Chapter Four

Sec. 4.2.1 Annual Reviews

A. Administrative officers and appropriate faculty bodies shall protect faculty members from inequities in salary.

B. All part-time, term, probationary, and tenured faculty must be reviewed in writing annually. Unit personnel documents shall specify the process of annual review, which shall be consistent with The Redbook and the Minimum Guidelines. Copies of the evaluations are maintained in the Office of the Dean in each unit.

C. Unit personnel documents shall also provide an appeal process for annual reviews. This process shall be distinct from the grievance process of Article 4.4.

Sec. 4.2.2 Tenure

A. Length of Probationary Period
All probationary faculty who have had seven years of full-time service counted as in a tenurable faculty position, if reemployed full-time, shall be granted tenure.

B. Leaves of Absence
One year spent on an officially approved leave of absence may be counted toward the seven years of full-time service necessary for tenure. Any leave granted during the probationary period must carry with it a stipulation in writing as to whether the leave counts toward tenure.

C. Extension of Probationary Period
A faculty member who faces extenuating circumstances that do not require a leave of absence but result in a significant reduction in ability to perform normal duties (such as personal illness, the birth or adoption of a child, or care of an ill family member) may request an extension of the probationary period for no less than six months and no more than one year. A second extension may be granted for a second extenuating circumstance.  An extension shall not be granted more than two (2) times within the probationary period of a faculty member.  Such extensions must be requested and approved before the end of the fifth year of the probationary period and must have documentation satisfactory to the Executive Vice President and University Provost.

D. Prior Service
Previous full-time service with the rank of instructor or higher or comparable status in institutions of higher learning may be counted toward the acquisition of tenure.

E. Early Tenure

1. Tenure may be granted at the time of initial appointment or in less than seven years when such action is warranted.
2. A faculty member may request only one evaluation for early tenure.
3. Evaluation for early tenure, once originated, shall proceed as indicated in Sec. 4.2.2.H. unless the faculty member under review requests its withdrawal.

F. Criteria for Tenure
Criteria for tenure shall be established in, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Teaching
• Research or creative activity
• Service to the profession, the unit, the University or the community

The details of these criteria and of any additional criteria to be considered in making a recommendation concerning tenure shall be specified in the unit's personnel document.

G. Pre-Tenure Review
Each probationary faculty member shall be reviewed at the mid-point of his or her probationary period at the University. The review shall be conducted at the same level of rigor and by the same process as in a tenure review within the unit, except that extramural evaluations shall not be required. The results of the review shall be made available to the faculty member. The purpose of the review is to inform the faculty member of the unit's perception of the faculty member's progress in meeting the standards for tenure. In units without subdivisions, the dean shall conduct the review. In units with departments or divisions, the chair or director may conduct the review but it shall not be final until approved by the dean.

H. Evaluation for Tenure

1. Each faculty member eligible for tenure must be evaluated within twelve months after five years of service applied to tenure according to the following procedures. Evaluation for tenure, once originated, shall proceed as indicated below (4.2.2.E.3.) unless the faculty member under review resigns from the University or is subject to termination by reason of the discontinuation of a unit, department, or program (Sec. 4.5.3.A.2). Completion of the probationary period with satisfactory annual performance evaluations and pre-tenure review shall not constitute sufficient grounds for tenure.
2. Faculty members on probationary status shall be affected by any amendments to or change in the criteria for tenure subsequent to their appointment. In such evaluations, appropriate consideration must be given to the amount of time remaining in their probationary period when the change becomes effective.
3. In units with subdivisions, evaluation for tenure shall originate in the department or division in which the faculty member has primary appointment. The recommendations of the faculty and/or of its designated representatives, of the department or division, and of the chair or director shall be forwarded to the appropriate unit committee for its recommendation to the dean of the unit, who shall make a recommendation. In units without departments or divisions, the recommendation of the appropriate unit committees shall be forwarded to the dean for a recommendation.
4. A file of all information and documents pertinent to the tenure evaluation shall be compiled with the cooperation of the faculty member. Recommendations and any other material added shall become part of the file. The faculty member may examine any substantive material in the tenure file but shall not be informed of the identity of evaluators. The faculty member may add newly available material evidence for reconsideration by the previous evaluators or rebuttals before the file is forwarded to the Executive Vice President and University Provost. The evidence in this file shall be reviewed according to the procedures specified in the Minimum Guidelines and the unit personnel document.
5. The recommendation of the dean shall be the unit recommendation forwarded to all higher levels of review.
6. The completed tenure file shall be forwarded to the Executive Vice President and University Provost for a recommendation. If there is any disagreement between the view of the Executive Vice President and University Provost and the recommendation of the unit, the Executive Vice President and University Provost shall send a written statement of the reasons for his or her recommendation to the faculty member and to the unit dean, each of whom shall have the opportunity to comment in writing prior to any recommendation to the President. The file containing all comments and recommendations shall be made available to the President.
   1. If the recommendation of the Executive Vice President and Provost, dean, or department chair is negative, the candidate must be notified by certified mail before it is forwarded to the next level of review.
   2. If the recommendation of the Executive Vice President and Provost, or dean, is negative, the candidate may request a hearing before the University Faculty Grievance Committee. This request must be delivered to the Faculty Grievance Officer on or before the tenth working day following notification by certified mail.
7. The Executive Vice President and University Provost will prepare a recommendation for the President's review, and the President shall make the final recommendation concerning tenure for any faculty member whose status is to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees or shall inform the Board concerning the nonrenewal of contract for any faculty member completing the sixth year of service in a probationary appointment.
8. In any case where the initial recommendation to deny tenure is by the President, the candidate shall first be notified of the reason in writing by the President and may appeal for reconsideration before the Board of Trustees takes action. If requested by the candidate on or before the tenth working day following the President's notice, the University Faculty Grievance Committee shall provide a hearing. The report of the committee, which shall summarize the case and make a recommendation for tenure or denial, shall be forwarded to the Board of Trustees, the President, and the candidate together with the record of the hearing. The President and candidate shall have ten working days to submit written response to the Board of Trustees.
9. The Board of Trustees shall take final action to grant tenure after an affirmative recommendation of the President. In addition, in any case where the initial recommendation to deny tenure is by the President, the Trustees shall decide whether to grant tenure after considering the President's original recommendation, the Report of the Faculty Grievance Committee, and the response of the President and the candidate.
10. Evaluation for tenure, once originated, shall proceed as indicated above (except as noted in 4.4.2.E.3.) unless the faculty member under review resigns from the University. The President may deny tenure after a recommendation of the Executive Vice President and University Provost if the position is eliminated for financial exigency or bona fide discontinuance or reduction of a department, institute or program of instruction. In the event of a tenure denial for such reasons, the faculty member's place will not be filled by a replacement within a period of three years, unless the dismissed faculty member has been offered reappointment and a reasonable time within which to accept or decline it.
11. Faculty members not recommended for tenure shall be informed by the President within seven days after the decision has been reported to the Board of Trustees.
12. If appeal or grievance procedures delay a final tenure recommendation at the time notice of nonrenewal must be given, the President may give notice of nonrenewal of the appointment but such notice shall not prejudice later award of tenure.

Sec. 4.2.3 Promotion in Rank

A. Criteria
Criteria for evaluation for promotion shall be established in, but not limited to, the following areas:

• Teaching
• Research or creative activity
• Service to the profession, the unit, the University or the community.

The details of these criteria and of any additional criteria to be considered in making a recommendation concerning promotion shall be specified in the unit's personnel document.

B. Evaluation for Promotion
Each faculty member shall be reviewed for promotion in rank according to procedures identical to those prescribed in Sec. 4.2.2.H, subsections 1-6. Then the President shall make a recommendation concerning promotion to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees.