UWPF Chapter 6: Faculty Personnel

6.01 Criteria for Personnel Decisions

(1) General

All personnel decisions shall be based primarily on a faculty member's present and likely future contributions to the mission and objectives of the university and her/his department through teaching, creative and scholarly activity, and service and on programmatic considerations. All personnel recommendations shall be accompanied by a statement setting forth the evaluation and the basis on which it was made. In cases of tenure or of promotion to full professor, the quality of the faculty member's accomplishments should be judged by qualified external evaluators, where appropriate, as well as by departmental colleagues. Evaluations should take into account that many faculty activities cannot be neatly categorized as teaching, creative and scholarly activity, or service. While sometimes difficult to evaluate, such activities provide opportunities to leverage faculty and university resources and ought to be encouraged through the evaluation process.

(2) Teaching

Definition: Teaching includes any activity related to course and curriculum development, course presentation, course-related interaction with students, evaluation of student learning, tutoring, advising, and other learning services required by students.

Evaluation: The evaluation of teaching shall be based primarily on indicators of student learning. Evidence of teaching effectiveness must include student course evaluations and indicators of student learning appropriate to the discipline. Each department will develop appropriate indicators. Evidence may include, but should not be limited to, syllabi, sample tests, and samples of student work. Other teaching-related activities should also be considered, such as efforts to improve teaching through peer observations, developmental workshops, and teaching innovations.

(3) Creative Activity

Definition: Creative and scholarly activity consists of contributions in the forms or media typical of the discipline, and which are available for critical peer evaluation. Contributions include, but are not limited to, books, monographs, articles, reviews, and conference papers; works of art, concert performances, dramatic performances, and literary works; and research reports and grant proposals. Work in progress may also be considered as evidence.

Evaluation: Quality shall be considered more important than quantity in the evaluation of creative and scholarly activity, and a broad definition of such activity may be employed. There should be evidence of continuing activity. In departments where this is appropriate, consideration should be given to collaborative work with students and to work which benefits the region.

(4) Service

Definition: Service consists of university citizenship, service to other communities, and involvement in one's profession.

Evaluation: The evaluation of service should be based on assessments of the quality of the contributions made, rather than on a simple list of service activities. University citizenship includes doing a fair share of the administrative, programmatic, and governance work of the university. Service to other communities, and to one's profession, should be evaluated based on the quality of the contributions and on the degree to which they contribute to the mission and objectives of the university and the department.

(5) Programmatic Considerations

Definition: Programmatic considerations refer to an individual's expertise in relation to the changing needs of the department and the university in carrying out their stated mission and objectives.

Evaluation: The analysis of programmatic considerations should be explicitly tied to the results of the program review process and ongoing faculty planning processes. In cases where the judgment of the department or administration is that programmatic considerations seem likely to affect the outcome of the case, that should be made known as soon as possible.

(6) Weighting of Criteria

The relative importance of the criteria of teaching, creative and scholarly activity, and service, and programmatic considerations, shall be judged by the faculties of the academic departments, except that primary importance shall be given to teaching.

6.02 Initial Appointments

Initial faculty appointments may be granted only upon the affirmative recommendation of departmental executive committees, their delegated representative, or the ad hoc committee under 6.08(4), and the Chancellor of UW-Parkside. When specified by the Board, the UW-Parkside recommendation shall be transmitted by the President with his/her recommendation to the Board.

(1) Recruitment

(a) The executive committee and the chair of each academic department shall have primary responsibility for recruitment for faculty appointments. Recruitment shall be conducted under policies and procedures established by the Chancellor in accordance with Board policy and state and Federal law concerning nondiscrimination and affirmative action in recruitment.

(b) Departmental executive committees may delegate functional responsibility for recruitment as provided by UWPF 3.05(2). This shall include the power to approve candidate pools and the invitations of candidates for interviews.

(2) Definitions

(a) "Faculty appointment" means an appointment at the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor in an academic department. Faculty appointments are either tenure or probationary appointments.

(b) "Tenure appointment" means a faculty appointment for an unlimited period by the Board upon recommendation of an academic department and the Chancellor through the President;

(c) "Probationary appointment" means a faculty appointment upon the recommendation of an academic department and the Chancellor, and held during the period which may precede a tenure appointment.

(3) Letters of Offer

Each person to whom a faculty appointment is offered shall be sent by an authorized official of UW-Parkside a letter of appointment which specifies the terms and conditions of the appointment; salary; starting date; ending date; general position responsibilities; probationary, tenured, or temporary status; and crediting of prior service. Accompanying the letter of appointment shall be a statement of the UW-Parkside and UW-System rules relating to faculty appointments. If the appointment is subject to the advance approval of the Board, a statement to this effect shall be included in the letter of appointment.

(4) Changes to Initial Appointment Status

(a) An academic staff appointment may be converted into a faculty appointment by the Board upon the recommendation of the executive committee of an academic department and the Chancellor. Such faculty appointees shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of faculty.

(b) An individual holding a faculty appointment shall not lose that appointment by accepting a limited appointment to a designated administrative position.

(c) The proportion of time provided for in the faculty appointment may not be diminished or increased without the mutual consent of the faculty member, the appropriate departmental executive committee or committees and the appropriate deans unless the faculty member is not reappointed (if he/she holds a probationary appointment), is dismissed for just cause pursuant to UWS 4, or is terminated or laid-off pursuant to UWS 5.

(5) Shared Appointments

Tenure and probationary appointments are made to particular unit faculties of the UW System, except that units may agree through established procedures to share tenure appointments. Shared tenure appointment agreements shall specify the tenure responsibility and budget responsibility of each unit sharing the appointment.

(6) Initial Appointments and Tenure

Initial appointments at the rank of instructor or assistant professor shall be probationary appointments. Initial appointments at the rank of associate professor or professor may be either probationary or tenure appointments. Tenure on initial appointment shall be granted only in exceptional circumstances, and then only upon an affirmative recommendation of the departmental executive committee and the Personnel Review Committee.

6.03 Special Considerations Applying to Initial Probationary Appointments

(1) Length of Probationary Appointment

The term of an initial probationary appointment shall be at least one academic year and no more than three calendar years. Initial appointments to the rank of instructor and any subsequent re-appointments at that rank shall be for one year. Initial appointments to the rank of assistant professor shall normally be for three years. That appointment shall be subject to renewal for a total probationary period not to exceed the maximum allowable probationary period, which is seven years, including any credit for prior service. Credit for prior service shall be determined as follows:

(a) Previous full-time service in other colleges and universities within or outside the UW System at a rank equivalent to a faculty appointment at UW-Parkside, may be considered in determining the probationary period. The probationary period, including any credit for prior service, shall be established by mutual agreement of the candidate and UW-Parkside and shall be specified in the letter of appointment.

(b) A period of service in a full-time capacity as a visiting faculty member or lecturer shall be considered part of the probationary period only if both the candidate and UW-Parkside agree to it in writing and specify this consideration in the initial letter of appointment for the candidate's tenure-track position at UW-Parkside.

(2) Considerations Altering Period of Probationary Service

A period of leave of absence, sabbatical leave, or teaching improvement assignment shall be excluded in calculating the probationary period, but shall does not constitute a break in continuous service, and shall not be included in the probationary period. Circumstances in addition to these above that do not constitute a break in continuous service and that shall not be included in the probationary period include responsibilities with respect to childbirth or adoption, significant responsibilities with respect to elder or dependent care obligations, disability or chronic illness, or other circumstances beyond the control of the faculty member when those circumstances significantly impede the faculty member's progress toward achieving tenure.

(a) Faculty seeking to have a period of time excluded from the probationary period for such circumstances must file a request in writing with their departmental executive committee prior to the contractual beginning of their sixth probationary year. The request should specify the circumstances prompting the request and identify a specific start and end date for the period to be excluded from the probationary period.

(b) Requests and departmental executive committee recommendations shall be forwarded to the school dean, who shall make an independent recommendation and forward the request to the vice chancellor, who shall serve as the designated administrative officer under UWS 3.04 (3). If the request is approved, the vice chancellor shall specify the length of time for which the request is granted.

(c) It shall be assumed that a request made under this section because of responsibilities with respect to childbirth or adoption shall be approved.

(d) Prior to a decision to deny a request, the vice chancellor will notify the requestor and provide the opportunity to supplement the original request. Denials must be based upon clear and convincing reasons, and must be in writing.

(e) More than one request may be granted a faculty member under this section, but the total time granted shall ordinarily be no more than one year, except in cases where the additional time includes responsibilities with respect to childbirth or adoption.

(f) Faculty members who have had service excluded from their probationary period under these provisions shall be evaluated as though they had served only the number of years included in their probationary period.

(3) End of Probationary Appointments

After a period of not more than seven years of credited probationary service, including credited prior service and with such exclusions as provided for above, a faculty member with a probationary appointment shall either not be renewed or granted tenure. The faculty member concerned shall be notified of any decision to non-renew before the end of the sixth year of credited probationary service. These provisions do not preclude recommending a faculty member for tenure at any time.

6.04 Periodic Reviews and Salary Recommendations

The Faculty shall provide for periodic reviews of the performance of all faculty members by their departmental executive committees, or by the department chair, or special committee if so delegated under authority of UWPF 3.05(2). Salary adjustments shall be based primarily on annual or biennial reviews, using formulas and processes agreed upon between the campus administration and the faculty or its representatives.

(1) These reviews shall be conducted annually or on a two-year cycle after the first day of January. The reviews shall be based on written reports from faculty members describing their activities during the preceding calendar year in the areas of teaching, creative activity and service; the results of student evaluations of faculty conducted at least annually, and peer evaluation or other methods of evaluation approved by the departmental executive committee.

(2) The departmental executive committee, or person or group delegated, shall prepare an evaluation of the performance of each faculty member. In the evaluation of the department chair, special consideration shall be given to his/her contributions in the area of service.

(3) These evaluations, together with the information on which they are based, shall become part of the personnel file of the faculty member concerned. Faculty members should be notified of their ratings as soon as possible after executive committee decisions.

(4) Each probationary faculty appointee shall receive an annual written evaluation of his/her progress toward the achievement of tenure. Each departmental executive committee shall establish procedures that ensure that this annual evaluation is prepared in a timely manner. Responsibility for preparation of the evaluation may not be delegated under UWPF 3.05(2). Each written evaluation shall be reviewed by the department chair with the probationary faculty appointee shortly after it has been prepared. Evaluations shall be delivered to the faculty appointee with a copy to the dean no later than May 15 of each year. The probationary faculty appointee shall have the right to prepare a written response for the record.

6.05 Procedures for Considering Renewal of Appointments

Renewal of faculty appointments may be granted only upon the affirmative recommendation of departmental executive committees, their delegated representative, or the ad hoc committee under 6.08(4), and the Chancellor of UW-Parkside. When specified by the Board, the UW-Parkside recommendation shall be transmitted by the President with his/her recommendation to the Board.

(1) The department chair shall notify the faculty member in writing of the departmental review at least 20 days before the date of the departmental review. Where the initial review has been delegated to a subcommittee of the department under provision of UWPF Chapter 3, responsibility for notification rests with the chair thereof.

(2) Meetings for purposes of review or determination of recommendations regarding personnel matters shall conform to the provisions of the state Open Meetings Law.

(3) The faculty member concerned shall be afforded an opportunity to review the entire contents of his/her file without exception, and to present additional information.

(4) The recommendation of the department shall be transmitted to the dean of the appropriate school. The recommendation shall be accompanied by a statement of reasons, and a record of ayes, nays, and abstentions, but not the identity of the voters.

(a) Positive recommendations shall be accompanied by a statement setting forth the evaluations in the areas of teaching, creative activity, service, and programmatic considerations.   If the recommendation for renewal is positive, the dean shall notify the faculty member concerned within 20 days after final approval at the unit level.  The dean’s notification of renewal letter shall specify the period of the renewal (beginning and ending dates). 

(b)  If the appointment is not to be renewed, the procedure set forth in UWPF 6.08 shall be followed.

(5) Negative advice on Probationary Faculty not in their Final Year

If the Personnel Review Committee advises against a personnel recommendation which concerns a probationary faculty member who is not in the sixth year of credited probationary service, the Personnel Review Committee shall forward its advice to the dean of the appropriate school within seven days of taking the action.  The Personnel Review Committee shall not grant reconsideration in such cases. 

(6) If the dean, the Vice Chancellor, or the Chancellor does not concur with a recommendation, he/she shall communicate his/her non-concurrence to the appropriate departmental executive committee.

(7) The faculty member concerned shall be notified in writing through the department chair within 20 days of each decision at each reviewing level of the department. The dean of the school shall notify the faculty member of the final decision at the school level.

(8) The faculties of the academic departments may establish detailed procedures consistent with these general procedures.

6.06 Notice of Non-Renewal

Nothing in this chapter should be read to imply any obligation of reappointment from year to year for probationary faculty.

(1) Length of Notice Required

A faculty member on a probationary appointment shall be given written notice of reappointment or non-reappointment for an additional year in advance of the expiration of his/her current appointment, as follows:

(a) If the appointment expires at the end of the academic year, not later than March 1st of the first academic year, and not later than December 15th of the second consecutive academic year, of service;

(b) If an initial one-year appointment expires during an academic year, at least three months prior to its expiration; if a second consecutive one year appointment expires during the academic year, at least six months prior to its expiration;

(c) After 2 or more years of continuous service, notice of reappointment or non-reappointment shall be given at least 12 months before the expiration of the appointment.

(2) Failure to Give Sufficient Notice

If notice of reappointment or non-reappointment is not given in accordance with UWPF 6.06(1), the faculty member shall be entitled to a one-year terminal appointment, but no such terminal appointment shall result in the granting of tenure.

(3) Procedures for Notification

If a probationary appointment is not to be renewed, the dean of the appropriate school shall notify the faculty member concerned and the Secretary of the Faculty within 20 days of receipt of the recommendation of an academic department, or, if the case was referred to the Personnel Review Committee, within 20 days of receipt of the recommendation of the PRC.

(4) Provision of Written Reasons

Upon written request of the faculty member concerned, the official or committee making the non-renewal decision shall provide a written statement of the actual reasons for the decision. A request for a statement of reasons shall be made within 20 days after receipt of the notification of non-renewal, and the dean shall respond within 15 days after receipt of a request. The statement of reasons shall become part of the personnel file of the faculty member.

(5) Provision for Reconsideration

Upon request, the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty will provide information regarding the policies and procedures that apply to a reconsideration by the official or committee making the non-renewal decision or to an appeal to the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee.

6.07 Reconsideration of Non-renewal Decision
 

(1) Upon the written request of the faculty member concerned, there shall be a reconsideration of a non-renewal decision. A request for a reconsideration shall be made within 20 days of the receipt of a statement of reasons for the non-renewal decision. A reconsideration of a non-renewal decision shall be held not later than 20 days after receipt of the request, except that this time limit may be extended by the mutual consent of the parties concerned, or by the order of the executive committee of the department or the official conducting the reconsideration. The faculty member concerned shall be given at least 10 days notice of the reconsideration.

(2) The purpose of a reconsideration of a non-renewal decision shall be to provide an opportunity for a fair and full consideration of the decision, and to insure that all relevant material is considered. A reconsideration is not a hearing or an appeal, and shall be non-adversarial in nature.

(3) A reconsideration shall be undertaken by the official or committee making the non-renewal decision. The faculty member concerned shall be afforded an opportunity to respond to the written statement of reasons, and to present any relevant written or oral evidence or arguments. The faculty member concerned shall be notified in writing of the result of a reconsideration within 10 days after reconsideration is held.

(4) If a reconsideration results in a reaffirmation of the original non-renewal decision, the procedures set forth in UWPF 6.08 shall be followed for appeal.

6.08 Appeal of Non-renewal Decision

(1) Upon written appeal of the faculty member concerned, there shall be a review of a non-renewal decision by the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee established by UWPF 7.01. The appeal for a review shall be made within 20 days of receipt of the notice that a reconsideration conducted under UWPF 6.07 has reaffirmed the original non-renewal decision, or 25 days if such notice is by first class mail and publication. The review shall be held not later than 20 days after receipt of the request from a faculty member, except that this time limit may be extended by the mutual consent of the parties, or by order of the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee. The faculty member shall be given at least 10 days notice of the review by the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee.

(2) The burden of proof in an appeal of a non-renewal decision shall be on the faculty member concerned, and the scope of the review shall be limited to the question of whether the non-renewal decision was based in any significant degree upon one or more of the following factors, resulting in material prejudice to the faculty member concerned:

(a) Conduct, expressions, or beliefs which are constitutionally protected, or protected by the principles of academic freedom; or

(b) Factors proscribed by applicable State or Federal law regarding fair employment practices; or

(c) Improper consideration of qualifications for reappointment or renewal. For purposes of this section, "improper consideration" shall be deemed to have been given to the qualifications of a faculty member if material prejudice to the faculty member resulted from any of the following:

1. The procedures required by the rules of the Board or of the Faculty were not followed; or
2. Available information bearing materially on the quality of performance was not considered, or;
3. Unfounded, arbitrary, or irrelevant assumptions of the fact were made about work or conduct.

(3) The Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee shall report its finding as to the validity of an appeal to the faculty member, the committee or official who made the non-renewal decision, the appropriate dean, the Vice Chancellor, and the Chancellor, with copies to the Chair of the University Committee and the Secretary of the Faculty for informational purposes. The report of the Committee may include remedies which (without limitation because of enumeration) may take the form of a reconsideration by the committee or official who made the non-renewal decision, with or without instructions from the Committee, or a recommendation to the next higher appointing level. All cases shall be remanded for reconsideration to the committee or official who made the non-renewal decision, unless the Committee specifically finds with respect to a particular case that remand would serve no useful purpose. The Committee shall retain jurisdiction during reconsideration.

(4) If the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee finds that a non-renewal decision which results from a tenure denial during the probationary period was based in any significant degree upon impermissible factors, as defined in UWS 6.08(2), with material prejudice to the individual faculty member, and elects not to remand the case back to the department because it would serve no useful purpose, the University Committee, after consultation with the appropriate dean or appointing authority, shall appoint an ad-hoc committee consisting of tenured faculty members (who are not members of the academic department executive committee) and/or scholars from outside the university. No person may be appointed to the ad-hoc committee unless the person is knowledgeable or experienced in the individual's academic field or in a substantially similar field. The ad-hoc committee shall conduct a de novo review of the candidate's record with reference to the criteria for tenure contained in UWPF 6.01. The Chancellor may subsequently recommend to the Board of Regents that a tenure appointment be granted without the concurrence of the appropriate departmental executive committee, provided:

(a) the ad-hoc committee, following the customary decision rules of the department, has recommended that tenure be granted; and

(b) this affirmative recommendation has been reviewed, according to established procedures, by the appropriate dean, with the advice of the Personnel Review Committee.

(5) If the ad-hoc committee's decision is adverse, the faculty member may request a statement of reasons and a reconsideration by that committee as provided in UWPF 6.09. An adverse decision by the ad-hoc committee following such reconsideration may be appealed to the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee as provided in UWPF 6.08.

(6) The Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee shall retain jurisdiction pending the resolution of all appeals. The decision of the Chancellor on all appeals shall be final.

[Revision notes: 2022 09 16 (interpretation by UW System Legal. In an important interpretation, Senior Legal Counsel Noah Brisbin advised that an ad hoc committee (a “Notestein” committee) may be formed in a case of non-renewal of a probationary faculty member who is not going up for tenure; his opinion was founded on the fact that both UWS 3.08 and UWPF 6.08(3) state that the remedies given are “without limitation by enumeration”, thus other remedies are allowed. This opinion fills a gap in faculty personnel policy in that it allows a remedy for a renewal appointment case where an executive committee has been found to have used impermissible factors, while at the same time hewing to the stricture of UWS 3 that all faculty appointments have the “affirmative recommendation” of the appropriate academic department. The Notestein committee, as well-established for tenure cases, may provide the “affirmative recommendation” of the department for probationary cases when an executive committee has been found by the FRRC to have used impermissible factors.]

6.09 Tenure

Renewal of faculty appointments may be granted only upon the affirmative recommendation of departmental executive committees, their delegated representative, or the ad hoc committee under UWPF 6.08(4), and the Chancellor of UW-Parkside. When specified by the Board, the UW-Parkside recommendation shall be transmitted by the President with his/her recommendation to the Board.

(1) A tenure appointment may be granted to any faculty member who holds or will hold a half-time appointment or more.

(2) An academic department executive committee shall forward its recommendations for certain appointments or promotions enumerated in UWPF 5.04(1) to the dean of the appropriate school. The ad hoc committee under UWPF 6.08(4) shall forward its recommendations for appointments to tenure to the dean of the appropriate school. In either case, the dean shall seek the advice of the Personnel Review Committee.

(3) Candidates for promotion to tenure shall be given the opportunity to request that such meetings be held in open session [Wis Stats 19.85(1)(b)].

(4) Tenure shall not be granted solely because of the number of years of service, and shall be granted only by specific administrative action. The provisions of this chapter regarding the duration of the probationary period are intended to establish, for the benefit of UW-Parkside and its faculty members, limits beyond which administrative action may not be delayed.

(5) Individuals with the rank of instructor or assistant professor who are granted tenure at the completion of their probationary service are normally appointed to the next higher rank; promotion to the rank of associate professor shall include the granting of tenure. This provision shall not preclude recommending a faculty member for promotion to a higher rank at any time.

6.10 Periodic Post-Tenure Review in Support of Tenured Faculty Development

The overriding purpose of the periodic, post-tenure review is tenured faculty development. This review shall not infringe on existing faculty rights and protections, including those of academic freedom. The review and its consequences are not subject to the grievance process set forth in UWS 6.02.

(1) Results of Review

The review will consider whether the faculty member under review has discharged conscientiously and with professional competence the duties appropriately associated with the faculty member’s position. The outcome of the review shall be one of the following:

(a) Meets expectations. This category is awarded to those tenured faculty members whose performance reflects the expected level of accomplishment.

(b) Does not meet expectations. This category is awarded to those tenured faculty members whose performance reflects a level of accomplishment below the expected level and which requires correction.

(2) Criteria of Evaluation

The criteria of evaluation shall be within the areas of teaching, research/creative activity, and service, and shall be as established by UWPF 6.01 (1-4, 6), PSF 56/13-14, and department policies adopted pursuant to the foregoing.

(3) Process

(a) Each tenured faculty member’s activities and performance shall be reviewed every five years. The post-tenure review period begins in the academic year following the granting of tenure. The review may be deferred, only with the approval of the provost, for unusual circumstances such as when it may coincide with an approved leave, promotion review, or other appointment. In such cases, the provost will specify the new review cycle that applies to the faculty member.

(b) The post-tenure review shall be conducted in the spring semester, coincident with, but distinct from, the annual review. The annual review, including the awarding of merit scores, shall occur in the post-tenure review year, following established policies.

(c) The tenured faculty member under review shall be notified at least three months prior to the commencement of the review. However, failure to meet this notice deadline does not obviate the requirement to conduct and participate in the review.

(d) The review will be conducted by the department executive committee, utilizing the criteria specified in UWPF 6.10(2). The materials considered by the executive committee shall include a current curriculum vitae and annual summaries for the period since the last review or since tenure. Additional evidence of accomplishments in teaching, research/creative activity, and service may be considered as deemed appropriate.

(e) The executive committee shall provide a draft written report of its findings, including whether the reviewed faculty member meets expectations or does not meet expectations, to the reviewed faculty member and the dean. The reviewed faculty member and the dean may provide written responses to the executive committee. The executive committee shall then provide a final written report of its findings to the reviewed faculty member, who may give a written response. The final written report of the executive committee, along with the written response of the reviewed faculty member, if any, shall be provided to the dean and the provost, coincident with the provision of annual reviews to the dean. (f) If the result of the review contained in the final written report of the executive committee is that the reviewed faculty member “does not meet expectations”, the procedures in UWPF 6.10 (4) shall be followed.

(g) The written report of a review resulting in a finding of “meets expectations” by the executive committee shall be submitted to the chancellor or designee, along with written responses of the faculty member and dean. The chancellor or designee may overturn the finding, in doing so providing a written explanation, including  specific evidence of deficiencies, as to why the finding was overturned. The faculty member may provide a written response to the chancellor or designee’s finding. Upon the overturning of the finding of “meets expectations” by the chancellor or designee, the procedures in UWPF 6.10 (5) shall be followed.

(4) Procedures That Apply When a Faculty Member is Found Not to Meet Expectations by the Executive Committee

(a) When a reviewed faculty member is found by the executive committee not to meet expectations, the written report of the executive committee shall identify and describe the deficiencies.

(b) A finding of “does not meet expectations” shall be reviewed by the dean, and then by the chancellor or designee. The reviewed faculty member may provide a written statement to accompany these reviews. Following the chancellor or designee’s review, the faculty member will be informed in writing by the chancellor or designee that the faculty member has received a result of “meets expectations,” or that a remediation plan will be developed. If the chancellor or designee concurs with the finding of “does not meet expectations”, the procedures in UWPF 6.10 (5) shall be followed.

(5) Remediation Plans

(a) When a finding of “does not meet expectations” has been made or confirmed by the chancellor or designee, then a remediation plan shall be developed by the faculty member in consultation with the dean, in order to assist the faculty member in addressing the deficiencies identified in the review.

i. The primary focus of the remediation plan shall be developmental and provide the faculty member with appropriate support from the department or dean as applicable.

ii The dean, faculty member, and chancellor shall establish a mechanism for determining how and when the faculty member will have satisfied the expectations of the remediation plan. The dean, in consultation with the chancellor and faculty member, shall make a written determination in accord with the mechanism established, and shall provide copies to the faculty member, department executive committee, and chancellor or designee. All elements of the plan must be satisfied within three academic semesters following the establishment of the plan, with summer and winter sessions not counting as semesters. In those few remediation plans related to a performance shortfall in research where more than three academic semesters may be necessary to correct identified deficiencies, an extension of one academic semester shall be permitted only with the approval of the chancellor, which shall trigger a notification of that extension to the UW System Administration Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.

iii. If the reviewed faculty member is determined to have failed to meet the expectations set forth in the remediation plan, action may be taken under UWPF 7.02 through 7.06, including, if dismissal proceedings are warranted, the provisions of UWS 4, as provided for by UWPF 7.02. 

 (6) Opportunities and Compensation

(a) Regardless of the results of a faculty member’s post-tenure review, a faculty member may take advantage, both prior to and following the review, of the opportunities for assistance that may be made available by the University to all faculty members to support their professional development at any time in their careers.

(b) Faculty members who receive a review resulting in the determination that they meet expectations, are entitled to take advantage of those opportunities, including additional compensation that the University may make available, subject to the availability of resources.

(7) Annual Reporting and Record Keeping

(a) Department chairs shall report annually to the dean and chancellor or designee that all periodic, post-tenure reviews for tenured faculty in that annual cycle have been completed, and the chancellor or designee shall ensure the reviews are completed on schedule.

(b) A full written record consisting of the executive committee’s report, the reviewed faculty member’s and dean’s responses and statements, the chancellor or designee’s review under UWPF 6.10(3)(g) and (4)(b), the remediation plan, the mechanism for determining satisfaction of expectations under the plan, and the dean’s determination under UWPF 6.10(5)(a)(ii), shall be maintained by the department, the dean, and the chancellor or designee. This record shall otherwise be disclosed only at the discretion, or with the explicit consent, of the faculty member, unless required by business necessity or by law. Copies of all reports, responses and determinations shall also be provided to the faculty member.

[Revision notes: 2017 02 14, 2017 03 28.]

6.11 Special Procedures Governing Promotion to Full Professor

(1) Criteria for Promotion to Professor

Promotion to (or appointment at) the rank of Professor is the highest academic honor that can be bestowed by the UW-Parkside faculty.  This rank is not granted routinely after a given number of years of service, but is awarded only after careful consideration of each candidate’s qualifications.  Aside from exceptional circumstances, promotion to the rank of Professor is not considered until the 5th year of service at the rank of Associate Professor. Each candidate must meet all three of the following criteria:

(1) Has taught successfully, and has continued to perform at a high level in teaching or, in the case of an administrative appointment, has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to effective teaching/learning;

(2) Has continued to achieve recognition is her/his specialization by publication of creative and/or scholarly works or by performance in ways appropriate to her/his profession if such performances generally are considered equivalent to publication;

(3) Has continued to serve the university community by participating in its academic and governance affairs and/or has served the community AND/OR PROFESSION by bringing her/his professional expertise to bear on its needs.

In addition to meeting these three criteria, a candidate must have achieved distinction in one or more of these areas.

(2) Candidates for promotion to full professor shall be given the opportunity to request that any meetings at which their promotion is to be considered be held in open session.

(3) In cases of a negative recommendation for promotion to full professor, upon the written request of the faculty member concerned, within 20 days of the receipt of the recommendation, the reasons shall be provided in writing to the faculty member by the chair of the departmental executive committee (as constituted for purposes of promotion to full professor), the chair of the Full Professor Subcommittee of the Personnel Review Committee, the dean of the school, the vice chancellor, or the chancellor, depending upon the level at which the recommendation was reached.

(4) Every faculty member for whom a negative recommendation is made shall have the right of reconsideration upon the written request of the faculty member within 20 days of receipt of the statement of written reasons.

(a) The reconsideration review shall be held within 20 days of the written request for reconsideration.  The faculty member concerned shall be given at least 10 days notice of the reconsideration.

(b) The purpose of a reconsideration shall be to provide an opportunity for a fair and full consideration of the decision, and to insure that all relevant material is considered. A reconsideration is not a hearing, or an appeal, and shall be non-adversarial in nature. The option for an open hearing of the reconsideration shall be the same as for the initial review of the case.

(c) The reconsideration shall be conducted by the committee or officer responsible for the negative recommendation. The faculty member concerned shall be afforded an opportunity to respond to the written statement of reasons, and to present any relevant written or oral evidence or arguments.

(d) The faculty member concerned shall be notified in writing of the decision of the reviewing committee or officer within 10 days after the reconsideration is held, with a copy to all levels of review within UW-Parkside.

(5) If a reconsideration affirms a negative recommendation, if requested by the faculty member within 20 days of the receipt of the notification, the reasons shall be provided in writing to the faculty member by the chair of the committee or the officer responsible for the reconsideration.

(6) If the faculty member believes there has been a clear case of:

(a) a violation of constitutionally protected rights;

(b) a violation of academic freedom;

(c) a violation of fair employment practices; or

(d) a failure to follow proper procedures; the faculty member may file a grievance with the Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee. The procedures governing faculty grievances, set forth in UWPF 7.17-7.20, shall apply.

(7) If the faculty member's grievance is upheld, the chancellor shall normally remand the case to the body or official making the negative recommendation with specific instructions for reconsidering the case, unless no good purpose would be served by such remand. The chancellor's disposition of the grievance shall follow the procedures set forth in UWPF 7.20.