VCOM Faculty Handbook

Dean in making a recommendation to the APT for promotion or tenure. • The Associate Dean and Clinical Discipline Chair (when reviewing clinical track faculty) will submit, in writing, to the APT Committee their recommendation for initial appointment. The recommendation must outline the reasons upon which the decision was based. The letter must be submitted to the APT Committee as part of the candidate’s initial application packet. • The Associate Dean will submit the candidate’s completed initial application packet to the APT Committee for consideration of initial appointment. Upon receiving the initial application packet, the APT Committee will review the packet and the recommendations for initial appointment of rank made by the Associate Dean, as Division Chair, the Clinical Discipline Chair for Clinical Track Faculty, and any other recommendations from the Discipline Chair(s), Course Directors, and research administration as appropriate. 1. Prior to convening the APT Committee, each portfolio for consideration of initial appointment will be reviewed by a secondary reviewer, who is a member of the APT Committee. 2. The secondary reviewer will formally document their recommendation concerning initial appointment on the provided spreadsheet within the timeline provided for completion of secondary reviews prior to the APT Committee meeting. 3. Once the APT Committee convenes, the candidate’s initial application packet will be carefully reviewed and discussed. • The APT Committee will consider initial appointment at the next highest rank above their previous or current rank from another academic higher education institution if they have met VCOM’s criteria for appointment to that rank (including requisite number of years served at their current/previous rank from another institution and teaching, research and scholarly activity, and service requirements). 4. The APT Committee may recommend approval of the candidate for initial appointment, denial of the candidate for initial appointment, or delay in making a decision for initial appointment due to the need of further documentation. • Faculty applying for initial appointment with a previous or current rank from another academic higher education institution, who do not yet meet VCOM’s criteria for appointment to the next highest rank above their previous or current rank from another institution, will be granted years of service toward promotion in rank at VCOM. For example, a faculty member who held the rank of Assistant Professor at a previous institution for 2 years will be granted 2 years of service toward promotion in rank at VCOM. This faculty member would be eligible to apply for promotion in rank to Associate Professor after completing two years of academic teaching, research and service experience at the Assistant Professor level at VCOM. 5. A letter from the APT Committee as to the recommended approval of initial appointment, denial of initial appointment, or delay in a decision for initial appointment will be provided to the Campus Dean, who will approve, deny, or delay the initial appointment, and to the candidate. • A letter of recommendation for initial appointment by the APT Committee must outline the reasons upon which the recommendation was based and specify both the track and rank recommended. The letter will also include any years of service recommended to be granted toward promotion if applicable. • A letter of denial of initial appointment by the APT Committee must detail the reason(s) for denial and any recommendations to improve the application. • A letter of delay in making a decision regarding initial appointment by the APT Committee must detail the reason(s) for their inability to make a decision and must include any recommendations to improve the application, as well as identifying a mentor who will offer assistance to improve the application.

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