Academic Appointments
The University’s intellectual community is defined by its faculty and other academic appointees. The Office of the Provost collaborates with deans, department chairs, and faculty search committees to identify and recruit bold thinkers, field-defining researchers, outstanding teachers, and individuals with other skills that are central to the eminence of the University.
Every appointment, reappointment, and promotion must be solidly grounded in actual accomplishment which, when coupled with evidence of future promise, gives rise to a strong likelihood that the candidate will bring continued and increasing distinction to the University over the entire course of the candidate’s academic career here. These principles guide University departments, divisions, and schools in evaluating faculty for promotion and/or tenure.
For more information or questions related to these policies and procedures, please reach out to the Office of the Provost’s main contact regarding academic searches, promotions and appointments, Vice Provost for Academic Appointments and Graduate Education Jason Merchant.
Guidance on Academic Appointments, Promotions and Hiring
The guide contains information on the following areas, as well as appendices with important contact information, resources, and relevant documents:
- Academic Searching and Screening Policy
- Guidelines Appointment, Reappointment, and Promotion Cases for Faculty, Senior Instructional Professors, Lecturers, Instructional Professors, and Clinical Appointments
- Complete List of Documents, Links, Contacts, and Other Materials
- Supplemental Documents and Resources for Academic Recruitment
- Special Situation Appointments and Postdoctoral Appointments
- Revision History
Search Materials
- Optional Search Committee Training: each Autumn Quarter, monthly trainings are offered by the Office of the Provost and the Office for Equal Opportunity & Access for those who want to learn about actionable steps to improve faculty search processes, central support available from the Office of the Provost, as well as legal compliance requirements for hiring. All members of a search committee (including staff), are welcome to attend this 60-minute workshop. Please email Scott Velasquez, Executive Director of the Office for Equal Opportunity & Access, for more information.
- Guidance for using Search Firms: The University of Chicago’s process for engaging with and utilizing search firms for all academic and staff searches, including officer searches, ensures that the search is compliant with the University’s equal opportunity and affirmative action obligations. To achieve compliance with these obligations, all units must adhere to the University’s process when using a search firm for any academic or staff search. Any questions or requests for the referenced attachments should be directed to the Director of the Office for Affirmative Action, Scott Velasquez.
- Sample Search Plan: A step-by-step guide for units to help them conduct effective, compliant searching and screening processes.
