Overview of Process

The purpose of the promotion and tenure process is to perform an objective evaluation of each case at several levels of review. Therefore, each case goes through at least seven levels of independent review before a final recommendation is achieved: DFRAC, Department Chair/School Director, CFRAC, dean, UFRAC, provost, and president. The president’s recommendation in all cases is final, but is subject to approval by the UT System Board of Regents.

The promotion and tenure review process is summarized in the table below, which outlines the rough timeline and actions of the procedure.

When

Who

Responsibility

January

Academic Affairs

  • Forward forms for early promotion and tenure and promotion to full professor to the colleges and departments

Feb. 1

Dean's Office

  • Deadline to forward requests for early promotion and tenure review and requests for promotion to full professor to Academic Affairs.

Feb.–
March

Academic Affairs

  • Notify deans and Department Chairs/School Directors which faculty members are due to undergo a mandatory review in the coming fall semester.

March

Academic Affairs

  • Notify tenure-track faculty members that their mandatory review will take place in the coming fall semester.

April–May

Academic Affairs

  • Set up electronic boxes and forward links to applicants.

Spring

Applicant

  • Begin assembling materials for application packet; submit names of suggested external reviewers to chair

 

Department Chair/School Director

  • Solicit suggestions of external reviewers from applicant and faculty;
  • Begin contacting potential reviewers

 

Dean

  • If the faculty member being reviewed for promotion to full professor is a Department Chair/School Director, the dean shall appoint another faculty member at or above the rank of the Department Chair/School Director to serve in the role of Department Chair/School Director for this process.  Provide the name to Academic Affairs.

Early Summer

Applicant

  • Finish assembling application packet and submit to chair

 

Department Chair/School Director

Applicant or Department Chair/School Director

  • Solicit external reviews; letters are due in August;
  • Upload external review letters, a short bio for each reviewer and a copy of the letter sent to the reviewer requesting his/her assistance with the P&T cases no later than September 1st.*
  • Upload peer observer’s report(s) and faculty member’s report (s) (provided by each candidate).

September

Dean's Office

  • Provide DFRAC names to Academic Affairs no later than Sept. 1 or the first workday thereafter.
  • Provide CFRAC names to Academic Affairs no later than Sept. 10 or the first workday thereafter.

 

Applicant

  • Upload promotion and tenure documents to the official Faculty Review folder in SharePoint no later than Sept. 1st or the first workday thereafter. 

September-October

DFRAC

  • Review application packet and external review letters;
  • Deliberate in closed meeting and vote on case;
  • Prepare a written summary of evaluation analysis

 

Department Chair/School Director

  • Review all application materials, including DFRAC recommendation;
  • Prepare a written recommendation for forwarding to college;
  • Provide a written notification to applicant of the Department’s recommendations;
  • Upload DFRAC memo and Department Chair/School Director memo to the official Faculty Review folder in SharePoint;

 

Applicant

  • Optional opportunity to update file by adding new materials before forwarding to College

September-November

CFRAC

 

  • Review application packet, external review letters, peer observer’s report(s), faculty member’s report(s), and department recommendations;
  • Deliberate in closed meeting and vote on case;
  • Prepare a written summary of evaluation analysis.

 

College Dean

  • Review application packet, external review letters, peer observer report(s) faculty member report(s), department recommendations, and CFRAC recommendation;

  • Prepare a written recommendation for forwarding to provost;

  • Provide a written notification to applicant of the college’s recommendations;

  • Upload signed checklist to the official Faculty Review folder in SharePoint;

  • Upload CFRAC memo and dean’s memo to the official Faculty Review folder in SharePoint;

 

Applicant

 

  • Optional opportunity to update file by adding new materials before forwarding to Academic Affairs

November

College Dean

  • Application materials due in to Academic Affairs by November 1st, or the first work day thereafter

November-December

UFRAC

 

  • Review application packet, external review letters, department and college recommendations;
  • Deliberate in closed meetings and vote on cases;

 

Academic Affairs

  • Prepare a written recommendation for forwarding the Provost.  Include a summary of evaluation analysis of cases for which there has been division of opinion.
  • Upload UFRAC Memo to the official Faculty Review folder in SharePoint.

December–
January

Provost

  • Review all application materials, including UFRAC recommendation;
  • Consult with chairs and deans, as needed clarification of application materials;
  • Prepare recommendations on all cases for the president

January

President

  • Review all application materials, including recommendations at each level;
  • Render final decisions concerning promotion and tenure recommendations

January

Academic Affairs

  • Prepare written notification to all applicants concerning outcome of promotion and tenure review.

May

President

  • Forward positive recommendations to UT System by May 1st.

August

UT Board of Regents

  • Approve promotion and tenure recommendations from all campuses in UT System

*External Review letters should be printed on the respective reviewer’s university letterhead with a clear, legible signature.  An electronic version is acceptable, provided that it is on university letterhead and contains a clear, legible signature. All external review letters (including electronic versions) should be uploaded to SharePoint.  Email letters are not acceptable.