Tenure System

As a concept, tenure places academics in a unique class, allowing scholars the freedom to explore and express themselves and their work in ways that could be antithetical to present knowledge. It contends that those who are best at producing new work are also best able to teach what is known and to use their expertise to enable learning at a foundational depth and on the leading edge of emerging knowledge. MSU tenure-system faculty are also called to the higher purpose of a land-grant institution in which the service, outreach or engagement component is weighted in equal measure to the pursuit and teaching of knowledge.

Quick Links

  • Preparing for Review

    Departments provide criteria for reappointment and promotion to all faculty members at time of appointment and in preparation for promotion review. Departments are responsible for initiating the reappointment and promotion processes and providing the specific timelines, procedures and criteria for their faculty.

    Faculty are responsible for familiarizing themselves with their department timelines, procedures and criteria prior to submitting an application for reappointment, promotion, or tenure review.

    Tenure system faculty are evaluated annually and provided feedback on their performance by the applicable unit administrator. Written annual evaluations are conducted as part of regular reviews related to assignment, planning and salary adjustment. Processes and criteria for reappointment and promotion should be a topic at this yearly meeting.

  • Review Timelines

    If initially appointed at the assistant professor rank, tenure system faculty serve two probationary periods. The first probationary appointment is for four years. If successfully reappointed, the second probationary appointment is for an additional three years.

    • First probationary review – application packets are due to the department two years prior to the end of the first probationary period. Faculty are notified of the outcome of the reappointment application one year prior to the end of their first probationary period.
    • Second (final) probationary review – application packets are due to the department two years prior to the end of the second probationary period. Faculty are notified of the outcome of their tenure application one year prior to the end of their second probationary period.
    Assistant Professor timeline tenure graphic

     

    If initially appointed at the associate professor rank (without tenure), tenure system faculty serve one probationary period. The appointment is for four years.

    • Probationary review – application packets are due to the department approximately two years prior to end of the probationary period. Faculty are notified of the outcome of their tenure application approximately one year prior to the end of their probationary period.
    Associate Professor timeline graphic

     

    A recommendation for promotion to professor should be based on several years (generally five to seven) of sustained, outstanding achievements in scholarship and education across the mission, consistent with performance levels expected at peer universities.

  • Review Process

    Faculty candidate completes and submits to department:

    1. CV
    2. Reflective Essay
    3. Sample of Scholarly Work (for external reviewers; not required for reappointment review)
    4. List of recommended external reviewers (not required for reappointment review)
    5. Form on Progress and Excellence for Tenure System Faculty, Section IV
    6. Academic Portfolio

     

    Department adds:

    1. External reviewer letters (not required for reappointment review)
    2. Signed annual review letters for each year in the review period

     

    A departmental peer review committee provides advice to the department chairperson  regarding reappointment, promotion and tenure decisions. Faculty are given an opportunity to confer with the department peer review committee before a decision is made. The department chairperson conducts an independent evaluation, taking into consideration the peer review committee’s evaluation, and forwards a recommendation to the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development (FAD) for College RPT Committee review.

    Chairperson completes and submits to college

    1. Form on Progress and Excellence for Fixed Term Faculty, Sections I-III
    2. Items 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 above

     

    Departments submit promotion materials to FAD by December 15.

    The College RPT Committee provides advice to the dean about department/unit recommendations for promotion and tenure. The dean independently reviews each recommendation for promotion and tenure and forwards recommendations to the Office of the Provost.

    The Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs, the Vice President for Research and Innovation, and a Provost faculty representative jointly review each recommendation with the dean. The Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources, the Vice President for Research and Innovation, and the Provost faculty representatives (as needed) consult with the Provost on the dean's recommendations. Provost recommendations that do not involve the award of tenure are forwarded to the President for final action. The Board of Trustees takes final action on recommendations involving the award of tenure.

  • Resources

    If you notice a broken or misdirected link, please notify us at chm.fad@campusad.msu.edu

    CHM Letters of Reference Policy

    MSU Letters of Reference Policy

    CHM TS Promotion Guidelines and Criteria

    Previous version (only for assistant professors hired before July 2017)

    CHM Guidance on DEI in RPT

    CHM Examples of DEI Activities

    MSU Form on Progress and Excellence for Tenure System Faculty

    MSU Instructions: TS Form on Progress and Excellence

    Accessing Grant Applications and Awards in EBS

    CHM Guidance on Developing a Reflective Essay

    MSU Reflective Essay Examples (required beginning in Fall 2024):

    For reappointment/tenure

    For promotion to professor in the tenure system

    AAMC Guidance on Preparing a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

    MSU Guidance for preparing a COVID-19 Impact Statement

    CHM Guidance on Developing an Academic Portfolio

    CHM TS Academic Portfolio Templates:

    For promotion to Associate Professor/award of tenure

    For promotion to Professor

    MSU Faculty Handbook

Promotion and Tenure