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When all reviews and discussions have been completed, the candidate will be informed of the decision in writing from the CAO. In the case of a negative decision, the basis for the denial will be succinctly stated and supported by the rubrics completed by the evaluating committee. This information will be provided to the candidate, along with information on the right to appeal. Extenuating circumstances, procedural irregularities that were not considered by the Dean or CAO, and factual errors in the evaluation are grounds for appeal. Accidental omission of information from one’s dossier or new submissions are neither valid justifications for an appeal nor are they permitted during the appeal process.
Step 1: Letter of Appeal
The decision to appeal must be filed within 10 business days from the notification of denial. The candidate must compose a letter to the Dean stating which of the above criteria is relevant justification for their appeal including documented facts that support the appeal.
Step 2: Promotion Appeal Committee Review
If an appeal is filed, a three member ad hoc Promotion Appeal Committee (PAC) will be formed by the Dean within 10 business days consisting of one faculty member from the candidate’s department, one faculty member from the candidate’s college, and a faculty member from any area of the University that has experience in the same or similar field as the candidate. Each member must out rank the candidate seeking promotion, and any members involved in the original decision must be excluded from the PAC. In the event that there are too few faculty of the necessary rank within the college of the candidate’s primary assignment, the Dean may appoint faculty with the appropriate rank from another college within the University. The membership and recommendation of the PAC are confidential; however, individuals selected for the PAC may decline to serve. Furthermore, the candidate has limited influence as to who may serve on the committee. If an appeal is to be requested, the candidate may include with their appeal request, a list of any individuals who they feel may be biased or unable to objectively evaluate their qualifications or performance. Written justification for such concerns must be included with the appeal request. The candidate’s dossier must remain unaltered in the President’s Office until they decide to appeal or not to appeal. If the candidate retakes possession of their dossier prior to an appeal being filed, the PAC has the right to automatically reject the appeal. After formation, the PAC will be granted 10 business days to evaluate the candidate’s dossier as well as the outcomes and written recommendations from the RPC and the Dean. The PAC may request additional documentation or clarification from any party involved in the process. Upon review of these materials, the PAC will return the dossier to the Dean with their recommendation. A formal letter from the PAC should be confidentially submitted to the Dean providing the rationale for the committee’s decision to “agree with” or “disagree with” the original recommendation.
Step 3: Dean and Presidential Review
Following the decision of the PAC, the Dean will then have 5 business days to make a final recommendation. The dossier will then be sent to the President who will have 10 business days to evaluate the appeal and render a final decision. Any decision made by the President at this point is final. Once the final determination is made, the President will send a letter to the candidate, CAO, and the Dean informing them of the final decision. If a promotion is again denied, rationale for the decision will be included in the candidate’s dossier and discussed with the Dean who will then counsel the candidate accordingly. The purpose of review by the Dean and the President is to ensure that all faculty members are held to common standards and to resolve any disagreements in previous recommendations. The Faculty Senate may appoint a single designee who will also have access to all dossiers under consideration, and may observe the deliberations on cases where clarification or discussion with the President, CAO, Dean, and/or supervisor are required in order to ensure an equitable process for all faculty. The process for appeal of a promotion decision is the same regardless of the rank being pursued, with the exception of Professor Emeritus which is outlined above.
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