Composition, Selection, and Term of Office for the P&T Committee

The composition of the Promotion and Tenure Committee (Committee) will be five tenured faculty from the School at or above the rank the candidate is seeking. Four members of the Committee will be elected by the School's tenure-track faculty; one will be appointed by the School Director. If all academic Divisions are not represented on the committee after the vote, the School Director should appoint a person from the unrepresented Division. In cases where only five or fewer individuals in the School qualify to serve on the Committee, all qualified faculty will serve; if fewer than five qualify, the School Director, in consultation with the Chair of the P &T Committee, will identify potential members, and the Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professions will appoint additional members from outside the School as needed.

For promotion considerations, all voting members must hold tenured faculty status and hold the rank which is being sought or higher. Additional faculty members from outside the School may be appointed to augment the Committee as necessary. In this case, the School Director, in consultation with the Chair of the P&T Committee, will identify potential members, and the Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professions will appoint additional members with the appropriate rank to the School Committee.

A faculty member seeking promotion and/or tenure or who has a family member being evaluated for promotion and/or tenure will not be allowed to vote or to be appointed to the Committee as an ad hoc member. (For a definition of "family," see Faculty Handbook II.C.9.a-b.)

Elected committee members shall serve for three years. Faculty members may serve consecutive terms. Terms of service shall be staggered, so that no more than two members of the Committee are new each year. The appointed member will serve a one-year term. 

If a faculty member is unable to complete an assigned term on the Committee (e.g., is a candidate for promotion for their specific rank, on sabbatical), an alternate member will be elected to fill the vacant position. If the vacancy is temporary, the replacement faculty member will complete only the period of the vacancy. If the vacancy is permanent, the replacement faculty member will complete the term.

Tenure-track faculty will vote for new P&T Committee members by secret ballot. The vote for the upcoming academic year will occur on or before the last contracted day of the Spring semester (typically May 15th). The individual(s) receiving the most votes shall serve. Tenured faculty and faculty who have been awarded tenure effective the next academic year will be eligible for this election. In the event of a tie vote, there will be an additional secret ballot vote to break the tie. Ballots will be counted by the School Director and a continuing member of the Committee.