Changing the culture of P&T through conversations about research metrics

Abstract

Since 2012, librarians at the IUPUI University Library have been providing support for faculty use of metrics in dossiers for promotion and tenure. During these consultations to learn about their research, faculty were willing to discuss their values as a scholar, the types of work they feel are most important and valuable, the pressures and expectations of their departments and schools, among other things. The richness of these conversations led us to expand our metrics services beyond provision of data. We developed a proactive strategy to help faculty take charge of their digital profiles and scholarly dissemination, as well as outreach and trainings to engage with campus administrators, associate deans for research, and department chairs, with the goal of promoting responsible use of metrics in the promotion and tenure process. This presentation will describe our approach to consultations, training, and advocacy in developing P&T standards and processes that align with institutional and disciplinary values and promote scholar choice in methodology, product, and dissemination.