COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES

Common Elements Statement for
Promotion and Tenure/Continuing Status Review Process
3-, 6-Year Formal Review Model and
Annual Review Component for Probationary Faculty
(Effective July 1, 2003)

Beginning in Fall 2003, new tenure- and continuing-eligible faculty will undergo a probationary review in the third year and a mandatory tenure or continuing status review in the sixth year. According to UHAP 3.10.02, "Annual performance reviews shall be taken into account as part of the promotion and tenure process, but such evaluations are not determinative on promotion and tenure issues. Satisfactory ratings in the annual performance reviews do not necessarily indicate successful progress toward promotion and tenure." UHAP 4.08.02 contains similar language relevant to continuing eligible faculty.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) departments and schools and Cooperative Extension will develop written plans that incorporate the following common elements and describe the process to be followed by faculty in their units.

Third-Year Review for CALS Probationary Faculty

The formal third-year review for CALS faculty will follow the guidelines and instructions issued by the Office of the Provost. These reviews will include all materials required for the promotion and tenure/continuing status dossier with the exception of outside letters. All third-year reviews will be submitted no later than December 1 for review by the Dean, with additional review by the college P&T or P&C committee if necessary. If it appears there will be a recommendation for non retention following the third-year review, the dossier must be submitted to the Dean's office by November 1 in order to meet the deadlines for full review at all levels as required by university policy.

If the results of the third-year review are satisfactory but warrant an interim review prior to the sixth year, the unit head or Dean or college committee may request an additional formalized fourth- or fifth-year review.

Annual Reviews for CALS Probationary Faculty

Prior to the mandatory tenure or continuing status review, faculty must also have a special component added to their annual review to specifically assess and provide feedback on their progress toward tenure or continuing status. All CALS faculty members are evaluated in the context of their position description, both for annual review and for promotion and tenure/continuing status. As part of the special annual review component for probationary faculty, performance in teaching, research and service (the areas of contribution necessary for tenure/continuing status) will be measured against written departmental and college guidelines and criteria for promotion and tenure/continuing status. Overall progress will be assessed in the context of the candidate's performance to date as an indication is that the candidate is making progress toward meeting these criteria by the sixth year of appointment.

Each year, in addition to the usual materials submitted for annual review in CALS (APROL, position description, goals and objectives), probationary faculty will submit an up-to-date curriculum vitae following the format required for the P&T/C dossier.

Probationary faculty will be reviewed annually by a unit peer committee and by the unit head. This peer review committee will be formed in accordance with university and unit guidelines and will include rank superior faculty only. The committee will provide written comments regarding the faculty member's progress in teaching, research and service to the unit head. The unit head will also assess the faculty member's progress and provide a written summary of the evaluation results to the probationary faculty member.

If progress toward tenure/continuing status as measured during the annual review is satisfactory, the unit head will forward a copy of his/her assessment letter or memorandum to the Dean, but the complete set of review materials will be retained in the unit. If performance in any of the three required areas (teaching, research or service) is not satisfactory, the full review packet must be forwarded to the Dean, along with a written plan containing specific steps for improvement developed by the faculty member in consultation with the unit head. This plan will become part of the materials used to measure this aspect of performance in the next annual review.

Additional information on the streamlined review process for probationary faculty at the University of Arizona is available on the Associate Provost for Faculty Affair's website (under "Tenure/Promotion" or "Continuing Status"):

• Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs

• "CALS Collective Wisdom" - informal guidance about the evaluation process and dossier preparation
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Guidelines and Critieria for Promotion and Tenure/Continuing Status