Knowledge and perceptions of tenure guidelines and criteria among allied health faculty: case study.

Current profiles of colleges/schools of allied health include nontraditional faculty, a limited percentage of faculty with doctoral degrees, and low research/scholarship productivity. This preliminary study asked allied health professionals to express their awareness of the tenure guidelines and criteria. Although a few variations in beliefs emerged based upon appointment type and personal experiences, three primary themes emerged: (1) limited understanding of the tenure guidelines and criteria, (2) research/scholarship is necessary, but perceived as difficult for allied health faculty, and (3) tenure is desirable, but is considered unachievable by some. This study, therefore, suggested that allied health faculty in higher education institutions perceived research/scholarship as central to achieving tenure, but were frustrated by the lack of formal guidance through the process.