University Governance
AMENDMENTS TO THE FACULTY SENATE RULES & REGULATIONS
Recommended by the Committee on Standards and Procedures for Promotion and Tenure (SPPT). Approved by the Faculty Executive Committee on 03/10/09
SPPT recommends language be added to FSRR 6.1.5.1 and FSRR 6.4.3 to clarify that if a candidate is denied tenure in his/her “mandatory year,” he/she cannot seek another review in the seventh (terminal) year. The changes are shown in bold font:
6.1.5. Time in Rank. In consideration of promotion and tenure, the following rules concerning time in rank apply:
6.1.5.1. Pursuant to Board of Regents policy, the probationary period for tenure track faculty may not exceed seven years. Under this policy, if a faculty member does not receive tenure, the seventh year becomes the terminal year. Consideration of tenure must therefore occur no later than the sixth year, which constitutes the “mandatory review year”. In cases of mandatory reviews resulting in the denial of tenure, no further reviews for tenure shall occur. Candidates who apply for promotion and tenure prior to their mandatory review year are held to the same standards of achievement as those who have completed the full probationary period. University and Regents policy may provide for the exclusion of some years in computing time in rank and such years shall not be included in determining the terminal or mandatory review year. When untenured faculty members are hired after serving at another academic institution, the treatment of time spent at the other institution and the resulting terminal and mandatory review years shall be established through negotiation at the time of the hire.
6.4.3. Non-reappointment.
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6.4.3.4. If a faculty member is denied tenure during the mandatory review year, the decision constitutes a decision of non-reappointment, and the notification of the denial of tenure serves as notice of non-reappointment. In these instances, no further reviews for tenure shall occur. Non-reappointment for other reasons is a decision distinct from the denial of tenure and involves different procedures. Absent exceptional circumstances, non-reappointment for reasons other than the denial of tenure should not occur once a faculty member is under consideration for tenure during his or her mandatory review year.
SPPT recommends that language be added to FSRR 6.3.2 to clarify that the faculty in the unit vote on their promotion and tenure policies and procedures. The new text is shown in bold font:
6.3.2. Criteria for Review. Each department, college or school, or other administrative unit with responsibility for conducting promotion and tenure review shall adopt by vote of eligible faculty or faculty body written criteria consistent with the university promotion and tenure standards set forth in section 2 of this Article, for evaluating a faculty member’s teaching, scholarship, and service. Units that include nonteaching faculty shall include criteria for the evaluation of professional performance.
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6.3.3. Procedures for Review. Each department, college or school, or other administrative unit with responsibility for promotion and tenure review, as well as the University Committee on Promotion and Tenure (UCPT), shall adopt by vote of eligible faculty or faculty body written procedures for the conduct of review. While written procedures may vary considerably in accord with the particular needs of the department, college or school, or other administrative unit, all procedures must conform to the principles and requirements of this article, including its provisions concerning standards, confidentiality, candidate access and participation, and conflicts of interest.