2023-2024 Tenure & Promotion Procedures

This website offers an overview meant to provide general information about the tenure and promotion processes and timing. This site does not supersede the Rutgers University Labor Relations policies and procedures (linked below). The general instructions can be accessed here.

If you have additional questions, or need clarification, please feel free to contact the Dean’s Office by phone at (856) 225-6097 or by email at fas.deans.office@camden.rutgers.edu. 

January 2023

• Dean’s Office notifies chairs who must be a candidate in the next academic year, no later than the end of January 2023
• Chairs determine who must be evaluated for the next academic year. 
• Chairs determine any early tenure promotion cases. 
• Chairs determine “rank review” candidates (Associate to Full Professor, Full to Distinguished). 

February 2023

• Dean’s Office hosts 2023-2024 Tenure and Promotion Workshop.

February/March 2023

• Chairs finalize candidates for 2023-2024 review cycle. 
• Chairs discuss appropriate external referees with candidates. 
• Chairs discuss external referees with Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
• Chairs submit External Reviewer Approval Requests to Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs fas.deans.office@camden.rutgers.edu [External Reviewer Approval Request Process].
• Once potential referee list is approved, chairs send preliminary solicitation letter to external referees. Please see sample letter in Appendix G [DOCX]

April 2023

• Chairs send 30-Day Notification Letters to candidates by May 1st. Sample letters can be found here and in Appendix F1 [DOCX] or Appendix F2 [DOCX]
• Candidate, in coordination with department chair, compile review documents to go to external reviewers. 

May/July 2023

• Chairs send formal solicitation letters to external referees using sample solicitation letters. Please note that changes to solicitation letters must be approved by the dean and chancellor. Please see the sample letter in Appendix G1 [DOCX], Appendix G-II [DOCX] and Appendix G2 [DOCX].
• Chairs send selected research materials and personal statement, if candidate desires, to external referees. 
• Dean’s Office will send list of candidates for reappointment, tenure and/or promotion to Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs by June 1. 
• Dean’s Office notifies the chair regarding eligible departmental reviewers for the upcoming year. 
• If applicable, department ad hoc committee members are appointed by the Dean/Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs.
• Dean’s Office notifies the candidate who will be on their departmental review committee. 
• Candidates send DRAFT Form 1a [DOCX]/Form 1b [DOCX] to the Dean’s Office/University Labor Relations for initial review; candidate may be asked to provide revisions to the initial review. Candidates may leave the teaching grid blank at this stage. 

August 2023

• Chairs obtain the inventoried Supplemental Materials from each candidate as indexed in Appendix H [DOCX]. 
• Center for Teaching Advancement and Assessment Research will send teaching grids for units for inclusion in Form 1A [DOCX] /Form 1B [DOCX] Please include fall semester courses, but leave the evaluation section blank. 
• Candidate completes applicable Form 1A [DOCX] or Form 1b [DOCX]. Please note that the suggested and preferred method to generate Reappointment/Promotion Form 1A/Form 1B is by updating the Faculty Survey online. Questions regarding the Faculty Survey should be directed to Mr. Tin Lam (848-932-7350 tlam@irap.rutgers.edu). 

September 2023

• Chairs verify that confidential letters are received from external referees prior to the departmental meeting on each case.  
• Chairs complete Form 3 [DOCX] (Report on External Confidential Letters) and Form 3a [DOCX] (Confidential Letter Cover Sheet) for each reviewer.
• Chairs consult with tenured members of the department to determine whether to have a reading committee 
• For joint appointees, the chair will obtain report from secondary department, unit or program, if applicable. 
• Chairs schedule and run departmental meetings. Only faculty who are physically present at the meetings in which the candidate is considered are to be accorded a vote. 
• Chairs write Departmental Narrative (Form 4 [DOCX]) in consultation with department colleagues. 
• Chairs submit Departmental Narrative to the Dean’s Office by Friday, September 15, 2023. 
• The chairs notify candidate, in writing, of the department’s action within 5 working days of department meeting. 

September 15  - October 2, 2023

• A&P Committee reviews candidate’s official packet and may consult with the dean. Only those committee members who are physically present at the A&P meeting in which the candidate is considered shall participate in the review of the candidate. 
• The A&P Committee’s written report and recommendation are due to the dean by Monday, October 2, 2023

October 2 - October 12, 2023

• Dean’s Narrative (Form 5 [DOCX]) is completed. 
• Dean notifies candidate within 10 days of final decision on reappointment with tenure, and promotions involving tenured ranks, where both the department and decanal levels are negative, excluding cases being considered under rank review provision. 
• The Dean’s Office sends packet to Chancellor’s Office for final review by October 12, 2023

November 1, 2023 

• One copy of the original packet is submitted to the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs by the Chancellor’s Office.

January (after the start of Spring Semester), February, March, April 2024

• Promotion Review Committee (PRC) meets on a weekly basis. 
• Supplemental Materials may be requested by PRC. 

April or June 2024

• President makes recommendations to the Board of Governors. 
• Chancellor in Camden notifies deans of decisions on promotions of tenured ranks. 
• Dean notifies department chair of decisions.
• Candidates are notified of decision by chair.

General Instructions may be found on the University Labor Relations Website. 

1. External Reviewer Approval Form  [External Reviewer Approval Request Process – 2023-2024]
2. Appendix G [DOCX] (Preliminary Solicitation Letter)
3. Appendix G1 [DOCX], Appendix G-II [DOCX], or Appendix G2 [DOCX] (Solicitation Letters) – Note Appendix G-1 and Appendix G-2 include letters for those under the Ten Year rule. All letters also include a COVID-19 update.
4. Form 2 [DOCX] (Criteria Applicable to this Candidate)
   1. Supplemental Form 2 [DOCX]
5. Form 3 [DOCX] (Report on External Confidential Letters)
6. Form 3a [DOCX] (Confidential Letter Cover Sheet)
7. Form 4 [DOCX] (Narrative Summary of Departmental Recommendation)
8. Appendix H [DOCX] (Sample – Inventory Listing of Materials to be Included in Packets for Reappointment or Promotion)

General Instructions may be found on the University Labor Relations Website.

1. Form 1a [DOCX] (General Teaching/Research Faculty) or Form 1b [DOCX] (Faculty in the Creative or Performing Arts)
   1. Supplemental Form 1 [DOCX] (Excluding teaching evaluations from Spring 2020, Fall 2020 and/or Spring 2021 from evaluation)
2. Form 2 [DOCX] (Criteria Applicable to this Candidate)
   1. Supplemental Form 2 [DOCX] (Taking COVID-19 into consideration) 
3. Personal Statement
4. Current C.V.
5. Appendix H [DOCX] (Sample – Inventory Listing of Materials to be Included in Packets for Reappointment or Promotion)
6. Supplemental Materials (including, but not limited to)
   1. Documentation of research accomplishments
   2. Teaching Portfolio (Optional)

For faculty choosing to present a teaching portfolio, the Office of Teaching Evaluation and Assessment Research (OTEAR) has extensive guidance on their website (Office of Teaching Evaluation and Assessment Research).

You may consider keeping two portfolios. A “career portfolio” can be kept for your records. This represents a complete picture of your teaching: your statement of teaching philosophy, peer evaluations, SIRS, student comments, evidence of student success, documentation of teaching awards, teaching-related pedagogy, diversity statement, student assignments, etc.

An abbreviated portfolio should be used for review and/or evaluation purposes.  If submitted, this document will be included in the candidate’s packet for review all levels. It is typically 8-10 pages total. (Supporting documents may be included in Appendices/supporting materials.)

This abbreviated portfolio is a single document that summarizes and integrates the career portfolio.  Typically, it has 3 parts:

1. Teaching responsibilities (the “what”): teaching experiences, modalities, course content, methods
2. Teaching philosophy (the “why”): values, strategies, objectives in teaching; connect these to examples
3. Annotate the evidence: document success in implementing this philosophy, preferably using multiple methods (including from self, others, and student outcomes; consider discussing evidence such as peer evaluations, SIRS, student comments, evidence of student success, etc.)

1. Form 5 [DOCX] (Narrative Summary of Dean’s Recommendation)

1. Form 1-a/Form 1-b (signed, dated, original signatures, one sided, no staples or hole punches)
   1. Supplemental Form 1 (signed, dated)
2. Form 2 (signed, dated).
   1. Supplemental Form 2 (signed, dated)
3. Form 3 (one sided)
4. Form 3-a (one sided)
5. one copy of the sample letter used to solicit external confidential evaluations (Appendix G1–GII),
6. External Review Letter that corresponds to form 3-a (date stamped with date received and numbered as listed on form 3)
7. Repeat 4 and 5 until all of the external review letters and form 3-a have been included
8. Form 4 (signed, dated, original signatures, one sided, no staples or hole punches)
9. Personal Statement (one sided, no staples or hole punches)
10. Evidence of effective teaching
11. CV (one sided, no staples or hole punches)
12. Appendix H – Listing everything that is in the supplemental materials
13. Supplemental Materials (including, but not limited to)
    1. Documentation of research accomplishments
    2. Teaching Portfolio

Please remember that all forms require original, non-electronic signatures. 

External Reviewers:

• External reviewers should ideally be at the rank of Full Professor or above for tenure cases and MUST be Full or higher for promotions to Professor I
• Associate Professor external reviewers are typically not appropriate; with justification up to one considered (tenure cases only)
• External reviewers should be on the faculty at peer institutions or higher
• External reviewers should not be collaborators with candidates (e.g., co-authors)
• Chairs should determine the nature of any professional relationship between candidate and external reviewer (e.g., organized conference together, post-docs in same department or lab)
• The PRC discourages letters form a candidate’s dissertation director and has indicated it will not consider such letters as “independent.”
• Candidates can suggest potential external reviewers (current limit of two)
• Candidates can submit a list of people they do not wish to be contacted for external review
• RU procedures require the chair disclose who identified or suggested each external reviewer—the candidate or the chair or colleagues

External Letters:

• Aim to secure 8-9 external letters (by RU policy, dossiers with fewer than 7 cannot proceed)
• ALL letters (including electronic ones) must be printed on the reviewer’s institutional letterhead
• All letters, including electronic ones, MUST be signed (e-signatures are acceptable)
• Be sure to date- and time-stamp any hard copy letters received
• Be sure that the date-stamp on the hard copy letters matches Form 3

Form 1-a/1-b

• If a section does not apply to you, please add N/A where the answer(s) should go. This will stop us from chasing you down for information that does not exist. If you have put N/A – please double check that is correct and you have not missed something.
• If it is on your CV it should be on your Form 1a – you cannot add it later. When you are sure you have included everything, take a break then go back and check again.
• Works in Progress – make sure to include ALL the projects you are working on. If they are listed on Form 1 you can update them should they suddenly come to fruition; if they are not listed on Form 1a they cannot be added later
• If you have information that does not seem to fit in any of the sections listed under the 3 areas (Scholarship, Teaching, Service), list that under the heading “Other” in the appropriate area (Scholarship, Teaching, Service).
• Remember to include the Fall 2023 classes you will be teaching, and account for every semester in the teaching grid.
• Remember, Scholarship and Service sections should cover your entire record (no date restrictions); most of the Teaching section will cover the entire period too, except for the teaching grid and question 3 (independent study supervision).

Departmental Review:

A minimum of six tenured faculty members at or above the rank for which candidates are to be considered for reappointment or promotion are required to vote on the recommendation with respect to each candidate. All must be physically present to vote (regulation has been suspended temporarily due to COVID-19).

Guidelines related to the inclusion of engaged scholarship in applications for tenure and promotion can be found at: Publicly Engaged Scholarship Guidelines (Fall 2019)

Please note that these are intended as guidelines, not university policy.

All of the forms and University information pertaining to tenure and promotion may be found on the Rutgers University Labor Relations Website (https://laborrelations.rutgers.edu/faculty/tenured-and-tenure-track-faculty) and below:

2023-2024 Academic Reappointment/Promotion Instructions for Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty (Non-Libraries) in the AAUP-AFT Negotiations Unit

2023-2024 T and TT non-libraries Appendices

2023-2024 T and TT non-libraries promotion packet timetable

External Reviewer Approval Form

Form 1a [DOCX] – For General Teaching/Research Faculty

Form 1b [DOCX] – For Faculty in the Creative or Performing Arts

Supplemental Form 1 [DOCX] – Excluding teaching evaluations from Spring 2020, Fall 2020 and/or Spring 2021 from evaluation

Form 2 [DOCX] – Criteria Applicable to this Candidate

Supplemental Form 2 [DOCX] – Taking COVID-19 into consideration

Form 3 [DOCX] – Report on External Confidential Letters

Form 3a [DOCX] – Confidential Letter Cover Sheet

Appendix G [DOCX] – Preliminary Solicitation Letter

Appendix G1 [DOCX], Appendix G-II [DOCX], or Appendix G2 [DOCX] – Solicitation Letters

Form 4 [DOCX] – Narrative Summary of Departmental Recommendation

Form 5 [DOCX]– Narrative Summary of Dean’s Recommendation

Appendix H [DOCX] – Sample Inventory Listing of Materials to be Included in Packets for Reappointment or Promotion

AAUP-AFT Union FAQs may be found at: https://www.rutgersaaup.org/university-policies-reappointment-promotion-and-tenure-for-tenured-and-tenure-track-faculty/

1. When does OTEAR generate my faculty teaching grid?
   1. Promotions to/within the tenure ranks –  Teaching grids will be distributed on or around August 21, 2023
   2. Reappointments (3^rd year tenure track) – Teaching grids will be distributed on or around October 9, 2023
   3. NTT promotions/reappointments (proposed rank of Associate or equivalent) – Teaching grids will be distributed on or around December 11, 2023
2. Who pays for research materials that will be sent to external reviewers?
   1. Typically, the department may utilize their discretionary funds.
3. What is the acceptable format for the external reviewer letters?
   1. Original letters with signatures are preferable. However, the following variations may be acceptable.
      1) Email letter, on letterhead with electronic signature
      2) Email letter, on letterhead NOT signed – include 1st page of email after the letter
      3) Email letter NOT on letterhead, but signed – include 1st page of email after the letter
      4) Email letter, NOT on letterhead and NOT signed – include 1st page of email after the letter

If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact the Dean’s Office (856) 225-6097.

Office of University Labor Relations: https://laborrelations.rutgers.edu/
Faculty Survey: https://oirapapps.rutgers.edu/facsurv/
Committee Assignments: https://fas.camden.rutgers.edu/committee-assignments/
General Instructions: https://laborrelations.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/document/instructions_t_tt_non-libraries.pdf
FASC Faculty Affairs website: https://fas.camden.rutgers.edu/faculty/faculty-resources/faculty-affairs/
AAUP-AFT Union Website: https://www.rutgersaaup.org/
Academic Appointments Manual: https://academiclaborrelations.rutgers.edu/academic-appointments-manual/academic-appointments-manual
2018-2022 Faculty Union Contract: https://laborrelations.rutgers.edu/sites/default/files/document/aaup-aft_agreement_2018-2022_final.pdf

Dr. Suneeta Ramaswami
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
Phone:  (856) 225-6439
Email:rsuneeta@camden.rutgers.edu

Maria Buckley
Assistant Dean III
Phone: (856) 225-2951
Email: mariabu@camden.rutgers.edu

Tin Lam
Faculty Survey Administrator
Phone: 848-932-7350
Email: tlam@irap.rutgers.edu 

60.5.2 ACADEMIC TITLES AND RANK EQUIVALENCIES FOR TENURED, TENURE-TRACK, AND NON-TENURE TRACK FACULTY 

60.5.10 FACULTY TERM APPOINTMENTS 

60.5.13 ACADEMIC TENURE

60.5.14 CRITERIA FOR ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS, REAPPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS

60.5.15 APPLICATION OF CRITERIA FOR ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS, REAPPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS 

60.5.16 PROMOTION TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OR EQUIVALENT RANKS 

60.5.17 PROMOTION TO PROFESSOR, DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR, OR EQUIVALENT RANKS 

60.5.19 RETIREMENT OF CERTAIN ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATORS