Promotion and Tenure: Steps and Sample Timeline for Department Chairs
Departments and schools determine most of the timeline for the promotion and tenure cycle. The campus only requires that all prior levels be completed by the last Friday in October. This is a firm deadline, although if there are individual cases (especially those undergoing reconsideration) contact OAA (ude[dot]ui[at]rhdaca)
Set deadlines with consideration for giving participants adequate time: members of unit (school) committees cannot access materials in e-dossier until the department review is completed and the department chair has voted and uploaded their letter. The dean cannot access e-dossier until the school committee has voted and uploaded their letter.
Adapt the following suggestion for your unit and faculty. Consider distributing deadline information to all faculty early in the fall semester. Senior faculty need to be prepared for meeting times; junior faculty need to be reminded of their deadlines if they are applying.
During Fall:
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Remind and require all candidates to inform you of their intentions no later than January (of the calendar year when they submit their dossier).
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Begin identifying external reviewers—Who? Where from? Whom not to contact? Candidates for full rank have fewer available reviewers. Even chairs not-at-full are responsible for identifying reviewers.
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Make sure each candidate shows their candidate statement to multiple readers.
January–February:
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Make sure candidate is on track to complete candidate statement, CV, and key materials.
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Send “save the date” invitations to external reviewers. Some will want to complete their work before summer, others will want to wait for summer.
March–April:
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Collect, assemble, and review materials for external reviewers.
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Email external reviewers; ensure they have received materials.
- If a department committee does not have enough voters, work with the dean and the existing committee members to add members--confirm with them responsibilities, meeting times, and deadlines.
May–June–July:
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Write assessment of dissemination outlets.
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Receive external reviews.
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Remind external reviewers (minimum of six needed).
August:
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Upload external review documentation and assessment of dissemination.
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Review candidate’s part of eDossier.
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Submit.
September–October:
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Write chair review, addressing primary (department) committee comments.
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Meet with candidate after each level (chair or dean).
For questions about internal deadlines, contact your school's associate dean for faculty affairs or dean. Also consult resources on constituting committees if there are few voters. For other questions, contact Faculty Affairs at ude[dot]ui[at]rhdaca.
Reviewed and revised: 6/2023.