Schedule for Formal Reviews for Tenure-Track Faculty
Junior Faculty – Tenure-Track Faculty Hired as Assistant Professor
- Tenure probationary period is seven years.
- Two formal retention reviews are performed during the pre-tenure probationary period of hire (Table 1).
3rd Year Retention Review
Timing
At end of the second year of faculty appointment and is completed during the third year of faculty appointment (Table 1).
Purpose
Faculty development focus (i.e., should focus on what is required for future success).
Documentation
Is appropriate for the candidate's future reviews (not the third-year retention review).
5th Year Retention Review
At the end of the fourth year of faculty appointment and is completed during the fifth year of appointment (TABLE 1.3)
Opting for 6th Year Retention
Faculty may request that the second required formal retention review occur in the sixth year, along with the linked requests for promotion to Associate Professor and award of tenure.
If retention at the sixth year is requested along with promotion and tenure actions, the promotion and tenure actions are not considered “early
Notify the Faculty Administration Office, in writing, by July 1, 2007.
Please refer to Tenure-Track Early Tenure Request for exceptions to the timing for promotion and tenure review.
Failure to achieve tenure by the start of the academic year after the year of review in which tenure was denied will result in a terminal year of employment with the university (e.g., tenure denied in the fifth year, terminal year is the sixth year).
Award of Tenure – (7th yr - Up or out)
Timing
At the end of the sixthy year of faculty appointment and is completed during the seventh year of appointment (TABLE 1.3)
Purpose
Promotion to Associate Professor and award of tenure are mandatory at the seventh year of appointment in the tenure track (Table 1); however, the candidate must show accomplishment for promotion and tenure.
More weight will be given to accomplishment than to time in rank (See Extraordinary Progress Toward Tenure).
Promotion review is linked to tenure review, without exception.
Limitations
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. (See U of U PPM 8-6.C.3)
Senior Faculty – Tenure-Track Faculty Hired as Associate Professor or Professor
- Tenure probationary period is five years.
- One formal retention review is performed during the pre-tenure probationary period of hire (Table 1).
3rd Year Retention Review
Timing
At end of the second year of faculty appointment and is completed during the third year of faculty appointment (Table 1).
Purpose
Faculty development focus (i.e., should focus on what is required for future success).
Documentation
Tenure-track faculty should determine and declare which path (Scientist-Scholar or Clinician-Scholar) (Insert hyperlink to Scientist or Clinician Scholar document) is appropriate for the candidate's future reviews (not the third-year retention review).
| Departmental Vote Required | S(H)AC Required | College Review/Action |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | No* |
*Majority non-retention vote by any of those three voting bodies will result in review by the SOM A&RPT Committee prior to being sent to the Dean of the SOM.
Majority positive retention review recommendations for tenure-track or clinical-track faculty actions by
- the eligible departmental faculty at the official RPT departmental faculty meeting,
- the student/housestaff advisory committee (SHAC) meeting, and
- the department chair do not require SOM RPT Committee review, and are sent directly to the Dean of the SOM. Each voting body's retention recommendation is independent.
Award of Tenure – (Up or out)
Timing
At the end of the fourth year of faculty appointment and is completed during the fifth year of appointment (TABLE 1.3)
Documentation
Please refer to Tenure-Track Early Tenure Request for exceptions to the timing for promotion and tenure review.
Terminal Year
Failure to achieve tenure by the start of the academic year after the year of review in which tenure was denied will result in a terminal year of employment with the university (e.g., tenure denied in the fifth year, terminal year is the sixth year).
| Departmental Vote Required | S(H)AC Required | College Review/Action |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | Yes** |
** All tenure, research, clinical, and lecturer track promotions require review by the SOM Appointments, Retention, Promotion, and Tenure Committee (A&RPT). Award of tenure decisions will be reviewed by the A&RPT Committee and then sent to the SOM Executive Committee for review and recommendation prior to sending to the Dean.
Majority positive retention review recommendations for tenure-track or clinical-track faculty actions by
- the eligible departmental faculty at the official RPT departmental faculty meeting,
- the student/housestaff advisory committee (SHAC) meeting, and
- the department chair do not require SOM RPT Committee review, and are sent directly to the Dean of the SOM. Each voting body's retention recommendation is independent.
Limitations
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. (See U of U PPM 8-6.C.3)
