7B.9. Portfolio Evaluation

Only complete portfolios are reviewed. Members of the Faculty Promotion Committee will review the portfolios. All information from the evaluation process will be kept completely confidential. The FPC will conduct their review using only materials assembled in the applicant portfolio. Additional information or clarification may be requested of the applicant under review. It is not within the purview of the FPC, nor is it appropriate for the FPC, to request information or clarification because of an incomplete portfolio. Recommendations for promotion will be based on a majority vote of the committee members.

Committee members may not discuss a portfolio with the applicant or any other party. The FPC Chair may discuss decisions with the Provost. See Promotion rubrics in Appendix C.

A. Decisions

FPC will send its written recommendations to the Provost no later than the last Friday in March.

After receiving and reviewing the Committee’s recommendations, the Provost will in turn approve the recommendations or return them to the Committee for re-evaluation.

B. Notifications

All applicants will be notified of the decision regarding their promotion by the last day of April by the office of the Provost.

In the case that an applicant is not approved for promotion, the applicant must be notified in writing at least 5 business days before the public announcement of the promotion of any other candidates by the College.

C. Appeals

Candidates who were denied promotion have the right to appeal.

I. WRITTEN APPEAL

The candidate must submit a written letter of appeal to the Faculty Promotion Committee Chair within five (5) business days of notification. The FPC Chair will notify the provost, and appropriate supervisor/dean.

The written appeal should contain a response to the FPC assessment rubric emailed to the faculty member by the Provost upon denial of promotion. The letter should indicate how the promotion portfolio successfully meets the criteria of the rubric. Specific evidence from the portfolio should be referenced.

The candidate may not add any documentation to or revise their promotion portfolio in any way when making an appeal application, and the appeal process is not to be used as a mechanism for improving a poorly prepared packet or a packet that does not follow the relevant policies and guidelines.

II. APPEALS COMMITTEE

Once the Faculty Promotion Committee Chair has received the written appeal, they will form an Appeals Committee of five (5) former FPC members from a variety of departments.

Committee members should not be current or former supervisors of the candidate.

III. DUTIES OF THE APPEALS COMMITTEE

The Appeals Committee members should meet within five (5) business days of receipt of appeal.

The Appeals Committee shall elect a chairperson who will report in writing the findings of the committee to Faculty Promotion Committee Chair.

Committee members shall review the written appeal and the promotion portfolio in accordance with Faculty Promotion Committee portfolio review protocols.

The Appeals Committee shall reach one of the following decisions by a majority vote:

  • Deny the appeal: There was not sufficient evidence in the promotion portfolio to overturn the original findings of the Faculty Promotion Committee.
  • Grant the appeal: There was sufficient evidence in the promotion portfolio to overturn the original findings of the Faculty Promotion Committee.

IV. FINDINGS

The chair of the appeal committee will report the findings to the Faculty Promotion Committee Chair, who will notify the candidate, supervisor, dean, and provost.

Decisions made by the appeals committee are final.

D. Withdrawal from promotion process

Candidates may withdraw from the promotion process at any time. A candidate may withdraw by notifying the FPC Chair. Withdrawals may not be reversed. The candidate may participate in the next cycle. Should the candidate submit a portfolio and then withdraw, the candidate will receive no feedback on the portfolio from FPC.

E. Exceptions

Exceptions to any aspect of the promotion application process must be requested in writing within 7 calendar days after a due date and must specify the extenuating circumstances related to the request, such as illness, accident, or serious family problems. Exceptions will be sent to the chair of FPC. FPC will consider the exception and make a recommendation to the Provost. The Provost will make the final decision and notify the FPC and faculty making the request.