Tenure Review Schedule Outline

This outline is a summary and is not meant to substitute for the Procedure text itself, or to be used alone without reference to the Procedure text.

One: File assembly

  • A letter providing information, deadlines, and file closing date is sent to candidates and all persons providing materials by the start of the term in which the tenure review will occur.
  • Thirty days prior to file closing, the Office of Academic Affairs collects:
    • From the Provost, data from the candidate’s advising evaluations
    •  Summary analyses from IEQs from Office of Institutional Research and Assessment
    • Other documents collected by the Dean of Faculty or the Dean of Faculty’s designate: summaries of interviews with students; data from graduates; probationary review letter and any related correspondence.
  • Twenty days prior to file closing, the candidate submits a portfolio.
  • Fifteen days prior to file closing, an evaluative letter from Division Chair is due.
  • Optional letters from other tenure team members in response to Division Chair’s letter are due ten days before the file closes.
  • Optional letter from the candidate in response to Division Chair’s letter and/or letters from other tenure team members is due by closing date.

Two: Faculty Status Council (FSC) review

  • FSC reviews files and determines recommendations.

Three: Positive FSC recommendation (skip to Five below if recommendation is negative)

  • Recommendation and complete tenure file is sent to President by Chair of the FSC within five days of completed review.

Four: President’s review of positive FSC recommendation

  • The President has thirty days to act upon FSC recommendation, and has the prerogative to ask FSC to reconsider its positive recommendation.
  • Positive endorsement by President of FSC recommendation is sent to Board of Trustees for action at the next regularly scheduled meeting, and five days following the Board’s action the Dean of Faculty notifies candidate.
  • If the President overrules the FSC, the President informs the candidate of the negative decision within the thirty-day period and prior to March 31 of the academic year in which the tenure review has been scheduled. There is no appeal.

Five: Negative FSC recommendation

  • Chair of FSC notifies candidate (must be prior to February 28 of academic year in which review has been scheduled and within five days of completed review).
  • Candidate has five days to request letter of explanation from the Dean of Faculty.
  • Dean of Faculty has five days to provide letter of explanation to the candidate.
  • Candidate has fifteen days to request reconsideration by FSC or formal appeal from Faculty Appeals Committee (FAC).
  • If neither a request for reconsideration is sent, nor a formal appeal is made, then negative recommendation and complete tenure file is sent to President by Chair of the FSC (See Seven below). If a request for reconsideration is sent to the FSC chair, or formal petition of appeal is sent to FAC chair, then recommendation is not forwarded to the President.
  • Within fifteen days of a request for reconsideration, the FSC must consider the request and come to a decision and report it to the candidate and, if positive recommendation, to the President.

Six: Negative FSC reconsideration and FAC appeal

  • Candidate has fifteen days to request formal appeal by the FAC.
  • If no appeal is made, then negative recommendation and complete tenure file is sent to President by FSC chair. (See Seven below.) If an appeal is made, the FAC must consider the appeal and come to a decision within fifteen days.
  • Within five days of its decision, the Committee must report its findings to the FSC.
  • Within ten days of FAC’s report, the FSC must conduct a final review, send a recommendation and the complete tenure file to the President, and report the recommendation to the candidate.

Seven: President’s review of negative FSC recommendation

  • The President has thirty days to act upon FSC recommendation, and has the prerogative to ask FSC to reconsider its negative recommendation.
  • If the President confirms an FSC recommendation not to grant tenure, the President informs the candidate of the decision within the thirty-day period and prior to March 31 of the academic year in which the tenure review has been scheduled. There is no appeal.
  • If the President disagrees with the FSC, then the President notifies the candidate and FSC and the President’s recommendation for tenure is sent to the Board of Trustees for action at the next regularly scheduled meeting, and five days following the Board’s action the Dean of Faculty notifies candidate.