2. Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment

Preamble

A well-designed tenure and promotion system attracts capable and highly qualified faculty, strengthens the University by enhancing faculty members' institutional loyalty, and encourages academic excellence by retaining and rewarding the most able scholars and researchers. However, tenure and promotion imply selectivity and choice; they are awarded for academic and professional merit, not merely for longevity.

The tenure and promotion policies of the University should also contribute to academic excellence. An equitable and widely-understood reappointment, tenure, and promotion system ensures that considerations of academic quality will be the basis for academic personnel decisions.

A formal statement of criteria for reappointment, tenure, and promotion is necessary, but not sufficient, for the task. The wide variety of academic and professional fields, and the broad range of programs within the University, make the development of detailed criteria that are equally applicable to all fields an unsuccessful effort. Rather, general and broad guidelines will permit the exercise of skilled professional and academic judgment. Each academic unit defines its internal procedures for formulating tenure, promotion, and reappointment recommendations. Such procedures are part of the academic unit's charter and must be consistent with the policies and procedures of the University.

Appendix I. Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment Procedures


Revised:
12/08/2016 - Annual Review: No changes made to content.
03/31/2015 - Annual Review: To reflect current practice, the email address for questions is now policy@mtu.edu. No changes made to content.
02/06/2014 - Annual Review: Updated Michigan Tech and Handbook banners, no changes made to content.
07/13/2011 - Annual Review: Added the word "Appendix" to the link for Appendix I, to reflect current University titles and practice, MTU is now Michigan Tech and the email address for questions is now hbwebmaster.
03/02/2007 - Format changes made.