Early Award of Tenure
The probationary period may be shortened under those unusual circumstances in which the University determines that it can assess the individual's qualifications in a shorter period of time. Such a situation can occur in two ways:
- When the candidate has demonstrated relevant accomplishments through prior service elsewhere or
- When the candidate demonstrates the required achievements in less time than the normal review period. In either, the burden is on the candidate to demonstrate that these achievements satisfy the pertinent RPT criteria.
Candidates shall serve a minimum of one year before being considered for tenure unless granted tenure at the time of appointment.
Limit
If a candidate is considered for tenure prior to the final year of the probationary period and tenure is not granted, then the candidate may have only one more department vote on tenure.
Credit for Prior Service
When a candidate has prior relevant experience, in most cases including both research and teaching, such experience may be credited as the equivalent of a specified number of years toward fulfillment of the probationary period.
A request for credit for prior service shall be made in writing.
- Credit for prior service may be assessed once, either at the time of appointment or before a review for tenure commences.
- The departmental RPT committee (by majority vote), the department chair, and the dean must agree as to the number of years credited for prior service.
- From one to five years of prior service may be recognized. If a number of years of credit is recognized,
- Candidates may be considered for tenure up to that number of years before the end of the normal period without the advance permission of the chair and RPT chair, as required in the paragraph below.
- Notwithstanding such recognition of prior service, the candidate may choose to use the normal probationary period, but only prior to the initiation of a tenure review
Extraordinary Progress Toward Tenure
When a candidate believes he/she can demonstrate achievement of the tenure standards in less than the normal probationary period, that candidate may seek permission for an early tenure review.
- The candidate must obtain approval from the department chair and the RPT chair to be reviewed earlier than the final year of the normal probationary period.
- If initial appointment was as Assistant Professor, and candidate has served less than five years then the candidate must obtain additional approvals from the dean and cognizant senior vice president to begin the review.
- If initial appointment was at rank of Associate Professor or Professor and candidate has served or fewer than three years then the candidate must obtain additional approvals from the dean and cognizant senior vice president to begin the review.
- To support an award of tenure prior to the final year of the probationary period, evidence in the file should demonstrate that the candidate unequivocally meets the tenure standard.
