2.7 Tenure

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Tenure Definition and Philosophy

The continued high quality of instruction at Wilmington College depends primarily on the high quality of its faculty and the freedom of academic inquiry. One of the ways Wilmington College can ensure this quality is through awarding tenure to individuals who meet the criteria discussed below. Wilmington College defines tenure as continuous employment until retirement, resignation, non-reappointment due to financial exigency or program discontinuance, or dismissal for cause (see Section 2.8). Tenure applies to faculty with the ranks of Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor.

Tenure has three elements. First, it guarantees the faculty member academic freedom in his/her teaching and research throughout the contract. Second, it guarantees the faculty member certain rights described in Section 2.9. Third, it guarantees the faculty member a continuous contract at Wilmington College until resignation, retirement, dismissal for cause or other valid reasons (see Section 2.8.3).

  1. Eligibility for Tenure
    1. Only full-time faculty who are on the tenure track are eligible for tenure review.
    2. Faculty members who come to Wilmington College undergo a first evaluation by the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee and the of the Faculty during their third year at the College and a final tenure evaluation during their sixth year (see Sections 2.5.3.2 and 2.7), unless another timeline is outlined in the letter of appointment due to previous experience (see Section 2.2.2).
    3. Faculty members who have both the terminal degree upon appointment and previous full-time college teaching experience may receive credit for up to three years of teaching experience. The details of this arrangement, however, must be negotiated at the time of the initial contract and must be part of the letter of appointment.
    4. A written request to delay a tenure review for one year may be filed by the affected faculty member. The request must be in writing and it must be submitted to the Dean of the Faculty as soon as possible but no later than October 1of the year of the tenure review. The Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee, the Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty and the President must approve this request.
    5. If a family member qualifies through Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) documentation for a paid or unpaid leave under the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, they are entitled to stop the tenure clock or extend the probationary period. The tenure clock may be stopped for up to one year for each FMLA event. A candidate granted an extended probationary period under these criteria will be reviewed under the same standards as a candidate who has not extended the probationary period.  The institution will not impose greater demands on the candidate as a consequence of the longer probationary period. The policy is based on qualification for FMLA leave rather than acceptance of paid or unpaid leave. Notification to stop the tenure clock must be in writing and must be submitted to the Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty as soon as possible but no later than October 1st of the year of the tenure review.
    6. In no case shall the total number of annual delays under subsections d and/or e above exceed three years.
    7. Tenure may not be attained without a favorable tenure determination announced publicly by the President. It is the responsibility of the faculty member and the Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty to assure that a proper and timely review takes place.
    8. Off-campus faculty with tenure-track appointments have special arrangements for tenure. Specific information about these appointments is available in the Appendix 1.5. Off-campus faculty who receive tenure are tenured to off-campus branches and not to the College as a whole.
  2. Criteria for Tenure
    As a liberal arts institution Wilmington College places its primary emphasis on teaching and instructional quality. The criteria for tenure at Wilmington College are:
    1. Substantial compliance with all requirements and conditions set forth in the faculty member's letter of appointment.
    2. Superior ability and effectiveness in teaching and advising as evidenced by peer, administrative, and student input.
    3. Scholarly and professional activity appropriate to the position at Wilmington College evidenced by participation in state/national professional activities and by contributions to the professional literature of their discipline.
    4. Effective participation in Academic Area and campus-wide committees, governance, curriculum development, and College/community service.

Tenure Evaluation Procedures

Faculty members serving under a probationary or tenure-track contract are carefully evaluated, normally during their sixth year, leading up to a recommendation on granting tenure. In all phases of the tenure evaluation, the burden of proof shall be on the faculty candidate to demonstrate that it is in the best interest of the College to grant tenure.

The following steps are followed during the tenure review process:

  • 2.7.2.1 Faculty members under review will prepare a portfolio containing information and supporting documentation on faculty performance in the areas of teaching, scholarship and service. Guidelines for materials to be placed in the portfolio are found in Appendix 1.21. The portfolio will be submitted to the Clerk of the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee by October 1.
  • 2.7.2.2 The Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty will provide the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee with a file on each faculty member being evaluated, consisting of materials such as past self-evaluations, student evaluations and annual faculty evaluations.
  • 2.7.2.3 The Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee will collect written evaluations from ten students and/or graduates who have taken courses from the faculty member and/or have been their advisee. The faculty member being evaluated will submit the names of five students and the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee will select the remainder. The students will be asked for their evaluation of teaching, advising and overall faculty effectiveness. The letter requesting the evaluation will include a copy of the criteria of evaluation in Section 2.7.1(2).
  • 2.7.2.4 The Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee will collect open-ended written evaluations from six faculty colleagues who have worked closely with the faculty member at Wilmington College. These evaluators will include the Area Coordinator, and for faculty whose primary assignment is to an external program, should include the Vice President for External Programs. The faculty member being evaluated will submit the names of three colleagues and the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee will select the remainder. The letter requesting the evaluation will include a copy of the criteria of evaluation in Section 2.7.1(2). The Clerk of the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee will also accept letters from unsolicited faculty.
  • 2.7.2.5 The Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee will invite the faculty member’s Area Coordinator (and/or the Vice President for External Programs if applicable) to meet with the Committee to discuss the overall effectiveness of the faculty member under review.
  • 2.7.2.6 The Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee will meet with the candidate to discuss his or her qualifications for tenure.
  • 2.7.2.7 When these steps have been completed, the committee will review the materials and prepare a report on each faculty member. It will invite the President, the Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty and the Vice President for External Programs to comment on the report's contents as appropriate.

Tenure Recommendations and Decisions

  1. When the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee has completed the evaluation process described in 2.7.2, its tenured members will reach a decision regarding a recommendation on tenure. The members then will meet with the President of the College to convey its written recommendations and discuss them in detail. The Committee will make one of the following recommendations:
    1. Recommended: The Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee finds that it is in the best interest of the College to grant tenure to the candidate.
    2. Not Recommended: The Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee finds that it is not in the best interest of the College to grant tenure to the candidate.
  2. Following this meeting, which shall occur no later than the final day of the Fall exam period, the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee will notify the candidate in writing of its recommendation. The candidate shall be informed as soon as is practical, which shall normally mean on the next working day after the Committee's meeting with the President and Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty. Under no circumstances shall notification be delayed more than five (5) business days beyond this meeting.
  3. Within one week the candidate may request an interview with the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee, the Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty and the President of the College to present any further information before the President makes a final tenure decision.
  4. The President will make the final tenure decision on or before January 30 and will notify the candidate, the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee, and the candidate's Area Coordinator in writing as to the decision.
  5. In the event the President reaches a determination that is averse to that recommended by the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee, s/he shall consult with the Committee prior to issuing a final decision.
  6. The candidate may request written reasons for the denial of tenure.

Tenure Appeal Procedures

A faculty member whose application for tenure has been turned down may appeal the decision on the following grounds:

  • The procedures by which the decision was made or the substantive decision itself do not conform to the policies set forth in the Faculty Handbook
  • The decision was made based on incomplete or inadequate information
  • The decision was clearly erroneous
  • The decision reflects discrimination on a prohibited ground as set forth in Section 2.3.1
  • The decision represents a denial of free academic inquiry and/or expression

The first step in the appellate process is for the faculty member to notify the Clerk of the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee of the basis for appeal, who will then take the matter to the Tenure, Promotion and Review Committee for referral and possible reconsideration. In the event the faculty member is dissatisfied with the outcome of the referral process, s/he may file a grievance by following the procedures outlined in Section 2.17. The burden of proof shall be on the faculty applicant during all phases of the appellate process.

A faculty member denied tenure will be granted a severance contract for the year succeeding the one in which tenure was denied. At the conclusion of the severance year, s/he shall be ineligible for further faculty positions at any branch of Wilmington College.