University Committee on Promotion and Tenure (UCPT) Standards and Review Procedures

I.    Standards and Criteria for Promotion and Tenure

In evaluating candidates for promotion and/or tenure, UCPT uses the university standards for promotion and tenure as outlined in the Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations (FSRR), Article VI, Section 2, in concert with the criteria as specified in each candidate’s home department and/or school, as specified in the FSRR Article VI, Section 3.

II.    Review Procedures

Organizational Meeting: UCPT members participate in an organizational meeting at the beginning of the fall semester at which the FSRR standards and criteria and review procedures are examined and discussed. Confidentiality of the review process is emphasized at that meeting and all subsequent meetings. Members sign a document prior to the review period acknowledging their commitment to maintaining the confidentiality of all promotion and tenure materials and discussions.

Information about Unit Criteria: During the fall semester, UCPT members also participate in an informational meeting during which each dean (or deans’ designate) presents unit criteria for promotion and tenure and answers questions from UCPT about those criteria. Only deans from units with candidates for promotion and tenure that academic year attend this meeting.

Receipt of Dossiers: Candidate dossiers are received in the Provost’s office by January 2nd each academic year. In conducting its review, UCPT follows all provisions outlined in FSRR, Article VI. Section 7.

To ensure confidentiality, candidate dossiers are available on a secure web site with access restricted to UCPT members. Committee members are instructed not to download materials to their personal computers and to keep any personal notes in an encrypted file or in another secure location. Supporting materials that are not in electronic form are placed in a secure office to which UCPT members have access during the review period. At the conclusion of the review, members’ personal notes are collected and shredded.

Conflicts of Interest: UCPT members who perceive a conflict of interest in evaluating a candidate will recuse themselves from that candidate’s review. In all cases, members will recuse themselves from review of any candidates from their home departments or, if UCPT members are from schools without departments, from their schools. Because not all departments/schools can be represented on UCPT, such recusal not only protects against conflict of interest, but also promotes equity in the review process.

If a candidate for promotion and/or tenure in a given academic year believes that a conflict of interest exists with a member of UCPT, the candidate may petition to have that member recuse himself or herself from consideration of the candidate’s application. The petition must be submitted to the Provost in writing before UCPT enters into deliberations and should outline the conditions that create the conflict of interest. If the UCPT member does not agree to the recusal, the decision on whether a conflict of interest exists will be determined by majority vote of the other members of UCPT. The UCPT member will be required to accept the vote of the committee members. The candidate will be informed of the outcome of the petition for recusal by the Provost.

UCPT members who are recused from evaluation of a candidate will leave the room during the discussion and during the vote on that candidate to protect against conflict of interest.

Initial Discussion Meeting: UCPT meets in early February to discuss candidates and to provide a preliminary vote on their promotion and tenure recommendations. Members are required to vote on the recommendations for all candidates with whom they do not have a conflict of interest (as defined above). UCPT also determines the content of requests for information at that meeting. The Provost sends the request for information letters to the Deans as outlined in FSRR Article VI, Section 7. Those letters set a deadline for receipt of the information requested that will allow sufficient time for UCPT review before the final discussion meeting.

Final Discussion Meeting: UCPT meets to complete its final deliberations on a date that will allow sufficient time to prepare candidate notification letters to meet the delivery deadline specified in FSRR Article VI, Section 7. A two-thirds majority is required to support a recommendation for promotion and tenure. Members are required to vote on the recommendations for all candidates with whom they do not have a conflict of interest (as defined above). Following FSRR, Article VI. Section 7, the Provost sends a letter to candidates for receipt on or before the first Friday in March informing them of the outcome of UCPT’s review and its recommendation to the Chancellor. In that letter the Provost also indicates concurrence or nonconcurrence with the UCPT recommendation. Candidates who are not recommended for promotion and/or tenure are provided with information about their option either to submit a response to the recommendation for inclusion in the review materials transmitted to the Chancellor or to file an appeal of the decision with the Faculty Rights Board.