-
frequently-asked-questions
A working group of University System of Georgia (USG) faculty, campus leaders, Regents and
system administrators was appointed by then Chancellor Steve Wrigley with the charge of
revising Board of Regents policies to support career development for all faculty and ensure
accountability and continued strong performance from USG’s tenured faculty members.
The group began work in September 2020 to review what was then existing post-tenure review
(PTR) policy and practice, which had received no significant updates since first established in
1996.After much consultation and work, including feedback from system faculty and more than
900 survey responses, the group provided its final recommendations in June, its report was
distributed in the first week of July to Presidents, Provosts and the USG Faculty Council and then
the recommendations were presented publicly to the Board of Regents in August. The
recommended changes sought to support career development for all faculty and ensure
accountability and continued strong performance from USG’s tenured faculty members.
Draft policy language reflecting the recommendations was presented to the Board at its
September meeting. USG received substantial feedback and comments based on that language,
both from emails and in several large faculty town halls. Those discussions helped the system
adjust the original proposal to more clearly articulate its intention.
The Board approved the updated language at its October meeting.
-
What are the changes to faculty review?
The Board is enacting system-level guidelines and standards for all faculty reviews. This is
happening along with an ongoing process of training and institutional review to ensure
institutional assessment practices remain appropriately rigorous and aligned with system
standards. These system-level standards introduce a new element of _**student success**_ in
addition to the existing expectations for teaching, research and service at all levels of faculty
assessment.
-
What is the student success element?
Student success remains a top priority for the university system, and this process intends to
strengthen that commitment among faculty throughout their career. Students enrolled at our
institutions learn from some of the best faculty and researchers in the nation. The addition of
_**student success**_ recognizes ways in which faculty already deepen student learning and
engagement through activities both inside and outside the classroom.
Each campus will develop its own methodology for evaluation of the student
success component, and is expected to include encompassing activities such as effective
advising and mentoring, undergraduate and graduate research and other forms of experiential
learning, the development of student success tools and curricular materials, strategies to improve
student career success and involvement in faculty development activities.
-
What are the next steps?
With the changes now approved, USG moves into an implementation phase with each
institution.
Critical to this is continuing to engage with faculty and campus leadership as they develop and
refine standards that meet the unique needs on every campus for tenure, promotion, annual
review and post-tenure review. **These new standards must be consistent with all Board
policy, and so must build in appropriate due-process mechanisms as well as the
promotion of academic freedom.**
While the policy as a whole ensures consistency, equity and accountability across the system, it
remains a framework around which faculty and campus leadership build a post-tenure review
process that works best for their individual institution. That work will span the remainder of this
academic year and will engage each institution at all levels of faculty governance and the
academic affairs organization.
Once developed, department chairs and program leaders will use the newly developed criteria
for annual reviews beginning in the 2022-23 academic year.
-
What if I am applying for tenure or promotion now?
If you are currently applying for tenure or promotion, then your application will be unaffected by
these changes. Your application will continue to follow the current campus procedures and will
be subject to the existing criteria.
-
What if I will be applying for tenure or promotion soon?
Each campus will be asked to create an implementation plan that explains how they intend to
phase in the new review criteria that include student success.
If you are currently in your tenure probationary period, or have recently received tenure then
your campus will make clear whether your eventual application for tenure or promotion will be
considered under the existing standards or using those that will developed this year
-
What are the changes to post tenure review?
Each tenured faculty member will continue to participate in a PTR at least every five years. Post-tenure review will continue be a process led by a committee of faculty colleagues, with built in
due-process mechanisms throughout. Each campus will be responsible for developing their
policies and procedures to enact PTR after approval through the institution’s faculty governance
processes and procedures.
Tenured administrators will once again be subject to post-tenure review.
A faculty member must go through a _**Corrective PTR**_ if they are evaluated as performing
unsatisfactorily in any area for two consecutive annual reviews. An unfavorable PTR or Corrective PTR will result in a _**Performance Improvement Plan**_ developed with the faculty member for the purpose of returning the faculty member’s performance to an appropriate level. If that is not successful, remedial action will be implemented.
