Tenure-track Personnel

The Progress Toward Tenure Review is conducted internally during the fall semesters for all non-tenured assistant and associate professors who are not going through Probationary or Promotion and Tenure Review. The Progress Toward Tenure Review is prospective by estimating your future promise in the context of the unit’s criteria for promotion and tenure. This review is different from the standard annual performance evaluation, which summarizes past performance and for which there may be different criteria. The chair/director provides feedback about your professional development and progress toward earning tenure. Although a written summary of the feedback is required (ACD 506-03), it often follows a more detailed conversation between you and your chair/director. From that perspective, the Progress Toward Tenure Review is essentially a goal-setting exercise contextual to Promotion and Tenure criteria.

Questions to consider when going through Progress Toward Tenure

1. What are my unit’s criteria for promotion and tenure?
2. How does my unit conduct Progress Toward Tenure Reviews? Who do I ask?
3. Is there anything I need to prepare in advance of the review?
4. What concerns do I have about teaching, research or service?
5. Do I have a mentor? Have I asked my unit head about getting one?
6. What am I doing to familiarize colleagues outside of ASU with my work?
7. How does/might my work contribute to the unit, college and university’s priorities, mission and vision?

Preparation guidelines:

1. Unit notifies junior faculty member (“candidate”) as to what materials are needed in advance of the Progress Toward Tenure Review. Requested materials vary from unit to unit. Some ask for a CV while others ask for a CV and personal statement. Units should ask for the same materials from each candidate going through Progress Toward Tenure in a given year.
2. Candidate submits materials to unit (as appropriate).
3. Unit follows whatever internal process they have in place for Progress Toward Tenure Reviews. Such processes may be defined in the unit bylaws. All candidates for Progress Toward Tenure Review should follow the same internal process.
4. Unit head meets with each Progress Toward Tenure candidate to provide feedback on his/her professional development and progress toward earning tenure. Ideally, the feedback will be clear and direct regarding strengths and weaknesses of the candidate’s teaching, research and service.
5. Unit head provides candidate with a written summary of the feedback.
6. Candidate signs the written summary.**
7. Unit provides candidate with a copy and uploads a copy to the unit's Progress Toward Tenure Dropbox folder .

** Units are welcome to use the following on the last page of the Progress Toward Tenure Review written summary. It may make signing easier.

By signing below, I acknowledge receipt of my Progress Toward Tenure Review

________________________________________________

(Candidate’s name)                                        Date

Additional resources:

 Guide to Faculty Reviews at ASU

The Probationary Review is both an appraisal of progress to date and an assessment of one’s trajectory toward promotion and tenure. The Probationary Review is a formal, structured review very similar to the Promotion and Tenure Review except it does not require external letters. This review occurs midway through your probationary period and involves multiple levels of internal review (ACD 506-03). There are three possible outcomes to a Probationary Review: 1) you continue on the path to promotion and tenure; 2) you receive a conditional appointment whereby specific conditions must be met in order to continue on the path to promotion and tenure; or 3) the provost issues a terminal contract.

The Probationary Review should clearly articulate your strengths and weaknesses, and you should carefully consider the feedback provided from the review. Moving forward, you should think strategically about the timing of upcoming scholarly contributions and be careful not to over-commit to service and professional obligations as you approach your Promotion and Tenure Review.

Questions to consider when going through probationary review

(Pre-review)

1. What are my unit’s criteria for Promotion and Tenure?
2. When do I need to submit my materials for Probationary Review? Who do I ask?
3. Does my personal statement clearly demonstrate my strengths and contributions to the department, college and university’s priorities?
4. Is my curriculum vitae comprehensive, well-organized and accurate?
5. Do I present myself as both an effective scholar and teacher?
6. Are there support staff who can help me coordinate my Probationary Review? Who do I ask?

(Post-review)

1. Are there specific issues or deficits in my work that need attention?
2. What does the feedback suggest in terms of strengthening my case for Promotion and Tenure Review?
3. What am I doing to familiarize colleagues outside of ASU with my work?

For instructions and forms related to this process, please follow the Process Guide for Probationary or Conditional Review as found on the Office of the Provost's Personnel Processes page.

Additional resources:
2020-21 Portfolio Checklist
Guide to Faculty Reviews at ASU
CLAS Bylaws

The Promotion and Tenure Review is a formal, structured appraisal of both your progress to date and your promise of continued excellence (ACD 506-04). It involves both internal and external evaluations. Although the unit, college and university levels of review occur in the fall of your final year as assistant professor, you will actually prepare and submit your case to your chair/director in the previous spring. It is important to realize that promotion and tenure are not awarded solely on the basis of excellent performance (ACD 506-04). The tenure process takes into account the mission and objectives of each academic unit and the university as a whole. Tenure is awarded to individuals who demonstrate excellence in their fields and an ability to contribute to the university’s priorities. As such, your case should articulate past achievements as well as new scholarly pursuits.

The Promotion and Tenure Review has three possible outcomes:

1. Promotion and tenure are awarded,
2. The president extends the probationary period, or
3. Promotion and tenure are denied and a terminal contract is issued.

Questions to consider when going through tenure and/or faculty promotion

1. What are my unit’s criteria for promotion and tenure?
2. When do I need to submit my materials for Promotion and Tenure Review? Who do I ask?
3. Does my personal statement clearly demonstrate my strengths and contributions to the department, college and university’s priorities?
4. Is my curriculum vitae comprehensive, well-organized and accurate?
5. Do I present myself as both an effective scholar and teacher?
6. Are there support staff who can help me coordinate my Promotion and Tenure Review? Who do I ask?
7. How have I addressed issues/deficits noted in my Probationary Review?
8. What supplemental materials might add value to my case?
9. In considering potential external reviewers, who is accomplished in my field, familiar with my work, and might strengthen my case?

For instructions and forms related to this process, please follow the Process Guide for Promotion and/or Tenure as found on the Office of the Provost's Personnel Processes page.

Additional resources:
Guide to Faculty Reviews at ASU
College and Unit Peers List

The post-tenure review assures accountability for sustained, high-quality performance as well as promotes continued professional development. The post-tenure review is guided by the Principles for Post-Tenure Review at ASU approved by the University Senate in 1996.

To learn more about what these principles include, please see Principles for post-tenure review at ASU.

The Annual Performance Review serves three distinct purposes:

1. To comply with Board of Regents requirements to encourage faculty to establish goals for continued academic progress
2. To guide decisions about salary adjustments
3. To institute the first step in the post-tenure review process for tenured faculty (ACD 506-10)

For assistant professors, the first and second purposes apply. The review covers the previous 36 months with substantial emphasis on the current year.

For tenure-track faculty, the Annual Performance Review is distinct from the Progress Toward Tenure Review. While the Progress Toward Tenure Review is prospective, the Annual Performance Review is retrospective. The Annual Performance Review should not be considered predictive of the Probationary Review or the Promotion & Tenure Review.

Questions to Consider When Going Through Annual Performance Evaluation

1. What is my unit’s criteria for annual performance?
2. When do I need to submit my materials for the Annual Performance Review? Whom do I ask?

Additional resources:
Guide to Faculty Reviews at ASU

Consistent with ACD705, sabbatical leave is granted or denied based on the merits of the individual proposal upon the recommendation of the university. The following personnel are eligible to apply for sabbatical leave:

• Administrators with faculty rank who have completed six years of full-time service at ASU.
• Faculty members who have achieved tenure and completed six years of full-time continuous service with the rank of assistant professor or higher at ASU.
• Academic professionals who have achieved continuing status and completed six years of full-time continuous service at ASU are eligible to apply for sabbatical leave.

Individuals returning from sabbatical leave must submit a concise final report to the college through their unit administrator which addresses accomplishment of the purposes stated in the application for sabbatical leave. The sabbatical report should be submitted using the CLAS Report on Sabbatical Leave.

For instructions and forms related to this process, please follow the Process Guide for Sabbatical Leave as found on the Office of the Provost's Personnel Processes page.

Additional resources:
Academic Personnel Actions Clocks

The president may confer upon eligible retired faculty members the title of emeritus. For information on eligibility requirements, how to initiate the process for designation and the benefits of emeritus status, please consult ACD505-02 and the Process Guide for Emeritus Status (PDF).

Tenured faculty and academic professionals with continuing status who retire may be recommended for emeritus status which must be approved by the President.  Written notification of the retirement date with recommendation from the dean to the Office of the University Provost initiates this process, at the beginning of the semester of retirement.