To: Academic Deans
From: Susan Capalbo, Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
October 20, 2020
Dear Academic Deans:
Further Clarification in Italics related to Spring 2020 Accommodations for COVID-19
COVID-19 Tenure Clock Extensions
The University will continue to automatically approve a one-year extension of the probationary period for all eligible tenure-track faculty who request an extension (opt-in) by May 1, 2021. Eligible tenure-track faculty must be in their probationary period during AY 2020-2021 with their mandatory tenure review to occur in AY 2021-2022 or later.
PLEASE NOTE: a COVID-19 tenure clock extension is independent from and in addition to a tenure clock extension for an extenuating circumstance including leave taken for FMLA.
Teaching Evaluations
The University will extend the faculty member’s discretion to include or exclude eSET scores in their annual reviews and dossiers, without prejudice, for courses taught in spring 2020, summer 2020, fall 2020 and winter 2021. This applies to all courses delivered in these terms, including Ecampus courses.
PLEASE NOTE: As part of the COVID accommodations, each term faculty members must choose, on a course-by-course basis, whether to include or exclude eSET scores in their annual reviews and dossiers for promotion and tenure. The faculty member may make this determination after eSET scores are obtained and reviewed by the faculty member. Department/School heads should track which courses will not have eSETs used by surveying each faculty member (via Qualtics or another method). This information should be kept on file within the unit for reference when the faculty member is reviewed for promotions and/or tenure. For eSET scores that the faculty member has opted to exclude from their dossiers, please indicate in the dossier that the eSET scores are being excluded per COVID-19 university accommodation.
Updates to Dossier Preparation Guidelines for 2020-2021
For dossiers being reviewed during the AY 2020-2021 Promotion and Tenure (P&T) cycle, faculty members, at their discretion, may include a description of any COVID-19 related impacts on their research, creative work, teaching and/or service. The description is optional and should be no longer than one page and placed in section X. OTHER LETTERS AND MATERIALS (optional) per the dossier preparation guidelines. This description will be shared with internal evaluators.
PLEASE NOTE: If this information is included, the Department or School Head should direct all internal evaluators to include this section as part of the dossier review. Internal evaluators refer to the reviewers involved with the administrative review conducted at the department and college levels (section VII. ADMINISTRATIVE LETTERS OF EVALUATION within the dossier).
Any further questions should be directed to Sara Daly or myself.
Susan Capalbo
Senior Vice Provost, Faculty Affairs