Section 5.6.3C | Department Procedures for Promotion Review

Department Procedure Order:

1. Notification of Intent
2. Submission of the Dossier
3. Review by Department Promotion Committee
4. Vote of Department Promotion Committee
5. Review and Recommendation by Department Chair

1. Notification of Intent

The candidate will notify the department chair in writing of his or her intent to file for promotion to the department no later than the deadline indicated in the tenure and promotion calendar. In academic units, without departments, the candidate will notify the dean in writing of his or her intent to file for promotion to the academic unit.

2. Submission of the Dossier

Departmental and/or academic unit guidelines may include requirements for external peer review of the candidate if research, scholarship, and/or creative activities are specified as a condition of her or his employment.  If external peer review is specified as a requirement in academic unit and/or department guidelines for promotion, the procedures described in Section 4.9.7C(2) shall be followed. The faculty member will, with the guidance and counsel of the department chair, prepare and submit to the department chair (for distribution to the department promotion committee) a dossier, as described in Section 5.6.3B, of contributions and accomplishments according to departmental, academic unit, and university guidelines.

3. Review by Department Promotion Committee

 The promotion committee for evaluating the promotion application of a non-tenure-track faculty member will include all tenured faculty at the rank being applied for or above and will include non-tenure-track faculty at the rank being applied for or above who contribute to the aspects of the university mission in which the candidate will be evaluated on. The department promotion committee will review the dossier submitted by the faculty member and evaluate the candidate's accomplishments, with respect to all relevant criteria (university, academic unit, and department). The judgment and assessment of the candidate's application for promotion by the faculty at the department level is critical because of their familiarity with the candidate and their knowledge of the qualifications necessary for their discipline. Reviewers at this level, and at every level, will utilize dossier materials and professional observations in casting their votes.

4. Vote of Department Promotion Committee

The department promotion committee will take a formal anonymous vote upon candidate. The vote becomes part of the dossier. The vote of the department promotion committee and a written summary of the rationale in support of the vote is transmitted to the department chair. If a department chair is being considered for promotion, the recommendation of the department committee will be transmitted directly to the dean. The recommendation of the department promotion committee shall be advisory to the department chair.

5. Review and Recommendation by Department Chair

The department chair conducts an independent promotion review based upon the faculty member’s dossier, which will include the recommendation of the department promotion committee. The department chair will prepare a letter which will include an independent recommendation and summary explanation for the recommendation based on the department chair's review and evaluation of materials in the dossier. If the chair’s recommendation differs from the recommendation of the department promotion committee, the summary must explain the reasons for the differing judgment. The department chair’s letter becomes part of the dossier which is transmitted to the dean. In cases involving promotion only, the chair will meet with the candidate to inform the candidate of the recommendations which the department tenure and promotion committee and the chair have made and the reasons for those recommendations. The promotion application may be withdrawn at this point. The recommendation of the department chair shall be advisory to the academic unit tenure and promotion committee.