D.11 Soliciting External Letters

The department chair must not solicit letters until the dean has approved the final list of external reviewers.

Sample solicitation letters are available on the Provost’s Office website for Promotion and Tenure. Units may tailor these letters to their individual circumstances. However, all external reviewers must be informed that, under Texas law, UT Austin cannot ensure the confidentiality of their letters. Reviewers also must be notified of any extensions to the probationary period or approved personal circumstances flag. The intent of this information is to alert reviewers to the relevant time frame to use in their review of the candidate.

At a minimum, the reviewers must be sent the candidate’s CV and the five most significant works in rank. Candidates may elect to send other components of the dossier.