Tenure and Promotion

1
Tenure and Promotion

• The Process
• Outlined in Article 15 of the FTCA.
• When you are granted tenure, you are also
  promoted to Associate (15.7.6). One application
  covers both.
• You must be considered for tenure by the third
  year of your Candidacy appointment. You will
  receive notification from the Dean at the
  beginning of your 3rd year of Candidacy.
• Clock stops for maternity/parental and associated
  leaves (Article 32) and tenure clock can be
  extended by one year for those who have taken
  maternity or parental leave (32.6.3) and/or by
  those who have requested a reduced load for elder
  or child care reasons (Article 20)
• A one year extension of the tenure clock can also
  be requested at the probationary stage (13.2.2)

2

• Application and notification dates are listed in
  15.6.6
• Stage 1 DAPC recommendation
• You apply to the Chair of your DAPC and cc the
  Dean by Sept 15th
• You will receive an invitation to appear before
  DAPC (15.4.3). Usually candidates decline unless
  they anticipate problems and/or have additional
  supporting information they want to present. If
  you do appear you can have a representative from
  WLUFA accompany you
• Your DAPC may request further information from
  you if they feel it is necessary or relevant to
  make a recommendation (15.4.3).

3

• In the event that any negative information is
  presented to DAPC, you will be given a chance to
  respond before a vote is taken. You can be
  accompanied by a WLUFA representative (15.4.3).
• DAPC makes its recommendation and report to SPAT
  and, by the same time, provides you with a copy
  of the decision, the vote count, and the reasons
  for the recommendation (15.4.5, 15.4.6) (Usually
  you just get a copy of the letter sent to SPAT).
• See WLUFA if there are any negative votes at this
  stage

4

• Stage 2 SPAT recommendation
• Your chair will be present at SPAT to present
  DAPCs report and answer questions when SPAT
  considers your application.
• The chair is not present for the vote, and does
  not know the result at this stage
• SPAT may request additional information from you
  (15.5.4).
• You will receive an invitation from SPAT to
  appear (or provide a written submission) to
  present any further information that you think is
  important for the committee to hear (15.5.4). You
  would only appear if there were negative votes or
  a serious problem with the DAPC report. Otherwise
  decline this invitation. If you do attend you can
  be accompanied by a WLUFA representative
• You are to be notified and have a chance to
  respond if any negative information comes up at
  this stage as well (15.5.4)

5

• SPAT makes its recommendation to the President
  and forwards this along with the file and the
  report from your DAPC.
• You, your Chair, and your Dean are informed of
  SPATs recommendation, the vote count, and
  reasons for the recommendation by Nov 15.
• If the recommendation is negative contact WLUFA.

6

• Stage 3 President and Board Decision
• The President makes her/his recommendation to the
  Board and you receive a copy. At this stage the
  decision is subject to the grievance procedure
  (15.6.3)
• While the decision in reality is made by the
  President, the recommendation still has to go
  through the board.
• Final letter of notification comes after the
  Boards decision (no later than December 15th).
• Your work is likely to be described as
  satisfactory in your letter when you are
  granted tenure. This just reflects the fact that
  satisfactory is a term/category used in the CA.

7

• The Criteria (15.7)
• A satisfactory record of teaching, scholarship,
  and service. See 15.7.2 for details
• Need to demonstrate consistent performance,
  demonstrated growth and future potential (15.7.4)
• This means that what you came with when you were
  hired is important, but so is what you have done
  since, and where you are going (demonstrable
  plans for the future)

8

• Note that excellence in teaching can lessen the
  usual standards for scholarship, and excellence
  in scholarship can lessen the usual standards for
  teaching or service, BUT excellence in service
  can NOT make up for any deficiencies in teaching
  or research (15.7.4 c).
• Peer-reviewed journal articles are important. So
  is the quality of the journals.
• The importance of research grants varies by
  discipline, but the product is more important
  than the grant itself.

9

• Your Application and Package
• What follows are guidelines only, be sure to seek
  advice from people in your discipline
• Think about this as the presentation of your
  case.
• Make it clear, accessible, well-organized and
  complete for your readers
• There are no external referees commenting on the
  importance of your work, so it is your job to
  make sure that this is clear, and that everything
  the committees need to assess your case is
  included.
• The committees cannot comment on or assess
  anything that isnt in the application package,
  even if it would help you.

10

• At minimum you need a letter of application, CV,
  a copy of all publications, and a teaching
  dossier. You may also include any other
  documentation that provides evidence or
  explanations of achievement or potential
• E.g., book contracts, copies of emails from
  publishers, reviews of your work, a research
  statement or dossier.

11

• The Letter
• A summary of highlights and achievements
• Suggested length 2 pages, 2½ at the outside
• If you need more than this, consider including a
  research dossier as a separate document
• A qualitative (rather than a quantitative
  exercise)
• A way of addressing why what is in the CV matters
  in terms of the 3 criteria
• Address all 3 criteria in your letter
• One to two paragraphs for teaching and service
• Two to three paragraphs for research, summarizing
  what you had when you came, what you have done
  since, your future research plans.
• This is where to link your achievements,
  foreground where your work is going, and how
  you will continue to build on these
  achievements your future potential.

12

• The letter is also the place to highlight things
  such as quality and reputation of journals, high
  citation counts, positive reviews of your work,
  exceptional service to the university or academic
  community, awards and nominations etc, and to
  address anything that might raise questions in
  your package.

13

• CV
• The quantitative summary of your career
• Clarity, organization, consistency and
  readability are important
• See sample
• Teaching Dossier
• See CA Article 31.6.2 for items to include

14

• Other points
• In most cases it is not a good idea to go up
  early
• You can only go up once
• You are judged by the same criteria as those who
  wait until the normal time (third year of
  candidacy) (15.3.3).
• When putting together your application seek
  advice from your Chair and Dean.
• Provide them with draft copies of your letter and
  CV well in advance and ask for feedback
• Consider asking respected colleagues for copies
  of their tenure application letters to use as
  models.

15

• Make sure you communicate with your Chair during
  the tenure process and advise him or her of any
  additions or changes to your CV that occur after
  Sept 15th.
• If these are early days for you, think about
  where you put your energies
• Service is important, but it wont mitigate
  shortcomings in research or teaching.
• Prioritize the preparation of peer-reviewed
  journal articles.