Reappointment, Tenure & Promotion Procedures Faculty Relations UBC Vancouver October 2008

2 Our Objective To give you the tools to conduct smooth, fair and equitable reappointment, tenure and promotion processes for our faculty members

3 Reappointment, Tenure & Promotion Tenure Streams Criteria Tenure & Tenure Clocks Promotion Reviews Schedules Procedures For Assistance…

4 The Tenure Streams The Professor Stream Assistant Professor Associate Professor Professor Instructor II The Instructor Stream Instructor I Senior Instructor (See the Tenure Stream Faculty Ranks at a Glance handout)

5 The Criteria The Professor StreamThe Instructor Stream Service Teaching Research (See the Professor and Instructor Path Criteria handouts)

6 Tenure Tenured appointments are full-time appointments (unless agreed to be part-time) that cannot be terminated before normal retirement age except for cause, financial exigency or redundancy. Grant tenured appointments are tenured appointments that are subject to non-University funding availability. The criteria are the same!

7 The Tenure Clock The tenure clock for faculty always begins on July 1 of the calendar year in which they were hired Extensions are granted for maternity & parental leaves (automatic) and sick leaves (on a case by case basis) There is only one shot at tenure in that stream An Assistant Professor is the only rank that cannot be reviewed early for tenure unless linked to a promotion review

8 The Tenure Clock

9 Promotion Reviews ReviewScheduled? Obligation to Initiate? Who can stop the process? Appeal of negative decision? PeriodicYesUniversity Candidate only Yes Non- Periodic No Candidate or the University Head, Dean or Candidate Yes, if President made the decision

10 Periodic Review for Promotion

11 Senior Instructors & Promotion  A Senior Instructor can request a periodic review for promotion to the professoriate in the 5 th year and then every 3 years.  If promoted to Assistant Professor, the appointment is tenure track, with tenure retained as Senior Instructor

12 The ARPT Schedules (See the Sample RPT Schedule for a tenure track Assistant Professor hired in 2008 handout) We have templates on our website to help you identify the review dates for:  Assistant Professor (tenure track)  Instructor II (tenure track)  Instructor I (tenure track)  Associate Professor (tenure track)

13 The Procedures The reappointment, tenure & promotion procedures are set out in Articles 5 & 9 of the Agreement on Conditions of Appointment for Faculty, and are supplemented by the Guide to Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion Procedures at UBC (See the Summary of the Tenure and Promotion Process and the Tenure and Promotion Checklist for Heads/Directors handouts)

14 Reappointment Reviews The process for reappointment reviews is exactly like the process for tenure & promotion reviews EXCEPT: 1. External letters are only required where the Head or Department are considering a negative recommendation 2. The President doesn’t consult with SAC (See the Reappointment Checklist for Heads/Directors handout)

15 Head’s Meeting  The Head must meet with all tenure track faculty at least annually.  For tenured faculty, we encourage annual meetings or, at minimum, at least in the 2 years prior to a promotion review.

16 Head’s Meeting  It’s an opportunity to clearly note the strengths and opportunities for improvement.  It is also important to provide advice re the CV & other relevant material required for the next RPT review.  The Head & candidate must agree in writing on matters discussed.

17 Eligibility to be Consulted The Head must consult with eligible members of the departmental standing committee on all reappointment, tenure and promotion cases.

18 Departmental Consultation Procedures Each Academic Unit is required to have documented procedures regarding consultation with the departmental standing committee for all reappointment, tenure and promotion cases. Please ensure that this includes information about joint appointments, whether as the home or non-home department. (See the 2 Sample ARPT Department Procedures handout)

19 Letters of Reference The Head must consult with the departmental standing committee on choosing referees. See the Sample Letter of Request for Reference in the Guide

20 Letters of Reference All tenure and promotion cases require 4 arm’s length letters of reference Note that Senior Instructor cases do not require arm’s length letters but still need 4 letters.

21 Tenure & Promotion Reviews Department Standing Committee meets after obtaining letters of reference Department Standing Committee votes & recommends to Head Serious concerns? Yes No Invited to respond in writing to serious concerns We can help!

22 Tenure & Promotion Reviews Head recommends to Dean* Head notifies candidate of decision Negative? Yes Invited to respond in writing to Dean *See the Suggested Format for the Head’s Letter In the Guide

23 Tenure & Promotion Reviews Dean recommends to President* Dean notifies candidate of decision Invited to respond in writing to President Negative? Yes Dean seeks Faculty Committee vote *See the SAC Checklist in the Guide

24 Supplementing the File The University and the candidate have the right to supplement the file with new, unsolicited info or a response to particular concerns that emerge, up to the stage of the President’s decision

25 For Assistance… The Collective Agreement, in particular Articles 2-5 & 9 of the Agreement on Conditions of Appointment for Faculty Guide to Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion Procedures at UBC for 2008/09 (coming very, very soon…promise!!) Our website: Call us!