Approved by the Council of Deans, April 12, 2022
Academic Affairs recognizes the importance of an environment that supports faculty mentorship and clearly articulated guidance related to expectations for promotion and tenure. Academic Affairs also recognizes the responsibility of the department in developing and updating evaluation criteria in a manner that appropriately reflects the expectations of the discipline as well as the role of the college and the University in establishing evaluation criteria that ensure the quality of academic programs. EKU is committed to balancing these considerations in the evaluation process.
Revisions to Evaluation Criteria
For faculty in the probationary period (including faculty who have achieved promotion prior to tenure and faculty hired at an Associate or Full rank without tenure), when changes are made to evaluation criteria at the department, college, or University-level, faculty shall have the opportunity to be evaluated for tenure and/or promotion to Associate Professor or Full Professor under current criteria or new criteria. Current criteria are those which were in effect on the employment start date as indicated in the formal appointment terms, for up to six years.
For tenured faculty, when changes are made to evaluation criteria at the department, college, or University-level, faculty shall have the opportunity to elect to be evaluated for promotion to Associate Professor or Full Professor under current criteria (in effect on the employment start date as indicated in the formal appointment terms, for up to six years) or under new criteria.
Reassignment of Home Department
Faculty who are reassigned to a new home department or college by the University through department mergers, reorganizations, or other means shall have the opportunity to retain conditions of appointment and/or any other pre-existing agreements that relate to eligibility for promotion and/or tenure. Further, faculty in the probationary period that have been reassigned to a new home department and/or college shall have the opportunity to be evaluated for tenure and/or promotion to Associate Professor or Full Professor under the criteria in their unit of origin or the criteria in the new home department.
Tenured faculty who are reassigned in this manner and who apply for promotion within three years of reassignment may also elect to be evaluated for promotion under the criteria in the unit of origin.
Procedures
Candidates must indicate the selected criteria on the Self-Evaluation of Annual Performance for Non-Tenured Tenure-Track Faculty (4.6.5), the letter of intent for promotion and/or tenure, and the Application for Tenure and/or Promotion cover page (4.6.4).
Questions about this guidance should be directed to the Office of the Provost.