One-Year Opt-In Tenure Clock Extension

 

To: All Faculty

From: Ka Yee C. Lee, Provost, and Jason Merchant, Vice Provost

Subject: One-Year Opt-In Tenure Clock Extension

Date: March 24, 2020

 

The steps taken against the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) have caused significant and unavoidable disruption to our academic mission and daily lives. The impact on your ability to conduct research as planned may be considerable. For our tenure-track colleagues, in particular, your ability to do the work that will earn you reappointment, promotion, or tenure may be dramatically affected.

 

Though the effects on tenure-track careers will be variable, the most equitable and straightforward way to mitigate the possible impact on your research is to offer tenure-track faculty whose current term ends after September 1, 2020 the possibility to delay your reappointment or promotion review by one year, except for faculty whose tenure review has already begun. In addition, tenure-track faculty whose current term ends before September 1, 2020 and whose review this year was or is successful may choose to delay their next scheduled review by one year. As not everyone will want or need this option, extensions will be provided on an opt-in basis.

 

During Spring Quarter, we will send an extension request form to all deans to distribute to eligible tenure-track faculty. Anyone who wishes to make use of this extension must return this form to the Provost by July 1, 2020.

 

We want to reassure every tenure-track faculty member that we will do all we can to ensure that your career will not be jeopardized by this pandemic and the unprecedented challenges it is creating.