5.4.3 Procedure for Tenure Review

These guidelines are intended to assist candidates in presenting their professional experiences and accomplishments most effectively.  If requested by the department head/coordinator, dean, DPTRC, CPTC, or UWPTC, a candidate, with the approval of the provost, may add materials and documents that may have been incomplete or under review at the time of the original submission.  

5.4.3.1 Documentation

The following documentation will be presented in each candidate’s electronic portfolio:

  • Cover sheet providing the following information in order as applicable:
    • Name of individual
    • Review Type and Level (e.g. Promotion to Assoc. Professor, Tenure)
    • Name of department and college
    • Degrees earned (highest first)
    • Years, dates, and current rank in tenure-track position
    • Area(s) of specialization within the discipline
    • Date of hire and total number of years at the university, including the current academic year
    • Total number of years at the university at rank of assistant professor or higher
    • Credit awarded toward tenure at time of appointment
    • Dates of temporary suspension of the tenure process (e.g.: leave of absence – see faculty handbook)
  • Full Professional Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Summary Statement of goals, accomplishments, and plans for each of the three categories: Teaching, Service, and Scholarship.  Faculty effort and activity level in promoting student success should be included as applicable. Page length for each summary statement may vary by candidate; however, the combined page length for summary statements should not exceed 6 pages total. See also the departmental guidelines and the Appendix of the Faculty Annual Report for details regarding each category.  For each category, the following summarized information should be included:
    • Overview of professional goals
    • For the years under review, progress toward these goals should be outlined, using past achievements to detail progress. Areas of special interest and competence should be highlighted.
    • Future goals with an overview of means by which the goals will be accomplished
  • Individual Teaching, Service, and Scholarship Curriculum Vitae for the period under review: Detailed lists of accomplishments/activities in each category for the period under review.  Candidates should prepare three separate lists, one for each category.  Each CV should include the following where applicable. Following each CV, the candidate should provide relevant supporting documentation for significant activities in each category:
    • Teaching CV
      • All courses taught (prefix, number, title, semester) should be listed
      • Course/curriculum development (new courses, significant changes to existing courses, new teaching modalities, etc)
      • Complete set of evaluations with students’ comments from all the years under consideration in a tenure track position and a written summary of trends and responses to student evaluations for the years under review
      • Supervision of students’ honors, research, thesis, creative activities
      • Published teaching materials
      • Honors, awards, and other supporting materials associated with teaching
    • Service CV
      • Academic advisement – number of undergraduate and/or graduate advisees for the current academic year
      • Orientations or group advising sessions for the period under review
      • Other noteworthy advisement activities (development and implementation of advising tools, leadership in advisor training sessions, etc.)
      • Published service materials
      • Service to the institution
      • Department
      • College
      • University
      • Service to the University System of Georgia
      • Service to professional organizations
        • State
        • Regional
        • National
        • International
      • Participation in student activities, including advising student clubs
      • Service to the North Georgia community.  Community service must be related to professional discipline.
      • Honors, awards, and other supporting materials associated with service
    • Scholarship CV
      • Updated degrees, institutions, dates since last review
      • Advanced studies or continuing education
      • Professional certifications
      • Publications and creative activities with complete bibliographic information
      • Academic and professional activities
      • Contracts and grants
      • Honors and awards for professional achievements
      • Other
    • Departmental P&T guidelines [login required]
    • Copies of signed Faculty Annual Reviews with signatures of department head's/coordinator's or dean's evaluations for years under consideration.
    • Letter from primary campus academic administrator if different than the department head/coordinator.
    • Peer letters in support of promotion application- two from peers with at least one from a tenured colleague
    • Letter from the DPTRC – added after the review with an explicit recommendation
    • Letter from the department head/coordinator – added after the review with an explicit recommendation
    • Letter from the CPTC – added after the review with an explicit recommendation
    • Letter from the dean – added after the review with an explicit recommendation
    • Letter from the UWPTC – added after the review with an explicit recommendation

5.4.3.2 Process

(For Timeline, please see 5.1)

  • Candidate submits the documentation identified in Section 5.4.3.1 above, in their electronic portfolio.
  • Members of the DPTRC shall review the candidate's documentation and provide a review letter with positive or negative recommendations, along with a separate numerical tabulation of committee votes. The letter must be signed by all members of the committee. Signing the letter is an indication of participation in the review process and not an indication of concurrence with the recommendation.
  • The department head/coordinator shall review the candidate's documentation and DPTRC's review letter and make either a positive or negative recommendation for tenure.
  • Members of the CPTC shall review the candidate's documentation, the department head/coordinator’s recommendation, and the DPTRC review letter and provide a review letter with positive or negative recommendation, along with a separate numerical tabulation of committee votes.  The letter must be signed by all members of the committee.  Signing the letter is an indication of participation in the review process and not an indication of concurrence with the recommendation. 
  • The academic dean shall review the candidate's documentation, the department head/coordinator’s recommendation and the DPTRC’s and CPTC's review letters and make either a positive or negative recommendation.
  • Members of the UWPTC shall review the candidate’s documentation, the department head/coordinator’s and academic dean’s recommendations, and the DPTRC and CPTC’s review letters and provide a review letter with positive or negative recommendation, along with a separate numerical tabulation of committee votes.  The letter must be signed by all members of the committee.  Signing the letter is an indication of participation in the review process and not an indication of agreement with the recommendation. 
  • The candidate’s documentation, the department head/coordinator’s and academic dean’s recommendations, and the DPTRC, CPTC, and UWPTC’s review letters shall then be submitted to the provost for a recommendation. 
  • The provost shall prepare a signed report with their recommendation for each candidate to the president by the last Monday in January.  The provost shall also notify the candidates of the provost’s recommendation by the last Monday in January.  A copy of the signed report and written responses, if any, will be filed in the Academic Affairs office. 
  • Candidates who wish to appeal against the recommendation of the provost may do so following the appellate procedure identified in Section 4 below. 
  • The president will review any appeals filed and make a final determination regarding the award of tenure for that candidate.

5.4.3.3 Appellate Procedures

  • Candidates who have been denied tenure or promotion by the recommendation of the provost have the right to appeal the recommendation to the president. Appeals must be based on one of the following circumstances and should be addressed in the written appeal: (i) discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual identity, age and/or a physical handicap; (ii) procedural improprieties, or (iii) a violation of academic freedom. A candidate may not appeal the final determination if they simply disagree with the decision.  
  • A written notification of intent to file an appeal must be received by the president’s office no later than the close of business seven days after the candidate receives written notification of the provost’s final recommendation. The complete written appeal and supporting documentation must be received in the president’s office no later than the close of business fourteen days after the candidate receives written notification of the provost’s final recommendation.  
  • The president may choose one of the following three options: (i) review the appeal and render a decision; (ii) appoint an ad hoc committee to review the appeal and make a recommendation to the president; (iii) return the file to the appropriate committee to review again. In any case, the candidate will be notified, in writing, of the results of the appeal no later than the close of business on the tenth (10) business day after the date the president receives the written full appeal.  
  • The burden of proof in an appeal rests with the candidate. To prevail on appeal, the candidate must demonstrate that the recommendation to deny tenure or promotion was due to (i) discrimination, (ii) procedural improprieties, or (iii) academic freedom. In the absence of convincing proof to the contrary, the original recommendation to deny tenure will be affirmed.