UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH POLICY 02-02-04

CATEGORY:               ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
SECTION:                   Faculty Appointment and Tenure
SUBJECT:                  Criteria for and Terms of Appointment and Promotion: Full-Time

                                        Tenured or Tenure-Stream Faculty
EFFECTIVE DATE:    June 29, 2000 Revised (Issued 3/27/08)
PAGE(S):                    5

I.    SCOPE

      This policy affirms the criteria for, and terms of appointment and promotion of full-time

      tenured or tenure-stream faculty.  The following is excerpted from the University of

      Pittsburgh BYLAWS.  (See Appendix A.)

      Most schools or regional campuses and some departments have developed supplemental

      criteria for appointment, promotion, and tenure appropriate to their discipline or profession,

      not included in this policy.

      -     Copies of these are available in the departmental or deans' offices.

II.   POLICY

       CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT AND PROMOTION

      The ranks of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, and instructor comprise

      the tenure stream.  The University has established the following minimum criteria for each

      of the tenure stream ranks:

      -     In rare instances, the requirement of a doctorate may be satisfied through

            accomplishments that can be considered a reasonable substitute for formal study.

      -     Faculty must demonstrate a capacity for cooperation with associates in meeting

            program needs and fulfilling their share of department responsibilities.

      Instructor

      -     The instructor should have a doctor's degree or the highest appropriate professional

            degree, or provide evidence that he or she is successfully pursuing such a degree and

            expects to receive it within reasonable time.

      -     In some technical fields, professional experience may bear considerable weight; in other

            areas, teaching experience is essential.

      -     Reappointment depends upon satisfactory scholarly progress and a demonstrated

            interest in and ability to pursue an academic career.

      Assistant Professor

      -     An assistant professor should evidence demonstrated teaching ability, substantial

            experience in advanced study and research, or professional experience of a kind which

            would enable him or her to make a comparable academic contribution.

      -     The assistant professor should possess a doctorate or appropriate professional degree.

      -     He or she should exhibit promise of originality and excellence in some field connected

            with teaching, writing, research, or the creative arts, and should have demonstrated

            ability in guiding and counseling students.

      -     To be appointed or promoted to an assistant professorship, a person should have the

            potential for promotion to associate professor.

      Associate Professor

      -     An associate professor should possess a doctorate or appropriate professional degree,

            and have substantial experience in teaching and research or applicable professional

            experience.

      -     The person should show a capacity and will to maintain teaching effectiveness and the

            ability for continuing growth as a teacher, scholar, and member of his or her profession.

      -     He or she should also have progressed in attaining eminence in a scholarly or

            professional field.

      -     An associate professor must display consistently mature performance in course and

            curriculum planning, in guiding and counseling students and younger staff members,

            and in participating in the activities of the University.

      Professor

      -     The rank of professor recognizes the attainment of authoritative knowledge and

            reputation in a recognized field of learning and the achievement of effective teaching

            skill.

      -     The professor should have attained superior stature in his or her field through research,

            writing, professional practice, or leadership in professional and learned organizations,

            as well as having exceeded the standards described for ranks shown above.

      TERMS OF APPOINTMENT AND PROMOTION

      With the exception of physician faculty members in the School of Medicine with clinical

      responsibilities, the total number of years which a faculty member may serve without tenure

      in the tenure stream shall not exceed seven.

      -     If a person has served for seven years in the tenure stream, either he or she must be

            promoted to associate professor or professor with tenure or his or her service in the

            tenure stream must be terminated.

      -     Notification of termination must be made prior to the end of the sixth year in the tenure

            stream.

      -     The maximum allowable duration of service in the tenure stream without tenure shall be

            independent of previous service at another college or university.

      For physician faculty members in the School of Medicine with clinical responsibilities, the

      total number of years of service without tenure in the tenure stream shall not exceed ten.

      -     If a person has served for ten years in the tenure stream, either he or she must be

            promoted to associate professor or professor with tenure or his or her service in the

            tenure stream must be terminated.

      -     Notification of termination must be made prior to the end of the ninth year in the tenure

            stream.

      -     The maximum allowable duration of service in the tenure stream without tenure shall be

            independent of previous service at another college or university.

     The terms of appointment of faculty members in the tenure stream below the rank of

     associate professor and professor may be for one, two, or three years.

      -     When a decision is made not to renew an appointment, the faculty member on a first

            one-year appointment shall be notified in writing no later than March 15;

      -     On a second or subsequent consecutive one-year appointment by December 15;

      -     By December 15 of the second year of a two-year appointment; and

      -     Twelve months prior to the end of a three-year appointment.

      A year of appointment in the tenure stream is recognized if the appointment became

      effective on or before December 31.

      -     In cases where the appointment became effective January 1 or later, the remainder of

            the academic year is disregarded for this purpose, and the next year is counted as the

            first year of appointment in the tenure stream.

      Leaves of absence do not interrupt tenure stream status, but may prolong the maximum

      allowable period in the tenure stream.

      -     When a tenure-stream faculty member is granted a leave of absence, the official letter

            of notification from the Provost may state that the term or probationary appointment has

            been extended and that the period of leave will not be counted as part of the term or

            probationary period of service.

      -     The minimum extension and period of non-counted service will be one academic term

            or semester, even though the leave was for a shorter period.

      -     Such an extension shall be made solely for the purpose of enabling the individual

            concerned to have an opportunity for evaluation substantially equivalent to that of

            persons not taking leave.

      -     A leave of absence for the purpose of professional enhancement is normally limited to

            one year.

      -     The leave may be renewed with the appropriate approval.

      Except for physician faculty members in the School of Medicine with clinical responsibilities,

      a faculty member may receive a temporary appointment outside the tenure stream if the

      Provost determines that exceptional circumstances prevail that both prevent normal

      progress in the tenure stream and are beyond the control of the individual.

      -     A temporary appointment outside the tenure stream extends (by the duration of the

            temporary appointment) the allowable period before a tenure decision must be made.

      -     The extension of the probationary period under this provision shall be limited to two

            academic years.

      -     For faculty in the Health Sciences schools (other than the School of Medicine) who

            have clinical responsibilities, the probationary period may be extended by up to thirty-

            six months.

      Tenure may be held only by professors and associate professors.

      -     Tenure shall be held by a faculty member only in the School or Regional Campus where

            the tenure is granted.

      -     Once it has been awarded, tenure is obligatory for the University, optional with the

            faculty member.

      -     Tenure does not apply to administrative positions which may be for indefinite terms, and

            are terminable at any time.

      Promotion to the rank of associate professor may be made without the award of tenure.

      -     Usually the individual will have completed at least three years in the tenure stream.

      -     With the exception of physician faculty members in the School of Medicine with clinical

            responsibilities, the appointment shall be for a minimum of two years and not longer than

            four years.

      -     For physician faculty members in the School of Medicine with clinical responsibilities,

            the appointment shall be for a minimum of two years and not longer than seven years.

      -     If there is no intention of awarding tenure, the individual must be given at least twelve

            months’ notice of termination prior to the end of the appointment.

      Initial appointments at the rank of associate professor or professor shall be for a probationary

      period of three or four years.

      -     The award of tenure may take place at any time during the probationary period.

      -     If tenure is not to be awarded, the probationary appointee at the associate professor

            or professor level must be given at least twelve months' notice prior to the end of

            probationary appointment.

      -     Under exceptional circumstances, the initial appointment of an associate professor or

            professor may be made with tenure.

III.  REFERENCE

      University of Pittsburgh of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education - BYLAWS,

      Article II, Section III, "Full-time Tenured or Tenure-Stream Faculty."  Adopted by the Board

      of Trustees, January 14, 1969, and as amended thereafter.