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.