The American studies faculty believe that sustained artistic, scholarly, and creative engagement and productivity is critical to faculty success in tenure and promotion.
Evidence of engagement and production may take many forms: scholarly books and papers; exhibitions and shows; performances and presentations. It may also take many modes: multi-media; print, dramatic; photographic or cinematographic; and be individual or collaborative.
American studies is particularly interested in reaching a wide and diverse public as well as traditional academic audiences. Rather than favor one over the other, American studies faculty at Kenyon should be encouraged to address the audience and the community that their work has initially involved. Community studies rightfully should be presented back to the community.
At Kenyon, American studies faculty should present solid evidence of scholarly or artistic scholarship or production for tenure. It might be said that the standard at the tenure level should be that of a major monograph, an equivalent grouping of scholarly articles in peer-reviewed journals, or an equivalent record of exhibition or performance or publication of imaginative/creative work shown or published in galleries, literary journals, or performance spaces.
For promotion to professor, colleagues in American studies shall demonstrate continued artistic and scholarly engagement and production through regular publication, exhibition, and presentation to an external professional and public audience. A second collection, book, or the equivalent record of exhibition or performance, should be offered as evidence of continued intellectual and creative productivity.