The standard requirements for tenure at most schools are scholarship, teaching, and "service," both to the institution but also the profession--but what exactly constitutes service to the profession? Philosopher Becko Copenhaver (Lewis & Clark) writes:
What do philosophers and their departments and institutions count as service to the profession? Here is what we might count: service in APA, service in the many other professional philosophy organizations, editorial review boards, reviewing articles for publication, book reviews, editorials, radio and television programs, professional boards, outreach programs, volunteer service that promotes philosophy in the public sphere. Do departments and institutions recognize and reward this service? Are there other forms of service to or in the profession that we perform? How much service do we regard as obligatory, how much do we regard a supererogatory? More importantly, what are the present obstacles to service? Are those obstacles ones that we might work on together to ameliorate as a professional group?
Comments are open for readers to comment on any or all of these questions, as well as describe the norms/expectations at their own institutions.
