G-34-3.2.2 Procedure for Tenure Consideration

Revised: 9/18/2024

Prior to October 15 of each year, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will advise the immediate supervisors with personnel responsibilities, in writing, of individuals in the department who will have met the length of service criteria at the end of the academic year.

Prior to the third Friday of Winter term, all evaluation instruments and proposed actions in relation to faculty members' eligibility for consideration of tenure shall be forwarded to the appropriate Instructional Dean, who will then forward it to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Candidates should then review and sign off on their files before the third Friday of Winter term to determine if all forwarded materials have been received (with the exception of the VPAA letter, which has a later deadline).

The Tenure Committee needs a complete file with required documentation to be able to conduct a thorough review. The faculty member is responsible for ensuring required items are submitted by the established deadlines. However, the faculty member shall be held harmless for items missing from the file as long as the faculty member has documented proof that the original submission deadlines (such as October 15 for ARA and PIP Final Reports ) have been met for any items required to be in the file. Faculty should allow two to three weeks for documentation to go through the appropriate channels before checking their file in HR. The faculty member is still responsible for reviewing the file for any missing documents and either taking appropriate action to submit documentation or providing rational on the Missing Documents form for extenuating circumstances in advance of the deadline for file closure in January.

Prior to February 1 of each year, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will provide a written evaluation with recommended action. This document will be sent to the College President, copied to the candidate, and placed in the file. The candidate will then have five working days to respond to the letter (if they choose) by sending a response to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for inclusion in the file. Candidates who write a letter in response to the VPAA letter must also sign off on their file within those five days, to affirm receipt of their response letter into their file. This process must be completed prior to when the Tenure Committee reviews of the file.

After the file closing date (the third Friday of Winter term) and before the first Friday in March, the Tenure Committee will review tenure candidates' files, hold deliberations, and vote on whether to recommend individual candidates for tenured status. It would be ideal for all tenure candidates to review their files, ascertain they are complete, and acknowledge that completeness with a signature; however, the Tenure Committee will review files of tenure candidates regardless of whether they provide their signature.

By the first Friday in March, the Chair of the Tenure Committee shall submit to the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and to the Office of the President formal letters for all faculty members considered by the Committee. These letters shall outline the committee's recommendations for each individual considered and shall state the basis for such recommendations.

Any member of the Committee may submit an individual report on any matter voted on by the Committee. The individual report may support the majority or may present a minority view. Copies of the individual report shall only go to the Chair of the Tenure Committee, to the appropriate Vice President of Academic Affairs, to the appropriate Dean, and to the President.

The Tenure Committee may take the following actions:

1. Recommend granting of tenure,
2. Recommend not granting tenure,
3. Recommend an additional year as a probationary period*.(This option may include recommendations for specific conditions to be met or actions to be taken, as determined by the committee.)

* Tenure candidates who do not have a complete personnel file and have not submitted a "missing document" form by the third Friday of Winter term shall be notified by the Tenure Committee Chair, and subsequently allowed 5 working days from the date of notification by the Committee Chair to either: (a) submit missing documents or (b) submit a completed "Missing Document" form to HR. If the personnel file is still incomplete after that tine, the Tenure Committee shall recommend an additional year as a probationary period for any tenure candidate who does not have a complete personnel file and has not pursued the steps described above.

Committee Process During Deliberations:

The Tenure Committee reviews all content in the candidate's personnel file.  During candidate deliberations, only items contained in the file can be used as part of the discussion. Discussion of personal knowledge of a candidate or special circumstances not contained in the file are not part of the deliberations

Although it would be ideal for the Committee to reach a unanimous decision during deliberations, a faculty member will be recommended for tenure when four of the seven members of the Committee affirm the recommendation. Discussions contained during deliberations, as well as actual voting results, are to remain confidential; they are not made public beyond the Committee.

After Deliberations:

The Tenure Committee should be prepared to provide the reasons for their recommendation in all of the above cases. The President shall forward the recommendations of the Tenure Committee for granting tenure to the Board of Directors for action as soon as possible after the completion of the Tenure Committee's work. Appeals of aspects of the tenure procedure are to the Board of Directors, and the grounds for such appeal should be procedural (due process).