Guidelines for Nonreappointment of Assistant Professors

EC RECOMMENDATION

(Approved, 6-26-00)

Guidelines for Nonreappointment of Assistant Professors

Prior to the End of the Normal Probationary Period

(Years 2-5 of the Probationary Period)

Timeline:

  • Visiting Committee evaluation of faculty member submitted to Faculty Review Committee by the first week of June.
  • Faculty Review Committee provides University Librarian with report on untenured faculty with major deficiencies by July 15.
  • University Librarian meets with untenured faculty with major deficiencies by September 30.
  • University Librarian convenes review with Executive Committee of cases for possible nonreappointment by December 1.
  • University Librarian sends list to Provost by February 7 of faculty members who should receive Notices of Nonreappointment and terminal contract effective August 20.
  • University Librarian notifies faculty member in writing no later than March 30 of intent to recommend nonreappointment .
  • Board of Trustees notifies faculty member of Nonreappointment by August 20.

The process of nonreappointment prescribed in the following paragraphs incorporates the Provost’s mandate to provide the faculty member with a careful review of his or her record; to provide the faculty member with notice of the decision, including a general statement of the reason, before the formal Notice of Nonreappointment is issued by the Board of Trustees; and to provide the faculty member with the opportunity to have the decision reconsidered at the same administrative level that originally made it (see Guidelines and Procedures for Notice of Nonreappointment for Nontenured Faculty Members , Office of the Provost Communication No. 10).

Faculty members in the probationary period are evaluated annually in the University Library through a process adopted by the Faculty of the Library and overseen by the Faculty Review Committee. Evaluations are conducted by the faculty member’s Visiting Committee during the month of May and submitted to the Faculty Review Committee by the first week of June.

The Faculty Review Committee shall provide the University Librarian with a list of faculty members in years 2-5 of the probationary period whose records reveal significant deficiencies in one of the three areas of evaluation by July 15.

If, after reviewing the case and consulting with the faculty member, the University Librarian determines that a review to consider nonreappointment should be undertaken, the University Librarian shall convene such a review by the Executive Committee by December 1.

If this review results in a decision not to reappoint the faculty member, the University Librarian shall send a registered letter no later than March 30 informing the faculty member of the decision to issue a Notice of Nonreappointment. This letter must conform to the requirements established by the Provost in Communication No. 10, section IV (Procedures), step 1, which prescribe that the letter include a statement of the reasons for the decision, that it inform the faculty member that he or she may respond to the letter within 10 working days, that Communication No. 10 be appended, that copies be provided to the next administrative level, i.e., the Provost, and to the members of the Executive Committee, and that it be sent by certified mail.

If the faculty member contests the decision in writing within 10 working days, the University Librarian shall initiate a reconsideration of the decision. The faculty member must provide a statement of reasons and/or other information supporting his or her request for reconsideration.

The Library Promotion and Tenure Advisory Committee, minus any members concurrently serving on the Executive Committee, shall serve as a specially constituted body to reconsider the case in light of the information supplied by the faculty member. This committee shall make a recommendation to the University Librarian either to affirm the original decision or to reverse it within 10 days of receipt of the request for reconsideration.

On the basis of this review, the University Librarian shall either affirm the original decision or withdraw it without prejudice. In the event that the decision not to reappoint is affirmed, a second-level procedural review will be conducted at the next administrative level, i.e., by the Provost, to determine whether proper procedures were followed and whether the faculty member received a fair review (see Communication No. 10, section IV, step 3).

If the Provost determines that full and fair consideration of the matter was given, the recommendation is transmitted to the Chancellor so that a Notice of Nonreappointment can be issued. A copy of the letter of transmittal should be sent to the faculty member, the Provost, and the University Librarian.

If procedural errors are found, the Provost will return the documents to the University Librarian with questions or a request for comment. The Executive Committee will review the response of the University Librarian to determine if any flaw in the process resulted in an unfair assessment of the case.

If the decision to issue a Notice of Nonreappointment is affirmed, the Chancellor will recommend that the Board of Trustees confirm the nonreappointment and offer a terminal contract.

After action is taken by the Board of Trustees, the Library must submit the electronic change of status to initiate the Notice of Nonreappointment and the “T” (terminal) contract. The formal notification of nonreappointment is sent to the faculty member by the Board of Trustees no later than August 20.