POLICY STATEMENT

This policy describes eligibility for Tenure and promotion for full-time academic faculty and delineates the process and criteria for reviewing applications for Tenure and/or promotion.

DEFINITIONS

Academic Rank: The position of academic faculty within Nevada State’s promotion and Tenure structure. NS recognizes four ranks: Rank I for Lecturer, Rank II for Assistant Professor, Rank III for Associate Professor, and Rank IV for Professor.

Administrator Return to Teaching Salary (ARTS): Shadow salary calculated for Tenure-track or Tenured Administrators with Academic Rank in A-contract positions whose salary for the administrative position was negotiated independently rather than derived from their academic position salary. Compensation related to promotions in Academic Rank are added to the ARTS the individual would receive if they vacated the A-contract administrative position and returned to their Tenure-track or Tenured teaching position.

Administrators with Academic Rank: Administrative faculty who hold a Shadow Appointment.

Lecturer: Title conferred on full-time, non-Tenure-track academic faculty whose roles focus on academic or clinical course instruction. The Academic Rank of Lecturer includes three levels: Lecturer (Level I), Senior Lecturer (Level II), and Distinguished Lecturer (Level III).

Librarianship: Activities associated with librarian duties including, but not limited to, teaching and consultation responsibilities, leadership responsibility for functional areas of library operations, and the expectation to work collaboratively with other institutional partners to enhance the success of the academic community.

Other Professional Duties: Assigned job duties that are evaluated in lieu of Teaching for promotion and Tenure. May be a short-term or long-term assignment.

Peer Review: External review and evaluation of research and creative works conducted by peer experts in the field prior to publication or exhibition.

Probationary Period: Period of full-time employment in a Tenure-track position before applying for Tenure; may not exceed seven years except with approval of the President, as allowed in NSHE Code.

Scholarship: Activity including, but not limited to, creation, application, synthesis, or transmission of knowledge; cross-disciplinary collaboration; acquiring and sustaining faculty expertise; and, in appropriate fields or disciplines, visual, performing, and literary arts that express original ideas, interpretations, imaginations, thoughts, or feelings (NSHE Code Chapter 7, Section 7.4.2). Nevada State recognizes three categories of Scholarship: Growth and Development (qualifies as Scholarship for Lecturers), Scholarship of Discovery and Creation, and Scholarship of Dissemination.

Scholarship of Discovery and Creation: Engagement in activities that lead to the development or production of research findings or artistic creations.

Scholarship of Dissemination: Communicating findings, knowledge, product(s), or artistic work related to Scholarship for the benefit of others.

Scholarship of Growth and Development: Maintaining currency of knowledge and advancements within one’s discipline while developing additional professional skills.

Service: Consultation, administration, or other activities directed toward the Nevada State community’s welfare. Activities including, but not limited to, advising students and/or mentoring colleagues; participation in professional organizations; working with Nevada State faculty, staff, and students in the best interests of the academic community and the people it serves and to the extent that the job performance of the faculty member’s unit is not otherwise adversely affected; membership on and contributions to Nevada State or NSHE committees; recognition among colleagues for possessing professional integrity and the capacity for further significant intellectual and professional achievement; and recognition and respect outside Nevada State for participation in activities that use the faculty member’s knowledge and expertise, further the mission of NS, or provide an opportunity for professional growth through interaction with industry, business, government, and other institutions at the local, state, national, or global level (NSHE Code Section 7.4.2).

Shadow Appointment: B-contract Tenure-track or Tenured academic appointment held by a faculty member before moving into a full-time administrative position; used to monitor and acknowledge Tenure and promotion progress and compensation changes related to the Tenure-track or Tenured position while the employee serves in the administrative capacity. Should they leave their administrative position, faculty with a Shadow Appointment reserve the right to return to their B-contract academic faculty position at the rank, Tenure status, and compensation level in effect for the Shadow Appointment on the date of their return.

Teaching: Activities associated with instruction of students, including, but not limited to, lecture course, practicum, and laboratory instruction; course preparation; evaluation of students’ performance; direction of independent study, student research, and thesis projects; and consultations with students enrolled in classes.

Tenure: A status granted to an eligible academic faculty member after a Probationary Period that provides protection from summary dismissal.

PROCEDURES

I.               Overview of Promotion and Tenure

A. Objectives of Tenure and Promotion: The major objectives of Tenure are to provide a faculty committed to excellence and to provide a substantial degree of security to those persons who have exhibited excellent abilities, sufficient to convince the Nevada community that their expected Services and performances in the future justify the privileges afforded by Tenure (NSHE Code Chapter 7, Section 7.1.2). The purpose of promotion is to advance and compensate full-time faculty with a demonstrated record of excellence in Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties and appropriate levels of Service and Scholarship (as defined by the unit’s Tenure expectations). Advancement is reflected in promotion in Academic Rank or level, and compensation reflected in an increase in salary.

B. Probationary Period: Except as described in I.B.2 below, the total Probationary Period for academic faculty eligible for Tenure shall not exceed seven (7) years of uninterrupted full-time employment in Ranks I-IV (NSHE Code Chapter 7, Sections 7.3.1a, 7.3.1c, 7.3.1d, 7.3.2, and 7.3.4). All full-time Tenure-track faculty must apply for Tenure no later than August at the beginning of their sixth academic year at Nevada State, unless an extension is granted. Faculty may confirm their expected Tenure application date by reviewing their offer letter and contract or by contacting the Office of Human Resources.

1. 1. Authorized leave (“Stopping the Tenure clock”): Authorized periods of leave, paid or unpaid, may be excluded from the seven­ year Probationary Period upon written request of the faculty member and approval of the President (NSHE Code Chapter 7, Section 7.3.1[c]). Such arrangements must be requested and approved at the time the period of leave is requested by the faculty member. The President’s decision is final.
   2. Extensions of Probationary Period: The period of probation may exceed seven (7) years, allowing a faculty member to apply for tenure later than the end of their fifth academic year, upon written request of the faculty member and approval of the President. Requests must be received no later than April 1st of the calendar year in which the faculty member is scheduled to apply for Tenure (e.g., a candidate scheduled to apply for Tenure in August 2025 must submit an extension request no later than April 1, 2025). The decision to grant the faculty member’s request is at the sole discretion of the President (NSHE Code Chapter 7, Section 7.3.1[d]).

C. Tenure at Hire: At the discretion of the Board of Regents, an academic faculty member may be exempt from the requirement of serving a Probationary Period and Tenure may be awarded on a case-by-case basis at the time of hire in negotiation with the President or President’s designee (NSHE Code Chapter 7, 7.3.1[b1]). The President, without seeking Board of Regents approval, may grant Tenure upon hire to an academic faculty member (or administrative faculty member who will hold a tenured appointment in an academic unit) who, at the time of hire, holds Tenure at another institution (NSHE Code Chapter 7, 7.3.1[b2]). Prior to making such an appointment, the President will seek a recommendation through an expedited Tenure review process. The Unit P&T Committee and the NS Promotion and Tenure Committee will simultaneously review the applicant’s materials and submit a recommendation to the Provost.

D. Tenure Credit for Previous Employment: Upon the request of the academic faculty member and approval of the President, up to three (3) years of full-time employment at other accredited institutions of postsecondary education in positions equivalent to positions providing eligibility for appointment with Tenure at Nevada State, may be included in the Probationary Period. Such decisions must be negotiated at the time of hire and included in the offer letter and contract (NSHE Code Chapter 7, Section 7.3.3). Faculty receiving years of Tenure credit as part of their negotiated contract may submit materials and evidence from previous employment (including previous academic positions at Nevada State) corresponding to those years as part of their promotion and Tenure packet.

E. Annual Review, Third-Year Review, and Tenure Review Alignment: Annual and third-year reviews must be aligned with criteria established in this document for promotion and/or Tenure and should reflect the faculty member’s overall progress toward attainment of these criteria (NSHE Code Chapter 5, Section 5.12).

II.              Procedure for Third-Year Review

All Tenure-track faculty must complete the third-year pre-Tenure review process at the end of their third full academic year at Nevada State, unless otherwise specified in their hiring materials. Faculty members may confirm their expected third-year review application date by reviewing their offer letter and contract or by contacting the Office of Human Resources. Materials must be completed and submitted via the electronic folders provided by the Office of the Provost.

Non-Tenure-track faculty eligible for promotion to the level of Senior Lecturer may complete a third-year review process at the end of their third full academic year of employment at Nevada State. Third-year reviews are optional for such faculty and performed at the request of the candidate.

A. Timeline for Third-Year Review: Each spring, the Office of the Provost will distribute the timeline for the upcoming review cycle. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to provide the Dean with all necessary materials, or ascertain that the Dean has independent access to the materials, by the due date.

• (Lecturers only) 1st Monday in May at end of candidate’s 3rd academic year: Candidate informs Dean of intent to submit portfolio
• 2nd Monday in May: Dean submits list of all scheduled third-year review candidates to Office of the Provost
• 2nd Friday in August before start of candidate’s 4th academic year: Candidate submits electronic third-year review portfolio to the Office of the Provost
• Fall semester (approximately two months after submission): Dean completes review, notifies candidate in writing, and submits file and review letter to Provost
• Fall semester (approximately three months after submission): Provost notifies faculty member of progress made toward promotion and Tenure and any action to be taken as a result of the evaluation.

B. Process for Tenure-Track Faculty

1. Dean submits list of all scheduled third-year reviews to Office of the Provost via email by the second Monday in May;
2. The Office of the Provost creates individual electronic folders for each applicant and provides instructions for portfolio submission;
3. Applicants submit electronic portfolios to the Office of the Provost by the second Friday in August;
4. The Office of the Provost changes applicants’ access to “view only” status to prevent additional changes and grants access to the Dean for review;
5. The appropriate Dean reviews the portfolio and additional relevant materials (e.g., annual reviews on file), and meets with the faculty member to discuss progress made toward Tenure;
6. The Dean evaluates the candidate’s materials and progress toward Tenure and writes a letter evaluating the candidate in each area. If the Dean/Library Director deems the candidate’s progress toward Tenure as unsatisfactory, the Dean may make a recommendation of remediation or non-reappointment. If the Dean/Library Director determines that a faculty member is unlikely to meet Tenure standards, this information must be clearly stated in the evaluation letter;
7. The Dean provides a copy of the evaluation letter to the candidate;
8. The Dean submits the third-year review file and evaluation letter to the Provost;
9. The Provost reviews the third-year review materials and notifies the faculty member in writing of the progress made toward promotion and Tenure and any action to be taken as a result of the evaluation.

C. Process for Lecturers: Lecturers inform the Dean of the intent to submit a third-year review portfolio by the 1^st Monday in May after the candidate’s third academic year. The review process then proceeds according to steps 1-9 in II.B.

D. Documentation for Third-Year Review: It is the responsibility of the faculty member to provide evidence of the extent and quality of performance in each area of evaluation. The documentation listed below will be the sole documentation considered in this process.The application must be completed and submitted electronically via the method approved by the Office of the Provost. Faculty members must establish bookmarks or a table of contents for their portfolios. After the submission deadline passes, faculty members will not have access to the contents of their portfolios and must not use external links to personal accounts (e.g., Google Drive) that may be altered after submission. New or revised materials may be accepted after the submission deadline at the discretion of the Dean or request of any formal evaluators. The third-year review portfolio should include the following:

1. Completed Application for Third-Year Review and Recommendation for Promotion and/or Tenure;
2. Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV);
3. Copies of all annual reviews;
4. Supporting documentation for Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties:

i. Faculty with Teaching responsibilities should include supporting documentation of Teaching effectiveness (e.g., syllabi, course materials, course evaluations, summary and discussion of course evaluations, student artifacts/submissions, peer evaluations, evidence of effective Teaching, letters of support);

ii. Faculty with Librarianship and/or Other Professional Duties should include annual evaluations of those duties from the candidate’s supervisor (e.g., administrative faculty performance evaluations or academic annual reviews that address Other Professional Duties) to demonstrate excellence in performing responsibilities in the position description, including evidence of effectiveness and efficiency. Other supporting documentation may include, but is not limited to, program materials, peer or other evaluations, and letters of support;

5. Supporting documentation for Scholarship (e.g., copies of publications or creative works, evidence of conference presentations, grant awards);
6. Supporting documentation for Service (e.g., involvement in campus, community, and professional activities; contributions and/or leadership on campus committees; mentoring other faculty and/or students).

The application, instructions for completing the application, and guidelines for the third-year review process may be downloaded from the Provost Office website.

E. Appealing a Third-Year Review Outcome: A faculty member may appeal the outcome or ratings in a third-year review by following the procedures described in Section VII below.

III.             Procedure for Promotion & Tenure

A. Timeline: Each spring, the Office of the Provost will distribute the timeline for the upcoming P&T cycle. It is the responsibility of the faculty member to provide the Office of the Provost with all necessary materials by the due dates listed below.

• 1st Monday in May of calendar year in which faculty member intends to apply (typically May of the faculty member’s 5th academic year): Candidate submits statement of intent to apply to Dean
• 2nd Monday in May: Dean submits list of all Tenure and promotion candidates to the Office of the Provost
• 2nd Friday in August before faculty member begins 6th academic year: Candidate submits electronic promotion and Tenure portfolio to Office of the Provost
• 1st Monday in August on which 9-month academic faculty are on contract: Dean forms Unit P&T Committee and forwards names of representatives for NS P&T Committee to Office of the Provost
• 1st Monday after Unit P&T Committee membership is confirmed: Office of the Provost provides Unit P&T Committee and Dean with access to materials
• Fall semester, dates TBA:
  • Office of the Provost finalizes membership in NS P&T Committee;
  • Unit P&T Committee completes review and submits recommendation to Dean;
  • Dean/Library Director completes review and submits recommendation letter to Provost;
  • Office of the Provost provides NS P&T Committee with access to all materials;
  • NS P&T Committee reviews files and submits recommendation to Provost
• Spring semesters, dates TBA:
  • Provost reviews all materials and recommendation letters and submits recommendation to President along with access to materials;
  • President reviews file and recommendation letters and notifies applicant in writing of decision;
  • President forwards all positive Tenure recommendations to Board of Regents
• March:
  • Board of Regents votes on Tenure appointments;
  • President notifies candidates for Tenure of final decision
• July 1st after approval: Promotion, Tenure, and/or salary raise go into effect

B. Eligibility: Full- and part-time academic faculty in Assistant Professor (Rank II), Associate Professor (Rank III), and Professor (Rank IV) positions at Nevada State are eligible for Tenure. Administrators may be eligible, but only in the capacity of academic faculty; they are not Tenured into their administrative position. Academic faculty serving as Lecturers (Rank I) are not eligible to hold Tenure (NSHE Code Chapter 7, Sections 7.2.1, 7.2.2, 7.2.3) but are eligible for promotion as set out in Section VI of this policy.

C. Tenure Decision Authority: The Board of Regents has final authority in making an appointment with Tenure and such appointment will not be granted without an affirmative majority vote of the Board of Regents at a meeting of the Board, a quorum being present (NSHE Code Chapter 7, Section 7.4.1).

D. Early Applications for Tenure and Promotion to Rank III: While faculty are typically required to complete the full Probationary Period before applying for promotion and Tenure, exceptions may be made. Upon the request of the academic faculty member and the approval of the President, academic faculty may apply for Tenure before the end of the Probationary Period; that is, the candidate may apply for Tenure earlier than established in the standard Tenure timeline (NSHE Code Chapter 7, Section 7.3.2). It is strongly recommended that faculty complete the third-year review process before requesting early consideration for Tenure. The President must approve requests to apply for early promotion and Tenure.

1. 1. Faculty requesting early application must submit a letter via email to the Dean, and copy the Provost and President, by April 1st of the calendar year in which they wish to apply (e.g., a candidate wishing to apply in August 2025 must request approval by April 1, 2025). The request should be no longer than one page and should state the original Tenure and promotion application year and address how the candidate has made exceptional contributions that justify early consideration;
   2. The Dean will review the letter and submit a brief recommendation to the Provost and President, via email, in support of or against allowing the faculty member to apply early;
   3. Requests for early consideration for promotion and Tenure will receive an approval or denial from the President by the first Monday in May. Approval of such a request should in no way be construed to imply that the faculty member will, in fact, be granted Tenure. Denials of such requests are not subject to appeal;
   4. If the President approves a request for early Tenure review, the applicant will be evaluated without promise or prejudice and will follow the process and timeline described in III.A, III.H, and III.I, with the following adjustments;

i. The candidate’s request letter and the President’s approval letter must both be included in the candidate’s portfolio;

ii. The candidate’s application materials should address and provide evidence of the exceptional accomplishments that justify early consideration;

5. If the President denies a request for early Tenure review, the applicant will apply at the end of the Probationary Period, following the standard process and timeline described in III.A, III.H, and III.I;

6. The decision on an early Tenure and promotion application is final. Faculty members who apply early for promotion and Tenure and are denied will not have an opportunity to reapply for promotion and Tenure; the academic year following the denial is the applicant’s terminal year at Nevada State.

E. Early Application for Promotion to Rank IV (Professor): An Associate Professor is normally expected to be in rank for five (5) years prior to applying for promotion to the rank of professor. Earlier applications may be allowed with the approval of the President.

1. 1. Faculty requesting early promotion must submit a letter via email to the Dean, and copy the Provost and President, by April 1st of the calendar year in which they wish to apply (e.g., a candidate wishing to apply in August 2025 must request approval by April 1, 2025). The letter should be no longer than one page and should clearly state the number of years the faculty member has been in Rank III (Associate Professor) and discuss how the candidate has made exceptional and sustained contributions in the areas of Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties; Scholarship; and Service that justify early consideration for promotion;
   2. The Dean will review the letter and submit a brief recommendation to the Provost and President, via email, in support of or against allowing the faculty member to apply early;
   3. Requests for early consideration for promotion will receive an approval or denial from the President. Approval of such a request should in no way be construed to imply that the faculty member will, in fact, be promoted. Denials of such requests are not subject to appeal;
   4. If the President approves a request for early promotion review, the applicant will be evaluated without promise or prejudice and will follow the process and timeline described in III.A, III.H, and III.I, with the following adjustments:

i. The candidate’s request letter and the President’s approval letter must both be included in the candidate’s portfolio;

ii. The candidate’s application materials should address and provide evidence of the exceptional accomplishments that justify early consideration.

F. Teaching Required for Tenure Eligibility: To be eligible for Tenure, academic faculty (with the exception of those housed in the Library) must teach a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of the Teaching load expected for their position during the full Probationary Period. These credits may be taught in any combination of academic terms, including winter and summer sessions, during the Probationary Period.

1. 1. The standard Teaching load for A-contract (12-month) faculty during the five-year Probationary Period is 150 credits (e.g., 30 credits/year x 5 years). Therefore, A-contract faculty must teach a minimum of 75 total credits during the Probationary Period to apply for Tenure;
   2. The standard Teaching load for B-contract (9-month) faculty during the five-year Probationary Period is 120 total credits (24 credits/year x 5 years). Therefore, B-contract faculty must teach a minimum of 60 credits to apply for Tenure;
   3. Academic faculty with other Teaching loads specified in their contract must teach a minimum of 50% of the specified total credits expected for their Probationary Period.
   4. Because faculty are not Tenured in their positions as Administrative faculty, Administrative faculty with Academic Rank are not exempt from the minimum Teaching requirement specified in their academic faculty contract (see III.G).

G. Administrators with Academic Rank: Administrators with Academic Rank will prepare their application in the same format required of all academic faculty, using Other Professional Duties in lieu of, or in addition to, Teaching, as appropriate for their position and contract. Candidates who transition between an academic position and an administrative position with Academic Rank (or vice versa) will explain the timeline of the transition and the periods during which their administrative position required Other Professional Duties. Evaluators will review the materials within the context of the applicant’s position(s) and, within that context, will treat Other Professional Duties as equivalent to Teaching.

H. Tenure and Promotion Process

1. Application and Submission Process

i. Applicants for promotion and Tenure submit a statement of intent to apply to the appropriate Dean by the first Monday in May;

ii. The Dean formally acknowledges, in writing, the faculty member’s intent to apply;

iii. The Dean submits a list of all Tenure and promotion applicants to the Office of the Provost by the second Monday in May;

iv. Office of the Provost creates individual electronic folders for each applicant;

v. Applicants submit electronic P&T portfolios via the approved method to the Office of the Provost by the second Friday in August;

vi. On the first Monday on which 9-month faculty are on contract, the Dean forms the Unit Promotion & Tenure Committee;

a. Each unit will develop a procedure for determining the composition of the Unit Promotion & Tenure Committee;

b. The Unit P&T Committee elects a Committee Chair.

vii. The Office of the Provost changes applicants’ access to “view only” status to prevent additional changes and grants access to the submitted materials to the Unit Promotion & Tenure Committee and to the Dean for review;

2. Unit-Level Evaluation

i. Unit-level committees are comprised of three (3) Tenured faculty members drawn from the unit’s ranks. In the School of Liberal Arts, Sciences, & Business, each academic department is treated as a unit for the purposes of promotion and Tenure evaluations;

a. For applications for promotion to the rank of Professor, faculty at the rank of Professor are preferred, but Tenured faculty at the rank of Associate Professor may serve with approval of the Dean;

ii. A single Unit Promotion & Tenure Committee may evaluate all applicants, or multiple Committees may be formed to review a subset of applicants. If a unit does not have sufficient eligible faculty members to form the necessary Committee(s), the Dean,in collaboration with the faculty member, will determine whether to: a) identify eligible academic faculty from other units on campus or, if needed, from other NSHE institutions, and/or b) request a waiver from the Provost to establish a committee of only two (2) tenured faculty from the candidate’s Unit. At least one Committee member must have knowledge of the candidate’s discipline or position. Individual units may elaborate the process for selecting and organizing unit-level committees, including whether the committee elects a chair;

iii. The Unit Promotion & Tenure Committee members review the materials and meet to discuss the candidate’s portfolio. The Unit P&T committee is encouraged to notify the candidate if there are any missing documents or gaps in narrative that should be addressed before forwarding the portfolio to the next level of evaluation.

a. The Unit Promotion & Tenure Committee conducts an anonymous vote on each application and completes a letter of recommendation addressing the areas of Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties; Scholarship; and Service and stating the Committee’s recommendation regarding promotion and/or Tenure for the applicant. The results of the vote, without attribution, must be included in the letter;

b. The Unit P&T Committee Chair submits the recommendation letter to the Dean;

c. All members of the Unit P&T Committee will notify the Office of the Provost that they have securely destroyed or permanently deleted all physical or digital copies they may have made of any P&T materials;

3. Dean-Level Evaluation

i. The Dean reviews the applicant’s P&T portfolio and the Unit P&T Committee recommendation letter, evaluates the candidate in the areas of Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties; Scholarship; and Service, and submits a recommendation letter and a copy of the Unit P&T Committee’s letter, to the Office of the Provost;

ii. The Office of the Provost adds both recommendation letters to the candidate’s electronic folder and they become part of the Tenure portfolio;

4. College-Level Evaluation

i. The NS Promotion & Tenure Committee is formed during the fall semester according to a timeline provided by the Office of the Provost. The Committee consists of Tenured faculty from academic units eligible to participate, not to exceed two (2) members per academic School and one (1) member from the Library, as directed by the Office of the Provost;

a. Each unit organizes a vote to select Committee representatives and forwards the name(s) of their representative(s) to the Office of the Provost;

ii. Members of the NS P&T Committee elect a Committee Chair via a majority vote;

iii. The Office of the Provost provides the NS P&T Committee with access to all materials;

iv. The NS P&T Committee reviews each portfolio and the recommendation letters, evaluates the candidate in the areas of Teaching and/or Other Professional Duties, Service, and Scholarship, and meets to discuss each candidate;

v. The NS P&T Committee conducts an anonymous vote on whether to approve each application and completes a letter of recommendation addressing the areas of Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties; Scholarship; and Service and stating the Committee’s recommendation regarding promotion and/or Tenure for the applicant. Committee members who have a conflict of interest (actual or perceived) regarding any candidate must notify the committee Chair and abstain from voting on the candidate’s application. The Chair of the NS P&T Committee will report the results of the vote, without attribution, in the letter. Any minority or dissenting opinions or abstentions will also be included, without attribution. The Chair of the NS P&T Committee submits a letter of recommendation for each candidate to the Office of the Provost;

a. All members of the NS P&T Committee will verify to the Office of the Provost that they have securely destroyed or permanently deleted all physical or digital copies they may have made of any P&T materials;

5. Provost and President Evaluations

i. The Provost reviews the applicant’s P&T portfolio and all recommendation letters, and completes a written recommendation regarding whether to approve promotion and/or Tenure. The Provost submits this recommendation letter, along with access to the complete file, to the President;

ii. The President reviews all appropriate materials, determines whether to grant promotion and/or Tenure (pending Board of Regents approval), and notifies the faculty member in writing;

a. The Office of the President forwards copies of the Provost’s and President’s letters to the NS P&T Committee members;

iii. Requests to grant Tenure to a faculty member must be presented by the President to the Board of Regents at a scheduled Board of Regents meeting (NSHE Code Sections 5.2.2, 7.4.1, and 7.4.2). The Board of Regents makes the final decision on all Tenure applications via majority vote.

I. Documentation for Promotion and Tenure: It is the responsibility of the faculty member to provide evidence of the extent and quality of performance in each area of evaluation. Documentation that does not cover the promotion and Tenure review period should not be included in the portfolio. Faculty who received years of credit toward Tenure may submit materials and evidence from previous employment specifically for the years granted (e.g., a faculty member granted two years toward promotion and Tenure may include evidence from other employers related to performance during the two years granted toward Tenure). The application must be completed and submitted electronically via a folder created and managed by the Office of the Provost. Faculty members must establish bookmarks or a table of contents for their portfolios. Faculty members will have view-only access to the contents of their portfolios after the submission deadline and must not use external links to personal accounts (e.g., Google Drive) that may be altered after submission as part of their materials. New or revised materials may be accepted after the submission deadline at the discretion of the Office of the Provost; in addition, evaluators at any stage may request additional materials. The types of documentation listed below shall be the only documentation considered in this process:

1. 1. Application for Third-Year Review and Recommendation for Promotion and/or Tenure
   2. Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV);
   3. Copies of all annual reviews;
   4. Third-year review letters from Dean/Library Director and Provost;
   5. Supporting documentation for Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties:

i. Faculty with Teaching responsibility should include supporting documentation of Teaching effectiveness (may include, but not limited to, syllabi, course materials, course evaluations, summary and discussion of student evaluation results, student artifacts/submissions, peer evaluations, evidence of effective Teaching practices, letters of support);

ii. Faculty with Librarianship and/or Other Professional Duties should include annual evaluations of those duties from the candidate’s supervisor (e.g., Administrative Faculty Performance Evaluations or academic annual reviews that address Librarianship and/or Other Professional Duties) to demonstrate excellence in performing responsibilities in the position description, including evidence of effectiveness and efficiency. Other supporting documentation may include, but is not limited to, program materials, peer or other evaluations, and letters of support;

1. 6. Supporting documentation for Scholarship (may include, but is not limited to, copies of publications or creative works, evidence of conference presentations, grant awards, evidence of professional development);
   7. Supporting documentation for Service (may include, but is not limited to, involvement in campus, community, and professional activities; contributions and/or leadership on campus committees; mentoring other faculty and/or students);
   8. Evaluations and recommendations completed by committees and administrators at each stage of the review process.

The application, instructions for completing the application, and guidelines for the promotion and Tenure process may be downloaded from the Provost’s Office website.

IV.            Criteria for Receiving Tenure and Promotion to Rank of Associate Professor

The only areas evaluated for promotion and Tenure decisions shall be Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties; Scholarship; and Service. To receive Tenure and promotion, the NS P&T Committee must assign a candidate’s portfolio a rating of “excellent” in the area of Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties and a minimum rating of “satisfactory” in the areas of Scholarship and Service. These ratings are based on the NS P&T Committee’s review and are distinct from ratings in annual reviews.

A. Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties: Instructional faculty must have a pattern of growth and excellence as a teacher. This includes, but is not limited to, demonstrated Teaching effectiveness and use of evidence-based practices for instructional design and delivery; the ability to communicate effectively with students and create an inclusive learning environment for a diverse study body; and demonstrated skill in class management and performance of other duties related to Teaching and mentoring students. Faculty with Librarianship and/or Other Professional Duties must have a record of excellence in performing assigned duties in the position description, including demonstrated effectiveness, efficiency, and professional growth and improvement over the course of the Probationary Period.

B. Scholarship: To receive Tenure, the candidate must have a record of Scholarship including accomplishments in the Scholarship of Discovery and Creation leading to Peer-Reviewed (or equivalent externally-reviewed) contributions in the Scholarship of Dissemination that are appropriate to the candidate’s field, position, and requirements or expectations of program-specific accrediting bodies. It is the candidate’s responsibility to present evidence that the body of Scholarship completed during the Probationary Period is sufficient to merit granting of Tenure and promotion to the rank of Associate Professor.

C. Service: The applicant must have a record of meaningful, active Service to the faculty member’s program, unit, or the broader institution.

V.             Criteria for Promotion to Rank of Professor

In the evaluation of a candidate’s qualifications for promotion to the rank of Professor, accomplishments occurring during the period since the last promotion may be considered. The applicant must demonstrate evidence of continued effective performance in Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties; Scholarship; and Service that exceeds criteria outlined for granting Tenure and promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. To be eligible for promotion to the rank of Professor, the NS P&T Committee must assign a candidate’s portfolio a rating of “excellent” in the area of Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties as well as a “commendable” in either Scholarship or Service; the candidate may not have a rating of “unsatisfactory” in any area. Faculty members should refer to criteria in this document and in the Tenure guidelines for their unit.

The rank of Professor is awarded to those who demonstrate the following:

• Cumulative and ongoing professional achievements;
• Significant contributions to advancing the mission of Nevada State;
• Continued innovation and dedication in Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties;
• Leadership and sustained contributions in Service that benefit the Nevada State community in significant ways;
• Professional growth and improvement over time;
• Scholarly contributions.

A. Teaching, Librarianship, and/or Other Professional Duties: The applicant must provide evidence of consistent, sustained activities and contributions that benefit the Nevada State community. Candidates should demonstrate continued innovation, professional growth, and improvement that builds on evidence-based practices and the candidate’s own evolving methods or practices. It is expected that the candidate will share successful efforts with other faculty and their professional community through leadership in campus initiatives related to their position and fulfillment of Nevada State’s mission.

B. Scholarship: Candidates for promotion must show appropriate scholarly contributions in the post-Tenure period, including accomplishments in the Scholarship of Discovery and Creation leading to peer-reviewed (or equivalent externally-reviewed) contributions in the Scholarship of Dissemination that are appropriate to the candidate’s field, position, and requirements or expectations of program-specific accrediting bodies. It is the candidate’s responsibility to present evidence that the body of Scholarship completed while in the rank of Associate Professor is sufficient to merit promotion to the rank of Professor.

C. Service: Applicants must show evidence of consistent, sustained, and meaningful Service, including serving in capacities that benefit Nevada State, the profession, the community, and NSHE. Service to NS will be given greatest emphasis in the evaluation process, and should include leadership roles.

VI.            Procedure for Promotion of Non-Tenure-Track Lecturers

A. Timeline:

1. First Monday in April in the calendar year in which the faculty member wishes to apply for promotion: Faculty member meets with direct supervisor to discuss interest in applying for promotion and to request memo;
2. First Monday in May: Direct supervisor submits memo regarding support for allowing faculty member to apply for promotion;
3. If the request to apply is approved, the review process proceeds according to the timeline in III.A;
4. Spring semester after application: Provost reviews all materials and recommendations, makes a final determination, and notifies applicant in writing.

B. Conditions of Promotion: Application for promotion is voluntary; Lecturers and Senior Lecturers are not required to apply for promotion to a higher level.

C. Eligibility for Promotion: Full-time academic faculty in Lecturer and Senior Lecturer (Rank I, Levels I and II) positions who satisfy the required years of employment are eligible to apply for promotion.

1. Lecturers must complete five (5) full academic years of employment at Nevada State, or a combination of four (4) years of employment at Nevada State with a year of credit awarded for full-time employment at another accredited institution as determined and approved by their supervisory Dean, to be eligible for promotion to Senior Lecturer. Faculty applying for promotion to Senior Lecturer will submit their materials in August after the fifth (5^th) year of employment;
2. Faculty at the level of Senior Lecturer must complete nine (9) full years of employment at Nevada State (with a minimum of three [3] full academic years at the level of Senior Lecturer) or a combination of eight (8) years of employment at Nevada State (with a minimum of three [3] full academic years at the level of Senior Lecturer) in addition to a year of credit awarded for full-time employment at another accredited institution or as a full-time faculty member on a temporary contract at Nevada State, as determined and approved by their supervisory Dean, to apply for promotion to Distinguished Lecturer. Temporary or emergency Lecturer contracts may be used to satisfy one (1) full academic year of this requirement;
3. Authorized periods of leave, paid or unpaid, may be excluded from the required number of years of employment upon written request of the faculty member and approval of the Provost. Such requests should be submitted in writing, via email, to the Provost, and should include a justification for the request.

D. Process: The promotion process includes these steps:

1. Eligible faculty members contact their direct supervisor (e.g., Dean or Department Chair), discuss their interest in applying, and request a memo indicating that the direct supervisor supports giving the faculty member the opportunity to apply for promotion in the upcoming review cycle;
2. If the direct supervisor is a Department chair, the supervisor submits a memo to the Dean indicating whether, on behalf of the faculty member’s academic unit, the supervisor supports providing the faculty member with the opportunity to apply for promotion, along with a rationale; if the Dean is the direct supervisor and supports allowing the faculty member to apply, the memo is written by the Dean. This memo is an expression of support for allowing the faculty member to apply and should in no way be construed to imply that a promotion will in fact be granted;
3. If the request to apply is approved, the Dean notifies the faculty member via email. If the request is not approved, the Dean notifies the faculty member in writing via email and provides a rationale;
4. The review process proceeds according to steps 1(iii)-4(vi) in III.H above;
5. The Provost reviews the applicant’s file and determines whether to approve a promotion for the faculty member;
6. The faculty member is notified by the Provost, in writing, of the final outcome and the Office of the Provost forwards a copy of the letter to the NS P&T Committee members.

E. Documentation for Promotion: See III.I.

F. Criteria for Promotion to Level of Senior Lecturer: As outlined in this document and in the NS Standards of Academe for the candidate’s school, criteria for promotion decisions shall be based upon Teaching, Scholarship, and Service. For a candidate to receive a promotion, the NS P&T Committee must assign a candidate’s portfolio a rating of “excellent” in Teaching and/or Other Professional Duties and a minimum rating of “satisfactory” in both Service and Scholarship.

1. Teaching and/or Other Professional Duties: See IV.A;
2. Scholarship: The applicant must have a record of continuing activities in the Scholarship of Growth and Development. Accomplishments in the Scholarship of Discovery and Creation and the Scholarship of Dissemination may also be included for review, but are not required. It is the candidate’s responsibility to present evidence that the body of Scholarship is sufficient to merit promotion;
3. Service: See IV.C.

G. Criteria for Promotion to the Level of Distinguished Lecturer: In the evaluation of a candidate’s qualifications for promotion to the rank of Distinguished Lecturer, any accomplishments relevant to the criteria for promotion occurring during the period since promotion to Senior Lecturer may be considered. The applicant must demonstrate evidence of continued effective performance in Teaching, Scholarship, and Service that includes and exceeds criteria outlined for promotion to the rank of Senior Lecturer. These criteria require that the NS P&T Committee assign the applicant’s portfolio an overall rating of “excellent” in the area of Teaching and/or Other Professional Duties as well as a rating of “commendable” in either Service or Scholarship. An overall rating from the NS P&T Committee of “unsatisfactory” in any area disqualifies a candidate from promotion.

1. Teaching and/or Other Professional Duties: See V.A;
2. Scholarship: The applicant must have a record of continuing activities in the Scholarship of Growth and Development. Accomplishments in the Scholarship of Discovery and Creation and the Scholarship of Dissemination may also be included for review, but are not required. It is the candidate’s responsibility to present evidence that the body of Scholarship is sufficient to merit promotion;
3. Service: See V.C.

H. Employment Contracts: Faculty in Senior Lecturer and Distinguished Lecturer positions shall be issued three (3) year renewable contracts, as allowed under NSHE Code Chapter 5, Section 5.4.2(c).

VII.           Denial of Tenure or Promotion

An academic faculty member who has been denied appointment with Tenure and/or promotion after being considered for such appointment or promotion shall be entitled to reasons for, and the reconsideration of, such denial as provided in Sections 5.2.3, 5.2.4, and 7.4.5 of the NSHE Code.

A. Request for Reasons: Within fifteen (15) calendar days after notification that appointment with Tenure and/or promotion has been denied, Tenure-track and Tenured faculty member may submit a written request to the President for a statement of the reasons for the denial; non-Tenure-track faculty may submit a written request to the Provost for a statement of reasons for denial. The written response must be received by the faculty member within fifteen (15) calendar days after the President/Provost (or designee) receives the written request for reasons.

B. Request for Reconsideration after Denial of Tenure and/or Promotion: Within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt of the reasons for denial of Tenure or promotion, a faculty member may request reconsideration. The request must be submitted in writing to the Provost and must include the reasons, arguments, and documentation supporting the request for reconsideration (NSHE Code, Chapter 5 Section 5.2.4). Within fourteen (14) calendar days the Provost will submit a recommendation to the President. Within fourteen (14) calendar days of receiving the recommendation, the President will determine whether to overturn the original decision and will notify the faculty member in writing. If the President’s decision includes a recommendation to grant Tenure, the final decision on approval must be made by the Board of Regents.

C. Continued Employment after Denial of Tenure (Terminal Year): Following denial of appointment with Tenure, a faculty member may choose to complete a terminal year as an Assistant Professor. This period of employment is limited to one (1) academic year. During this period, the faculty member will remain in the same position, with the same benefits and salary, as when the Tenure decision was made.

VIII.         Promotion Raises

A. Promotion from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer (Rank I, Level II): A faculty member promoted to the level of Senior Lecturer shall receive a base pay salary adjustment of $6,000.

B. Promotion from Senior Lecturer to Distinguished Lecturer (Rank I, Level III): A faculty member promoted from the level of Senior Lecturer to the level of Distinguished Lecturer shall receive a base pay salary adjustment of $7,000.

C. Promotion from Assistant Professor (Rank II) to Associate Professor (Rank III): A faculty member who is approved for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor with Tenure shall receive a base salary increase equal to ten percent (10%) of the median base salary for all Associate Professors employed at NS (includes Administrator Return to Teaching Salaries for Administrators with Academic Rank); the Office of Human Resources is responsible for calculating this percentage.

 D. Promotion from Associate Professor (Rank III) to Professor (Rank IV): A faculty member who is approved for a promotion to the rank of Professor shall receive a base salary increase equal to ten percent (10%) of the median base salary of all academic faculty with the rank of Professor employed at NS (using Administrator Return to Teaching Salaries for Administrators with Academic Rank). The Office of Human Resources is responsible for calculating this percentage.

1. Until a minimum of ten (10) academic faculty hold the rank of Professor at NS, the raise for this promotion is set at a minimum of $10,000.

IX.            Effective Date & Applicability

Provisions for Tenure will apply to all Tenure-track faculty with a contract start date on or after January 1, 2021. Tenure-track faculty with an earlier start date may choose to apply for Tenure under this policy or under the Tenure system in the previous version of the P&T policy (AA 5); faculty must inform the Office of the Provost of their decision by May 1, 2022.

Sections of this policy regarding promotion to the rank of Professor and all promotions for Lecturers will apply to all eligible faculty as of May 10, 2021, regardless of the faculty member’s start date.

This policy will be reviewed and updated as needed.

FORMS/INSTRUCTIONS

• Application for Third-Year Review and Recommendation for Promotion and/or Tenure

RELATED INFORMATION

• Board of Regents NSHE Code, Chapter 5
• Board of Regents NSHE Code, Chapter 7
• Tenure expectations for each academic unit
• Provost’s Yearly Memorandum on P&T Timeline
• Raoul A. Arreola. (2007). Developing a Comprehensive Faculty Evaluation System: A Guide to Designing, Building, and Operating Large-Scale Faculty Evaluation Systems, 3rd Edition. San Francisco: Anker Publishing (now Jossey-Bass).

HISTORY

• Replaces AA 5: Promotion & Tenure Policy (last revised June 2018) and AA 5A: Interim Lecturer Promotion Policy (adopted spring 2020).
• Presented as information item at December 2020, February 2021, March 2021, and April 2021 Faculty Senate meetings. Approved at May 2022 meeting.
• Updated February 2023 to remove “Library Director” from language.

APPROVALS

Approved by Dr. Laura Naumann, Faculty Senate Chair, May 4, 2021.
Approved by Dr. Vickie Shields, Provost, May 5, 2021.
Approved by President Bart Patterson, May 10, 2021.