Change in Process for Non-Tenure Track Faculty Continuation Letters

To: Deans, Directors, and Department Heads
From: Sarah Fisher Gardial, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
Subject: Change in Process for Non-Tenure Track Faculty Continuation Letters
Date: September 8, 2009

It has come to our attention that continuation letters for non-tenure track faculty are often not processed in a timely fashion due to the current processing requirements which seem to have more steps than are warranted (including the department, college, HR, and Provost Office).

After a discussion in the Council of Deans and follow-up with HR, a decision has been made to allow continuation letters to be sent from the colleges as soon as the decision to retain these faculty member has been made (typically over the summer before the start of the academic year). Attached is a template for such letters (to be used for both full- and part-time non-tenure track faculty). The process would be for the department head to originate these letters, then send them to their college deans for signatures and mailing. The dean’s office would forward copies to HR and the Provost Office. We hope this will expedite the vast majority of our appointments for non-tenure track faculty.

Please note that all first-time appointment letters MUST originate from the Provost Office, so the procedures for approving and sending those letters will not change. Only continuation letters are affected.

Let me know if you have any questions about this change in process which can begin immediately.

 

Posted: September 8, 2009