Mandatory Promotions
Assistant Professors must be reviewed in the last year of the
second appointment term (normally the sixth year of a tenure-track
appointment, but this is extended for assistant professors with
less than full time appointments, see http://www.washington.edu/admin/acadpers/wp/Assistant_Professor.html).
The granting of tenure and the promotion to Associate Professor
are combined into one action for the departmental vote and recommendation.
Assistant Professors WOT and Research Assistant Professors must
be reviewed in their sixth year of appointment (unless the appointment
is a part-time one) and a recommendation made concerning promotion
to the Associate Professor level. These appointments are not
eligible for tenure.
Three alternative actions may be taken concerning promotion
(and tenure) when reviewed in the mandatory year:
(1) Recommend approval.
(2) Recommend denial. The candidate's appointment is then extended
to a seventh and terminal year. Reconsideration of promotion/tenure
in the seventh year is not allowed.
(3) Recommend postponement of the decision (the unit must specifically
vote on a motion for postponement). A postponement can be made
only in the sixth, mandatory year. In such cases the candidate
is notified in writing by the dean that if promotion/tenure
is not approved in the seventh year, the appointment will terminate
at the end of the second succeeding academic year (the eighth
year of appointment).
Promotion to Associate Professor and tenure:
A review for promotion to the associate professor level (with
tenure, if applicable) is made no later than the sixth year
unless prior approval for an adjustment of the review year has
been granted by the Provost’s office. If the promotion
is denied, the appointment is extended for a seventh terminal
year. If there is no promotion review in the sixth year, the
appointment is terminated at the end of the sixth year. A faculty
member has tenure if he/she has held the full-time rank of Instructor
and/or Assistant Professor for seven years and has not received
a termination notice.
Promotion to Associate Professor WOT or Research Associate
Professor: Assistant Professors WOT and Research Assistant
Professors must be reviewed in their sixth year of appointment
and a recommendation made concerning promotion to the Associate
Professor level. These appointments are not eligible for tenure.
Department-to-Dean Procedure for Mandatory Promotions:
(see also Timelines & Deadlines
and Documentation Requirements)
Non-Mandatory Promotions
The Handbook requires that every faculty member below
the rank of Professor be considered each year for possible promotion.
The chair should review these faculty members and consider promotion
proceedings for promising candidates. Such candidates might
be contacted to see if they are interested in being reviewed
for promotion.
When a faculty member asks for a promotion review, the chair
and/or senior department faculty should consider the person's
documented record of achievement and determine whether a formal
promotion evaluation is merited. If not, the department is not
required to continue with the promotion process (unless the
candidate is in a mandatory promotion situation).
Non-mandatory promotion considerations not approved by the dean
are not forwarded to the Provost.
Promotion to Full Professor: Promotion to the
full Professor level is not a function of time in rank nor length
of service. Every faculty member below the rank of Professor
must be considered each year for possible promotion.
Early Promotions to Associate Professor and tenure,
Associate Professor WOT or Research Associate Professor: Promotion
(and tenure) may be recommended prior to the sixth year; however,
the candidate must have a strong, clearly demonstrated record
of achievement in order to merit approval of an early promotion.
Department-to-Dean Procedure for Non-Mandatory Promotions
at the Professorial Ranks:
(see also Timelines & Deadlines
and Documentation Requirements)
-
Spring/summer quarter,
Year preceding review:
Decision to seek promotion is made and preparation begins,
including collecting necessary documentation
-
Fall quarter, Year
of review:
Department review committee meets, producing a summary report
and the candidate's response to the report.
Department faculty senior in rank to the candidate votes
on promotion and (if applicable) tenure.
Department chair prepares his/her evaluation and recommendation.
-
December 15,
Year of review:
All materials due in Dean's Office, including the chair's
letter (recommendation), department review committee
report, department vote, candidate's cv and bibliography
including evidence of professional growth and achievement,
evidence of candidate's teaching effectiveness, external
evaluations, candidate's self assessment statement.
Promotion for an affiliate or clinical appointment:
There is no mandated time when a promotion decisions needs to
be made. When a unit wishes to recommend promotion, the instructions
and deadline dates for promotion to Associate Professor or to
Professor should be followed. The amount of required documentation
may be reduced.
Promotion for an adjunct appointment: An adjunct
appointment is automatically moved to the higher rank when an
individual is promoted to Associate Professor or Professor in
his/her home department
