Understanding Tenure at UW-Extension
Faculty Tenure Orientation Workshop - May 9 & September 12, 2011 Stevens Point
Tenure is an unlimited appointment which the University grants to faculty members who produce a consistent and high level of scholarship. It is a long term commitment by the institution to a faculty member and his or her work. UW-Extension faculty have been eligible to earn a tenured appointment since 1971, when UW-Extension became a separate institution within the UW System.
Tenure has been a fundamental component of university structures and cultures since the early 20th century. These long term appointments allow faculty the freedom to pursue innovation without risking their employment, the independence to explore new ideas without influence from commercial or political pressure, and the foundation from which they can share institutional authority and responsibility in partnership with administration.
From Wisconsin State Statutes
A tenure appointment is an appointment for an unlimited period granted to a ranked faculty member by the Board of Regents, or the President on behalf of the board (Wisc Statute 36.13(1)b). The board may grant a tenure appointment only upon the affirmative recommendation of the chancellor and the appropriate academic department (Wisc Statute 36.13(2)a).
From UW-Extension Faculty Personnel Policies
The granting of tenure is based upon a consistent and high level of scholarship, not on years of experience (UW-Extension Faculty Personnel Policies 3.05(3)). Tenure must be achieved (approved by the Board of Regents or by the President on behalf of the Board) by the end of the sixth year of UW-Extension probationary faculty employment. No faculty member will be allowed to apply for or be considered at the institutional level for tenure during a seventh and terminal year of UW-Extension probationary faculty employment (Extension Faculty Personnel Policies 3.08(1)).
The Tenure Granting Process
Faculty typically begin their employment with UW-Extension in a Probationary status in one of six Academic Departments. Senior faculty in the Department are assigned to coach and mentor the new faculty member as he or she proceeds to develop and deliver a body of educational work, usually focused on a particular population or geographic region in a content area appropriate to their Academic Department. After their fourth year as probationary faculty, and prior to the end of their sixth year, the faculty member must create and submit a portfolio of evidence of their scholarship (Extension Scholarship) to their Department's Standards, Rank, and Promotion (SRP) Committee. A majority vote by the SRP committee is required for the candidate to be advanced for tenure consideration by the institution. Expectations for documenting evidence of scholarship can be found in Departmental by-laws and UW-Extension Faculty Governance Appendix IC and IIC:
Appendix IC: Criteria for Faculty Appointment and Promotion
Appendix IIC: Guidelines for Nominations for Tenure
If the candidate receives an affirmative vote from their SRP committee, then their document is forwarded by the Department to the appropriate Dean, who then forwards it to the Faculty Tenure Advisory Committee (FTAC), where representatives of all six Extension Departments review and make recommendations to the candidate's Dean on the quality of the individual's scholarship. The FTAC recommendation and the candidate's portfolio then moves to their respective Dean for his or her review and recommendation. The candidate's portfolio is then reviewed by the UW-Extension Provost, who forwards it with recommendations to the UW-Extension Chancellor. The Chancellor considers all the recommendations, reviews the documentation, and makes a final decision on the request for tenure. If approved by the Chancellor, the candidate is recommended to the Board of Regents, or the President depending upon the timing, for a tenured appointment. If the Chancellor does not support the request for tenure, the candidate is not forwarded to the Board.
Candidates for tenure must be aware of the procedural calendar. Departmental SRP committees generally meet from 1–3 times per year to review candidate materials, depending upon the number of candidates being considered. FTAC meets only three times a year – November, February, and March. The Dean, Provost, and Chancellor all need adequate time to review the document and consider the earlier recommendations. Finally the candidate must be approved for tenure by either the Board of Regents or the President prior to the completion of their sixth year as a probationary faculty member.
Roles and Responsibilities in the tenure process (Powerpoint presentation - Aug 3, 2010)
Details
The Faculty Senate annually hosts two Tenure Faculty Workshops, designed for probationary faculty and their mentors to learn more about the process for earning tenure within UW-Extension. Probationary faculty are strongly encouraged to attend at least once. Specific policies can be found in Departmental by-laws, and in the UW-Extension Faculty Personnel Policies and Articles of Faculty Governance, which are all available through the Secretary of the Faculty web page www.uwex.edu/secretary/.
Tenured Faculty Review
A tenured faculty member's performance is reviewed once every five years by a faculty committee from his or her Department. The purpose is to promote continuing scholarly growth and development, to encourage academic excellence, to identify areas for improvement, and to provide support for that improvement.
Tenure is a long-term commitment from the University of Wisconsin to its high performing faculty. In return for that commitment and support, most tenured faculty provide many years of valued service to the people of Wisconsin. UW-Extension is proud of our tenured faculty and their continuing contributions to our state and our institution.
From UW System Legal Counsel
A summary of the law in this area and answers to questions frequently asked of attorneys in the Office of General Counsel can be found at tenure and appointments.
Historical View - Tenure and UW-Extension by Campbell & Tallman