UWC DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
GENERAL PROCEDURES FOR APPOINTMENTS, RETENTION,
TENURE PROGRESS, TENURE, AND PROMOTIO
Reference: UWC Senate Policy #501
1. Introduction – And General Criteria Procedures
A. Effective Date. This document is effective at the beginning of the fall
1993 semester and applies to continuing tenured faculty and new faculty
appointed for the fall 1993 semester. Probationary faculty hired before the
effective date shall have the option of being considered for tenure under
either the criteria prevailing before the effective date of this document or
the criteria specified in this document.
B. Deliberations and Votes. Votes for retention, tenure, and promotion
shall include a recorded vote. Evaluation will be made by the Executive
Committee. No deliberations shall take place without all members of the
Executive Committee present. An affirmative vote is required with a
majority of the yes votes from those present who have a right to vote. No
person who has participated in deliberations at the campus level shall
participate at the department level. If any person can not participate at the
department level, the Chair shall appoint a temporary replacement.
C. Class Visitations. The department chair shall coordinate class visitations
with the evaluated faculty member. Written visitation reports shall be sent
to the department chair with copies to the faculty member visited, the
campus dean, and the appropriate campus committee(s).
D. Requesting Reasons for Non-Renewal. Faculty receiving a notice of
non-renewal of a probationary appointment have the right to request and
receive written specific reasons for the decision provided that they are
requested within 14 days of receiving the written non-renewal decision.
Such reasons shall be provided within 14 days of the request and become
part of the personnel file of the individual.
E. Requesting Reasons for Nonsupport of a Promotion. When the
department fails to support a candidate for promotion, the candidate has
the right to request and receive written specific reasons for the decision if
the request is made within 14 days of receiving the written notification of
the decision. Such reasons shall be provided within 14 days of the request
and become part of the personnel file of the individual.
F. Copies of Personnel Action Correspondence. Copies of all personnel
action correspondence shall be sent to the involved faculty member, the
Vice Chancellor, the appropriate campus dean(s), and appropriate campus
committee(s).
2. General Procedures for Appointment of Probationary Tenure-Track Faculty
A. Appointment Letter. At the time of the original appointment, the chair,
in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall advise the Chancellor
on the particular conditions of the faculty member’s probationary
appointment to be included in the initial appointment letter. The
department chair shall also provide the faculty member with a copy of
Senate Policy #501.
B. Split Appointments. The UWC Department of History shall not
participate in split appointments unless it is designated as the “home”
department.
C. Prior Service. If the department Executive Committee agrees, prior
service may be recommended to the Chancellor as a condition of
appointment.
D. Part-time Appointments. These procedures shall apply to part-time
appointments.
3. Procedures for Retention of Probationary Tenure-Track Faculty
I. First-Year Probationary Faculty
A. Retention Decisions. Retention decisions regarding probationary faculty
shall be made by the Executive Committee.
B. Class Visitation. Prior to November 30, class visitations will be
conducted by the chair and one other tenured member of the department.
C. Recommendation: Prior to February 15, the chair shall forward the
Executive Committee recommendation to the appropriate campus
committee. If the recommendation is affirmative, reasons for continuing
the appointment shall be provided. If the recommendation is negative, the
chair will notify the appropriate campus committee and shall not provide
reasons. The Vice-Chancellor shall be notified of the action.
II. Second-Year Probationary Faculty
A. Class Visitations. Prior to November 15, class visitations will be
conducted by two tenured members of the department, one of which may
be the chair, if the chair so wishes.1
1Approved by the Executive Committee of the History Department: April 16, 2005
B. Recommendation. Prior to December 1, the chair shall forward the
Executive Committee recommendation to the appropriate campus
committee. If the recommendation is affirmative, reasons for continuing
the appointment shall be provided. If the recommendation is negative, the
chair will notify the appropriate campus committee and shall not provide
reasons. The Vice Chancellor shall be notified of the action.
III. Tenure Progress Review and Retention of Third-Year Probationary Faculty.
A. Tenure Progress Review. A special tenure progress review shall be
conducted in the third year of the candidate’s probationary appointment.
Criteria and Procedures shall conform as closely as possible to those
followed for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor.
B. Review Purpose. The tenure progress review will inform the candidate of
progress toward tenure. The absence of concerns, or the indication of
satisfactory progress toward tenure, will not commit the department
Executive Committee to a positive tenure recommendation.
C. Visitations. Prior to November 30, class visitations will be conducted by
the chair and one other tenured member of the department.
D. Recommendation. Prior to April 15, the chair shall forward the
Executive Committee recommendation to the appropriate campus
committee. If the recommendation is affirmative, reasons for continuing
the appointment shall be provided. If the recommendation is negative, the
chair shall notify the appropriate campus committee and no reasons shall
be provided. The Vice Chancellor shall be notified of the action.
IV. Fourth-Year and Fifth-Year Probationary Faculty
A. Visitations. Unless required by the Executive Committee, class
visitations will not be conducted in the fourth and fifth year of a
probationary appointment. If mandated, they will be conducted by two
tenured members of the department prior to April 1.
B. Recommendations. In both years, prior to April 15, the chair shall
forward the Executive Committee recommendation to the appropriate
campus committee. If the recommendation is affirmative, reasons for
continuing the appointment shall be provided. If the recommendation is
negative, the chair will notify the appropriate campus committee and no
reasons shall be provided. The Vice Chancellor shall be notified of the
action.
4. Procedures for Tenure and Promotion to Associate Professor.
A. Student Evaluations. Prior to July 1, of the fifth probationary year, the
department chair shall send a letter to randomly select former students
requesting an evaluation. Distinction shall be maintained between
department and candidate-generated letters from former students.
B. Candidate Notification. Prior to October 1, the chair shall notify
candidates of the upcoming tenure consideration and that November 30, is
the deadline for completion of their personnel file.
C. Class Visitations. Prior to November 30, class visitations will be
conducted by two tenured members, one of which may be the chair, if the
chair so wishes.2
2Approved by the Executive Committee of the History Department: April 16, 2005.
D. Final Deadline. All materials to be used in the evaluation must be
received by the department chair prior to January 4. Late materials will
not be considered unless their inclusion is approved by the Vice
Chancellor.
E. Recommendation. Prior to January 25, the chair shall forward the
Executive Committee affirmative recommendation, including complete
documentation, to the campus Tenure Committee. A negative
recommendation shall be sent to the campus tenure committee without
documentation. The chair shall also notify the Vice Chancellor if the
recommendation is negative.
F. Early Tenure and Promotion. If a faculty member wishes an early
tenure decision prior to the required probationary date of review, that
person shall petition the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee
shall determine if it will consider the petition. If the Executive Committee
decides to conduct an early review, the procedures indicated in parts A-E
of this section will be followed.
5. Procedures for Promotions
A. Prior to October 1, nominations of the faculty for promotion shall be
submitted to the chair.
B. Prior to October 15, the chair will confer with the chair of the appropriate
campus committee to make certain that there is agreement that the
promotion nomination should be processed.
C. Prior to January 4, all materials in support of a promotion must be
received by the chair. Late materials will not be considered unless their
inclusion is approved by the vice chancellor.
D. Prior to January 25, the chair shall forward the Executive Committee
recommendation, including complete documentation, to the appropriate
campus committee. A negative recommendation shall not be sent to the
appropriate campus committee, but the chair shall inform that committee
and the candidate that no recommendation will be forthcoming, and no
new action shall be initiated during that academic year.
Approved by Department: August 26, 1993
Webpage Updated: April 16, 2005