Section 5.6.3D | Academic Unit Procedures for Promotion Review

Academic Unit Procedures Order:

1. Review by Academic Unit Promotion Committee
2. Vote of Academic Unit Promotion Committee
3. Review and Recommendation by the Dean

1. Review by Academic Unit Promotion Committee

The dean will send the application, the recommendations of the department promotion committee and department chair’s recommendations to the academic unit promotion committee. The promotion committee for evaluating non-tenure-track faculty of the academic unit will include 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. In unusual circumstances (e.g., insufficient numbers of higher ranked faculty members within a department), additional tenured faculty and non-tenure track faculty may be appointed to the promotion committee by the provost upon request from the department chair and dean.

The academic unit committee is responsible for ensuring that the dossier is consistent with department, academic unit, and university policies as well as for making recommendations concerning the applicant's qualifications for promotion. The academic unit committee should evaluate the performance of a candidate for promotion with consideration of the candidate’s department guidelines.

2. Vote of Academic Unit Promotion Committee

The academic unit promotion committee will take a formal anonymous vote upon the candidate’s application for promotion. The vote and a written summary of the rationale in support of the vote becomes part of the dossier. The recommendation of the academic unit promotion committee is transmitted to the dean. The recommendation of the academic unit promotion committee shall be advisory to the dean.

3. Review and Recommendation by the Dean

The dean conducts an independent promotion review based upon the faculty member’s dossier, which will include the recommendations of the department promotion committee, the department chair, and the academic unit promotion committee. The dean will prepare a letter which will include an independent recommendation and summary explanation for the recommendation based on the dean's review and evaluation of materials in the dossier.

If the dean’s recommendation differs from the recommendations of the department promotion committee, the department chair or the academic unit promotion committee, the dean must explain the reasons for the differing judgment. The dean will meet with the candidate to transmit the recommendations which the academic unit tenure and promotion committee and the dean have made and reasons for those recommendations.

At this point the candidate has one last opportunity to withdraw the application for promotion. The dean’s letter becomes part of the dossier which is transmitted to the provost. The recommendation of the dean shall be advisory to the provost.