VCOM Faculty Handbook

10. Letters of recommendation:

• Academic Track and Research Track Faculty o For Academic Track and Research Track faculty members seeking promotion to the rank of Instructor, Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor, a minimum of two letters of recommendation are required as outlined below.  A letter recommending the faculty member for promotion from their direct supervisor, which may be the Division/Department Chair, Associate Dean, Campus Dean, Vice Provost, or Provost, describing accomplishment in teaching, research and scholarly activity, service, and leadership.  A minimum of one letter recommending the faculty member for promotion from any of the following describing accomplishment in teaching, research and scholarly activity, service, and leadership:  Course Director for courses in which the faculty member teaches, DSME, Associate Dean, Campus Dean, Vice Provost, or Provost (this is in addition to the letter submitted by the candidate’s direct supervisor).  Leaders within the faculty member’s discipline/profession at the state and national.  Full-time VCOM faculty who serve at the same rank as that the faculty member is applying for.  Faculty members may not use letters from friends, collaborative partners in research, previous trainers with whom a relationship is maintained, or relatives. o For Academic Track and Research Track faculty members seeking promotion to the rank of Professor or seeking tenure, a minimum of four letters of recommendation are required as outlined below:  A letter recommending the faculty member for promotion or tenure from their direct supervisor, which may be the Division/Department Chair, Associate Dean, Campus Dean, Vice Provost, or Provost, describing accomplishment in teaching, research and scholarly activity, service, and leadership.  A letter recommending the faculty member for promotion or tenure from two full-time faculty members with the rank of Professor, or equivalent, at other institutions describing accomplishment in teaching, research and scholarly activity, service, and leadership. Letters must be sent in confidence directly to the appropriate Associate Dean.  A letter recommending the faculty member for promotion or tenure from any of the following describing accomplishment in teaching, research and scholarly activity, service, and leadership:  Course Director for courses in which the faculty member teaches, DSME, Associate Dean, Campus Dean, Vice Provost, or Provost (this is in addition to the letter submitted by the candidate’s direct supervisor) describing accomplishment in teaching and/or leadership.  Leaders within the applicant’s discipline/profession at the state and

national level describing accomplishments in leadership.  Full-time VCOM faculty with the rank of Professor.

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