Promotion Process

The College adheres to University policy for all promotions of TPAC and Research faculty as laid out in the Academic Articles (IV.5.b,c,d,e,g).

• The chairperson of the faculty member’s department or the head of the faculty member’s academic unit notifies a faculty member under consideration for reappointment or promotion in advance of the evaluation process, and the faculty member submits a statement and evidence on her or his own behalf for use in the evaluation process.
• The chairperson or head of the faculty member’s unit consults with the CRPT or, in cases where the faculty member is housed in a unit without a CRPT, the college’s Committee on Reviews and Promotions for TPAC Faculty to develop a plan for conducting the review.
• The CRPT or Committee on Reviews and Promotions for TPAC faculty conducts the review.
• For TPAC faculty, the chairperson or unit head submits a written recommendation for or against promotion to the associate dean for the arts. For research faculty, the chairperson submits the recommendation to the associate dean for research.

Promotion Standards

The promotion of TPAC and research faculty is contingent upon excellence in performance. Unlike tenure-track faculty, who have fixed time allotments for their probationary period, TPAC and research faculty have no time restrictions on their respective ranks. A denial of promotion does not automatically limit the term of service for TPAC or research faculty members at the rank of assistant. A minimum of six years of qualifying professional experience, of which at least three are at the rank of assistant, is ordinarily required for promotion to the rank of associate. There is no maximum time limit beyond which the faculty member becomes ineligible for promotion.

The following represent general standards for evaluation in five distinct areas of responsibility. Evaluations of most TPAC faculty will need to address several of these areas.

• Standards for the Evaluation of Teaching. TPAC faculty members who have instructional obligations are required to demonstrate pedagogical excellence. This must be evident in the supporting material the candidate submits, student evaluations, and peer evaluations. It is recommended that candidates for promotion submit a teaching portfolio to the CRPT as part of the supporting materials. Those assessing the case should consult the ACPET guidelines for the evaluation of teaching.
• Standards for the Evaluation of Administration. TPAC faculty members who have administrative responsibilities are routinely evaluated by the heads of their units. Promotion requires demonstrated excellence of service to the constituencies served, whether students, staff, faculty, or administrators. This should be demonstrable in levels of efficiency and responsiveness, the evaluation and revision of current procedures and policies, and the expansion of responsibilities.
• Standards for the Evaluation of Research and Creative Accomplishments. The evaluation of research and creative accomplishments for TPAC and research faculty is determined by the standards of the relevant discipline. TPAC and research faculty who apply for promotion to the rank of full must demonstrate recognition for excellence in their field. The criteria are the same for both research and creative work: the work must represent an advancement of the discipline, and the advance must be recognized in the discipline as a whole, not simply at the University of Notre Dame or in the region.
• Standards for the Evaluation of Technical Work. The chairperson or director routinely evaluates TPAC and research faculty who provide technical support in scientific or creative areas. Promotion requires superior performance. Excellence must be demonstrable through the increased efficiency of the unit, in the expansion of services provided by the unit, in a series of evaluations that document the quality of the work, or in advances in technology made by the faculty member. In creative areas, superior performance must be demonstrable through a series of evaluations that document the quality of the work or advances in the technology of the field made by the faculty member.
• Standards for the Evaluation of Service. All faculty members are expected to contribute to the development of their unit, the college, and the University. This contribution may include a wide range of activities and is usually determined in consultation with the head of the faculty member’s unit. It is important that specific contributions are identifiable.

Please see the Academic Articles (IV.5.b,c,d,e,g) for further details on promotion standards.

Promotion Procedure

It is the right of a member of the faculty to request consideration for promotion and to go through the promotion evaluation when they have met the criteria. It is only advisable to do so, however, with the support of the department chair or unit director. If a faculty member requests consideration, undergoes a review, and the promotion is ultimately denied, the chairperson or director and relevant CRPT may deny a request in the subsequent year unless the candidate can present evidence of significant development.

TPAC and research faculty members who are housed in a department are considered for promotion by the CRPT and chairperson of their department. They are subject to the promotion policies of their departments that are outlined in the department’s CRPT Policy.