B.3 On-Time Promotion Review of Tenure-Track Assistant Professors

(a) Maximum Number of Years of Probationary Service at UT Austin

Cases considered during the sixth year of probationary service at UT Austin are considered on-time reviews.

• • These cases are also considered mandatory tenure reviews (“up-or-out”).
    

(b) Elected Combined Service at UT Austin and Other Institutions for Tenure-Track Assistant Professors

Candidates who were appointed as a tenure-track assistant professor (or equivalent rank) at one or more other institutions immediately prior to their appointment as a tenure-track assistant professor at UT Austin may elect to combine their years of probationary service at UT Austin with up to three full years of service at the other institution(s) to satisfy the requirements for on-time promotion.

Candidates are advised to solicit candid feedback from their department chair and/or dean before electing to combine years of service, as the standards for promotion at UT Austin may not be the same as those at their previous institution(s).

Candidates who elect to combine years of service must satisfy the following:

• • The minimum required years of probationary service at UT Austin (Section A.10).
  • At least three peer teaching observations across at least two different academic years at UT Austin must be included in the dossier.
    

The candidate must inform their department chair (if applicable), dean’s office, and the Provost’s Office that they have elected to be considered under the combined service option no later than April 15 in the year immediately preceding the review.

The candidate’s record of combined service will be evaluated using the same expectations as if the candidate had completed six years of probationary service at UT Austin, and the case is considered a mandatory review (“up-or-out”).

(c) Expectations for On-Time Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

The granting of tenure has long-lasting consequences of great magnitude to the University and must be considered carefully.

Promotion to the rank of tenured associate professor is awarded only if clear evidence is provided to demonstrate that the faculty member has accomplished the following:

• • Impact, distinction, and continuing potential in the four areas of review defined in Section A.7.
    
  • Established a reputation as an independent researcher and scholar.
    • Note that continued and/or extensive collaboration with a former mentor/advisor or with senior faculty members complicates the determination of scholarly independence.
  • A trajectory of accomplishments that continues to grow throughout the probationary period.
  • A strong and sustainable record of excellence in research, scholarship, and/or creative endeavors that predicts a continuing trajectory of impactful contributions throughout an extended career at UT Austin.
  • Continuity of research funding, by discipline norms, which predicts a sustainable record of continued research excellence and financial support for students supervised by the candidate.

Awarding tenure must be in the best interest of the department, college/school, and University.

(d) Levels of Review for Mandatory Tenure Review

Mandatory review cases of tenure-track assistant professors progress through all levels of review unless the candidate either

(1) resigns from the University or

(2) is terminated by the University for disciplinary reasons in accordance with Regents Rule 31008.

(e) Recommendation Options for Mandatory Tenure Review

At each level of review (Section A.2), recommendation options for mandatory tenure review of tenure-track assistant professors are:

(1) “promote to associate professor with tenure” or

(2) “terminal appointment.”