Policy Manual

Effective January 1, 2024, this policy has been revised. For individual changes, see the redlined version.

Each academic unit is expected to develop detailed tenure and promotion criteria consistent with the following qualifications. If the pattern and practice in some units deviates markedly from these norms, such units may seek approval of the Executive Vice President and Provost for alternate criteria.

1. Assistant Professor.
   1. Promise of ability as a teacher.
   2. Holder of the doctorate or its equivalent.
   3. Promise of scholarly productivity, supported by publications or the equivalent.
   4. Term of appointment is typically three years, although it may be for a shorter period of time if recommended by the departmental executive officer and the dean of the college.
   5. Appointments at the rank of assistant professor shall ordinarily not exceed a total of seven years of service and thus shall be reviewed for tenure no later than during the sixth year of service.  A faculty member for whom a denial-of-tenure recommendation has been made by the Executive Vice President and Provost shall be given notification of a terminal year of appointment.
2. Associate Professor.
   1. Convincing evidence that the candidate is an effective teacher of, as appropriate, undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, and professional students.
   2. Demonstration of artistic or scholarly achievement supported by substantial publications or equivalent artistic creations or performances, of high quality, as appropriate to the discipline(s).
   3. Departmental, collegiate, and/or University service and, if appropriate, professional service will be expected at an appropriate level.
   4. The quality and quantity of teaching, scholarly/artistic accomplishment, and service should give unmistakable promise of promotion to full professor.
   5. A tenure appointment, except that for persons appointed from off the campus the initial appointment may be for a term of three years or less.
3. Professor.
   1. Consistent record of high-quality teaching at all appropriate instructional levels, including successful guidance of doctoral graduate students to the completion of their degree programs, where applicable.
   2. Continued artistic or scholarly achievement of high quality, accompanied by unmistakable evidence that the candidate is a nationally and, where applicable, internationally recognized scholar or creative artist in the chosen field.
   3. The candidate should have a record of significant and effective service to the department, college, and/or the University and, if appropriate, to the profession.
   4. A tenure appointment, except that for persons appointed from off the campus the initial appointment may be for a term of three years or less.