Office of Faculty Affairs

Faculty Promotion Process - Traditional Path

Faculty promoted to this path are expected to make a major commitment to research and other scholarly activities, in addition to achieving excellence in teaching and clinical or administrative service. The steps in this process are:

1. Submission of Required Materials
The following materials should be submitted, as a complete packet, to the Dean:

1. Letter of Recommendation
   Letter detailing historic and anticipated contribution by candidate to departmental and College missions, and citing proposed rank, track, contract term (if applicable), is sent by Department Chairman to the Dean.
    
2. Curriculum Vitae
   A current CV is submitted in the appropriate format as outlined in the Information for Faculty Handbook. The date of the CV should be evident in the upper right corner of the first page.
    
3. Publications
   Chairman/Department forwards two (only two) reprints, which should be among those perceived as most representative of candidate's work.
    
4. Referees
   Chairman/Department submits list (names and addresses) of referees. Referees are solicited by the Committee on Rank & Tenure; not by the faculty candidate or department. 
   
   The minimum number of referees required is as follows:
   
   

   Associate Professor Internal: 4 External: 5

   Professor Internal: 4 External: 7

Note: You are encouraged to submit more than the minimum referees required to speed up the process.

2. Compilation of Materials for Rank & Tenure Review
The Department of Faculty Affairs reviews the packet for technical completeness, staffs the Committee on Rank & Tenure, and coordinates the technical processing of the promotion. The following then occurs: 

1. Solicitation of referees
   Referees are solicited by the Department of Faculty Affairs on behalf of the Committee on Rank & Tenure. CV, publications, guidelines and criteria are submitted to referees for review.
    
2. Referee responses and status update to Department Chairman
   Referee responses are directed to the Chairman of the Committee on Rank & Tenure, and collected in the Department of Faculty Affairs. Because of confidentiality requirements, referee responses are not shared with the Department Chairman. However, when the file is complete, the Department Chairman is advised of the date the recommendation will be considered by the Committee on Rank & Tenure.

3. Rank & Tenure Review and Recommendation
The Committee on Rank & Tenure meets on the first Thursday of the month. Materials are distributed to Committee members ten (10) days in advance of the meeting. Following deliberation by the Committee, minutes containing Rank & Tenure recommendations are forwarded to Faculty Affairs. Faculty Affairs advises the Dean and the Department Chairman of the Committee's recommendation. If the Committee's recommendation is positive, the Department Chairman is advised of the date the recommendation will be considered by the College's Board of Trustees. If the recommendation is negative, the Rank & Tenure Chair informs the Department Chairman of this action.
 
4. Dean's Review and Recommendation
The Dean reviews the Chairman's recommendation and the recommendation submitted by Rank & Tenure. Negative recommendations cannot be overturned and are not forwarded to the Board of Trustees. Upon positive Rank & Tenure recommendation, the Dean submits his recommendation, as well as the recommendations of the Department Chairman and the Committee on Rank & Tenure, to the Board of Trustees for consideration and action.

5. Board of Trustees Consideration and Action
The Board of Trustees considers three (3) separate recommendations in each senior faculty action: 

• The recommendation of the Department Chairman
• The recommendation of the Committee on Rank & Tenure
• The recommendation of the Dean
  

6. Notification to Department Chairman/Faculty Member
The Department Chairman is notified directly in the event of negative board action. Upon positive board action and, following verification of receipt of necessary materials in the Budget Office and the Office of Human Resources, the Dean sends a letter to the faculty member to advise her or him of the promotion. The Department Chairman is copied on the promotion letter.

7. Effective Date for Promotion
All promotions become effective the July 1 following Board approval.