REAPPOINTMENT, PROMOTION AND TENURE AUGUST 26, 2016 SUE OTT ROWLANDS, PROVOST

CORE VALUES OF NKU Excellence Integrity Inclusiveness Innovation Collegiality

RESULTS OF RPT: Total reviewed = 106 Reappointment = 73 reviewed with 1 non- reappointment Tenure & Promotion to Associate = 15 reviewed with 1 not tenured/terminal contract Promotion to Professor = 18 reviewed with 2 not promoted

FACULTY HANDBOOK Reminder: The Faculty Handbook (2016) has new language around RPT that focuses on the process (pp ). Section 3: Evaluation for Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure Section 4: Reappointment Section 5: Promotion Section 6: Tenure Section 7: Appointment, Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure for Librarians Departmental and College RPT guidelines, which have all been approved, provide guidance on expectations for reappointment, promotion and tenure.

3.1. Criteria In making evaluations required for reappointment, promotion, and tenure, three major categories of professional responsibility are to be used. These categories, in order of importance, are teaching effectiveness; scholarship and creative activity; and service to the University, the discipline/profession and the community. Note that NKU still places the greatest value on success in the classroom.

3.2. Procedures for Decisions on Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure As stated in Kentucky law, all persons involved in evaluation of personnel shall consider all information received and all deliberations as confidential unless disclosure is required by law.

Departmental/School Committee If the department or school has five or more full-time tenured members in the case of a tenure committee or five or more members of appropriate rank (a rank above the level of the applicant) in the case of a promotion committee, then the committee shall be formed from faculty within the department or school. In choosing members from other departments or schools, preference shall be given to teaching faculty in departments or schools with affinity to the department or school.

Department/School Committee: Deliberations Material considered by the RPT committee must include, but may not be limited to, the applicant’s submissions. The committee may consider supplemental material that will aid in their decision. If material not submitted by the applicant is considered, the applicant must be notified of this material. As part of their deliberations, the RPT committee may meet with the applicant when such a meeting aids in the committee’s decision process.

Department/School Committee: Deliberations If an RPT committee requires clarification on any procedural matter, the committee should make this request to the respective department chair or school director. Committees should not ordinarily make requests to the dean, provost, university counsel, human resources, or any other university official or department.

Department/School Committee: Voting and Reporting Each member of the committee shall have one vote. Each member is required to vote on each matter before the committee. The recommendation of the committee shall be reported in writing to the department chair or school director and must be characterized as either unanimous or non- unanimous. The recommendation of the committee will reflect the committee’s deliberations and must be signed by all committee members. In cases where the committee vote is not unanimous, support for both positive and negative votes must be included in the recommendation.

Formal Reconsideration and Appeal In the case of a negative recommendation concerning reappointment, promotion, tenure, or any combination of them, the applicant has the right to a formal reconsideration only at the level of the initial negative recommendation. An “initial” negative recommendation is defined as the first negative recommendation given for a particular reason.

Formal Reconsideration and Appeal In order to exercise this right, the affected applicant must request the reconsideration in writing, with any omitted materials attached, within 10 University working days of receipt of notification of the negative recommendation. The department or school committee must send a copy of the request for reconsideration to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs for the purpose of resetting the review calendar for the applicant. Note that this is true for all levels of review.

6.7. Time (to Tenure) Candidates granted an extension [of the pre-tenure period] are expected to meet only the criteria stated in University- approved tenure policies and letters of appointment. The candidate will participate in annual review for merit but not for tenure evaluation. The RPT evaluation following the exemption should consider all work submitted by the candidate. Note the three important elements: no raised bar, no RPT review, all work reviewed once the clock is restarted.

RPT PROCESS REMINDERS

The Letters Letters should reflect the majority view and, if relevant, the minority view. If the minority member(s) wish, a minority letter can be included All committee members should sign the majority letter The committee vote should be recorded as unanimous or non-unanimous Letters addressed to next level of review and copied to candidate and all previous reviewers Letters should be substantial, providing thorough assessment of teaching, scholarship/creative activity, and service ‘Conditions to be removed’ language no longer in use Use of ‘mandatory’ and ‘non-mandatory’ language as opposed to ‘early tenure’

Joint Appointments MOU signed at the time of the appointment should clarify the process for the faculty member Home department’s RPT/Professor committee should add a member from the second department No second chair letter required but could be requested by candidate as a letter of support All other parts of the process proceed as usual

Other Reminders Cover pages will be provided for each candidate. These should be completed and included with hard copy recommendation letter(s). Cover letters will be delivered on Monday. Beginning with the academic year, no RPT reviews for first year tenure-track faculty RPT reviews will be conducted for all tenure-track faculty during the probationary years beginning with the second year of appointment. The only exception is in the case of an approved extension of the probationary period (a ‘stop-the- clock’ year). The PCC will likely consider the question of alternate year RPT reviews for pre-tenure faculty, but no change has taken place yet.

QUESTIONS?