UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE RESOLUTION
TO MODIFY FACULTY
HANDBOOK CONCERNING UNIVERSITY PROMOTION AND TENURE POLICY WITH statement ON
DOCUMENTATION OF EXCELLENCE:
WHEREAS,
the ultimate objectives of promotion
policies at the University of Delaware are faculty excellence and procedural
fairness, and
WHEREAS,
the determination of what constitutes excellence is one of the fundamental
components in promotion and tenure decisions, be it therefore
Section 4: Personnel Policies for Faculty
Section 4.4
Promotion and Tenure
Section 4.4.1 Faculty
Promotion and Tenure
The promotion and tenure procedure is a parallel structure
allowing for faculty proposal, evaluation and appeal, as well as administrative
evaluation at each level of organization of the University.
This document governs the University process of review at
every level. Departments, units, and colleges may make additions to and
clarifications of this document to address their special circumstances. These
elaborations, which must be approved by the University Committee on Promotions
and Tenure and by the Provost, will constitute the departmental document.
Departmental documents should also include the procedure
for choosing the departmental promotion and tenure committee and should specify
required levels of achievement for each rank, such as excellence in research or
teaching or in both. Appropriate modes of scholarly publication may also be
specified. Faculty candidates for promotion and/or tenure will be evaluated
based on the criteria in their department's approved promotion and tenure
guidelines appropriately weighted for their workload for the period under
review. (Rev. 3/4/08)
The promotion steps appear in the chart below.
The ultimate objectives of promotion policies at the
University of Delaware are faculty excellence and procedural fairness. In order
to preserve and enhance its reputation as an institution of higher education,
the University must establish and maintain high standards of teaching,
scholarly and artistic activity, and service. At the same time, it must treat
each faculty member with decency and respect. Thus, these procedures seek to
promote the individual's welfare and professional development while at the same
time fostering the University's growth toward excellence. In
promotion and tenure decisions, any claim to excellence must be documented with
substantial evidence.
The process rests firmly on peer evaluations, for the
faculty itself is best able to establish and apply promotion criteria.
Furthermore, the promotion system recognizes the uniqueness of the disciplines
that comprise the University faculty. Indeed, departments have the major
responsibility for establishing and administering guidelines and making initial
promotion and tenure recommendations.
Such departmental decisions affect the University as a
whole, and consequently, college and University committees, together with
appropriate administrators at each level, also play an important role. They
insure that policies and decisions serve the interests of the University and
are roughly comparable across its many divisions. (Note: this version of the
policy was approved by the Faculty Senate on April 7, 1997. Faculty hired
prior to that date may obtain a copy of the previous version of the policy from
the Faculty Senate Office. The
application procedure and deadlines will be as detailed below for all faculty
applying for promotion and tenure). (Note revised 9/14/98.)
To Accompany RESOLUTION
TO MODIFY FACULTY HANDBOOK CONCERNING UNIVERSITY PROMOTION AND TENURE POLICY
WITH statement ON DOCUMENTATION OF EXCELLENCE
Section 4: Personnel Policies for Faculty
Section 4.4 Promotion and
Tenure
Section 4.4.1 Faculty
Promotion and Tenure
The promotion and tenure procedure is a parallel structure
allowing for faculty proposal, evaluation and appeal, as well as administrative
evaluation at each level of organization of the University.
This document governs the University process of review at
every level. Departments, units, and colleges may make additions to and
clarifications of this document to address their special circumstances. These
elaborations, which must be approved by the University Committee on Promotions
and Tenure and by the Provost, will constitute the departmental document.
Departmental documents should also include the procedure for
choosing the departmental promotion and tenure committee and should specify
required levels of achievement for each rank, such as excellence in research or
teaching or in both. Appropriate modes of scholarly publication may also be
specified. Faculty candidates for promotion and/or tenure will be evaluated
based on the criteria in their department's approved promotion and tenure
guidelines appropriately weighted for their workload for the period under
review. (Rev. 3/4/08)
The promotion steps appear in the chart below.
The ultimate objectives of promotion policies at the University
of Delaware are faculty excellence and procedural fairness. In order to
preserve and enhance its reputation as an institution of higher education, the
University must establish and maintain high standards of teaching, scholarly
and artistic activity, and service. At the same time, it must treat each
faculty member with decency and respect. Thus, these procedures seek to promote
the individual's welfare and professional development while at the same time
fostering the University's growth toward excellence. In
promotion and tenure decisions, any claim to excellence must be documented with
substantial evidence.
The process rests firmly on peer evaluations, for the
faculty itself is best able to establish and apply promotion criteria.
Furthermore, the promotion system recognizes the uniqueness of the disciplines
that comprise the University faculty. Indeed, departments have the major
responsibility for establishing and administering guidelines and making initial
promotion and tenure recommendations.
Such departmental decisions affect the University as a
whole, and consequently, college and University committees, together with
appropriate administrators at each level, also play an important role. They
insure that policies and decisions serve the interests of the University and
are roughly comparable across its many divisions. (Note: this version of the
policy was approved by the Faculty Senate on April 7, 1997. Faculty hired
prior to that date may obtain a copy of the previous version of the policy from
the Faculty Senate Office. The
application procedure and deadlines will be as detailed below for all faculty
applying for promotion and tenure). (Note revised 9/14/98.)