General Procedures for Faculty

This overview of the promotion and/or tenure review process for faculty is intended to supplement requirements found in the UW Faculty Code Section 24-54, Faculty Code Section 25-41, and UW Executive Order V. If there is a conflict between this guidance and either the Faculty Code or Executive Order, the provisions of the Faculty Code or Executive Order govern.

Overview

There are 3 key steps in the promotion and/or tenure process:

  1. Assembly of the promotion/tenure record
  2. Recommendations and the candidate’s opportunity for response
  3. Possible outcomes of the promotion/tenure review

Visualization of the Review Process

Due Dates for Submission to Academic HR

See the Promotion and/or Tenure Due Dates page

Mandatory Reviews

Titles/ranks requiring mandatory reviews include:

  • Assistant professors (tenure-eligible, WOT, research, clinical-dental pathway, APL)
  • Associate professor tenure track
  • Professor tenure track

All mandatory reviews must be forwarded to the provost, regardless of the recommendation, for final determination.

Schools/colleges/campuses are urged to begin appropriate review activities and collection of documentation during spring quarter of the year prior to mandatory review. Candidates should check with their chair/director/campus dean/dean about local level deadlines.

Due to the impact of the pandemic, the provost, in consultation with the chair of the Faculty Senate, approved provisions for clock waivers for faculty with mandatory promotion/tenure clocks. Read more. For information about promotion/reappointment clock waivers for librarians, read here.

Non-Mandatory Reviews

Non-mandatory reviews should be conducted in the following circumstances:

  • Promotions to associate professor (tenured, WOT, research, clinical-dental pathway, APL) prior to the mandatory review year
  • Recommendations for an award of tenure only to an individual appointed in the WOT track
  • Associate professor tenure track or professor tenure track prior to the mandatory review year
  • Promotions to associate teaching professor 
  • Promotions to professor (all tracks: tenured, WOT, research, teaching, clinical-dental pathway)
  • Promotions to senior artist in residence 

Provost action is not required on unfavorable non-mandatory reviews. However, any non-mandatory recommendation to deny a promotion/award of tenure to which the candidate submits a written response to the dean/chancellor will be passed from the dean/chancellor to the provost for informational purposes.

Note: Clinical (salaried and courtesy) and affiliate faculty promotion reviews (all titles/ranks) are also considered non-mandatory, but have different due dates than other non-mandatory reviews. Candidates should check with their chair/director/campus dean/dean about local level requirements, as appropriate for their title/rank.