative activity and/or original research evaluated by theatre scholars or practitioners, to place written records of the evaluations in the departmental/program files, and to provide the VP/Dean with such records. For productions within a reasonable proximity to campus, it is expected that a member of the Theatre Department’s senior faculty or ad hoc Tenure & Promotion Committee will provide evaluation. For performances and productions that occur at a distance, similar evaluation by senior faculty or committee members will be expected through the time of reappointment, after which outside reviewers may be engaged. Video documentation will also be considered, with the understanding that video recordings of theatrical productions cannot fully capture and reflect the experience of the live performance. Evaluation of work should take into consideration the venue in which it is produced, the time spent in development as well as performance, resources available for the work, and possible future development. Materials supporting the creative process (e.g., director’s statements, dramaturgy notes, interviews and discussions, candidate-led research, production drafting and schematics, sketches, models, developmental notes, etc.) shall be considered, commensurate with the scope of production, its goals and fundamental needs.

Expectations for Reappointment

In most cases, candidates choose between creative activity and research, but a candidate may choose to present both types of scholarship, in which case the types of scholarship and the documentation necessary will be determined in consultation with the Department Chair and, if necessary, the Dean. The candidate should provide a plan (which will be reviewed by the voting members of the department) outlining a clear trajectory toward meeting the scholarship expectations for tenure, as well as achievement from any of the tiers/tracks as evidence that the candidate is on track to meet expectations for tenure.

Expectations for Tenure

The candidate’s file should include completed work from Tier 1 for Creative Activity and/or Scholarly Research. We do not specify a number of items from Tier 1; rather, the professional significance of the item will determine its value for consideration for tenure. In the case of performers/directors/designers, off-campus production is required. The voting members of the department shall review the candidate’s plans for scholarship before their pre-tenure sabbatical. If necessary, the Chair, in consultation with voting members and, if necessary, the Dean, will advise the candidate about ways to revise the scholarship plan.

Expectations for Promotion to Professor

By the time of review, the candidate is expected to show documentation of new creative activity and/or original research as described in this document. This new work should be distinctive from the work that earned the candidate tenure. The candidate should be able to show evidence of several additional examples of either original published or produced scholarly work and/or additional examples of creative work (acting, directing, producing, designing, devising, dramaturgy, or playwriting), and should provide reviews of this work when available.

We expect that the candidate will show evidence of sustained work in the field.

Service

The Department works together closely, and it expects that candidates will support students and colleagues by attending departmental events and meetings. In addition, we expect that all members of the Department will share in administrative duties. By the time of tenure review, the candidate should play a consistent and vital role in the life of the Department, serve as an effective student advisor, and be moderately engaged in college service (e.g. serving on 1-2 elected or appointed committees).

Off-campus work representing, or in service of, the theatrical profession, the Theatre Department or college at-large, or general engagement in local or national civic and charitable activities, shall also be considered demonstrations of service.

Demonstrations of service may include:

• Department Service:
  • Participation in department task forces or committees
  • Serving on a search committee
  • Authoring and/or updating both internal and external departmental documents, (e.g. student handbooks, reports for external evaluation or accreditation, etc.)
  • Supporting marketing efforts for departmental events/productions, including design of marketing materials
  • Developing and implementing departmental events for the campus community
  • Serving as an academic or professional reference for students and alumni
• College Service:
  • Serving as department chair
  • Participation in institutional committees or task forces
  • Serving on a search committee for another department
  • Serving on appointed or elected committees
  • Serving as an advisor for student organizations
  • Assessing supplemental admissions materials for College applicants
• Service to the Field:
  • Participation in professional and academic theatre organizations and/or conferences
  • Acting as a managing, artistic, or producing artistic director of a theatre company or performing arts collective
  • Serving as a union representative for a professional production
  • Serving on a Board of Directors of a theatre company or performing arts organization
  • Volunteering for community-based projects and/or organizations
  • Serving as an external reviewer for reappointment or tenure and promotion for candidates at other institutions’
  • Serving as a Grant/Fellowship evaluator for a government or arts organization
  • Serving as a site evaluator and/or authoring a site visit audit report for an arts organization
  • Serving as an editor or on the editorial board for an academic journal or book series
  • Peer reviewing book proposals and journal articles
  • Serving as a panelist for a theatre production
  • Organizing an academic conference
  • Founding or leading institutions, centers, platforms, or related organizations that contribute to the field
  • Judging and critiquing student theatre competitions

According to ATHE, section C.4. Documenting Service “It is not unusual for theatre faculty to have an inordinate number of hours devoted to service to students. In addition to the long hours of rehearsal and production (as many as 150 hours per production), theatre faculty prepare students for auditions, advise student directors, designers, dramaturgs, actors, and playwrights, and mentor students in their professional development as well as their academics.” This non-credited aspect of counseling, mentorship, and interaction should be taken into account as an essential and significant aspect of service, and should be addressed in the personal statement.

Expectations for Reappointment

The voting members of the department shall advise the candidate about their service. The primary service prior to reappointment is at the department level.

Expectations for Tenure

The candidate shall consult with the department chair regarding their service. Following reappointment and prior to tenure, the candidate should engage in some college-wide service in addition to department service.

Expectations for Promotion to Professor

Candidates for promotion are expected to continue to demonstrate consistent support for departmental activities, as listed in the criteria for tenure above, and to have engaged in moderate to substantial service on elected or appointed committees.

Guidelines for Professors of Instruction

The Instructional faculty role is outlined as follows in the Faculty Handbook:

“An Instructional Faculty position is one for which it is expected that the College will have a continuing need for supportive instruction in a department that requires the development of disciplinary skill through practice and that complements courses offered by tenure track faculty.

The main role of professors of instruction is teaching. Scholarship is not required and professors of instruction do not have service responsibilities at the level of college-wide committees or in student academic advising. However, they are expected to participate in faculty meetings and contribute to department planning and curricular development. Faculty in these positions with administrative responsibilities will receive a proportionate course release from the six-course teaching load (maximum release of three courses). Administrative responsibilities and the proportional course release will be defined by departments in consultation with the Dean of Faculty. Appointments to Instructional Faculty positions are housed within a department or program.”

Teaching

Teaching is the main role of Professors of Instruction and often happens in lecture/lab hybrid courses. Guidelines for reappointment are similar to those of tenure-track faculty and include all of the same criteria and demonstration factors outlined in that section of this document.

Administrative Duties

The Theatre Department Professor of Instruction is expected to serve as Production Manager for mainstage productions; lab productions (Bare Naked); department-sponsored student productions, including Senior Thesis productions; and outside/guest artist productions programmed in our spaces. Much of this work is done in conjunction with the department’s Administrative Office Assistant and Technical Director. Additional duties include maintaining knowledge of industry standard technology and advocating for its integration and use in the Department, developing and maintaining a roster of local, regional, and national designers and technicians who could potentially serve as guest designers, and when possible, developing and/or organizing curriculum or workshops for students to explore the design and technology tracks within the field.

Candidates may demonstrate effective production management in a variety of ways, including a combination of the following, with the first tier holding the greatest weight:

• Tier 1
  • Letters from students, colleagues, and guest designers reflecting on the process for any given production or multiple productions
  • Letters from guest artists/organizations programmed in the space reflecting on the process for their residency
  • Production planning documentation, including production schedules, budgets, and guest artist contracts
• Tier 2
  • Evidence of large equipment budget requests that seek to maintain and/or replace equipment necessary for theatre production in production spaces
  • Evidence of new equipment or technologies integrated into the department
  • Evidence of workshops organized on campus
• Tier 3
  • Attendance of conferences focused on theatre/performance design and technology
  • Membership in national and local unions and professional associations

Reappointment to Assistant Professor of Instruction (every 3 years)

Candidates should demonstrate their ability to communicate course content effectively, to challenge students intellectually, and to articulate and incorporate an understanding of current industry standard practices and knowledge within the context of courses and/or department productions. Candidates should demonstrate continued growth in course design and pedagogical practices, including for courses related to departmental production, and respond constructively and thoughtfully to feedback from student course evaluations, class visitations by colleagues, and annual reviews by the department chair. Likewise, successful production management requires clear communication and effective planning. The personal statement should include a reflection that outlines strategies for continued improvement.

Promotion to Associate Professor of Instruction (after 6 years of serving as Assistant Professor of Instruction)

Candidates are expected to provide clear evidence of distinction as a teaching scholar and arts administrator, to stay current with developments in the field, and to incorporate these developments into their courses and department production. A distinguished record of teaching involves consistently high levels of effective teaching, in addition to evidence that the faculty member has continued to engage in reflective and iterative growth. Evidence for such growth should be outlined in the candidate’s personal statement and demonstrated in the revision of existing courses and/or development of new ones, and participation in pedagogical development activities. Likewise, successful production management requires clear communication and effective planning. The personal statement should include a reflection that outlines plans for future growth and development that enables department production to run smoothly and efficiently while fostering learning opportunities for students.

Reappointment as Associate Professor of Instruction (every 3 years)

Candidates are expected to provide clear evidence of distinction as a teaching scholar and arts administrator, to stay current with developments in the field, and to incorporate these developments into their courses and department production. A distinguished record of teaching involves consistently high levels of effective teaching, in addition to evidence that the faculty member has continued to engage in reflective and iterative growth. Evidence for such growth should be outlined in the candidate’s personal statement, and demonstrated in the revision of existing courses and/or development of new ones, and participation in pedagogical development activities. Likewise, successful production management requires clear communication and effective planning. The personal statement should include a reflection that outlines plans for future growth and development that enables department production to run smoothly and efficiently while fostering learning opportunities for students.