Comprehensive Periodic Review

In the College of Natural Sciences, renewals of endowed chair and professorship appointments are done as part of the overall comprehensive review process. Review committees should keep in mind the expectations associated with the endowed holder appointment when discussing CPRs. Reviewers should then comment on whether a faculty’s accomplishments are in line with expectations. If expectations align, the endowed holder appointment will be extended. If reviewers find that achievements are not aligned with expectations, the Department Chair should contact the Dean to discuss whether or not to move forward with the endowment renewal.

Faculty members being evaluated should verify that records used in the evaluation process are up-to-date.

Required Materials

1. Current CV (accomplishments achieved during the CPR review
   period may be highlighted)
2. A summary statement of professional accomplishments across research, teaching, service, and mentoring
3. Faculty Activity Reports (FARs) from each year during the CPR review period
   1. Departmental staff will provide
4. Course instructor / evaluation survey report results including all student
   comments for each completed semester of each year during the CPR review period
   1. download “Report A” or “Report B” from Explorance Blue
5. Two peer assessments (one assessment for every three years in rank)

Optional Materials

1. A statement of professional goals
2. A proposed professional development plan
3. Any additional professional materials that the faculty member deems appropriate
   1. For example, faculty members performing substantial duties in other departments or programs should provide information describing the extent and impact of that work

• Octber 1

  • CPR candidates submit review materials.

• November - April

  • The departmental Evaluations Committee assesses review materials and communicates its final rating in writing to the faculty member and Department Chair via a CPR Report. The Department Chair meets with faculty member to discuss the results of the review.

• May 1

  • The final, signed CPR Report is due to CNS Faculty Affairs.

• Exceeds Expectations - a clear and significant level of accomplishment beyond
  what is normal, or
• Meets Expectations - normally expected level of accomplishment, or
• Does Not Meet Expectations - a failure in accomplishments beyond what can be
  considered the normal range of year-to-year variation in performance, but of a
  character that appears to be correctable, or
• Unsatisfactory - failing to meet expectations in a way that reflects disregard of
  previous feedback or other efforts to provide correction, development, or
  assistance, or involves prima facie professional misconduct, dereliction of duty,
  or incompetence. Information is provided below about next steps for any faculty
  member who receives an unsatisfactory rating.

A CPR may only be deferred when the tenured faculty member is on an approved personal leave without pay for medical reasons during the academic year when the CPR is being conducted. Per the Regents’ Rule 31102, “no deferral of review of an active (tenured) faculty member may extend beyond one year from the scheduled (year of) review”.

At UT Austin, except for approved personal leaves without pay for medical reasons occurring during the actual CPR review year, periods when a faculty member is on leave without pay will still count towards the six-year CPR period. Similarly, a year associated with an approved personal circumstances flag will also still count towards the six-year tally. However, any year within the six-year CPR period that has a PC flag or during which a faculty member had an approved personal leave without pay for medical reasons should be identified to the review committee without including the reason for the designation. A medical LWOP or a PC flag should prompt the CPR reviewers to reframe the review period for the faculty member.  For example, if a faculty member is going through CPR and has been approved for one Personal Circumstances Flag during the period under consideration, the peer review committee should consider the body of work as having been completed in five years rather than six.

CPR clock for tenured faculty is reset / started by:

• Successful promotion to tenured full Professor (a default CPR rating of “exceeding expectations” is assigned), or
• Initial appointment (promotion or hired) as a tenured UT faculty member, or
• Initial appointment as dean, provost or president, or
• Initial appointment in a 100% A&P position after a “competitive” search (with the assessment of whether the search counts as “competitive” requiring provost’s approval).

If a candidate for promotion to tenured full Professor is unsuccessful, then the promotion review still counts as a CPR. After the unsuccessful promotion determination is made, the Dean will consult with a tenured faculty CPR committee to provide the associated CPR rating by May 31st of that year. The start of the timeline for the candidate’s next CPR is then reset.

Appointments to endowed chairs and professorships are for a defined period of time and include provisions for review.  In the College of Natural Sciences, reviews of endowed chair and professorship appointments are done as part of the overall comprehensive review process. For more information, please see the CNS Endowment Policy.