Guidelines for Immediate Tenure Reviews

Overview The standards for immediate tenure for external candidates are the same as for internal candidates. Thus, the quality of teaching, research, and service should be addressed by all levels of review. The process for immediate tenure, however, is somewhat different than for internal candidates. We do not use the rainbow folders, for example. But the same levels of review used in our internal process are mandatory for the external candidates too. Refer to Appendix I of the Administrative Guidelines. The following will assist you in carrying out the immediate tenure process.

Department Review Committees

To the extent possible, the same departmental review committees that were appointed at the beginning of the internal tenure review process should be reconvened to make recommendations in cases of immediate tenure. When that is not possible (for example, during the summer months), the head should appoint substitutes as required to meet college guidelines for composition of tenure committees.

Immediate Tenure Dossier Contents

You must include documentation adequate for the College and University Immediate Tenure Review Committees to make informed judgments. Please submit an original and six copies of the following documentation.

  1. The current curriculum vita of the candidate. Please make sure it is up to date and complete.
  2. At least three letters of reference which meet the college standards for external letters. Although you may use letters solicited in the search process, you need to make sure most of the letters are from senior faculty at excellent institutions. Notes of telephone interviews about the candidate can be included, but may not substitute for letters of reference. For junior candidates, it is very important that letter writers be distinguished scholars without ties to the candidate.
  3. Evidence of teaching effectiveness. Please make every effort to obtain student evaluations of teaching effectiveness. In cases where such information is not available, letters from the candidate's peers that address teaching effectiveness must be included. You should also include evidence of the quality of the candidate as a graduate teacher and advisor if that is to be a significant part of the job here.
  4. Statements of evaluation and recommendations from:
    • a. the department review committee
    • b. the department head.
    Both letters should evaluate teaching, research, and service.

Format for Dossier

It is not necessary for the materials to be organized by using the usual dossier dividers and forms. But the material should be organized in sections as noted below . It is helpful to add dividers between sections. Though service must be addressed in the letters, it is often the case that all service information for the committees will be in the CV. There is no need to duplicate it.

Please organize as follows:

Title Page:

Immediate Tenure For

Robert Smith

Associate Professor of English

CV

Teaching

External Letters

Internal Letters (committee and department head)