FACULTY PROMOTION

2.16 Faculty Promotion
2.16.1 Review for Progress Toward Promotion
2.16.2 Review for Promotion
 

2.16 Faculty Promotion

Tenure-earning, tenured, and non-tenure-earning faculty are eligible for promotion.  Policies and procedures regarding promotion may be found in this handbook, the Provost's website, and school/departmental handbooks.

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2.16.1 Review for Progress Toward Promotion

Tenure-earning faculty at the rank of assistant professor shall be reviewed for progress toward promotion concurrently with reviews for progress toward the award of tenure (Section 2.15.7) by both the department chair and an appropriate departmental or, in its absence, school, college, or UAB Libraries promotions committee as award of tenure is eligible for only ranks associate professor and higher (Section 2.15.3). Tenure-earning faculty at the rank of associate professor or above, tenured faculty, and non-tenure-earning regular faculty have the option of a pre-promotion review by both the department chair and an appropriate departmental or, in its absence, school, college, or UAB Libraries promotions committee through a request to the department chair (or division director).

The department chair shall take whatever action is required to initiate the review within the department or school. Upon initiation of any review, the faculty member shall be invited to provide information not previously submitted to the departmental or unit’s activity file.

At a minimum, departmental/school promotion committees must review annual activity reports and/or department chair reviews (accompanied with any written feedback by the faculty member as described in Section 2.14.2), and if applicable criteria to the faculty appointment (Section 2.10), teaching evaluations, and authored materials or other scholarship/creative research, appropriate to the field. All reviews must be in writing, with the faculty member acknowledging receipt by signing and returning a copy for their departmental file.

The department chair (or division director) will meet with the faculty member to discuss the departmental/school review and recommendations. The faculty member and department chair will be advised, in writing, of the results of the departmental/school committee progress review, and the faculty member will be advised, in writing, of the results of the chair’s review progress toward promotion. If the reviewer has been conflicted by the institution, refer to Section 2.22.

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2.16.2 Review for Promotion

The procedure for review and decision for faculty promotions shall follow the process outlined in this Handbook and specific policies developed in unit handbooks. Promotion of a faculty member's primary appointment does not automatically result in promotion of secondary appointment(s). All committee documentation, correspondence, letters of support, deliberations, and recommendations remain private and will be shared only with people who have a legitimate need to know who are part of the promotion process or in compliance with university or legal obligations. The committee members should not share any committee information with the applicant.

Faculty have access to a variety of resources to prepare for discussions in connection with a negative recommendation, including the UAB Ombuds, counseling provided through the employee relations unit of Human Resources, and other faculty development resources available on the Office of the Provost website.

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