Academic Personnel
Tenure, Permanent Status, and Promotion
Definitions
Tenure is attained by a faculty member in an academic department through distinction in teaching, research, extension, or other scholarly or creative activities, and service and contributions to the university and to the profession. It assures the faculty member immunity from reprisals or threats due to an intellectual position or belief that may be unpopular.
Permanent status provides assurance of a continual appointment for County Extension faculty and P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School faculty through evaluation based on performance of faculty duties and responsibilities.
Promotion is the appointment of a faculty member to a higher academic rank in recognition of distinguished performance as a faculty member.
Criteria
The criteria for promotion or for granting of tenure or permanent status recognize three broad categories of academic service:
- instruction
- research or other creative activity
- professional and public service
In most cases, promotion and tenure should require distinction in at least two of three categories, one of which should be the faculty member's primary responsibility, and acceptable performance in all areas.