Criteria for Tenure and Promotion

The RTP Committee shall consider the following areas of faculty performance when making recommendations on tenure and promotion. The tables and text below are designed to facilitate assessment of performance of those candidates who are being evaluated for tenure and promotion. During the probationary period, these tools should be used for developmental assistance and projection of future success in achieving tenure and promotion.

Tables 1 (A and B), 2, and 3 provide guidelines for the assessment of a faculty member's performance and a rating scale for use in the evaluation of candidates. For promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor the faculty member must meet the criteria for an "excellent" rating in either scholarship or teaching with at least a "very good" rating in the other category. University citizenship must at least meet the minimum School criteria as outlined in Table 3. These same categories and assessment tools apply for tenure decisions.

A candidate for promotion to Professor must meet the criteria for an "excellent" rating in scholarship and teaching. University citizenship must exceed the minimum School criteria. A candidate for promotion to Professor need not have equal activity in scholarship, teaching and service as he/she becomes more specialized. Documentation of a faculty member's achievements will be demonstrated in a dossier presented to the School prior to a faculty member's application for tenure or promotion.

For Assistant Professors, this dossier will typically be presented during the faculty member's third full year in this rank. For promotion to Associate Professor and Professor, the seminar should be the year prior to an anticipated promotion application.

To assist in the process of assessing the originality, quality, impact and value of faculty work, the candidate shall submit the names, contact information, and credentials of at least six (6) experts in her/his field who are considered capable of judging the candidate's dossier from like institutions in a manner that is detached and dispassionate. In some cases, one external reviewer from industry may be included if appropriate. Faculty submitting their dossier for review should have limited personal relations with the members of their external review panel.

A faculty member's specific area of specialization may be a factor in the number and scope of accomplishments and time required for research and the resulting dissemination and review.