UNLV FACULTY SENATE
TENURE & PROMOTION FORUM
Oct. 2, 2012
Thanks to the Past Chairs:
Dr. John Filler
Dr. Ceci Maldonado
Dr. Nasser Daneshvary
Dr. Bryan Spangelo
Concept of Tenure
What it IS:
• Guarantee of Academic
Freedom
• Reward for Faculty Excellence
& An Expression of Confidence
in Continued Excellence
• Increased Responsibilities for
Mentoring & Shared Governance
What it is NOT:
• Academic Hazing (Fear
Factor)
• License to Do Whatever
You Please
• Protection for Non-
Productive Faculty
• Guarantee of Financial
Security
• An Entitlement
General Points Related to Tenure
• Begins with Hiring Process; With Excellent Hires,
Everybody is Potentially ‘Tenurable’ &
‘Promotable’
• At UNLV - No Quotas/Barriers
• One of Most Important Faculty Governance
Responsibilities
• Process of Increasing Quality
• Linked Decisions Tenure & Promotion
Role of Provost
• Fiduciary Responsibility – Is
Investment Justified?
• Ensures That Comparable Rigor Has
Been Maintained throughout the
Process (Shared Responsibility with
the Faculty Senate Tenure &
Promotion Committee)
Policies and Procedures
• General Guidelines for Tenure and
Promotion - AAUP “RED BOOK”
• While Providing a Sense of T&P Process as
Practiced at UNLV, it Has NO Legal Status in
Nevada
• Important Documents:
NSHE Code for Tenure (Title 2, Chapters 3 & 5)
UNLV Bylaws for Tenure & Promotion
College Bylaws for Tenure & Promotion
Department for Bylaws for Tenure & Promotion
Timing of Tenure
• NSHE Code – No More than 7 Years, BUT 1
Year Terminal Contract if Denied, so Year 6 is
Generally Decision Year
• A Minimum of 3-4 Years Probation;
Generally, No more than 1-2 Years (Max. 3)
Towards Tenure Upon Hire
• NSHE Code Says May Apply Any Year; Early
Tenure VERY RARE
Timing of Promotion
(Full Professor)
• UNLV By-Laws: An associate professor
is normally expected to be in rank for five
years prior to applying for promotion to
full professor
• In exceptional circumstances, an
application may be considered earlier
(Chapter 3. Sect. 16 UNLV Bylaws)
Evaluation for Tenure
• Categories: Teaching, Research &
Service
• Evaluation System: “Excellent”,
“Commendable”, “Satisfactory” and
“Unsatisfactory”
• Need “Excellent” in Teaching and/or
Research, AND at Least “Satisfactory” in
the other; AS WELL AS in Service
Evaluation for Promotion
Essential Criteria for Associate Professors and Full Professors
Possess Terminal Degree
Demonstrated Effectiveness as Teacher
Continuing Satisfactory Productivity in
Creative or Research Activity
Evaluation for Promotion
Additional Criteria
Associate Professor
Demonstrated
Success as a
Counselor of
Students
Full Professor
Demonstrated
Success as a WISE
Counselor of
Students
Continued Evidence
Evidence of
of Participation in
Professional or
Academic
Organizations
Leadership in
Professional or
Academic
Organizations
Evaluation for Promotion
Additional Criteria (Continued)
Associate Professor
Record of
Contributions to
University Community
Collegiality
Other
Accomplishments of
Relevance
Full Professor
Significant Record of
Contributions to
University
Community
Continued
Collegiality
Other Significant
Accomplishments of
Relevance
Concept of Collegiality
• “the demonstrated ability to work
productively with colleagues, staff and
students” (UNLV Bylaws)
• “ability to work with the faculty and students
of the member institution in the best
interests of the University of Nevada and the
people that it serves, and to the extent that
the job performance of the academic faculty
member’s administrative unit may not be
otherwise affected” (NSHE Code)
Concept of Collegiality
(Continued)
• IS NOT Congeniality
• IS NOT Incompatible with Academic Freedom
• Non-collegial Behavior is Hostile, Destructive,
Abusive, Disruptive, and Unproductive for
Others
• Non-collegial Behavior Generally Must be
Repeated* (and Warned Against) to be
Considered in T&P Decisions
Tenure & Promotion Process
General
• Candidate Prepares T&P Package after 5th Academic
Year; Pre-tenure Review ½-way through (generally, 3rd
year)
• Departmental and College By-laws Outline Guidelines
for the Process, BUT Not Binding on Subsequent
Administrative Levels
• Faculty Input is Key at Each Level that Reviews T&P
Records, but Administrators Make Recommendations
• UNLV By-Laws state that letters by external referees be
solicited for T& P. No less than 4 are required.
• Letters are solicited by the department chair or immediate
supervisor
• At least two letters shall come from a list of names suggested
by the candidate; and at least two shall be from persons not
suggested by the candidate.
Tenure & Promotion Process
(Continued)
• T&P Package to Department Personnel
Committee, Faculty, then Chair
• (Recommendation & Letter to Candidate)
• College Personnel Committee, then Dean
• (Recommendation & Letter to Candidate)
• Faculty Senate Tenure & Promotion
Committee, then Provost
• (Recommendation & Letter to Candidate)
• President Makes Decision
Process If Tenure Denied
• After Provost’s Letter – 15 days to Request
Reasons; Administrator has 15 days to Respond
• May Ask for Reconsideration (New Evidence
Responding to Reasons)
• Reconsideration Goes through Administrative
Chain
• President has Final Decision
Process If Tenure Denied
(Continued)
•UNLV By-Laws Allows Appeal to
Grievance Committee
•Faculty Senate By-Laws Detail Process –
Elected Committee Conducts Hearings
•Recommendation to Provost, Who Makes
Recommendation to President
•President Makes Final Decision
Documentation of Productivity
•Discipline-Specific Weight of Evidence
•Teaching – Classroom, Mentoring,
Advising; Measures/Documentation
•Research/Creative Activity – Also
Needs Documentation; DisciplineSpecific Criteria; Focused Scholarship
with Impact on Discipline.
Summary – Qualifications for
Tenure/Promotion
• Terminal Degree
• Pay Attention to All Aspects of Teaching;
Serve/Advise Students
• Continuously Involved in Scholarship
• Excel in Teaching or Research; Provide
Satisfactory Service; Document All
• Demonstrate Ability to Work with
Colleagues, Staff and Students