,..
Univecsity of Toconto
tlORKING GROUP
ON
CREATIVE PROfESSIONAL ACTIVITY
Member:-s
Cha~les
John
H.
Hollenbe~g,
Vice
of
Rciccon~ Depa~tmen~
P~OVOSt
(Health Sciences),
Chai~man
ceog~aphy
Ba~~y f~ench, Enginee~ing/School of Geaduate Studies
Paul Gooch, Philosophy, Scaebo~ough College
Ann Lancashire, EnglishlUnive~sity College
J.
Kathecine Packer, Faculty of Libracy and Information Science
Robe~c
Salter,
Depa~cment
of
Su~geey/Hospital
foe Sick Children
Michael Moucicsen,.Execucive AssiscanC to che Vice Pcovost, Secretacy
28 Hay 1984
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28 Hay 1984
~ive~sity
of Toronto
final Report
Yorking Group on Creative Professional Activity
Teems of reference
!he ~orking Group on Creative Professional Activity was established by the
Provost in July of 1983, with the following tenDS of reference:
I) to consider the role of creative professional activity as a criterion
used in assessing candidates for initial appointment to the University,
and in assessing faculty members for merit increases,
and p~omotion in academic rank;
a~ard
of tenure,
2) to define the scope of the term in the context of the above academic
personnel decisions; and
3) ~o develop principLes ~o gui~ divisions in establishing detailed guide­
lines for ~he application of this criterion yithin a particular Depart­
ment, School, College or facul~y.
Statement of che Problem
The _established criteria on which faculty members are assessed for initial
appointment, merit increases, tenure and promotion are:
a) scholarly/research achievement and/or creative professional activity;
b)
c)
q~ality
and effectiveness in teaching; and
and professional service~ including administrative
contributions.
tlnive~sity
Refe~ences
co creative professional activity appearing in current university
policies (on appointments. merit increases~ tenure and promotions) have been
summarized in Appendix A to this Report.
There is a fair degree of Uaiversity-wide consensus On the necessity for
documenting and evaluating scholarship/research, teaching and service, and
the definitions of these activities are clearly articulated in current
policies. The category of creative professional activity, ho~ever, is
neicher clearly defined nor accepted on a University-wide basis, and
difficulties arise because a number of University disciplines, especially in
the professional Faculties but including some in Arts and Science, find it
essential to ~ecruit and to rewa~d faculty members ~ith st~engths and
expercise in professional or clinical practice, or a~tis(ic endeavours, but
who may lack the usual academic qualifications of higher degrees and
publications in refereed journals.
Problems have arisen from attempts to assess such individuals according to
conventional academic criteria, and widely divergent practices have
developed in the absence of central, Unlversity~ide guidelines_
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Creacive professionaL activicy, in the University's current policies, is
seen as a parallel, equivaLent and clearly alternative criterion co that of
tcaditional scholarly achievemenc oc conventional research work. Assessment
of professional activity, of course, like assessment of scholarship/
research, must be accompanied by assessment of the other two categories.
viz, teaching and secvi~, both of uhich should be documented and evaluated
in the usual way.
In other woeds, where assessment of creative professional
activity 1s ~arranced by the nature of the contribution and the purpose of
-·che appointment, professional practice is-but one criterion, to be supple­
mented by the usual evaluation as well of teaching and of servicee
It might also be appropriate. tor some individuals. Co evaluate boch
professional activity and research contributions. along with
teaching and service.
It is not assumed that creative professional activity
and traditional academic scholarship are mutually exclusive, or that they
cannot manifest themselves In the same individual.
c~eacive
Previous attempts at a definition
A number of divisions in the University have developed definitions of
creative professional activity.
These were reviewed in 1981 by a Decanal
Committee 1n ~he Graduate SchooL on graduate professional education. chaired
by Professor £.A. McCulloch. excerpts from the McCUllough Committee's
Report. uhich recommended a definition of creative professional activity to
gUide future appointment of faculty members to the gcaduate school. appear
in Appendix ~ eo this Repore.
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Components of the definition
After carefUL review of prevIous ~ock. and of current University policies.
the Working Ceoup ideneified three general headings under which creative
professional actiVity might be classified and assessed.
We have considered
yhether or not to weighc tne th~ee components. i.e •• whether the three parts
of the definition should be given equal ueight. or whether chere should be a
hierarchy. yith one component having a higher value chan another. This
determination. in our view, should not be done at a University-wide level.
but is best left ~o the divisions.
Depending on the Divisional use for
which creative professional activity is being assessed, it may well be
appropriate to specify. for example. that achievement in anyone component
may oot be sufficient. or thac one component is more important than another.
Further. the ~orklng Group feels strongly that mere competence in creative
professional activity. as a whole~ should never be sufficient for any of the
career decisions (i.ce. appointment. promotion. tenure or merit). Ye are
aware, however. thac current tenure policy permits the award of tenure for
demonstrating excellence 1n either research or teaching. with
clearly-established competence in the other category. We believe that. in
the category of creative professional activity. above-average performance
should be expected of a candidate at all stages of his or her career.
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1) Professional Innovation/Creative Excellence
Separate defloi~lons are appcop~iace foe the creative and performing acts
and foe other professions~
a) C~eaclve excellence in the arcs, including excellence In performance,
requires sustained activity which is judged excellent by peer review and
establishes the artist's r e putac Lon foe excellence \.Iithin and outside the
University. Judgement should be made with reference to appropriate
criLeria such as publication of creative yorks of literature; juried
awards and prizes; invited performances, stagings and exhibitions; wide
public recognition.
b) Peofessional innovation consists of an invention and/oe development of
a technical or conceptual innovation that has an influence on the pcac­
cf.ce of the pcofe s s Lon , and that is published, publicized o r o t.he rwfse
recognized in a way Chat makes possible its evaluation by practitioners,
both in the field and in
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Unive~sity
Faculties.
Timing ~as nOCed as an important vaciable in assessing this category-of
achievement. It might take much longer- foe a contribution in chis cate­
gory of creative professional activity to gain recognition, and for evi­
denee to become available for peer review, than for a scholarly article,
which reporCs the ~esul~s of a research project, to be refereed and
published.
Method of evaluation
How does professional innovation differ from conventional research accom­
plishment?
In fundamental terms, the difference is only in the form of
output, not in the method of measurement.
In every case, evidence of
originali~y, excellence and importance to the field is sought.
~ereas
conventional scholarship takes the form of books, chapters in
books, articles in refeceed joucnals, invited addcesses to scholarly
meetings, and other published reports of research, professional
innovation/creacive excellence is expressed in performance, film, an
exhibition or staging of a vo r k of art, original a r ch Lc e c t ur a L or engi­
neer-fug design, original clinical or therapeutic techniques, introduction
of an original concept in-approaching a professional problem, etc.
These examples of work, of course, require assessment, and as with
conventional scholarship, these asseSSments should be solicited from
one's peers, with stature, outside the University, in addition to
internal colLegial revie~.
It should be
research are
publications
often form a
stressed that creative professional activity and scholarly
noc considered to be mutually exclusive, and, indeed, that
and addresses to conferences or professional meetings would
part oE a candidate's original contributions.
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2) Exemplary Professional Practice
Exemplary pcacr Lcc is chat. vhich is fit [ 0 be emulated; illustr-ative to
students and pee r s ; practice which establishes the pr-ofessional as an
exemplar, or role-model, toe his or her profession; a practice showing
the individual to be a professional whose behaviour, style, ethics,
standards, and method of practice are such that students, clients, and
peers should be exposed co them and encouraged- to emulate them ..
Method of Evaluation
How 1s one recognized as a role-model? The best source of evidence vould
be letters of appraisal from peers including colleagues inside the
University but particularly from those outside the University; and also
from former and presen< students, clients (if appropriate) and members of
other professions who interact with the candidate. Such assessments
should be specific in nature, and should be solicited from a number of
individuals selected by both the candidate and the revieying body or
individual.
Referees should be asked <0 apply the above definition in
drafting their appraisals.
It is also important that the stature and
status of the appraisers be indicaced, along
~ith
che nature and duration
of their professional assocIation yith the candidate, because the Yeight
given an assessment of exemplary practice will depend to a considerable
degree on the professional reputation of the appraiser, and his/her
relationship yith the candidate.
3) Contdbutionsto <he Development of Professional Practice
In this category, as in the others, demonstration of innovation and
exemplary practice yould be expected, but in the form of leadership in
the profession or in professional societies, associations, or organiza­
tions, that has influenced standards and/oe enhanced the-effectiveness of
the discipline.
Such leadership or professional development might
manifest i~self in many vays:
contributions to public policy, or to the
changing of professional certification, the authorship or editorship of
studies or reports for government bodies, the founrlJng or ce-ocganization
oE a professional society oc association yith a resultant impact on
professional practice or delivery of service.
Membership and the holding of office in professional associations is not,
in and of itself, considered evidence of creative professional activity.
Sustained leadership, as defined above, and setting of standards for the
profession p are the principal criteria to be evaluated. Again p both
internal and external assessment should be sought.
Use of Creative Professional Activity as a Criterion 1n Decisions
The objective in developing University-vide guidelines for the assessment of
creative professional activity is to encourage consistency in the applica­
tion of this criterion, but it is assumed that the forms of activity will
vary at different stages in an individual's career.
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Foe example, for 10lcial appointment Co the University. professional
qualifications and assurance of unusuaL and above-average professional
competence (i.e. exemplary professional practice) would be major
considerations; expecta~ion of professional innovation and standard-setting
or of innovative "innovacive contcibutions to developments in professional
pcac~ice.
be premature foe a junior appointee.
Potential for, or
fucure pcpmlse of, such innovation/creativity. should. however, be taken
lnto 59rlSideration.
Foe assessment by the Chairman or Dean for annual merit
inc~mentSt all aspects of creative professional activity, along vith
~ching and service, must be considered, and as a faculty member progresses
~bCough his or her career ~hece would be an expectation of a gro~ing body of
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such work to be evaluated.
vQdra
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[n evaluation of candidates foe ~he Lhree-yeac tenure revie~, the fin~l
tenure revie~, and promotion in rank, all of the components of creative
professional activity should be assessed. Vith respect to the tenure
decision: just as Reading Committees ace required for traditional scholar­
ship9 similar commi~tees could be struck to assess creative professional
activi~les and could cepor~ to the Te~ure Committee in the same manner as
the Reading Committee and the Teaching Committee.
Finally, it is our vleQ tha~ erea-tive professional ac<ivlty is an appro­
priate category for assessluent foe faculty members in both the professorial
and tutoc streams.
Recommendations
l~
2~
That the University delegate to divisions the responsibility for develop~
fng specific criceria and documentation requirements consistent with the
University-wide definition foe use ~henever creative professional activi­
cy is assessed, viz, inl~ial appointment to the University. awarding
merit incremencs Co salary. theee-yeac probationary review in the
~enure-streamJ Tenure Review, appointment to the Graduate Faculty and
promotion in academic rank;
That divisions be requested to
President and Provost.
repor~
such guidelines to the
Vice~
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APPENDiX A
EXC~~PTS
fKOM CURKENT POLiCiES ON
MERrY PAY. TENURE AND PROMOTrON,
AND APPOLNU1ENT TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
'\PPOrNTH~NT.
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Initial appointment to Universl-ty
(from:
Policy and Peoceduees on Academic Appointments)
- Assis<:.ant Professoc rank normal s-tac'Clng point; to qualify for appoint­
ment~
candidate should be required to sho~ evidence of his or her ability
to lJndectake independent scholarly activity, such as the successful
completion of a doctoral programme or other scholarly or professional
york regarded by the division or department as equivalent; a candidate
vho does not so qualify might be appointed Lecturer
- no specific information on evidenee to be considered
2. Award of P.T.R.
(From: Memo-randum co Principals, Deans and Directocs, from Provost, Hay
12, 1983, and e e r Lt.e r Ins r r-uc t Lon .t-e Salaey Calculations)
- contribution to be carefully assessed (by Chairman) based on scholar­
ship, teaching, and service t.o the University
distribution based on performance
same specific criteria as 1n Peocedures for promotion, with explicit
men r Lon of creative professional ach teveeenc
- criteria lifted
vecba~im
from promotions
cri~eria
30 Awarding Tenure
(From Policy and Procedures on Academic Appointments)
(a) Three-year probationary reviev;
- procedures should be flexibly designed by each division ~ith the aim of
eliciting and considering all possible relevant information; should not
be rigidly defined foe Univeesity
- appointee should be asked to submit an account of research or creative
professional activity Vlliell ltas been completed or undertaken since the
time of initial appointment; however, lack of substantial achievement in
this area since appointment ~Ilould not, in itself, be a cause for flon­
r eueca I
(b) Tenure Review:
- tenured appo Ln rme n t s should be granted on the- basis of three essential
criteria: achievement in research and creative p r o f e s s Lona L work, effec­
tiveness 1n teaching, and clear prolnise of ftttuce intellectual and
professional developmef\t
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- re se ar-ct, or c r-e a t Lve professional vo rk evidenced primarily by published
..turic in [he caod Ld ace r S discipline; include books, monographs, articles,
r ev Le.....s and, W'he'ct~ appcopciace, works of act, or scholarly research
expressed in media other than p r t nc ; may also be evidenced by other types
of creative DC professional vock, including community service, vhere such
.....ock is comparable in level and lncellectual calibre ulth scholarly
production and celaces dicectly to the candidate's academic discipline.
Research also encompasses unpublished vr Lr tngs , and work 1n p rcgce s s .
In
some excep r Lona L cases, weight should be given to "unvr Lr r.en s cho l a r s h Ip '
of type displayed in public lectures, formal colloquia, informal academic
discussions
- evidence:
copies of completed wo r-k should be given, or in the case of
non-wr Lr cen work, made known in appropcLace f o rra , to c he Chairman vho
should arrange foe i£s assessmenC by specialises in the candidate's
field; internal assessments cequlced feom reading or other special
committees
4~
Promotion in Academic Rank
(from Policy and Procedures on Governing Promotions)
- pcomo t Lon to Professor and Associace Professor (with a lesser level of
accompllshmen~ expected of AssocLate Professor):
g~eacesC ~eight to be
given co scholarly achievemen.c oc, where appropriate, creative profes­
sional work, and to high-quality teaching
- seholacly activlcies to be considered include research 'Wock and certain
kinds of creative professIonal activity; research communicated through
books, a-eticles, papers, reviews, and other scholarly yorks; creative
work in professional and artistic fields may be expressed in other ways:
may include, e.g., original a~chiceccu~al or engineering. design, impor­
tau-r. a-rtistlc contcibutions, and original techniques in clinical or
professional a£eas; in every case, evidence of originality and importance
to tile field is sought
list of candidate's scholarly and/o~ c.p.a.: books, articles, reviews,
in books, research papecs, including work published, in press,
submitted for publication, completed but not yet published, and in
pcogcess.
It shouLd also include such scholarly or creative professional
wock as the presentation of papers at meetings and symposia, original
architeccural, actistic or engineering design, or distinguished contribu­
tions to the arts or in professional areas
-
~haptecs
4~
Appoinc:ment to Graduate School.
(From:
Appointment and Cross-Appointments to the Graduate Faculty)
- criteria for membership in School:
1) PhD or comparable academic quali.flcations, e g ,. , vhere appropriate,
profeSSional achievement that can be justified as the equivalent of
doctoral scholarship;
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2) Evidence of continuing scholarship. or ~here appropriate. creative
professIonal activicy, as indicated by scholarly publications. or
creative professional activity or equivalent standards
AssociaLe Member - Limited
Te~m:
lengch of appointment would range fcom one to five years, initial
appointment 1 year
- professional and other Facult.ies could use this category foe research"
associates or practitioners ~ho have special qualIfications and achieve­
ments required to teach specific courses.
APPENtHX B
EXCERPTS FI(ON 'caE I(EI'ORT Of TilE OECANAL COMMITTEE ON
GRADUATE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
Revised Apcii 1981
Creative Professional Achievement
The Committee spent some Lime in consider-log the Criteria of creative
p ro.fe s s Lona I achievement and t he methods by which such criteria might be
met
11\e Committee agr-eed upon the f o Lfov tng :
0'1} Exemplary practice as evidenced by references from colleagues and former
students.
2) Innovation in practice as evidenced by publications of -a general nature.
perhaps including newspaper references, and at least an on-going assess­
ment of practice results.
Professional scholarship, In the form of
publications in refereed journals, books that are widely used or invited
lectures LO professional societies. may be considered evidence of
innovation in practice.
3) Peer acknowledgment at a superior Le ve L; membership on important
advisory bodies.
4) Public impact as evidenced by references from senior level consumers.
( p.8)
c be four criteria.
First. the value of references is indicated in the descriptions of the
criteria. It is important that these references cOme from appropriate
people usually from outside the University. While a variety of different
lecters requestlng references might be used depending on the circumstances,
the letters should be sufficiently specific to elicit responses that go
beyond a brief comment affirming the individual's competence. Statements
from colleagues made without solicitation may provide very significant
·~idence of creative professional achievement.
"1\.10 general mechods are available for establishing
"The criteria ace capable of being supported by tangible evidence; f o r
example. innovation in practice might be demonstrated by showing how a
professional had changed a delivery system.
Consultation by colleagues. the
hallmark of. peer acknowledgment. is readily demonstrated by membership on
advisory bodies and authorship of reports of such bodies. Similarly. it
might be possible to document the consequence of a professional1s advice to
a majur guvecllmetlCal or private agency.- (p.9)
"The S .. G.S. committee concluded by proposing four formal recommendations to
guide future discussion of the subject:
Recommendations
"2) That the s c ho La r Ly community acknowledge that r e s e a r c h , teaching and
service require cre~tlvity, imagination, ingenuity. persistence and
rigor. vhe t he r- they address f un d ame n t a L, applied or evaluative issues.
·.
2
)
T.l~t
dtfferentiation of
_academic
uni~s
~eseacch,
be accepted.
ThaC
teaching and service activities vithin
p~ofesslonal
programmes and academic
programmes differ only in emphasis. The former has as irs major goal
activities with public impact; the major goaL of the latter is expansion
of knowledge through research.
4) That the obLigation to chaLLenge and assess the knowLedge base be
accepted regardless of programme differentiation.
5) That each· graduate academic unIt formulate criteria for creative profes­
sional achievement. using those proposed by the committee as g u Lde l Lne s ; "
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