Department Procedure Order

1. Preparation for Mid-Tenure-Track Review
2. Review by Department Tenure and Promotion Committee
3. Vote of Department Tenure and Promotion Committee
4. Review and Recommendation by Department Chair

 

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1. Preparation for Mid-Tenure-Track Review

 

The faculty member will, with the guidance and counsel of the department chair, prepare and submit to the department chair (for distribution to the department tenure and promotion committee) a dossier of contributions and accomplishments according to departmental, academic unit, and university guidelines. For academic units without departments, the dean will guide and counsel the faculty member through the Mid-Tenure Track Review process. The dossier should reflect the faculty member’s cumulative performance, reflecting her or his degree of progress toward award of tenure with respect to expectations related to teaching, research / scholarship / creative activity, and service. The standard format for the dossier can be found on the university website.

 

 

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2. Review by Department Tenure and Promotion Committee

 

The department tenure and promotion committee will review the dossier submitted by the faculty member, evaluate the faculty member’s performance, provide suggestions for enhancing the faculty member’s progress toward the grant of tenure, and make a recommendation on retention. In academic units without departments, the academic unit tenure and promotion committee will review the dossier.

1. Composition of the Department Tenure and Promotion Committee:
   
   
   • The department tenure and promotion committee shall be comprised of all tenured associate professors and professors. In unusual circumstances, e.g., insufficient numbers of tenured and higher ranked faculty members within a department, additional tenured faculty may be appointed to the committee by the provost upon request from the department chair and dean.
     
     
2. Composition of the Academic Unit Tenure and Promotion Committee:
   
   
   • The membership requirements and selection procedures of the academic unit tenure and promotion committee are to be determined by each academic unit and included in the academic unit guidelines; however, only tenured associate professors and professors may serve on tenure and promotion committees. The dean can appoint no more than one third of the members of the academic unit tenure and promotion committee with the remaining members to be elected by the unit’s faculty.

 

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3. Vote of Department Tenure and Promotion Committee

 

The department tenure and promotion committee will take a formal anonymous vote on whether the faculty member is progressing satisfactorily toward the grant of tenure and whether he or she should be retained.

1. If the majority of the committee members vote that the faculty member is making satisfactory progress, the committee will prepare a written summary stating that the candidate is making satisfactory progress and recommend retention. The written summary should also address the strengths and weaknesses of the faculty member's accomplishments with respect to the tenure and promotion criteria of the department and academic unit. The summary should provide meaningful feedback and direction to the faculty member. The committee may also submit to the department chair a minority report with the rationale for dissenting opinions.
   
   
2. If the majority of the committee members vote that the faculty member is not making satisfactory progress, then the committee will take an additional anonymous vote on whether the faculty member should be retained. The committee will prepare a written summary stating that the candidate is not making satisfactory progress toward tenure and include a recommendation on whether he or she should be retained. The written summary will address the strengths and weaknesses of the faculty member’s accomplishments and highlight significant shortcomings with respect to the tenure and promotion criteria of the department and academic unit. The committee may also submit to the department chair a minority report with the rationale for dissenting opinions.
   
   
3. The department tenure and promotion committee will enter into the dossier the tally of the anonymous vote, if the committee is recommending that the faculty member not be retained; a list of the participating tenured faculty members; suggestions for enhancing the faculty member’s progress toward the grant of tenure; and the majority and minority report, if applicable.

 

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4. Review and Recommendation by Department Chair

 

The department chair conducts an independent Mid-Tenure-Track Review based upon the faculty member’s dossier, which will include the written summary and recommendations of the department tenure and promotion committee. In conducting his or her independent Mid-Tenure-Track Review, the department chair may consult with the tenured faculty as needed. The chair will indicate her or his recommendation for retention or non-retention based on whether the faculty member is progressing satisfactorily toward the grant of tenure. The department chair will also advise the faculty member as to the time remaining in the probationary period and as to how the quality of his or her performance is likely to be assessed by the tenured faculty and the chair in the context of expectations for the award of tenure. The department chair will ensure that the written report includes specific guidance to the faculty member on ways to improve performance. The department chair will send a copy of the written summaries and recommendations of the department tenure and promotion committee and the department chair to the faculty member.

The department chair will meet with the faculty member to discuss the written summaries and recommendations of the department tenure and promotion committee and department chair. The faculty member may write a response to the discussions, written summaries, and/or recommendations. The purpose of this response is to allow the faculty member the opportunity to address any concerns or inaccuracies in the reports. The faculty member may also describe plans for addressing concerns raised during the Mid-Tenure-Track Review. In addition, the response ensures that all participants in the process understand the nature and context of the feedback, thereby minimizing miscommunication.

If the Mid-Tenure-Track Review results in a recommendation by the department chair not to retain the tenure-track faculty member, the department chair must include in the written summary specific reasons for his or her recommendation. The chair will add her or his recommendation and the faculty member’s response, if applicable, to the faculty member’s dossier and forward the dossier to the dean.