Faculty and Strategic Initiatives
Appointment, Tenure and Promotion Policies
FACULTY HANDBOOK
MTSU Mission, Vision and Organization
Academic Freedom and Responsibilities
Appointment, Renewal, Tenure, and Promotion Policies
Curriculum and Teaching Policies, Procedures and Guidelines
Faculty Development, Recognition and Information
Finance-Related and Travel Policies and Procedures
Hiring, Employment and Personnel Policies
Research and Graduate Faculty Resources
Appointment, Tenure and Promotion Policies
The quality of academic offerings at Middle Tennessee State University is sustained through the work of the faculty. The quality of the faculty is evaluated by the objective, systematic, and thorough appraisal of each faculty member for initial and continued appointment, promotion, and tenure.
Faculty seeking tenure and promotion submit a detailed Outline of Faculty Data (OFD) in Faculty Success. The OFD provides documentation of how a faculty member’s teaching, scholarly activities and service meet the criteria for tenure and/or promotion. There are many ways to document service. Particularly useful is evidence that attests to the time, effort, quality, and impact of the work accomplished. For notable contributions to service, faculty are encouraged to ask for and include letters of support from relevant supervisors such as university committee chairs or professional contacts.
The Annual Assessment Calendar for submitting materials can be found at the Faculty Success web site https://www.mtsu.edu/facultysuccess/ as well as videos and user guides for Faculty Success.
The rest of this section is divided into three parts:
- Resources: This section outlines the wide variety of resources to assist faculty in obtaining promotion and tenure.
- Appointment: This section provides definitions, criteria, and procedures for initial faculty appointments and graduate assistant appointments
- Tenure and Promotion: This section provides criteria and procedures for the granting of academic promotions and tenure.
Resources
The university provides a wide variety of professional development and mentoring resources to assist faculty in obtaining promotion and tenure as well as Non-Instructional Assignment Grants and Non-Instructional Workload Units (Reassignment from Teaching). See additional information in the Faculty Development section of this handbook. A few resources are listed below.
- Faculty Tenure and Promotion Retreats to discuss policies, procedures, best practices, and technology. See dates at Faculty Success Training Schedules – Faculty Success
- Faculty Development Planning and Consultation: Individual, confidential consulting for faculty interested in working on a formal development plan for teaching, research, and service activities; also, consulting on how best to balance your teaching, research, and service activities. Contact ltanditc@mtsu.edu to schedule a meeting.
- Fostering a Faculty Writing Culture: The LTITC offers writing groups for faculty.
- Academy of Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow program is a teaching and professional development opportunity designed to work with your specific and unique needs.
- Grant Writing Enhancement Program: The Grant Writing Enhancement Program (GEP) is a professional development experience of direct individual and group support for faculty and administrators, regardless of their level of grant-writing experience.
- Office of Research and Sponsored Program workshops: See dates at Workshops & Training – Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
- Additional programs currently offered by the LT&ITC include All Inclusive Mentoring, Women Associate Professor Mentoring Group, New Faculty Learning.
Appointment
Tenure and Promotion Policies
- Promotion of Tenured and Tenurable Faculty (Policy 205)
Contact Us
Faculty and Strategic Initiatives
111 Cope Administration Building
(615) 898-5941
Angie.Price@mtsu.edu