Tenure, promotion systems must change to allow for new modes of scholarship: Opinion

The tenure and promotion systems at postsecondary institutions must be reimagined to make space for new modes of scholarship, write Amanda Coolidge, Director of Open Education at BCcampus, and City University Open Education Coordinator Andrew McKinney. The authors explain that many tenure candidates are evaluated on their research, teaching, and service, and that the type of work is often not taken into account. Coolidge and McKinney say that the University of British Columbia is the only institution in North America to explicitly mention OER in its tenure and promotion policies, and argue that other institutions should also recognize OER-related activities. “[I]t’s time that we ensure that innovative approaches like open education are provided with the same space and security to flourish and have positive impacts on institutions, educators and students,” write the authors. Inside Higher Ed (Editorial)