(Approved by the Faculty 5/25/93, Amended by the Faculty 3/1/95, Approved by the Board of Trustees, 4/25/95; Amended by the Faculty, 4/14/99, Amendment Approved by the Board of Trustees, 5/26/99; Amendment by the Faculty, 9/21/99, Approved by Board of Trustees, xxx) (Section number edited and Sub-section numbers added, 3/17/00 [RBCole])
20.5.5.1 Preamble for the Promotions and Tenure Policy
The faculty of Stevens Institute of Technology reaffirms its commitment to the highest standards of scholarship which will ensure that Stevens' unique approach to education and research advances us to the highest ranks of schools of engineering, science, and technology managementin the nation.
The faculty, in concert with Department Directors and the Deans' Council, is responsible for maintaining that vigorous intellectual environment which improves Stevens' broad undergraduate and graduate curricula and its multi-disciplinary research programs. Their shared commitment to the highest professional standards will enable Stevens to obtain its goals and objectives.
The faculty Promotions and Tenure Policy reflects the firm determination of the entire Stevens academic community to establish the standards necessary to realize the outstanding potential of Stevens to become a nationally recognized institute of higher learning.
Committee: For the purposes of this section, 3.6, Committee means the Faculty Committee on Promotions and Tenure.
Chair of the Deans Council: For the purposes of this section, 3.6, the Chair of the Deans Council has the functions of the Chief Academic Officer of the Institute.
Dean of the School: For the purposes of this section, 3.6, Dean of the School means the Chief Academic Officer of the School of Engineering, Applied Sciences and Liberal Arts, or Technology Management as applicable.
Applicability: These rules and the provisions of Section 3.6 shall apply to all faculty hired after August 1, 1993.
20.5.5.2 Criteria for Promotion and Tenure Awards
Candidates for promotion and tenure are evaluated according to (1) their scholarly activities, (2) their educational skills, (3) their contribution to the academic and professional community. If it is felt that a candidate's present level of worthy activity is likely to seriously diminish with time, this shall constitute an impediment to the award of tenure. There are some differences among the different disciplines with regard to how a Faculty member should be evaluated, especially with regard to research. Nevertheless, the above issues are important elements of the evaluation process.
Progress in the above issues and priorities shall be discussed by the Department Director or the Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments during the annual review with each individual and at other mutually agreed upon times. General guidelines to be considered are:
A. Scholarly Activities
A regular Faculty member is expected to be engaged in scholarly activities in a field of study whether it be in science, engineering, humanities, management, or physical education. This activity can be measured in a variety of ways depending on the particular academic discipline. These include publication, especially in refereed journals; research, especially sponsored research when appropriate; presentations at professional meetings; supervision of Ph.D. and Master's theses, where appropriate; patents; professional consulting activities; and evidence of sustained efforts to remain informed of new advances in his/her field.
B. Educational Skills
A primary function of a regular Faculty member is to educate, motivate, advise, and inspire students. This is reflected or evidenced in course design, classroom skills, student-teacher interaction, educational development and outreach activity (especially sponsored programs, where appropriate), and the constant search for new and better ways of enhancing the educational experience.
C. Academic and Professional Contributions
Regular Faculty members are expected to be actively involved in the affairs of the Institute. This involvement includes continuing participation in Department, School and Institute committees, student advising, and participation at School and general Faculty meetings. It may also include participation in professional societies and representing the Institute to outside groups, such as the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Sciences, or ABET accreditation boards. Consulting to government or industry may be considered depending upon its significance to the Institute.
20.5.5.3 Non-Tenure Appointment
A non-tenure appointment is for a specified term of years. A Faculty member serving in such an appointment shall not be terminated prior to the expiration date of the appointment, except in the case of financial exigency of Stevens or for cause.
The term of a non-tenure appointment shall be not more than five (5) years. The letter of appointment shall specify both starting and termination dates. Unless context indicates otherwise, "year" means academic year.
20.5.5.4 Periods of Appointment and Promotion, With and Without Tenure
20.5.5.4.1 Instructors
Appointments to the position of Instructor are made for a period of (1) year. Such appointments are subject to renewal on a year-
by-year basis. Promotions shall be made to the rank of Assistant Professor upon the recommendation of the Department Director and approval of the Dean of the School. If an instructor is not promoted by the end of the fourth year, the appointment is automatically terminated at the end of the fourth year.
20.5.5.4.2 Assistant Professors
Appointments to the rank of Assistant Professor are made for a period of not more than three (3) years. Such appointments are subject to renewal for additional terms of not more than three (3) years each. Appointments for less than three years may be made; however, the total length of service as Assistant Professor shall be no more than seven (7) years. Promotions may be made at the end of any year prior to the end of the seventh year of appointment. If an Assistant Professor is not promoted by the end of the seventh year, the appointment is automatically terminated at the end of the seventh year.
20.5.5.4.3 Associate Professors
Promotion of Assistant Professors at Stevens to the rank of Associate Professor may be with or without tenure. If without tenure, such appointments are for not more than three (3) years. If promotion to Associate Professor is with tenure, the Faculty member shall have been found qualified for promotion and tenure by the Committee.
Appointments to the rank of Associate Professor of persons not holding an academic position at Stevens at the time of appointment may be with or without tenure. If without tenure, such appointments are for a period of not more than three (3) years. If such appointments are made with tenure, the nomination and evaluation procedures apply, and the prospective Faculty member shall have been found qualified by the Committee for the award of tenure prior to the effective date of the appointment.
Appointments of Associate Professors are subject to renewal for additional terms, each term of not more than three (3) years. However the total length of service as Associate Professor shall not exceed seven (7) years unless the Faculty member has been found qualified for the award of tenure by the Committee and tenure awarded.
20.5.5.4.4 Professors
Promotions to the rank of Professor are with tenure. The Faculty member shall have been found qualified for promotion and tenure (if not previously tenured) by the Committee.
Appointments to the rank of Professor of persons not holding an academic position at Stevens at the time of appointment are for a period of not more than five (5) years and may be with or without tenure. If such appointments are made with tenure, except for appointment as President of Stevens Institute of Technology with Faculty rank of tenured professor, the prospective professor shall have been found qualified by the Committee for the award of tenure prior to the effective date of the appointment.
Appointments as non-tenured Professor are subject to renewal for additional terms, each term not to exceed five (5) years. However, the total length of service as Professor shall not exceed seven (7) years unless the Faculty member has been found qualified for the award of tenure by the Committee and tenure awarded.
20.5.5.4.5 Awarding of Tenure
Tenure may be awarded at the discretion of the Institute to regular Faculty members at the ranks of Associate Professor or Professor who have been recommended and found qualified for tenure by the Committee on Faculty Promotions and Tenure in accordance with the provisions of this policy.
20.5.5.4.6 Notification of Termination
In all cases where the appointment of a non-tenured Faculty member to Stevens is not to be renewed, the Faculty member shall be notified in writing:
(a) by February 15th of the academic year in which current appointment ends, for appointments ending August 31st.
(b) by May 15th preceding the academic year in which current appointment ends, for appointments ending January 15th.
If a Faculty member is not notified by the appropriate date specified above, the Faculty member shall automatically receive a relocation appointment for the succeeding one-half (1/2) year. This appointment could be renewed for up to one-half (1/2) year by mutual consent.
20.5.5.4.7 Relocation Appointments
If a Faculty member has been notified that appointment will not be renewed, the Faculty member may request a relocation reappointment. Such appointment, if granted, shall not exceed one (1) year. No additional termination notification is required. Requests for relocation appointments are submitted by the individual's Department Director or the Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments to the Chair of the Deans Council.
20.5.5.4.8 Sabbatical and Other Leaves of Absence
In calculating the number of years of service of a Faculty member at Stevens for the purpose of the above promotion and tenure rules, time spent on sabbaticals and on Institute off-campus assignments is included, but leaves of absence shall not be included.
20.5.5.5 Procedures for Promotions and Awards of Tenure
20.5.5.5.1 Promotions
Promotions are given at the discretion of the Institute in recognition of an individual's fitness, and merit, and demonstrated commitment and contribution to the Institute's objectives. Promotion of a Faculty member to Associate Professor or Professor shall be granted only through the procedures set forth in this policy.
20.5.5.5.2 Tenure
Tenure is granted to an individual at the discretion of the Institute, and is a term used to denote that the holder is assured, except in case of the individual's retirement, financial exigency of Stevens, or discontinuance of an academic program or department, that the individual's services shall be terminated only for cause.
The Institute recognizes its commitment to tenured Faculty, and faced with the case of terminating tenured Faculty for reasons of financial exigency or discontinuance of an academic program or department, the Institute shall make a reasonable effort to integrate Faculty affected into other pedagogical, research, or administrative activities of the Institute. Tenure shall be granted only through the procedures set forth in this policy.
The status of tenure can be achieved only by an affirmative grant of tenure from the Board of Trustees. Neither de facto tenure nor tenure by default is recognized at this Institution.
No one may hold the Faculty ranks of assistant professor, associate professor, or full professor for a combined total of more than seven (7) years without having been found qualified for tenure by the Faculty Committee on Promotions and Tenure and tenure awarded.
20.5.5.5.3 Findings for Promotions and Tenure
Findings related to the qualifications of an individual for promotion and/or tenure by the Faculty Committee on Promotions and Tenure shall be by majority vote.
20.5.5.5.4 Instructors
See Section 20.5.5.4.1
20.5.5.5.5 Professorial Ranks
(1) The Faculty Committee on Promotions and Tenure shall evaluate the qualifications of Faculty members for promotions beyond the rank of Assistant Professor and for the award of tenure.
(2) The Committee shall be convened by the Chair of the Deans Council by October 1st, at which time the Committee shall receive from the Chair of the Deans Council names of all Faculty members nominated for promotion and/or tenure. Nominations ordinarily originate with Department Directors or the Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments, and shall indicate support of the tenured members of the nominee's department. Each Department Director or Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments shall notify nominees for promotion and/or tenure by September 22.
Special meetings of the Committee may be convened by the Chair of the Deans Council on two weeks notice to consider special cases such as a new hiring.
Although nominations ordinarily originate with Department Directors or the Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments, a majority of all the eligible tenured Faculty members of the nominee's Department or School if the School does not have Departments may make such nomination. (Department refers to one of the academic departments.) For the purpose of determining a majority, the Department Director or Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments, the individual, and Faculty members with joint appointment whose primary Department is different from the individual's are not eligible to be nominators. The individual's nomination must be signed by all nominators. Faculty on sabbatical or leaves of absence are eligible to be nominators.
(3) The Committee shall seek relevant information regarding the nominee from appropriate sources, including but not limited to Department Directors, the nominators if different from the Department Director, and the Dean of the School. (Additional sources may include professional colleagues, both inside and outside of Stevens, former students, and other members of the Stevens community.) In seeking the information referred to in this paragraph, the Committee shall act as a body and shall not engage as individuals in dialogue with anyone outside the Committee. However, the Committee, as a body, may authorize a sub-committee made up of one or more of its members to gather information pertaining to promotion and/or tenure.
(4) After considering the qualifications of the nominees, the Committee shall assess each nominee quantitatively and qualitatively according to the criteria described in Section 3.6.1. All actions of the Committee shall be by majority vote (majority being defined as at least three concurring members). Based on these assessments the Committee shall submit to the Chair of the Deans Council in writing by December 1 an alphabetical list of persons found qualified including persons found qualified in previous years (see sub-paragraph 13 below). Specifically, the Committee shall state whether the Faculty member has been found qualified. No ranking should be stated or implied.
(5) In the case of a name submitted to the Committee but not submitted by the Committee to the Dean Chair of the Deans Council as qualified for promotion and/or tenure, the Committee shall notify in writing by December 1 the individual and the Department Director or the Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments and the Chair of the Deans Council the reasons why the individual was not found qualified. In the case of an individual whom it has found qualified, the Committee shall so notify, in writing, the individual, the Department head Director or the Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments , and the nominators, if different from the Department Director, by December 1.
(6) The Deans Council shall determine which Faculty members, whose names appear on the "qualified" list submitted by the Committee, the Deans Council is prepared to support for promotion and/or tenure.
(7) By December 15 the Chair of the Deans Council shall provide the Chairperson of the Committee with the final list of those Faculty members whom the Deans Council will recommend to the President for promotion and/or tenure.
(8) In the case of a name submitted by the Committee to the Deans Council as qualified for promotion and/or tenure but one the the Deans Council will not recommend for award to the President, the Chair of the Deans Council shall by December 15 so notify the Committee, the individual, and the Department Director or the Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments in writing giving the reasons an individual's name has not been included on the recommended lists.
(9) In the case of a name submitted by the Committee as referred to in [3.6.4.2(8)], the Chair of the Deans Council shall, in addition to notifying the individual and the Department Director or the Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments transmit the name of each such Faculty member to the member of the Committee who has been chosen to serve on the Review Panel. (The Review Panel is defined elsewhere in this Handbook.) The Committee member on the Review Panel shall convene the Review Panel to consider the qualifications of each Faculty member whose name is submitted to it. As part of consideration of such Faculty member, the Review Panel shall confer with the Department Directors and with the Deans of all Schools to which such Faculty member belongs or only with the Dean of the School if the School does not have departments. If by a majority vote the Review Panel decides that a decision of the Deans Council not to support an award of promotion and/or tenure was inappropriate, the decision of the Review Panel shall be submitted to the President by January 22 with a detailed statement of the reasons for that decision. If there is a dissent, the reasons for such dissent shall be stated. The Review Panel shall notify each individual in writing of its decision.
(10) In the case of a name submitted by the Chair of the Deans Council or by the Review Panel to the President as recommended for promotion and/or tenure but the President has not recommended that the award be made, the President shall notify the Committee, the individual, and the individual's nominator(s) by March 15 in writing of the reasons the
individual has not been recommended to the Board of Trustees. These reasons must pertain to the needs of the Institute.
(11) After action by the Board of Trustees, the President or his/her designee shall provide the Chairperson of the Committee with a final list of approved awards and shall notify each Faculty member, in writing, of the Board's action.
(12) The names of Faculty members found by the Committee qualified for promotion and/or tenure, not recommended by the Deans Council and the Deans' Council's decision upheld by the Review Panel, shall be removed from the Committee's "qualified" list.
(13) The names of Faculty members found by the Committee and Deans Council to be qualified for promotion and/or tenure and recommended to the President, but who did not receive the award, shall remain on the Committee's "qualified" list and the Dean's "qualified" list while he/she is employed at Stevens. The office of the Chair of the Deans' Council shall cooperate in providing to the following year's Committee the names of such individuals.
(14) The Committee shall maintain its files for seven years in the hands of its current Chairperson. These files shall consist only of documents pertaining to the acts of the Committee: official letters of transmission to and from the Chair of the Deans' Council , lists of nominations and nominees previously found qualified, and official letters to individuals conveying the findings of the Committee. The Committee expressly shall not retain the individual dossiers or any personal data of nominees beyond the academic year in question nor shall it keep a record of its deliberations beyond that outlined in this paragraph.
(15) The deliberations of the Committee and the lists shall be maintained confidential, except as indicated in (13 and 14) above.
(16) Any procedural grievance may be brought to the Faculty Council within six months of the alleged infraction.
20.5.5.5.6 Key Dates/Deadlines
September 15: Nomination received by the Chair of the Deans Council.
September 22: Nominees to be informed of nomination by the Chair of the Deans Council and Department Directors or the Dean of the School if the School does not have Departments
October 1: Chair of the Deans Council to transmit the Deans Council's nominations to Committee.
December 1: Committee to inform parties on its findings.
December 15: Chair of the Deans Council to inform parties of the Deans Council's recommendations.
January 15: Review Panel reports to parties (if appropriate).
February 22: Notification of termination for appointments ending the following August 31. Notification for a one semester appointment.
March 15: President to inform parties of his/her recommendations.
May 15: Notification of termination for appointments ending the following January 15th. |
