Digital Scholarship in the University Tenure and Promotion Process: A Report on the Sixth Scholarly Communication Symposium at Georgetown University Library

Abstract

Four notable scholars who have done significant work in digital scholarly projects were invited to speak on the theme of ‘digital scholarship in the university tenure and promotion process’ at Georgetown University Library to explore the scholarship and the continuing problems with evaluating it – particularly for promotion and tenure. There were significant similarities in the critiques (promotion and tenure committees are hidebound and/or lack the expertise to understand and evaluate these scholarly products), but there were also differences in the assessment of the current situation on the role and importance of technological tools, the nature of scholarship among the disciplines, and the variety of models available for academe to adapt to address these issues. The discussion explored aspects such as the role of trade publishing, reinstating the canon, and the nature of credit and reward for such projects.