| Step1 |
During the month of August, the tenure process shall be activated for those faculty members completing the fifth or sixth probationary year. The process shall be initiated by the vice president for Academic Affairs. The vice president shall determine eligibility by verifying data included in a report submitted by the office of Human Resources about faculty who satisfy minimum eligibility requirements for tenure. |
| Step 2 |
The vice president for Academic Affairs shall notify the faculty member and appropriate academic dean by the first Wednesday in September of the faculty member’s eligibility for tenure consideration. |
| Step 3 |
Faculty eligible for consideration will notify their academic dean by written memorandum not later than the second Wednesday of September of their intent to apply for tenure consideration. |
| Step 4 |
Faculty members who notified their academic dean of their intent to apply for tenure consideration must then submit to the academic dean by the second Wednesday in October a tenure portfolio. The portfolio will include the documentation of teaching, service/outreach, and scholarship/creative activities/research, as described in NeSCC Policy 05:05:01. The academic dean will place other materials in the portfolio to include length of time in rank, educational qualifications/degrees earned, supervisor’s ratings, and student evaluations of classroom teaching effectiveness for the probationary period.
Note: Students are ensured an advisory role in defining the use of student evaluations in the tenure evaluation process. The use of student evaluation of classroom teaching effectiveness in the tenure evaluation process provides evidence of student input. Additionally, student input is secured in other ways. The President’s Student Advisory Council consists of 10-15 student members appointed on an annual basis. Each year the agenda for meetings contains items relating to the quality of classroom instruction, how quality can be improved, and the use of student evaluations of classroom teaching effectiveness in the promotion and tenure processes.
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| Step 5 |
The academic dean will discuss with the faculty member by the third Wednesday in October the dean’s position relative to the merits of the faculty member seeking tenure review during the fifth year or waiting until the sixth year. |
| Step 6 |
The academic dean shall conduct a meeting of the tenured faculty within the division before the third Wednesday in November. The tenured faculty within the division shall elect a chair who will call a meeting for the purpose of conducting a vote by the tenured faculty after a review of materials included in the tenure portfolio. The vote will be by secret ballot. The ballot shall provide for awarding tenure or not awarding tenure. The casting and counting of the ballots shall be in this meeting and the results certified by those present. |
| Step 7 |
The academic dean shall notify the faculty member under consideration for tenure by the first Wednesday in December of the recommendation of the tenured faculty within the division and of the dean’s recommendation to the vice president for Academic Affairs. |
| Step 8 |
The academic dean will forward to the vice president for Academic Affairs the tenure portfolio which will include the vote of the tenured faculty within the division and the academic dean’s recommendation. |
| Step 9 |
The vice president for Academic Affairs will forward the portfolio by the second Wednesday in December to the Tenure Review Committee. The Tenure Review Committee will review during the months of January and February the tenure portfolios forwarded by the vice president and submit the committee’s recommendation to the vice president during the last Wednesday of February. |
| Step 10 |
The vice president for Academic Affairs will review the tenure review summary sheet, consider the recommendation of the tenured divisional faculty, the Institutional Tenure Review Committee, and the academic dean and make a recommendation to the president after notifying the faculty member of their recommendation. This phase shall be completed no later than the second Wednesday in March. |
| Step 11 |
The president shall review the tenure review summary sheet and notify the eligible faculty member as to whether they will/will not recommend the faculty member to the chancellor and the Tennessee Board of Regents for possible action. |
| Step 12 |
Following completion of action by the Tennessee Board of Regents, the president will notify the faculty member whether tenure was or was not awarded by the Board. |
