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Promotion and Tenure Rules

Introduction

This statement is to inform new faculty members of the procedures and practices regarding decisions on tenure and promotion of new faculty members in the School of Law. Such procedures and practices are subject to the Academic Tenure Regulations of the University of Missouri.

Promotion and Tenure Committee

The faculty's role in the promotion and tenure process is carried out by the Promotion and Tenure Committee. This committee is composed of all the tenured faculty (including the Dean) in the School of Law; however, only tenured full professors shall vote on recommendations for advancement in rank to full professor. In addition, the Dean may appoint a Promotion and Tenure Subcommittee to aid in administration of these rules. No faculty member is recommended to the central administration for promotion or tenure without a favorable recommendation by the Promotion and Tenure Committee.

Initial Appointment of New Faculty Members

The initial appointment of a faculty member to a regular academic staff position without tenure is usually with the rank of Associate Professor of Law. Such appointment is a term appointment for a term of one year. Any appointment to the faculty made with tenure is outside the scope of these rules, although the guidelines contained herein may be considered by the faculty and university in making such hiring decision.

The Tenure Decision

1. The factors that are considered in the tenure decision are the candidate's teaching, research and publications, law school and university service, and service to the profession and the law. Of these, teaching and research and publication are of paramount importance.
2. Teaching: The candidate must demonstrate a commitment to quality teaching and the potential to be an excellent teacher. This is generally accomplished by review of student evaluations, peer teaching evaluations, and consideration of any teaching honors or awards.
3. Research and publication: In order to be favorably considered for tenure the candidate should produce during the first three and one-half years, two law review articles (or the equivalent) determined by the Promotion and Tenure Committee to be of high quality and which additionally have been published or accepted for publication in journals which are considered to be the equivalent or better than the Missouri Law Review or the Journal of Dispute Resolution. At least one of the articles should be published or accepted for publication in a journal other than these UMC publications.

   The candidate may meet this requirement by publication of material other than the traditional Law Review article(s), provided that the candidate first obtains a determination by the promotion and tenure subcommittee that the proposed publication(s) are equivalent in scholarly value. Such request and any approval shall be in writing.

4. Service to the law school and the university. It is expected that the candidate will contribute to the operation of the law school and the university, and in particular will contribute to the law faculty community.
5. Service to the profession. While such service is expected, it should not detract from the candidate's teaching and research. Such service may be at a local, state or national level as is consistent with the faculty members field(s) of interest. Such service should include development and improvement of the law. Since this is a state institution, it is expected that some members of the faculty will devote their efforts at a local or state level while others will work at a national level.

The Promotion Decision

1. The basic requirement for promotion to the rank of full professor is the demonstration of a commitment to excellence in teaching, research and publication, service to the law school and the university and service to the profession.
2. Teaching: The candidate must have demonstrated a high level of competency in the classroom. This is generally accomplished by student evaluations, at least one set of peer evaluations conducted following the tenure decision and consideration of any teaching honors or awards.
3. Research and publication. To be favorably considered for promotion to the rank of full professor, a candidate is expected to have produced four law review articles (or the equivalent) which have been published or accepted for publication in journals which are considered to be the equivalent or better than the Missouri Law Review or the Journal of Dispute Resolution. At least two of the articles should be published or accepted for publication in a journal other than these UMC publications.

   These four articles include the publications which were considered as meeting the requirement for tenure. The additional articles (or their equivalent) should reflect a commitment to an area or areas of interest and demonstrate to the Promotion and Tenure Committee an expertise in such area(s).

   The candidate may meet this requirement by publication of material other than the traditional law review article(s), provided the candidate first obtains a determination of the promotion and tenure subcommittee that the proposed publication(s) is equivalent in scholarly value. Such request and any approval shall be in writing.

4. Service to the law school and the university. It is expected that the candidate will have continued service to the law school and the university.
5. Service to the profession. It is expected that the candidate will have continued service to the profession consistent with the candidate's major areas of interest and research, and the development and improvement of the law in those areas.

Schedules for Tenure and Promotion

1. Tenure. Ordinarily, the Committee votes on whether to recommend tenure during the early part of the fall semester of a candidate's fourth year. This provides for a full three year period of evaluation.
2. Promotion to the rank of full professor. Ordinarily the Committee votes on whether to recommend promotion to the rank of full professor during the early part of the fall semester after the completion by the candidate of the research and publication requirement. Ordinarily this will occur during the early part of the candidate's sixth or seventh year, but may occur earlier or later.

Process

1. At least once each year the Dean meets with each non-tenured faculty member and each faculty member below the rank of full professor regarding his or her progress toward achieving tenure and promotion.
2. The Committee annually reviews the progress of all non-tenured faculty members. When the affected person requests in writing to the Dean, the Committee shall review the progress of any tenured non-full professor.
3. The Committee meets during the winter (second) semester and reviews such progress. After such review the Dean conveys to the candidate concerned the general content of the Committee discussion and in particular informs the candidate of any qualities that were perceived as weaknesses. During this meeting, or at any meeting, The Committee may also make recommendations to the Dean concerning the retention or termination of a non-tenured faculty member. In exceptional cases, the Committee may determine to consider an early recommendation for tenure (i.e. before the fourth year). In such event, the candidate will be notified that the Committee will vote on tenure during the fall meeting of the Committee. If the Committee determines to recommend a faculty member for promotion, the candidate will be notified that the Committee will vote on such promotion during the fall meeting of the Committee.
4. The Committee meets as early as practicable in the fall semester to consider for tenure those non-tenured faculty members who are in their fourth year, and any non-tenured faculty member being considered for an early recommendation, and any faculty member being considered for promotion to the rank of full professor. At this meeting the candidate has the opportunity to present his or her views and to provide any further relevant information either in writing or by appearing personally.

   As to non-tenured faculty members the Committee then makes one of the following decisions:

   1. To recommend tenure.
   2. To recommend tenure be denied. If this recommendation is made the faculty member concerned will later receive a terminal appointment at the same rank for one academic year following the year in which the recommendation was made.
   3. In the case of a non-tenured faculty member being considered for an early recommendation (i.e. before the fourth year), to take no action. If this decision is made, the faculty member concerned will continue to be evaluated and considered for tenure in accord with the normal schedule.

   As to faculty members being considered for promotion to the rank of full professor the Committee then makes one of the following decisions:

   1. To recommend promotion to the rank of full professor.
   2. To take no action. If this decision is made, the faculty member concerned will continue to be evaluated with regard to promotion.

Outside Evaluations

1. Prior to any faculty determination to recommend tenure, promotion or both, the Dean, with the advice of the Promotion and Tenure Subcommittee, shall seek outside evaluations of all scholarship of the candidate.
2. Such outside evaluation shall include wherever possible:
   1. different evaluations of each of the candidate's scholarly endeavors; and
   2. at least one evaluation of the candidate's overall scholarly production.
3. The evaluator's report(s) should assess the significance of the scholarship to the legal profession and the advancement and understanding of the law.

Adjustments to the Schedule

1. Effect of leave. Under the Academic Tenure Regulations, a leave without pay does not count within the probationary period for tenure consideration. Thus a leave without pay will extend the schedule by the period of the leave. A non-tenured faculty member who takes a leave with pay may request that the period on leave not be counted in this time schedule and that the probationary period thus be extended by the period of the leave. Whether or not such requests are granted is within the discretion of the Dean with the consent and approval of the Office of the Provost.
2. Initial appointment with rank of Professor of Law without tenure. If the initial appointment is with the rank of Professor of Law without tenure, the time periods in the schedule are shortened by one year.
3. Effect of credit awarded for service elsewhere. In the event credit is awarded for service elsewhere, the time periods will be shortened by the amount of such credit.

Committee Recommendations

The Committee makes its recommendations to the Dean, the Provost and the Chancellor. The Dean forwards to the Provost the Committee recommendations along with his or her own recommendations; any statement of the faculty member concerned; and any other relevant information. After review by the Provost, the recommendations of the Committee and the Dean and any other relevant information are forwarded to the Chancellor for a final decision. All faculty members on appointment to regular academic staff positions in the School of Law, including the faculty member concerned, have access to the recommendations and all materials that are forwarded.