4.14 Tenure

Policies related to tenure apply only to those faculty who were tenured or on tenure- track appointments prior to October 15, 2004.

Tenure is a mutual commitment between the university and the individual faculty member, not simply a privilege granted by the university. The award of tenure grants to a faculty member the right to expect an offer of full-time employment each year. A tenured faculty member may not be suspended or discharged from employment or reduced in rank except upon grounds specified in this manual. When vacancies in the tenure category exist, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will initiate the appropriate tenure review process.

1. Tenure Review Procedures:  The Vice President for Academic Affairs sends written notification to eligible faculty members.
   1.  Candidates desiring consideration for tenure submit letters of support and cumulative portfolios to their department chair or dean if the candidate is a department chair.
   2. Department chairs submit their recommendations and portfolios to the School Review Committee for review. The committee submits its recommendations and portfolios to the appropriate dean.
   3. The deans present their recommendations, the school review committee recommendations, and the portfolios to the University Review Committee.
   4. The University Review Committee submits recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs who forwards recommendations to the President.
   5. The President makes a recommendation on each tenure application to the Board of Trustees.
   6. The President informs faculty members in writing of the Board’s decision. In no event shall the Board be required to tenure an eligible candidate.
2. Tenure Eligibility: No more than 75% faculty who make up the tenured and tenure- track categories may hold tenure at any given time. When a tenure-track faculty member has at least five continuous years of successful teaching experience at Piedmont University, he/she will undergo school- and university-level reviews as set forth in subsequent sections of this document. In instances in which a Department Chair is applying for tenure, the Dean of the School shall function in the capacity of the Department Chair in carrying out the Chair’s functions as outlined below. Upon securing school and university approval, these faculty members form a pool awaiting a tenure position. When a tenure position becomes available, the Vice President for Academic Affairs recommends someone from this pool to the President for the tenure position. When vacancies occur, those individuals recommended by the Vice President for Academic Affairs will undergo school and university level reviews as set forth in subsequent sections of this document. In instances in which a Department Chair is applying for tenure, the Dean of the School shall function in the capacity of the Department Chair in carrying out the Chair’s functions as outlined below.
3. Probationary Credit: A maximum of three years of credit toward the minimum probationary period may be allowed for service in tenure track positions at other institutions. Such credit for prior service is defined in writing at the time of appointment. Probationary credit toward tenure is not given for persons serving in non-tenure track positions.
4. Levels of Review:

1. School Review: The dean appoints a school review committee with a minimum of three faculty members who, when possible, should be tenured. As part of the review process, the committee interviews the candidate, the department chair, and other individuals as appropriate. The review committee votes by secret ballot and records the total number of ayes and nays.
2. University Review: The University Review Committee consists of tenured faculty members selected by the Faculty Senate’s Personnel Committee. The purpose of the University Review Committee is not to conduct substantive reviews as experts in the candidate’s discipline but, rather, to review generally the quality of the evidence in the portfolio and to determine whether or not the portfolio as presented, meets institutional standards. The University Review Committee considers all positive or negative recommendations concerning tenure. As part of the review process, the committee interviews the candidate, the department chair, and other individuals as appropriate. The review committee votes by secret ballot and records the total number of ayes and nays.