Section III.A.2:Types and Schedules of Review - College of Arts and Sciences
All faculty are reviewed for the purpose of determining their salary. There are three types of faculty review:
- developmental reviews,
- tenure reviews, and
- promotion reviews.
Whenever a chair undergoes a review, the appropriate associate dean appoints a tenured faculty member to fulfill the chair’s role in the review process. That person is hereafter referred to as the “surrogate.”
Developmental Reviews
Before tenure, assistant professors are normally reviewed twice, once in their second year, and again in their fourth year. The purpose of these developmental reviews is to provide candidates with advice about whether they are making satisfactory progress toward meeting the CAS’s standards for tenure. These reviews are conducted by a developmental review committee. At each developmental review, the committee also makes a recommendation to the dean about whether the faculty member’s 3-year appointment should be renewed.
Tenure Reviews
An assistant professor granted tenure will also be promoted to the rank of associate professor. Assistant professors normally undergo a tenure review in their sixth year at the College. However, at the time of their hire, individuals with experience as a faculty member or postdoctoral fellow at another institution may negotiate with the dean of the College for an earlier tenure review. This date is specified in their letter of appointment.
The probationary period specified in a faculty member’s letter of appointment can be extended only if the dean of the College, after consulting the department chair (or surrogate) and the associate deans, approves such a request by a faculty member. Such approval will be granted for a maximum of one year, and only when it is clearly in the interests both of the College and of the faculty member, for example, when a faculty member has taken a leave of absence for health or other personal reasons. The probationary period can be shortened only if the department chair (or surrogate) recommends that an earlier tenure review than that specified in the letter of appointment is clearly in the best interests of both the College and the faculty member, and such recommendation is endorsed by the dean of the College.
Faculty may be appointed at the rank of associate professor or professor without tenure. In such instances, the schedule for their tenure review and any developmental reviews will be specified in their letter of appointment, with the only exceptions being those noted above.
In rare instances, the College may appoint new faculty at the rank of associate professor or professor with tenure. In such cases, the authorization for the position must stipulate that an appointment may be made with tenure. Before being appointed with tenure, individuals must undergo a tenure review by the Committee on Promotion and Tenure (CPT). In consultation with the dean, the department, and the search committee, the candidate will submit a dossier for review by the CPT, which will recommend to the dean of the College whether the candidate meets the CAS’s criteria for the granting of tenure and the appropriateness of the proposed rank. This review will be conducted according to the procedures described in Procedures for Tenure Reviews.
Promotion Reviews
A promotion review is required for an associate professor to be promoted to the rank of professor. This review normally takes place in the sixth year of service at the rank of associate professor. However, the specific timing of this review is determined in consultation with the associate dean of the College. The sequence of steps is outlined below:
- During the first year of their appointment as associate professor, the associate dean will convene a meeting with the faculty member to informally discuss their ongoing professional goals, opportunities, challenges, and resource needs. At this meeting, a mentorship plan will be discussed as appropriate to the faculty member’s goals, opportunities, challenges, and resource needs. This could include mentorship by a full professor at the college.
- The faculty member will typically complete a triennial performance review during their third year at the rank of associate professor. The performance reviews provide an opportunity for the faculty member to revisit, clarify, and discuss their progress, goals and pathway for promotion.
- In the spring of the fifth year as associate professor, the faculty member is encouraged to contact the associate dean to initiate the process of promotion to professor. If the faculty member chooses not to apply at that time, the faculty member will complete the triennial performance review on the regular schedule and will notify the associate dean when the faculty member is ready to initiate the promotion process.
Triennial Performance Reviews
Each faculty member undergoes a triennial performance review. In years when the faculty member undergoes a developmental review, a tenure review, or a promotion review, the materials prepared for that review will substitute for the materials called for in a triennial review (see Faculty Salary Policy). No faculty member will be formally reviewed more than once each academic year.