Scholarship is the primary focus for faculty on the tenure track, although these faculty members are also expected to contribute to the teaching and service missions of the College. Faculty who are appointed at the rank of assistant professor have a probationary period. The duration of this probationary period depends on whether or not the faculty member has patient care responsibilities. Faculty members with patient care responsibilities have a maximum eleven-year probationary period whereas those who do not have patient care responsibilities have a maximum six-year probationary period. It is important to appreciate that these are maximum periods, and there is no minimum number of years of service required before a faculty member may be considered for promotion. In addition to the standard probationary period, faculty members on the tenure track have the ability to exclude time from the probationary period (i.e. “stop the clock”) for specific reasons including birth or adoption of a child, or for reasons outside the faculty member’s control which prevent them from pursuing their faculty responsibilities. In general, a maximum of three years may be excluded from the probationary period. Further details of this policy can be found in the College Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure document (link) or in the University’s Faculty Handbook (link).
Ordinarily promotion to the rank of associate professor and the award of tenure are linked. However, the College has recognized the value of recognizing the accomplishments of faculty members as they work towards tenure, and we therefore have the ability to consider a faculty member for promotion to associate professor independent of the award of tenure. When this occurs for faculty with an 11-year probationary period, the subsequent consideration for tenure must occur no later than six years after promotion to associate professor.