The University of Portland recently granted tenure to nine professors, according to Committee on Rank and Tenure chair Michael Connolly. Receiving tenure means that a professor has a permanent position at UP after being evaluated by the committee based on teaching, scholarship, service and personal attributes. The committee makes recommendations to the provost, who makes recommendation to the president, who makes the final decision regarding tenure, Connolly explained in an email to The Beacon.
The Beacon checked in with the recently tenured professors about what receiving tenure means to them and why they enjoy working at UP.
Blair Woodard, History
“Being granted tenure will allow me to continue to do the job as a professor that I enjoy so much. I am very happy that I will be able to continue to teach and do all the projects that I have been planning to do. It gives me a feeling of now having the time to really develop professionally.
The best part of working at the University of Portland is having such great colleagues and students. I feel at home here with my community on The Bluff.”
Mead Hunter, Performing and Fine Arts
“Tenure means you've gained the approbation of your peers. Your colleagues have watched you grow as a scholar, a teacher, and a member of the community, and they want you to stick around. It's an amazing feeling.
The people. The students are eager to learn. The professors support one another; everybody wants to see everybody else succeed. The librarians are genuinely glad to be of service, and love it when you avail yourself of their services! I've taught at several universities, and UP is by far the warmest. When they talk about ‘family’ here, they really mean it.”
Maximilian Schlosshauer, Physics
“Tenure, of course, implies a sense of stability. But perhaps more importantly, I also see it as a mutual reaffirming of a deep attachment between the University and myself. Basically, tenure is UP and I telling each other that we really like each other, and that we are happy to commit to each other in the long term.
The kindness and collegiality of its people (are the best part of UP). From my first day on campus, I found it to be a very welcoming, caring place filled with generous, supportive people. Over the years, my initial impression has been confirmed time and again, and I feel a deep appreciation and gratitude for UP's qualities.”
Nicole Leupp Hanig, Performing and Fine Arts
“Being granted tenure means that I get to remain a part of communities that I have come to love: both at UP and in the city of Portland. It means that my hard work over the past five years as a teacher, scholar and performer has been validated by my colleagues and by my students.
I'm not sure I can identify a ‘best part’ of working at University of Portland. It changes depending on the day. Highlights include hearing my student's Senior Capstone recitals and feeling so proud of the work we have done together. I have loved the first day of school since I started school at age 4 and am thrilled that I still get to have a "first day of school" every year. Maybe the best part is that I have a job that can change and evolve as I do. I'm a different teacher and performer than I was five years ago and I know that based on the influence of my students, colleagues and mentors, I will become new versions of myself in the years to come.”
Ian Parkman, Marketing
“Receiving tenure is a tremendous honor. I have a deep reverence for the traditions of academia — so it is immensely humbling to have a a committee of my peers assess my intellectual contributions, impact on students in the classroom, and influence as a colleague on campus — and deem it as having met the criteria for tenure. It is a somewhat strange aspect of our world, but an important reminder of the principles and ideals of life on a college campus. At a more practical level, I like to think about tenure as a marriage, a happy result to this process means UP has committed to me as I commit myself to this community — we can both stop looking around and start making more long-term plans with each other.
I love the University of Portland, so I think most things around here are pretty terrific. However, although it sounds too sentimental for a business school professor, I have to say the best part about working here is the students. It is a great reward to be surrounded by students who are passionate, engaged, and questioning. Receiving tenure means that I get to look forward to many more years of hopefully challenging and being challenged by students ‘on The Bluff.’”
Min Yu, Operations and Technology Management
“Personally, I consider being granted tenure as an acknowledgement of my continuous improvements in teaching, my research productivity, and my contribution to the university and the professional community.
I am very grateful to have wonderful colleagues who are incredibly supportive and who have aided me in my successes.”
Loretta Krautscheid, Nursing
“For me, tenure is validation that my teaching, scholarship and service contributions have met the achievements and expectations set forth by the School of Nursing and the University of Portland. In addition, tenure is a visible recognition of the reciprocal relationship and commitment between myself and the University.
The University of Portland is a thriving intellectual community that provides necessary resources to support community members in their aspirations — academic, social development, and spiritual wellness. I have been at the University since 2004 and during that time, I have been involved in a variety of innovative endeavors to enhance nursing education on campus, within the local community, and across the nation. So the best part about working at the University of Portland is the real-world integration of mission — both personal and professional.”
Amber Vermeesch, Nursing
“Being granted tenure is a milestone in many professional lives of faculty members at academic institutions; being granted tenure at the University of Portland is a coveted achievement worthy of celebration. With this achievement, I believe that I have found the ‘right fit’ at UP with the emphasis and value placed on educating the whole student, not just the mind. This single notion was the major reason I pursued a faculty position at the UP SON. I believe that, in order to teach the whole student, the faculty must embody and continually strive for a personal balance between the head, heart, and mind. I believe one way to educate the head, heart, and mind of our students is to bring different experiences into the classroom, which I do by bringing relevant examples from my clinical practice into the classroom to illustrate the art and science of the nursing discipline. With the award of tenure, I look forward with enthusiasm to the opportunity to continue to grow and develop both personally and professionally at UP for many years.
The best part about working at the University of Portland is the sense of community among the faculty, staff, and students, and the multiple opportunities for personal and professional growth. There are a multitude of opportunities from expanding research capacity with the support of the Dundon-Berchtold Institute and the Office of the Provost to mentoring students outside the School of Nursing as a Dexheimer Leadership Coach as well as partnering with the 2018 Opus Prize to engage with individuals deeply rooted in the pursuit of social justice on a global level.”
Heather Dillon, Mechanical Engineering
“To be invited to stay and continue teaching in this wonderful university is the highest honor that a faculty member could hope for. Countless people have helped me in my first few years here, and I am very thankful for all the support.
What I love best about the University of Portland is the deep commitment to community. The way students, faculty, and staff all work together and look after each other is really unique. I am grateful to be a part of this amazing community on The Bluff.”
