Due to the ongoing 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.

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.

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.