Guidelines for Promotion from Associate to Full Professor

Promotion to full professor recognizes a faculty member for continued post-tenure development as a participant in the university's mission of research, teaching, extension, public service and outreach. A recommendation for promotion by the department to the Dean’s Office shall be based on documented evidence of continued professional growth and creativity which have resulted in significant contributions in the area of the faculty member's appointment; research, teaching and/or extension, plus their contributions to service and outreach. Additionally, consideration should be given to evidence of dedication to the promotion of an atmosphere of creativity and learning among students and colleagues and to special accomplishments in research, teaching, extension and service that provide noteworthy contributions to the profession, department, university and/or state.

In evaluating a candidate for promotion to full professor, the goal should be to seek an accurate picture of the excellence of the individual's accomplishments in a range of activities, as well as prospects for continued performance that demonstrate that the candidate is exceptionally well qualified and has met or exceeded the norms set by faculty colleagues.

Promotion to full professor is never granted on the basis of years of service or seniority, but rather on performance as spelled out above. Promotion can take place whenever a strong case can be made, but typically occurs some 5-10 years after promotion to associate professor. A post-tenure review and evaluation can be requested by an associate professor at 1-5 year intervals. The Executive Committee or the chairperson of the department may also initiate such a review if there is good reason to believe the individual should be considered for promotion. The full professor document is a special case within the campus-mandated post tenure review process, and thus can be used as the post-tenure review document provided the promotion document includes/meets:

1. FPP, "Policy on Review of Tenured Faculty" (Faculty Document 1001b.) and
2. The criteria and procedures established by your department for post-tenure review.

Typical instruction, research, and extension responsibilities relevant to review and promotion of tenured faculty are listed in the CALS Post Tenure Review Policy.

Instruction: Ample evidence that the candidate's instructional skills meet the standards described earlier should be provided. Undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral associates should benefit from exceptional teaching by our senior faculty both inside and outside the classroom. Effective teaching requires not only a mastery of the subject, but also the ability and willingness to communicate a knowledge base to students while stimulating and facilitating creativity and learning.

Evidence of outstanding teaching may take many forms outside the formal classroom environment. Each faculty member should build a portfolio that demonstrates how he/she is moving instruction forward. These include the sound advising of students, supervision of student activities, the timely and thorough guidance of thesis research, new course development, publication of textbooks, and national recognition as an educator as evidenced by the performance of former graduates. Documentation may be provided by student evaluation of classroom and other instructional work, written reviews of the candidate's performance in the classroom by colleagues peer evaluation of other instructional activities, alumni evaluations, self evaluations and statement of teaching philosophy, other materials, such as syllabi, awards and other pertinent information.

Research: Documentation of substantial and innovative post-tenure research accomplishments as well as the promise of continued significant contribution to one's field of expertise are major considerations in the promotion process. Among the issues to be considered are the rate of production of masters' and doctoral students, training of post-doctoral fellows, the quality of publications and the rate of publication in peer reviewed journals, publication of scholarly reviews in journals and books, and the national and international significance of the candidate's research as judged by peers in the field. Consideration also should be given to collaborative and interdisciplinary research, as well as to success in developing a high quality extramurally-funded research program.

Extension: Promotion to full professor requires documented evidence of excellence in Extension program planning and delivery. Planning and development of Extension programs should be a cooperative effort with other specialists, county agents and user groups and must focus on priority needs of the state. Programs should have clear objectives and direction, establish policy, organize and coordinate activities, acquire funds, and include on-going evaluation (and related adjustment) by client groups. Program delivery should involve meaningful interaction with colleagues and clientele, and instructional skills should be equivalent to those generally viewed as exceptional in a classroom setting. Candidates must clearly demonstrate the ability to successfully translate and integrate research findings into practical applications.

Evidence of outstanding Extension programming may take many forms: publications (listed by type), computer software, videotapes, satellite programs, ETN presentations, agent in-service training, and other identifiable accomplishments. Activities must be shown to be part of a cohesive, directed programming package involving appropriate delivery methods. Documentation of excellence should be provided through county agent and peer evaluations, programming awards, regional and national programming activities, grants and contracts received, Extension leadership and professional development activities, and indicators of the impact of programming on the state's economy.

Service and Outreach: Service and outreach activities cover a wide range of contributions that may be related to the instructional, research, and extension appointment of faculty. Instruction outreach and research outreach activities (CALS Post Tenure Review Policy) should be included in the instruction and research sections. Public service should be considered an element in evaluation for promotion, but should not be the sole area of achievement. There should be demonstrated evidence that a candidate has sought to be involved professionally in those organizations that promote and influence the field. Evidence of leadership roles in the professional community is of particular significance. In addition, contributions to State and National initiatives through participation in panels, commissions, review committees, university outreach, consulting activity, reviewing proposals, and community activities all contribute to the total profile of a candidate's effectiveness as a professional. Effectiveness should be measured by documented peer review, public comment or other appropriate means.

Faculty participation in the governance of the university, the college, and in the department through committee work, volunteer service to colleagues or in other ways is required, if the University is to fulfill its mission. Thus, demonstrated success in such activities is an essential component of the promotion consideration.

Process: Each department/unit must establish the process it will follow when considering an individual for promotion from associate to full professor. When a faculty member has appointment in more than one department, the relevant department chairs shall agree on procedures for conduct of the review. The department/unit should follow the "Faculty Policies and Procedures," University of Wisconsin-Madison, as approved by the Faculty Senate on May 15, 1978, with subsequent amendments as of April 4, 1994, in establishment of the process. Policies and Procedures as outlined in Chapter 5 (Departmental Faculties), Chapter 7 (Faculty Appointments), and Faculty Document 11-106 (Policy on Review of Tenured Faculty), should be considered, together with the CALS Post Tenure Review Policy.

For additional information regarding faculty appointments, please view the Faculty Index page and the Faculty Appointments index page.

Summary of Documentation to be Submitted to the Office of the Dean:

Due to the Dean's Office (Birl Lowery and Julie Scharm) by March 20, 2013.

Please send an electronic copy of the following to the senior associate dean and appropriate program assistant, regarding the individual being recommended for promotion:

1. Vote of the department
2. Current C.V.
3. A statement (three-page maximum) of the individual's achievements since promotion to associate professor, which led to the recommendation. Please include the following information in the report if it is not already included in the C.V.: 1) biography, 2) grants, 3) courses taught, 4) publications, 5) number of graduate students, and 6) service.
4. Letters of support -- three to five from colleagues outside the UW System and two or three from UW-Madison.

CALS 8/10/12