Granting of Tenure

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Tenure track positions are allocated to departments or programs by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation with the Deans and Department Chairs. If a tenure track position is available, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and the appropriate Dean, following consultation with the Department Chair and considering the overall needs of the University, determine that the position either be offered to a current member of the faculty or be advertised externally. When a tenure track position is offered to and accepted by a current member of the faculty, standard tenure review procedures will be followed.

When tenure track positions are announced by a department, qualified faculty members from continuing track, lecture track, and visiting appointments may submit their name as applicants. If successful in securing the tenure track position, faculty should consult the Chair and Dean to determine the length of the probationary period prior to their tenure decision.

For faculty on continuing track who accept a tenure track position, the annual cash supplement will terminate at the beginning of the tenure track appointment period.

The University recognizes the importance of having high quality faculty performance that is clearly demonstrated before tenure is awarded. For tenure, the burden of proof rests with the faculty member. The candidate is responsible for knowing the process and the requirements for tenure and for ensuring that their personnel file is complete. The process  and criteria associated with tenure may be found elsewhere in this Handbook.

Only the Board of Trustees of the University can grant tenure. The granting of tenure is reserved for those probationary faculty who have met the following University standards in the tenure process:

• Possesses the terminal degree and at least six years’ experience as an Assistant Professor or, for people on tenure track without the terminal degree, at least six years’ experience as an Assistant Professor and significant professional experience
• Serves at least four years on tenure track at Elon University
• Demonstrates clearly an ongoing record of high quality in each of the following areas: teaching, contributions to the life of the University, and professional activity.

Only in exceptional cases will faculty members be granted tenure who have not met the preceding standards.

In exceptional circumstances a faculty member may request a one-year extension of the probationary period. The faculty member, following consultation with the Department Chair and Dean, must submit this request to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who makes the final determination.