Promotion & Tenure

The list of materials for review in a P&T dossier can change slightly from year to year.  But, in general, candidates can expect to provide the following documents.

1. CV (using CNS template)
2. Teaching statement
3. Teaching assessments (1 expert review, 2 peer observations, and 2 reflective teaching observations)
4. Research statement
5. List of five most significant works
6. Summary of selectivity of publication outlets
7. Mentoring statement
8. Service statement
9. Teaching portfolio
10. Student course evaluations and students comments

11. Mid-probationary review report

     

In addition to the candidate's materials, P&T dossiers will contain the following.

1. At least 5 letters from external reviewers (selected by the department and candidate)
2. Review Committee Teaching Statement
3. Review Committee Research Statement
4. Review Committee Service Statement
5. Review Committee Mentoring Statement
6. Department Chair Letter
7. College Dean Letter
8. Promotion Review Voting Sheet

• Spring semester

  • The Provost's Office releases new promotion & tenure guidelines and hosts information sessions for candidates and administrators.
  • The Department submits lists of of external reviewers for Dean's Office approval.
  • The Department solicits external reviewer letters.

• June to mid-July

  • Candidates submit dossier materials.

• Mid-July to mid-August

  • The Review Committee assesses the dossier and submits teaching, research, service and mentoring statements.

• End of August

  • The Review Committee presents its assessment to the Neuroscience faculty; eligible faculty vote on the dossier.

• Early September

  • The Department Chair submits an assessment letter that includes the faculty vote and qualifies Review Committee statements.

• October

  • The College Dean submits an assessment letter.

• February

  • The President's Office issues promotion and tenure decisions.  The Department Chair will communicate the decision to the candidate.

The granting of tenure has long-lasting consequences of great magnitude to the University and must be considered carefully.

Promotion to the rank of tenured associate professor is awarded only if clear evidence is provided to demonstrate that the faculty member has accomplished the following:

• Impact, distinction, and continuing potential in teaching, research, service, and mentoring.
• Established a reputation as an independent researcher and scholar.
  • Note that continued and/or extensive collaboration with a former mentor/advisor or with senior faculty members complicates the determination of scholarly independence.
• A trajectory of accomplishments that continues to grow throughout the probationary period.
• A strong and sustainable record of excellence in research, scholarship, and/or creative endeavors that predicts a continuing trajectory of impactful contributions throughout an extended career at UT Austin.
• Continuity of research funding, by discipline norms, which predicts a sustainable record of continued research excellence and financial support for students supervised by the candidate.

Awarding tenure must be in the best interest of the department, college/school, and University.

At each level of review (department, college, etc.), recommendation options for mandatory tenure review of tenure-track assistant professors are:

1.  “promote to associate professor with tenure” or
2. “terminal appointment.”

2024-25 P&T Guidelines