Annual Tenure Review

Guidelines for Annual Tenure Review

1. In the spring semester of every year on the tenure track, a faculty member undergoes a tenure review. There is one exception to this rule, and that is the spring semester of the year in which tenure-track faculty members participate in the Mid-Term Review. Typically, the mid-term review occurs in the spring semester of the third year on the tenure track, although a faculty member whose probationary period is determined to be four or five years at the time of the issuance of the initial contract participates in the Mid-Term Review in the spring semester of the second year on the tenure track. The scheduling of the Mid-Term Review is indicated in the candidate's initial hire letter. The Mid-Term Review proceeds according to guidelines set forth in the Faculty Handbook. 
2. For the annual tenure review, the faculty member will submit appropriate materials to the Tenure and Promotion Committee of their department as determined by the Committee and communicated to the faculty member well in advance of the submission deadline. While there is no standard, University-wide format for these materials, it is expected that the faculty member will review progress in teaching, scholarship, and service since the previous tenure review. The faculty member should submit these materials to the Committee by no later than March 1. In addition, the faculty member should direct any questions about the tenure review to the Committee.
3. By March 15, the Committee meets to review the progress of each tenure-track faculty member, including the materials that the faculty member has submitted to the Committee. As part of the review process, the assembled Committee meets formally with each candidate.
4. After its meetings, the Committee furnishes to each faculty member, by April 1, a written statement on the candidate's progress toward a recommendation for tenure, detailing the areas that are satisfactory and, where improvement is necessary, providing specific guidance as to how to achieve the required level of improvement. The faculty member may respond in writing within one week to the written statement.
5. The Committee drafts an annual report that evaluates the faculty member’s progress in teaching, scholarship, and service, following approved departmental standards and procedures. The annual report includes a recommendation whether or not the faculty member should continue on the faculty and the numeric details of the vote. A 50 percent vote is required for a recommendation for continuance.
6. The Committee forwards it annual report to the appropriate Dean by April 15, along with any responses by the faculty member to the Committee. The faculty member also receives a copy of the annual report by April 15.
7. The Dean certifies in writing to the Tenure Committee no later than the Monday before spring commencement (which marks the end of the academic year) that the report addresses departmental and University guidelines and provides the faculty member with open and candid criticism, suggestions for improvement, and a thorough analysis of the faculty member’s supporting evidence. If the Dean finds the annual report deficient in any of these respects, the Committee produces an amended report that addresses the concerns of the Dean. The amended report is forwarded to the Dean and the faculty member by the end of the first week of October.
8. In the case that the University’s decision is that the faculty member not continue on the tenure track, the decision of the Provost will be delivered to the faculty member, the department, and the Committee by the end of the academic year.