TENURE POLICY
BOR Reference: USG Academic Affairs Handbook: 4.4 http://www.usg.edu/academic_affairs_handbook/section4/
Board of Regents Policy Manual: Section 8.3.7 http://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/
It is intended that these tenure policies shall be the minimum standard for award of tenure, but they are to be sufficiently flexible to permit an institution to make individual adjustment to its own peculiar problems or circumstance. These policies are to be considered a statement of general requirements which are capable of application throughout the System and are not a limitation upon any additional standards and requirements which a particular institution may wish to adopt for its own improvement. Such additional standards and requirements, which must be consistent with the Regents' policies, and approved by the Board of Regents, shall be incorporated into the Statutes of an institution.
Tenure resides at the institutional level. Institutional responsibility for employment of a tenured individual is to the extent of continued employment on a one hundred percent workload basis for three out of every four consecutive academic semesters until retirement, dismissal for cause, or release because of financial exigency.
Only assistant professors, associate professors, and professors who are normally employed full-time (as defined by Regents' Policies) by an institution are eligible for tenure. Faculty members with adjunct appointments shall not be eligible to acquire tenure.
The term "full-time" is used in these tenure regulations to denote service on a one hundred percent workload basis for at least three out of four consecutive academic semesters.
Tenure may be recommended upon completion of a probationary period of at least five complete years of full-time service at the rank of assistant professor or higher. Such recommendations are forwarded to the President for approval. The five year period must be continuous except that a maximum of two years interruption because of a leave of absence or of part-time service may be permitted; provided, however, that no probationary credit for the period of an interruption shall be allowed. A maximum of three years credit toward the minimum probationary period may be allowed for service at other institutions or for full-time service at the rank of instructor at the same institution. Such credit for prior service shall be defined in writing by the President and approved by the Chancellor at the time of the initial appointment at the rank of assistant professor or higher.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Board of Regents Policy Manual, in exceptional cases an institution president may approve an outstanding distinguished senior faculty member for the award of tenure upon the faculty member's initial appointment; such action is otherwise referred to as tenure upon appointment. Each such recommendation shall be granted only in cases in which the faculty member, at a minimum, is appointed as an associate or full professor, was already tenured at a prior institution, and brings a demonstrably national reputation to the institution. If the person is being appointed to an administrative position and has not previously held tenure, the award of tenure must be approved by the Chancellor (BR Minutes, August 2007).
The maximum time that may be served at the rank of assistant professor or above without the award of tenure shall be seven years, provided, however, that a terminal contract for an eighth year may be proffered if an institutional recommendation for tenure is not approved. The maximum time that may be served in any combination of full-time instructional appointments (lecturer, instructor, or professorial ranks) without the award of tenure shall be ten years, provided, however, that a terminal contract for an eleventh year may be proffered if an institutional recommendation for tenure is not approved.
The maximum period of time that may be served at the rank of full-time instructor shall be seven years.
Tenure or probationary credit towards tenure is lost upon resignation from an institution, or written resignation from a tenured position in order to take a non-tenured position, or written resignation from a position for which probationary credit toward tenure is given in order to take a position for which no probationary credit is given. In the event such an individual is again employed as a candidate for tenure, probationary credit for the prior service may be awarded in the same manner as for service at another institution.
Upon approval of the award of tenure to an individual, that individual shall be notified in writing by the President of their institution.
An annual report shall be made to the Provost by each unit of the institution on the status of its faculty. Numbers of tenured and non-tenured faculty, by rank, shall be furnished. Individuals who have been retained in a full-time faculty status at the institution for a period in excess of seven years without the award of tenure shall be identified by name and justification for such retention given. These reports shall be available for public inspection.
Notice of the intention not to reappoint a non-tenured full- time faculty member shall be furnished, in writing, according to the following schedule:
(a) at least three months before the date of termination of an initial one-year contract;
(b) at least six months before the date of termination of a second one-year contract;
(c) at least nine months before the date of termination of a contract after two or more years of service in the institution.
(d) Faculty members on temporary or courtesy appointments are not entitled to notice of reappointment or non- renewal.
A tenured faculty member, or a non-tenured faculty member before the end of his contract term, may be dismissed for any of the following reasons provided that the institution has complied with procedural due process requirements:
(a) Conviction or admission of guilt of a felony or of a crime involving moral turpitude during the period of employment-or prior thereto if the conviction or admission of guilt was willfully concealed;
(b) Professional in competency, neglect of duty, or default of academic integrity in teaching, in research, or in scholarship;
(c) Sale or distribution of illegal drugs; teaching under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs; any other use of alcohol or illegal drugs which interferes with faculty member's performance of duty or his responsibilities to the institution or to his profession;
(d) Physical or mental in competency as determined by law or by a medical board of three or more licensed physicians and reviewed by committee of the faculty;
(e) False swearing with respect to official documents filed with the institution;
(f) Disruption of any teaching, research, administrative, disciplinary, public service, or other authorized activity;
(g) Such other grounds for dismissal as may be specified in the Statutes of the institution.
Each institution, as a part of its Statutes, may supplement Regents' policies governing causes for dismissal and procedures for dismissal. Each institution should provide for standards governing faculty conduct, including sanctions short of dismissal, and procedures for the implementation of such sanctions. In the imposition of sanctions, the burden of proof lies with the institution.
GCSU Procedure for Tenure
Minimum Year of Service for Application for Tenure and Promotion---Approved Academic Council 4-25-00
Faculty should be eligible for consideration of tenure and promotion according to the following schedule:
- From Instructor to Assistant Professor during their 3rd year of service;
- From Assistant Professor to Associate Professor during their 5th year of service as an Assistant Professor
- From Associate Professor to Professor during their 5th year of service as and Associate Professor
- For tenure during their 5th year of eligible service
Colleges may add additional requirements beyond the minimum years of service for a recommendation for promotion.
This procedure becomes effective Fall 2000 for all faculty hired as of Fall 2000; current faculty would be provided the option of being considered under this revised schedule.