President Beggs has approved the following revisions to the WSU Policies and Procedures Manual.  Multiple sections were amended as proposed by the Faculty Senate for "clean-up" and clarification and supported by the Provost.  The revision date is October 13, 2009, for all.

Select revisions are detailed below with additions in bold italics.  There were two “universal” revisions made throughout:

• "chair” replaced “chairperson”
• "college/school/University Libraries” replaced “college”

4.10 / Interpretative Statements on Tenure

In the second sentence, “and quantitative” was added.

The granting of tenure or promotion is at the initiative of the University and is based on sustained achievements demonstrating that the faculty member meets the qualitative and quantitative standards of the appropriate discipline and the requirements of the University.

4.12 / Nontenurable Positions
A new first sentence and the insertion of “assigned” in this brief policy statement.

Only those in probationary positions are eligible for tenure.  Positions at Wichita State University that are not eligible for tenure are those which are part-time, carry the rank of assistant instructor, have less than a 50 percent assigned responsibility for teaching, librarianship, research, scholarship, and/or creative activities, or are designated as temporary.

4.14 / Probationary Period
First bullet under Time Limit:

At the time of initial probationary appointment, agreement between the appointee and the institution must be reached on the prior service, if any, to be applied against the probationary period.  This agreement shall be contained in the initial letter offering the position and in the initial appointment letter contract.

First paragraph under Annual Evaluation of Nontenured Faculty:

All faculty members holding half-time or more appointments who have not attained tenure will be evaluated at least once a year.  Faculty members will have the opportunity to present documentation of performance for the purpose of this evaluation.  The evaluation will be recorded by the department chair on official University forms provided by the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research to department chairs.  In addition to reviewing the faculty member's performance during the preceding year, these annual reviews will also contain a section on "progress toward tenure" in which the faculty member's overall performance at WSU will be evaluated in the context of the tenure review which will occur at the end of the probationary period.  All annual reviews should be submitted for tenure and promotion consideration: however, these annual reviews do not constitute a definitive review for tenure.  The chair will review with the faculty member the results of the evaluation and transmit them to the dean.  Copies will be retained by the faculty member, the department, the college/school/University Libraries dean's office, and the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research.

Last paragraph under Initial Appointment with Tenure:

The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research shall convey the recommendations to the President who shall review the recommendations and make the final decision.  The President shall notify the individual in writing of the final decision award of tenure.

4.15 / Tenure and Promotion - Guidelines and Criteria

First paragraph:

Guidelines and criteria related to tenure and promotion are developed by the college/school/University Libraries faculty and in some instances the department faculty.  They are approved by all the constituencies involved in the review process, including initiating faculty, the college/school/University Libraries faculty, the college/school/University Libraries dean, the University Tenure and Promotion Committee, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research the President, the University Tenure and Promotion Committee, the college, and in some instances the departments .  The subsections that follow identify the guidelines and criteria that are operative at the University level.  Reference is also made to college/school/University Libraries guidelines and criteria.

Third and fourth paragraphs under College Guidelines and Criteria:

The college/school/University Libraries and academic services guidelines and statements of criteria developed for tenure and promotion shall be distributed annually to all untenured faculty at the time of their annual evaluation.  The evaluation of individual candidates at the University level should take into account the degree to which the individual has met the guidelines as well as his/her role statement and annual performance criteria identified in the annual evaluation of untenured faculty.  Consideration, in context of the candidate's entire career, will be given to teaching, librarianship, research, scholarship, creative activities, and the service conducted while the candidate has been employed at the University.  If the guidelines in effect at the time of initial appointment differ from those in place at the time a tenure case comes forward for consideration, the current guidelines can be used in place of the earlier guidelines only if both the candidate and the department agree.

In cases where department and/or college/school/University Libraries policy contradicts University Policy, the appropriate department administrator, the dean of the college/school/University Libraries, the college/school/University Libraries Tenure and Promotion Committee and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research will be notified by the University Tenure and Promotion Committee that the contradiction needs to be corrected, and that the University policy will take precedence until the correction is in place.

Third bullet under Promotion:

The standards for teaching, librarianship, scholarship, and service for each rank are indicated below.  The relative significance of teaching; librarianship; research, scholarship, or creative activities; and service may vary from case to case.  Consideration, in context of the candidate's entire career, will be given to teaching, librarianship, research, scholarship, creative activities, and the service conducted while the candidate has been employed at the University.

First sentence under Presidential Review of Nominees for Tenure or Promotion:

The laws of the State of Kansas provide that, subject to policies approved by the Board of Regents, the President shall appoint employees and administer the affairs of Wichita State University. 

4.16 / Tenure and Promotion Calendar

Three revisions were made to the calendar:

June

1^st  Friday  – Deadline for Office of Institutional Research to deliver course data to be mailed to applicants for tenure and/or promotion.

December

Thursday - (prior to the 3rd Friday)  Deadline for appeal of or rebuttal to college/school/University Libraries level recommendations to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research.

January

2^nd week – Regular meeting of the University Tenure and Promotion Committee.

4.17 / Tenure and Promotion - Outline of Process of Review

All revisions relate to the universal revisions identified above.

4.18 / Review for Tenure or Promotion: Procedures

First paragraph under Department Review for Promotion and Tenure:

The candidate will present a primary dossier and may prepare a secondary dossier.  Only material contained in the primary and secondary dossiers and additional materials appropriately obtained and added to the dossiers may be used by the Tenure and Promotion Committee at each level.

Fifth paragraph under Department Review for Promotion and Tenure:

Former last paragraph under Department Review for Promotion and Tenure was deleted:

Nomination and Review of Academic Services Faculty:

Faculty eligible for tenure and promotion review and not assigned to an academic college or department will be nominated and reviewed for tenure and promotion within their administrative units according to procedures consistent with those used in academic colleges.

Definition of Terms:

Academic Services Faculty – Persons holding unclassified appointments carrying faculty rank who serve in units other than degree granting colleges are academic services faculty.

Refereed – An article counts as “refereed” when it has been reviewed and evaluated before publication by scholars or experts in the research topic of the manuscript.

4.19 / Tenure and Promotion Committee

The composition of the committee and the selection process was revised:

Composition (11 12 members)

7 Chairpersons of tenure and promotion committees

6 Chairs of the Tenure and Promotion Committees of the degree-granting college/school and for University Libraries
2 Faculty-at-large
1 Student (non-voting)
2 Ex-officio: (non-voting) Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research, Dean of the Graduate School.  Ex-officio members shall not be present at the meeting when final votes are taken.

Selection:
Chairs of tenure and promotion committees in the degree-granting colleges/schools and for University Libraries are chosen according to procedures established in their respective college/school/University Libraries, or unit and for unaffiliated faculty are chosen according to Promotion, Tenure and Appeals Procedures.  They are elected to two-year staggered terms.  Faculty-at-large are selected according to standard procedures for naming members to faculty senate committees, except that they shall be from different Faculty Senate divisions degree-granting colleges, and shall be full-time, tenured faculty members with the rank of associate professor or higher.  Faculty-at-large serve three-year terms.  Ex-officio and faculty at-large members may not serve while a candidate for promotion or incentive review, or while on sabbatical leave.  Replacement appointments shall be made as needed, following standard procedures.

The Committee’s “Charge” was also updated consistent with the other policy revisions.