Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment

Promotion, tenure, and reappointment review at UConn is a multi-level review process, allowing for objective evaluation of the substance and merits of each faculty member’s case at each level of organization of the university. Evaluations for promotion, tenure, and reappointment apply the highest standards of professional achievement in scholarship, teaching, and service as appropriate to the responsibilities assigned to the faculty member. Information on this page addresses the policies and processes for both tenure-track and tenured faculty, and clinical, in-residence, and extension faculty and lecturers. The resources below are meant to help every individual understand and engage in the process.

Interfolio @ UConn

UConn utilizes Interfolio's Promotion, Tenure, and Review module for submission and review of all PTR/PR related actions including annual reappointments, midpoint reviews, promotion, and tenure cases. Resources are available on the Interfolio @ UConn page linked below.

Academic Affairs Governance Document Library

All downloads for Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) forms, templates, deadlines, and reference materials are available on the Academic Affairs Governance Document Library SharePoint. Please select the icon below to access the site with your @uconn.edu email address and download files for individual use.

2024-2025 PTR-PR Cycle Resources

2024-2025 PTR Cycle Timeline
Reference Documents
Template Documents
Presentations
Interfolio PTR Resources
PTR Guidance Document

PTR and PR Forms

All PTR (New and Legacy) and PR (CIRE & Lecturer) forms are available for download below:

The AAUP and the University of Connecticut agreed in Article 31 of their collective bargaining agreement to establish a work group to discuss negotiable aspects, if any, of the University’s promotion, tenure and reappointment (“PTR”) procedures. The work group was comprised of representatives from the AAUP, the University Senate, the Provost’s Office, and the Office of Faculty and Staff Labor Relations, and an agreement was reached in September 2018. As such, tenure track faculty members should review guidance on the Legacy versus New PTR form.

Effective for the AY 24-25 cycle, PTR/PR forms have been updated to reflect the Senate Bylaw changes approved at the March 2024 University Senate Meeting regarding the naming of SET (Student Experience of Teaching) and ATE (Assessment of Teaching Effectiveness).

The New Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Form must be used by faculty hired on or after August 23, 2018 and applying for tenure and/or promotion and for faculty applying for promotion to Professor. Faculty hired into the tenure-track or position covered by Article 13 of the AAUP contract on or before August 22, 2018 and applying for tenure and/or promotion to any position other than professor may use the New Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Form or the Legacy Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Form.

The Legacy form can only be used by faculty hired into the tenure-track on or before August 22, 2018 and applying for tenure and/or promotion to any position other than Professor. Faculty who meet this criteria may also use the New Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Form. All Faculty applying for promotion to Professor must use the New Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Form.

Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment Governance

The University of Connecticut is dedicated to excellence demonstrated through national and international recognition. Through freedom of academic inquiry and expression, we create and disseminate knowledge by means of scholarly and creative achievements, graduate and professional education, and outreach.

“With our focus on teaching and learning, the University helps every student grow intellectually and become a contributing member of the state, national, and world communities. Through research, teaching, service, and outreach, we embrace diversity and cultivate leadership, integrity, and engaged citizenship in our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. As our state’s flagship public University, and as a land and sea grant institution, we promote the health and well-being of citizens by enhancing the social, economic, cultural, and natural environments of the state and beyond.” - University of Connecticut Mission Statement

A central tenet of our mission at the University of Connecticut is the pursuit of knowledge and discovery, with the understanding that faculty members have the right to academic freedom. A clearly articulated promotion and tenure system defines expectations and procedures that enhance success and fairness. Faculty tenure is a foundational pillar of academic freedom and allows the individual to pursue scholarship at the frontiers of knowledge. It allows for the pursuit of activities in the classroom, research, and service to society without fear of retribution or reprisal. It is well established that security in this freedom is necessary to catalyze the creativity and innovation that are necessary to fulfill long-term benefits to society and to modulate emphases on short-term rewards.

As conveyed in the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure:

“Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institutions as a whole. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition … Freedom in research is fundamental to the advancement of truth. Academic freedom in its teaching aspect is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the teacher in teaching and of the student to freedom in learning.”

With these freedoms comes the responsibility to advance the research, teaching, and service mission of the University and, as such, the faculty members are held accountable in their performance. Consequently, ideal characteristics in faculty members are scholarly creativity, professional competence and leadership, the ability and desire to teach effectively, and the willingness to cooperate with others in a collegial fashion.

The collective bargaining agreement between the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and UConn is available on the Department of Human Resources website here.

Provost's Promotion and Tenure Guidance

The following Promotion, Tenure and Reappointment (PTR) procedures have been adopted by the faculties of the University of Connecticut (except those of the School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine) under the authority of the Laws and By-Laws of the University of Connecticut, Article XIV. They should be followed insofar as possible by all departments. If a school/college does not have departments, it should follow procedures bearing as much similarity to these as is reasonable. Each school/college and department may adopt and publish on their website additional criteria and policies that are consistent with the PTR policies and procedures presented here.

When considering faculty for promotion or tenure, the University applies the highest standards of professional achievement in scholarship, teaching, and service. Each case is evaluated on its own merits based on the candidate’s scholarship, teaching, and service since appointment. When specified in an appointment letter, work prior to joining the University may also be considered during an evaluation. In order to recommend that the University award tenure to a candidate, each Department and School or College must make a strong case that the candidate’s work in scholarship, teaching, and service since appointment merits permanent employment in their field of expertise. When considering a candidate for promotion to the rank of Professor, Departments and Schools or Colleges must consider the candidate’s accomplishments since the award of tenure. Time served in the rank of Associate Professor is, on its own, not sufficient cause for promotion.

All tenure-track candidates must annually update and submit dossiers using the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) form that has been adopted by the faculties of the University of Connecticut. The candidate’s dossier will be reviewed annually by the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) committee and Department Head, with the option of additional review by the School or College committees. Department Heads, or Deans in Schools without Departments, must annually meet with faculty members, including during their first year, to discuss past performance, appropriate goals, responsibilities, and expectations. In the case of joint appointments, both supervisors must meet annually with the candidate. At the conclusion of the third year, following reviews by the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) committee, the Department Head, the School or College Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Committee, and the Dean, the candidate’s dossier is submitted to the Provost’s Office for comprehensive review. A second review by the Provost’s Office, usually for promotion and tenure considerations, is initiated at the conclusion of the fifth year and during the candidate’s sixth year. In some exceptional cases, early review for tenure and promotion is permitted. It should be noted, that faculty members who wish to be considered for promotion and tenure before the end of the probationary period, will be evaluated by the same standards applied to faculty who have taken the full probationary period. Each year, the Provost’s Office distributes timelines for the submission of dossiers and related materials.

Access: In accordance with Article 12 of the AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement and consistent with Connecticut Freedom of Information statutes, in the presence of a staff member, and at a time convenient to both parties, the faculty member shall have access to his/her full Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) file at all levels, including all internal and external letters. The only others who shall have access to the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) file are (1) administrators and faculty members on official business and (2) AAUP representatives with the consent of the faculty member. A faculty member may at any time obtain a copy of material in the files, for which the faculty member may be charged a cost. If requested, copies shall be authenticated by an appropriate administrator. In addition, the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) file shall not include any anonymous material.

Appeal: If a faculty member has reason to believe that he or she has been denied any of the protections provided for or has suffered through any failure to observe these procedures, the faculty member may seek redress through the grievance procedure described in the Laws and By-Laws of the University of Connecticut, Article XIV.

The Faculty Member

It is the responsibility of the faculty member wishing to be considered for promotion, tenure, and/or reappointment to complete the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) form or PR form and submit this to the Department Head along with any supporting documentation he or she chooses to include or as may be required by the school/college and departmental procedures. These documents become the faculty member’s dossier. The faculty member’s Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File consists of his or her dossier plus all other written materials accumulated as part of the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) process.

All Tenure Track and Non-Tenure Track Faculty Members must:

Provide to the Department Head a list of individuals with contact information who may serve as potential external references following the procedures detailed in Section IV in instances where the faculty member is applying for promotion or tenure;
Any supplementary materials, including student evaluations of teaching, teaching portfolios, other evidence of teaching effectiveness, letters of acceptance for publications, reviews, reprints, etc., should be appropriately labeled and inserted as appendices in the Appendices section of the corresponding PTR-PR form, or provided through a URL.
May add supplemental information to his or her Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File at any time. Such information must be dated. No materials may be removed from a Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File.
After completing the relevant sections, the candidate should submit the form to the Department Head and retain a copy. The completed form along with all supporting documentation becomes the candidate’s dossier.
Upon request, a candidate may review, update, or withdraw his/her dossier during any step of the process.

In addition, CIRE & Lecturer Faculty Members must:

The candidate is responsible for completing the Cover Page and the sections of this form that are applicable to their professional responsibilities. The candidate should consult with his or her Department Head to ensure that the information provided in this form is complete and in the correct format. The accuracy and completeness of these sections are the responsibility of the candidate.

The Department Head

Under the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment process for tenure-track faculty, the Department Head must:

shall annually appraise the performance and potential for teaching, scholarship and/or creative accomplishments, and service of each faculty member eligible for promotion, tenure, and reappointment in his or her department;
shall include for consideration for promotion and/or tenure all those who request in writing that they be considered;
shall obtain and provide to the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee external letters of reference for each faculty member being considered for promotion and/or tenure following the procedures detailed in Section IV;
shall obtain information requested from joint appointment or other supervisory sources as the Dean of the Graduate School, Directors of the regional campuses, and Directors of pertinent centers and institutes, and shall make this information available to the Committee;
shall follow prescribed procedures (see next section).

In addition, under the PR process for CIRE faculty, the Department Head must:

The Department Head is responsible for ensuring the completion of Section Eight, Parts A, B & C. The Department Head summary should carefully state the opinion of the Department Head about reappointment, promotion, or where appropriate, multi-year appointment, as well as those of the candidate’s colleagues and students, and others whose opinions may be useful. The written report of the Departmental Advisory Committee should be included as Section Eight, Part A. In cases where the judgment of the Department Head differs from the advice he/she has received, all views should be recorded.
The Department Head must obtain letters of reference (required for promotion) and should be inserted in Section Eight, Part F.
After making his/her recommendation, the Department Head will forward the dossier to the Dean.

Please review the following resources available on the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment SharePoint:

Guidelines for Evaluation of Faculty Contributions in PTR-PR Review
Interpreting SET Guidelines
External Reference Letter Request Sample

The Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment Advisory Committee

Each department shall have a Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee selected according to a method approved by a majority of the Departmentally determined eligible faculty voting members. This Committee:

shall advise the Department Head on promotion, tenure, and reappointment;
shall review the faculty member’s PTR File and appraise the performance and potential for teaching, scholarship and/or creative accomplishments, and service of the individual under consideration, basing its evaluations on the criteria listed in the By-Laws of the University of Connecticut, Article XIV (revised August 5, 2015). This evaluation should take into account the assignments of the individual;
shall advise the Department Head by making a formal recommendation by vote and summarizing its evaluation and vote in a written report;
shall follow prescribed procedures (see next section).

In addition, schools that are non-departmentalized (Law, Nursing, and Social Work) use a slightly different procedure for obtaining input from advisory committees other than a Departmental Advisory Committee or a Department Head. Additionally, it is perfectly appropriate to have review committees that focus on the CIRE faculty members and Lecturers. This protocol should be disseminated to the faculty in each school.

The Dean

shall review the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) file received under these procedures and such other pertinent information as he or she may require;
shall base his or her recommendations, insofar as possible, upon a uniform application throughout the school/college appraisal criteria;
shall include a written assessment of the faculty member’s strengths and weaknesses in teaching, scholarship and/or creative accomplishments, and service;
shall forward the dossier to the Provost where the action permits (Midpoint Review, Promotion, Tenure)
shall follow prescribed procedures (see next section).

In addition, under the PR process for CIRE faculty, the Dean must:

The Dean is responsible for ensuring the completion of Section Eight, Parts D and E

The School/College Dean's Advisory Council

Each school/college shall have a Dean’s Advisory Council on Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) composed of faculty members of the school/college selected by a method approved by the faculty in accordance with the following criteria:

membership on the Council should be selected from tenured faculty who have been at the University of Connecticut for at least two years;
those eligible to elect Council members should be department, or school/college members who hold tenure track appointments or planned continuing appointments;
Department Heads should not serve as Council members;
terms of Council members ordinarily should not exceed three years with staggering of terms to provide continuity;
turnover of Council membership should be encouraged through restrictions on consecutive terms;
an individual may vote at only one level (either at the department or the school/college level) on any faculty member under consideration.

The Dean’s Advisory Council:

shall review the faculty member’s Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File and appraise the performance and potential for teaching, scholarship and/or creative accomplishments, and service of the individual under consideration.
shall advise the Dean and record a formal vote;
shall follow prescribed procedures (see next section).

The Provost

shall review the material received under these procedures and such other pertinent information as he or she may require;
shall assure, insofar as possible, that recommendations are based upon uniform application throughout the schools/colleges of appraisal criteria;
shall follow prescribed procedures (see next section).

The Faculty Review Board

The University shall have a Faculty Review Board to consider specific cases on promotion, tenure, and reappointment. The Faculty Review Board is composed of six non-administrative, tenured professors elected by the University Senate.

shall consider the cases referred to it by the Provost under the procedures described below in Section II;
shall review all the material received by the Provost, and may supplement this information with additional opinions;
shall follow prescribed procedures (see next section).

The Provost will determine specific timelines annually in accordance with the date of presentation to the Board of Trustees. Before the start of the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) cycle, the Provost will publish the timelines for that year and will make available the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) form and guidelines approved by the University Senate.

The PTR form is to be used for promotion, tenure, and reappointment of tenure track faculty in all schools/colleges.

The Reappointment, Multi-Year Appointment, and Promotion Form for Clinical, In-Residence, & Extension (CIRE) Faculty Members & Lecturers (the PR Form) shall be used for all promotions of CIRE faculty members and all instances in which a CIRE faculty member or Lecturer is receiving their first multi-year appointment. The form must be used for all promotions and appointment to the first multi-year appointment. It may also be used for the reappointment of CIRE faculty members and Lecturers to one-year appointments, as well as multi-year appointments after the first such appointment. Formal review of In-Residence and other non-tenure track faculty is conducted by the school/college, with reappointment determined by satisfactory performance and the availability of funding. Appointment letters should be issued annually upon confirmation of support for the next fiscal year. In the case of promotion of Article 13 and Research faculty only, the faculty members file requires a review and recommendation at all levels including the Provost.

Form Submission

It is the responsibility of the faculty member wishing to be considered for promotion, tenure, and/or reappointment to complete the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) form and submit this to the Department Head along with any supporting documentation he or she chooses to include or as may be required by the school/college and departmental procedures. These documents become the faculty member’s dossier. The faculty member’s Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File consists of his or her dossier plus all other written materials accumulated as part of the PTR process. Supplemental information can be added to the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File by the faculty member at any time. Such information must be dated. No materials may be removed from a Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File.
The faculty member may request withdrawal from consideration for promotion in writing at any stage in the process prior to the Provost’s recommendation to the Board of Trustees.

Departmental Review

The Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee shall receive from the Department Head the dossiers of all faculty members to be considered for promotion, tenure and/or reappointment.
The Department Head shall collect pertinent information from such joint appointment and supervisory sources as the Dean of the Graduate School, Directors of regional campuses, Directors of centers and institutes, and other qualified individuals, and shall make this information available to the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee.
As part of its review, the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee shall provide to the faculty member and to members of the Department who so desire an opportunity either to appear before the Committee or to submit written statements to the Committee.
The Committee, after its review, shall provide the faculty member with an opportunity to appear before the committee to discuss substantive negative findings.
The Committee shall report its recommendations and appraisals with supporting evidence in writing to the Department Head. If the Committee’s recommendation is not unanimous, its report shall include the dissenting opinions with supporting data. Rather than using words such as “unanimously” or “by majority,” votes should be indicated numerically along with a key in the form: 6-1-2-1 (Yes, No, Abstain, Absent).
The Department Head, after his or her review, shall provide the faculty member with an opportunity to discuss substantive negative findings. The Department Head shall discuss his or her recommendation with the Committee.
The Department Head shall inform the faculty member of the recommendations by the Department Head and by the Committee, including the substance of any dissenting opinions. Reasons for a negative recommendation shall be in writing if either the Department Head or the faculty member so wishes.
The Department Head shall transmit to the Dean in writing his or her recommendations for promotion, tenure and/or reappointment, together with those of the Committee, the supporting data, and dissenting opinions. In the case of promotion to Full Professor, when neither the Committee nor the head recommends a promotion, no recommendation need be transmitted to the Dean unless specifically requested by the faculty member or the Dean.
If either the Department Head or the Committee makes a negative recommendation to the Dean, the faculty member may submit to the Dean a written statement presenting his or her case for consideration by the Dean and the Dean’s Advisory Council. The faculty member must submit this statement to the Dean within one week after being informed in writing of the recommendation by the Department Head.

School/College Review

The Dean’s Advisory Council shall receive from the Dean and review the recommendations and supporting materials received from the Department Head.
The Council shall provide an opportunity for the faculty member to appear before the council to discuss any substantive negative findings.
The final recommendation of the Council will be forwarded in writing to the Dean. Rather than using words such as “unanimously” or “by majority,” votes should be indicated numerically along with a key in the form: 6-1-2-1 (Yes, No, Abstain, Absent).
If, after review, the Dean is inclined toward a negative finding, he or she shall provide an opportunity for the faculty member to discuss any substantive negative findings within a reasonable timeframe.
If the Dean anticipates that he or she may be making a recommendation contrary to that of the Department Head, the Dean shall provide an opportunity for the Head and the Departmental PTR Advisory Committee to review and supplement their original recommendations.
The Dean shall inform the Department Head and the faculty member of the recommendations by the Dean’ Advisory Council and the Dean. If either the faculty member or the Dean so wishes, reasons for a negative recommendation shall be in writing.
The Dean shall transmit to the Provost in writing his or her recommendations and those of the Dean’s Advisory Council, the Department Head, and the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee, together with any dissenting opinions. When recommendations differ, the Dean must include a statement explaining his or her recommendation.
Positive recommendations by the Dean for faculty in their six-year probationary appointments, with the exception of midpoint review year, will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees with no further review.

University/Provost Review

The Provost, Dean, and Department Head shall meet to review any Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) cases selected by the Provost. These may include those where there has been a lack of unanimity or in which the Provost’s recommendation may differ from that of the Dean or Department Head. In these cases, opportunity shall be provided to the Department Head and Dean to review and supplement the original recommendation.
The Provost, after his or her review, shall provide the faculty member with an opportunity to to discuss substantive negative findings.

Board of Trustees Approval

The Provost shall make recommendations to the President for the granting of promotion and/or tenure by the Board of Trustees no later than the April meeting of the Board. In the case of reappointment, action will be taken by the President, who will inform the Board of Trustees of his or her decisions (per the Laws and By-Laws of the University of Connecticut, Article II).

Further Review and Appeal

The Provost shall refer to the Faculty Review Board for its consideration:
- those cases whose referral was requested by a faculty member or Department Head;
- those cases where following a discussion the Provost’s recommendations still differs from that of a Dean;
- other cases that the Provost wishes to refer.
The Department Head is responsible for obtaining the external letters of reference. Both the faculty member, and the Department Head and/or the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee, should each create a list of five or more names of potential external reviewers. The Department Head should request at least half of the total number of letters from names on the faculty member list. The remaining letters should be requested from the Department Head and/or the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee list.

Each external evaluation letter in the PTR/PR file should be accompanied by a copy of the letter used to solicit the evaluation. If a common template was used to solicit all of the candidate’s letters, a single copy of the specific template used for the candidate can be included. In addition, the PTR/PR file should include an indication of which letters are from individuals suggested by the faculty member and which are from individuals suggested by the Department Head or Departmental PTR/PR Advisory Committee.

Reference letters should be obtained from tenured faculty, or scholars of equivalent stature, in the faculty member’s field outside of the university who can speak to his or her professional contribution to scholarship and/or creative accomplishments. It is important to solicit an impartial evaluation of the faculty member’s contributions to the field. These external letters should not be from close acquaintances, former mentors, or frequent collaborators. Letters of reference for faculty members for promotion to full professor must be obtained from individuals who hold this or an equivalent rank. It is recommended that these letters include a signature from the reviewer and be on institutional letterhead where it is appropriate.

At a minimum, the Department Head should provide the following to external referees. The Office of the Provost has provided a sample letter on the PTR SharePoint.
- the faculty member’s complete curriculum vita;
- Information about the nature of the faculty member’s appointment that could be relevant in evaluating his/her scholarly and/or creative achievements (e.g., joint appointments, administrative appointments and directorships, regional campus appointments).
- copies of the faculty member’s major publications or creative works as identified by the faculty member;
- an explicit statement of what the faculty member is being considered for and whether or not the decision is mandatory with respect to tenure;
Each letter requesting an evaluation from an external reviewer must include the following explicit statement: “Your letter will become part of a faculty member’s Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) file, which will be viewed by faculty and University administrators involved in the PTR process. In addition, under State of Connecticut Freedom of Information statutes governing state employees and the University’s AAUP collective bargaining agreement, the faculty member may request access to his or her PTR file and may see the letters of reference.”

In addition, each letter of request should ask the external referee to provide:
- his or her relationship to the faculty member (if any);
- an assessment of the quality and impact of the faculty member’s scholarship and/or creative accomplishments, and, if appropriate, professional service.
Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Form (New) Requirements

A minimum of five external letters of reference for faculty members being considered for promotion and/or tenure must be in the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File prior to final recommendation by the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee for faculty utilizing the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Form for tenure track faculty. All solicited reference letters that are received must be included in the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File. If further letters are later obtained, then those letters must be sent to the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee for their review for possible modification of their initial recommendation.

CIRE Form Requirements

A minimum of four letters of reference for faculty members being considered for CIRE & Lecturer Faculty Members for promotion must be in the PR File prior to final recommendation by the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee for faculty utilizing the PR Form for CIRE faculty & Lecturers. At least two of the four required letters should be external. In the case of clinical or extension faculty, one of the external letters can be from the individual’s clinical site or from an extension stakeholder.

Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Form (Legacy) Requirements

A minimum of four external letters of reference for faculty members being considered for promotion and/or tenure must be in the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File prior to final recommendation by the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee for faculty utilizing the Legacy Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Form for tenure track faculty. All solicited reference letters that are received must be included in the Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) File.

Since an award of tenure results in a continuing and permanent appointment without expiration, the University of Connecticut will not grant tenure in the absence of permanent residency. It is the obligation of the faculty member in a tenure track position to pursue permanent resident status in a timely manner. It is important that the faculty member work with the University of Connecticut’s General Counsel to ensure that this is achieved during the probationary period. Faculty members who through no fault of their own are unable to obtain permanent resident status at the time of tenure eligibility and are still authorized to work in the United States will be eligible for continued employment and advancement of rank pursuant to the applicable Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) procedures but will not be eligible for the accompanying award of academic tenure by the Board of Trustees until permanent residency is established.

Tenure at hire should be granted only in exceptional cases and to individuals who have a demonstrated record of scholarly accomplishment.

Tenure at hire for individuals who are tenured at a peer institution:
- The Department Head compiles the individual’s curriculum vita and letters of recommendation used in the hiring process. This becomes the faculty member’s dossier.
- The Department Head obtains the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee recommendation and submits this along with their own recommendation to the Dean;
- The Dean obtains the Dean’s Advisory Council recommendation and forwards this along with their recommendation and the individual’s dossier to the Provost.
- The Provost will evaluate these recommendations and notify the Dean whether they support offering the individual tenure at hire;
- The Provost will forward their recommendations to the President for approval by the Board of Trustees.
- Following a vote by the Board of Trustees, the Provost will send a letter to the faculty member reporting the Board’s decision.
Tenure at hire for individuals who do not have tenure at a peer institution:

If a faculty member being appointed at UConn does not have tenure at a peer institution, then the Provost would not normally expect to recommend tenure on appointment. However, in exceptional cases the faculty member may be considered for tenure on appointment. These exceptions will be dealt with on a “case by case” basis, ensuring that the integrity of the tenure process is protected. In these situations (as with regular evaluation for tenure at UConn), the following steps should be followed:
- The Department Head compiles the individual’s curriculum vita and letters of recommendation used in the hiring process. Additionally, the Department Head obtains three external letters of evaluation that are independent of those submitted on behalf of the faculty member as a part of the application process. These letters should speak to the scholarship and/or creative accomplishments of the candidate being recommended for tenure at hire. This becomes the faculty member’s dossier;
- The Department Head obtains the Departmental Promotion, Tenure, and Reappointment (PTR) Advisory Committee recommendation and submits this along with their own recommendation to the Dean;
- The Dean obtains the school/college Dean’s Advisory Council recommendation and forwards this along with their recommendation and the individual’s dossier to the Provost.
- The Provost will evaluate these recommendations and notify the Dean whether they support offering the individual tenure at hire;
- The Provost will forward their recommendations to the President for approval by the Board of Trustees.
- Following a vote by the Board of Trustees, the Provost will send a letter to the faculty member reporting the Board’s decision.