Eastern Mennonite University
ER-19: Interdisciplinary Research in Tenure and Promotion

In the Faculty Staff Handbook of EMU, policy in the section The Tenure System reads, "Scholarship and creative activity are measured by the contribution to generating and disseminating knowledge within and across disciplines. We recognize multiple modes of scholarship, including discovery, integration, application/engagement, and teaching (Boyer, 1997). At EMU we are a community of learning. Our scholarship reflects our Anabaptist values of collaboration, linking theory and practice, and pursuing peace and justice. Later it states, "Proficiency in scholarship/creative activity results in continuous and ongoing research in the pure and applied sciences, humanities, professions, or the creative/performing arts that builds on and contributes new knowledge to the discipline and/or enhances cross-disciplinary interaction." And further on, "Outstanding scholarship includes the highest standard of research, creativity, and practice. Scholarly contribution within and across disciplines regularly results in critical and public responses by others and is used and applied by others." Finally in the Schedule & Procedures for Contract Renewal & Promotions section of the Handbook, there are procedures listed for contract renewal and/or promotion consideration that involve a Colleague Review Committee. The guidelines for selecting of members of this committee support interdisciplinary research and read, "the faculty candidate may also request that one additional colleague be added to the colleague review committee. The faculty candidate may wish to nominate a colleague, who has at least six years of EMU faculty experience, who has insight into an area of scholarship, teaching, or service that the departmental members may have not had opportunity to observe (e.g. cross-disciplinary co-teaching, research, etc.). The chair/program director and the respective dean must approve such requests."