Annual Faculty Activity Review (FAR) for Practice Track Faculty
All practice track faculty (all adjunct ranks, practice instructors, and assistant, associate, and full professors of practice) will participate in the college’s annual Faculty Activity Review by completing the required form and submitting it to the Dean’s Office by the deadline along with an updated copy of their curriculum vitae. The FAR document provides faculty with the opportunity to share their accomplishments in the areas of teaching, practice, and service. The Executive Committee (the four elected faculty members) along with the program chairs, associate deans, and dean individually and collectively review FAR submissions, CVs, and teaching evaluations and provide feedback, a summary of which is included in the annual salary increase letters.
Initiating the Appointment Renewal Process for Practice Track Faculty
Documentation for those interested in continuing appointments as practice faculty includes a 5-10 page summary report with links to supporting documentation, as appropriate, to the Promotion and Tenure Committee actively describing what they have done professionally (~2-4 pages) and in the school related to teaching (~2-4 pages) and service (~1-2 pages) since their hire or last appointment. Faculty should link to their course syllabi. Course evaluations will be provided by the college registrar. To qualify for another appointment, individuals need to have maintained an active practice, participated in service to the program or college in proportion to their effort, and demonstrate excellence in teaching as evaluated by the annual Faculty Activity Review process. These findings will be shared with the Executive Committee and the dean for review and approval. Note: Should a faculty member desire a more comprehensive reappointment review that is sent to external reviewers to help them prepare for a future promotion review which requires an external review component, they need to make that request in writing to Taubman College HR.
Promotion Process for Practice Track Faculty
Initiating the Process
Practice faculty who seek promotion consideration need to submit a current CV and a one-page statement documenting the achievements that would suggest eligibility. All such nominations and requests should be made in writing per the schedule in the Faculty Handbook. Following due consideration, the Dean’s Office will notify each nominee and petitioner per the schedule in the Faculty Handbook whether or not a review will be conducted during the next academic year. For candidates seeking promotion to associate or full professor of practice, the Executive Committee may base its decision on the candidate’s prospects for a successful review, or may postpone the review in the unusual event that there are not enough faculty to form Promotion and Tenure Committees. Candidates are encouraged to seek advice from senior colleagues as to the timing of a review for promotion.
Consideration for a promotion review needs to coincide with the college’s promotion and tenure review schedule as described in the College Rules and Faculty Handbook (committees are formed in April and material is reviewed between September and February). Requests for promotion review can be made mid-contract, and a successful outcome will result in a new contract that is added on after the conclusion of the current contract.
Notification of Decision to Initiate Review
Once the dean and the Executive Committee agree that a review for a faculty member will take place, the Promotion and Tenure Committee will be informed by the dean in writing to begin its review activities concerning the candidate. The Promotion and Tenure Committee should initiate its activities per the schedule in the Faculty Handbook.
Following notification that a review will be conducted, the faculty member will submit a brief statement of up to one page summarizing the candidate’s research or creative practice as well as a list of 2 or 3 suggested names for their outside committee member and 5 to 7 external reviewers per the schedule in the Faculty Handbook. The candidate may be called upon to supply more names of proposed external reviewers during the process. The candidate should proceed to assemble a promotion review dossier (see contents in the Faculty Handbook). The dossier should be submitted to the Dean’s Office per the schedule in the Faculty Handbook.
Committee Review
The Promotion and Tenure Committee should review all material including the dossier and internal and external letters of evaluation. Afterwards, it should prepare a written report, following the Promotion and Tenure Committee Report Template in the Faculty Handbook, to the Dean and the Executive Committee making a recommendation and providing the justification for that recommendation. The report is submitted to the dean and Executive Committee per the schedule in the Faculty Handbook.
Report to the Candidate
The Dean’s Office will provide the committee report with the recommendation redacted to the candidate for review. The candidate has one week after receiving the summary to submit a written response, which focuses largely on correcting any factual errors in the report and pointing out any significant omissions of achievements. The committee will consider modifying the report based on the candidate’s response.
Report to the Executive Committee
The written report of the Promotion and Tenure Committee forms the basis for further review and judgment by the Executive Committee of the college and should follow the format prescribed by the Executive Committee. It should include an appraisal of all significant evidence, favorable and unfavorable. It should be specific, analytical, and should include the committee’s evaluation of the candidate with respect to each of the qualifications specified above. It should be adequately documented by reference to the supporting material. Each faculty member should make his or her own thoughtful and independent judgment about the candidate. While a collective recommendation may result from these independent judgments, a unanimous recommendation is not required.
Executive Committee Action
Upon reviewing the information and documentation provided, the Executive Committee shall make its decision in favor of or in opposition to the promotion. The dean shall forward all favorable promotion recommendations of the Executive Committee and required supporting materials to the provost. In case of a decision not to recommend a candidate for promotion, the dean and the chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee will meet with the candidate to verbally communicate the recommendation and the reasons for the decision, and to provide constructive counseling on the major findings and opinions obtained during the review. The purpose is to ensure that candidates receive direct and personal counseling on the positive and negative aspects of their performance.
University Action
The Executive Committee’s recommendation is reviewed by the university administration. Formal notification of successful promotion comes directly to the candidate from the university.
Unsuccessful Review
In the event of an unsuccessful promotion review, the candidate will remain at their current rank for the duration of their contract. If promotion and appointment renewal are being considered simultaneously and the promotion review is not successful, the candidate will be considered for another appointment at their current rank.
Retirement
Assistant, associate and full professors of practice who retire in good standing from Taubman College are eligible to request emeritus/emerita status. Per SPG 201.80, “emeritus/emerita faculty are entitled to attend, without vote, meetings of the University Senate; to march in a position of honor in academic processions; to use the library, computing services, and other facilities offered to university faculty members; to represent the university at academic ceremonies of other institutions; and in general to take part with the faculties in all social and ceremonial functions of the university. Emeritus/emerita faculty are also eligible for the same benefits that accrue to all employees who have officially retired from the university.”