Titles:
Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor
Appointment policies governed by:
Faculty Policies and Procedures, Chap. 7.01-7.32
Initial appointments for assistant professor are to be reviewed each year. The first two years are informational requiring no vote for approval. Thereafter the faculty member is typically reviewed each year through year five with a voice vote required for approval of the appointment for the following year. Typically, in the sixth year after appointment, the faculty member goes up for approval to promotion to associate professor.
Letters of Appointment:
Each initial letter of appointment must include a statement that carefully delineates the conditions and expectations of the appointment. Each letter must include the appointment period and the date by which decisions regarding promotion or non-retention must be made.
A copy of this policy statement must be provided to the candidate with the initial letter of appointment.
Calculation of Probationary Period:
An assistant professor is appointed for an initial three-year term. Information reports will be provided to the Executive Committee of the School of Pharmacy on a yearly basis. In the third through fifth years, he/she will be recommended for a one-year extension if, in addition to her/his continued satisfactory performance of school duties, there is satisfactory performance in the areas of research productivity, service, and teaching. A voice vote will be required at the Executive Committee of the School of Pharmacy meeting after the faculty member’s presentation by their mentoring committee (typically the chair of the mentoring committee makes the presentation) and subsequent discussion. For years three through five, a voice vote will be required at the Executive Committee of the School of Pharmacy meeting after the faculty member’s presentation and subsequent discussion. A final decision to recommend either promotion or non-retention will generally be made no later than the sixth year of an assistant professor’s appointment in the School of Pharmacy. A ballot vote is required for a recommendation to promotion to associate professor. The maximum probationary period is seven years (Faculty Policies and Procedures, Chapter 7.04A). Prior probationary or tenure service at another institution while a candidate for a doctoral or equivalent terminal degree, by mutual agreement of the dean, the Executive Committee of the School of Pharmacy, and the individual concerned, may be excluded in calculating the maximum probationary period. Legitimate reasons for obtaining an extension of the probationary period are stipulated in Faculty Policies and Chapter 7.04 H and I.
Faculty members with appointment at the rank of assistant professor generally have six years in which to attain promotion to associate professor. If, after six years at the rank of assistant professor, the individual has not been promoted to associate professor, the faculty member will receive a one-year notice of non-renewal of his/her tenure track appointment and their appointment at the University will end at that time. If approved for the promotion to associate professor, the faculty member’s tenure package is then submitted to the appropriate university divisional committee (Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences, or Humanities) for evaluation for promotion to associate professor.
Promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor:
Each university divisional executive committee establishes and distributes its criteria for promotion to tenure and the form in which it requires recommendations to be presented. The four divisions differ in their requirements. It is therefore advised that each assistant professor obtain a copy of his divisional guidelines for promotion to tenure. We suggest that each assistant professor prepare his/her resume in the outline form requested by the university division with which she/he is associated. Annual revisions will be required, since the Executive Committee of the School of Pharmacy conducts annual reviews of all Assistant Professors. It is possible that the Executive Committee of the School of Pharmacy, in its review process, may request information in addition to that specified in the university divisional outline. When the Executive Committee of the School of Pharmacy has arrived at a decision to recommend promotion for an assistant professor, preparation of the necessary documentation for submission to the university divisional committee will be facilitated by the earlier annual reviews as specified for their university division. Note: The faculty member’s dossier, along with letters from outside reviewers and the mentoring committee’s report with recommendation is made available to the entire Executive Committee one week prior to the meeting. The chair of the mentoring committee typically presents the candidate to the Executive Committee. If the Executive Committee and dean recommend promotion , the faculty member’s dossier along with letters of recommendation and letters from the chair and dean will then be sent to the appropriate divisional committee for evaluation. The candidate will prepare this documentation (to be consistent with Faculty Policy and Procedures as well as with current university divisional committee requirements) and may consult with the members and chair of their mentoring committee for assistance in its preparation. The promotion of an assistant professor must occur within the time limits stated above under Calculation of Probationary Period. Executive Committee approval requires at least two-thirds of the tenured faculty to be present with two-thirds voting for approval of promotion. Results are obtained by paper ballot. In case of a negative review, the Pharmaceutical Sciences Division follows the guidelines set out in FPP 7.15.
Each new assistant professor is expected to propose a mentoring committee with the help of the School of Pharmacy Division chair within six months of their arrival. The chair will then forward this proposal to the dean for his/her approval. The dean will then officially appoint the chair of the mentoring committee as well as its members in writing. Typically the committee consists of three tenured faculty from the Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, one from another division within the School of Pharmacy, and one from outside the School of Pharmacy-generally an expert in the field of the faculty member being mentored. This committee will include at least three tenured faculty members. Although the membership of the mentorship committee is not expected to change over time, its composition can be changed at any time by the dean. It is acceptable and appropriate for the mentored faculty member to be permitted to petition the dean for modification of the committee’s membership.