(440) Scholarship Reconsidered: Integrating EDI into Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Guidelines

Objective: The objective was to develop inclusive promotion and tenure (P&T) criteria at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) that reflect the UMSOP’s mission and values, recognize the rich potential of diverse faculty and reward a breadth of scholarly excellence.

Methods: In the Fall of 2022, questions were added to the annual faculty effort report to capture data on scholarship, teaching, and service. Questions covered scholarship that is relevant to communities or persons who have been marginalized, inclusive teaching and leadership pedagogy, and service that advances inclusive culture, equitable opportunities, and partnerships with diverse communities. Concurrently, the UMSOP Faculty Affairs Committee workgroup drafted inclusive P&T guidelines for the Faculty Handbook. Proposed changes were presented several times to garner faculty feedback and buy-in. An advisor from the Educational Advisory Board (EAB) led a faculty intensive focused on inclusive P&T guidelines.

Results: 70+ Maryland faculty reported 4,000+ hours of EDI activities in calendar year (CY)2022, and 4,500+ hours in CY2023. Over half of EDI efforts were in research/grants; the next highest categories were professional development (13%), civic/community engagement (10%), and outreach/mentorship (10%). Inclusive P&T guidelines were passed by majority vote of the Faculty Assembly in Spring 2023 (system approval pending).

Conclusion: The TIMING was right for this significant change. Cross-departmental TEAMWORK among faculty champions demonstrated the generalizability and value of this effort. TURBULENCE was mitigated and TRACTION was gained by citing national best practices, offering faculty development workshops, and sharing original data which captured faculty activities that advance EDI. Combined, these factors provided robust evidence to UMSOP faculty on the feasibility of incorporating EDI criteria into P&T guidelines and the extent of ongoing EDI-related efforts.