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University Tenure and Promotion Committee

The University Tenure and Promotion Committee is composed of nine members elected from among the tenured faculty of each of the Colleges and Schools of the University, excepting the Schools of Dentistry and Law. A representative from the Library also serves on the Committee. They serve three year staggered terms and are eligible for re-election. 

The Committee meets once in the Fall term to elect a Chair, review procedures, and discuss and decide on applications for Faculty Research and Development Leaves. Its recommendations are then submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The Committee also chooses members for the University Workload Committee from a slate proposed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and a Chair for that Committee from a slate proposed by the Dean of the Law School. It composes its own slate of faculty representatives to be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

The chief business of the Committee is conducted in a series of meetings in the Winter term to review applications for tenure and promotion. The Committee makes its decisions according to the UDMPU Collective Bargaining Agreement that specifies such issues as requirements for tenure and qualifications for the ranks of assistant, associate and full professor. In addition to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each College and School publishes its own criteria for tenure and promotion. These statements are considered and the committee works to ensure the criteria are equitable across the different Colleges and Schools and candidates are judged accordingly.

The members of the Committee interpret the criteria of their College/School to other members. These criteria cover the expectations for high quality teaching, scholarly research, and University and Community service. The candidate's application includes such material as summaries of student evaluations, letters of recommendation, documentation of research and other information that is carefully reviewed by the Committee before a recommendation is made to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Finally, the Committee meets with the Vice President for Academic Affairs to discuss the outcome of these applications. In disputed cases, further discussion takes place to arrive at a resolution of the dispute. The Collective Bargaining Agreement also provides that an applicant may appeal a decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to the President, if the University Committee has ruled in favor of the application. In such a case, the Chair of the Committee would meet with the President.

Committee Members