3.5.A - Tenure

Academic tenure is an employment status at the University that assures a tenured faculty member of continuous appointment from contract year to contract year, except under conditions of dismissal for cause (see KSU Faculty Handbook Section 4.1.9), termination or layoff of tenured personnel due to program modification (see BoR Policy Manual 8.3.7.9), or financial exigencies, or after an unsuccessful performance improvement plan (PIP). The awarding of tenure is a highly important decision through which the University incurs a major commitment to the individual faculty member well into the future. Years of service or successful annual reviews alone are not sufficient to qualify for tenure. It should only be granted to those faculty members whose achievements demonstrate the quality and significance expected of an Associate Professor and who demonstrate potential for long-term effectiveness at the University. Tenure requires prior or simultaneous promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. New tenure track faculty may be initially appointed to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor without the award of tenure. All tenure track faculty are expected to produce scholarship in at least one performance area. This scholarship must be consistent with departmental, college, and University guidelines. Only under exceptional circumstances will a candidate be recommended for tenure without at least one form of scholarship as articulated in approved promotion and tenure guidelines. In awarding tenure, the University recognizes the long-range value of the faculty member to the institution and ensures them the academic freedom that is essential to an atmosphere conducive to the proper operation of the University.

The review for tenure involves a retrospective analysis of how well the individual has met the needs and expectations of the University during the probationary period. Perhaps the greatest value of that retrospective analysis is in how well it informs the judgment of colleagues about the individual’s prospects for future contributions and achievements as a KSU faculty colleague. The fundamental issue underlying the tenure decision is whether, in the judgment of teaching and administrative faculty colleagues, the faculty member will continue to meet institutional needs and expectations in the future. Based on BoR policy (BoR Policy Manual 8.3.7.3), in addition to the minimum criteria above, tenure at the rank of associate or full professor requires the terminal degree in the appropriate discipline or its equivalent in training, ability, and/or experience. Neither the possession of a doctorate nor longevity of service is a guarantee of tenure.

Due to its long-term implications, the granting of tenure constitutes a significant decision and therefore requires a thorough review process that includes the judgments and recommendations of the faculty member’s teaching and administrative faculty colleagues. The entire process has two major parts: the pre-tenure review and the tenure review. The timing of these two parts depends upon several factors that are determined at the initial employment in the professorial ranks, explained below. It is important to note that the number used to designate the year of review for tenure (and used similarly for promotion) indicates the year that the review process takes place. Because this review process starts at the beginning of the academic year, only the documentation of the fully completed years of service up until that point will be reviewed. Thus, a pre-tenure review in the third year considers only two years of service and a tenure review in the sixth year considers only five years of service.

Based on BoR policy (BoR Policy Manual 8.3.7.4), in exceptional cases, the President may approve an outstanding distinguished senior faculty member for the award of tenure upon the faculty member’s initial appointment under the following circumstances: appointed as associate or full professor, was tenured at a prior institution, and brings a demonstrably national reputation to KSU. In most cases, the President will consult the Promotion & Tenure Committee and chair of the department hosting the faculty member before awarding tenure. If the person is being appointed to an administrative position and has not previously held tenure, the award of tenure must be approved by the Chancellor.

Pre-Tenure Review

The first of the two parts of the tenure review process is a pre-tenure review that takes place in the third year of a tenure track faculty member’s appointment. All tenure track faculty eligible for tenure must receive a pre-tenure review during their third year of appointment to that tenure track position. For these faculty, the purpose of this pre-tenure review is to assist faculty members in determining whether they are making appropriate progress toward tenure and to assess the individual’s current readiness toward tenure. The pre-tenure review does not constitute a tenure decision, but rather, provides feedback to the faculty member as to strengths and weaknesses. At each level of the review, a summary letter will be produced that describes in detail how the faculty member is progressing toward meeting or not meeting the expectations for tenure. The letter will also include specific suggestions for maintaining and enhancing further preparations for a successful tenure decision in the future. These pre-tenure review letters and the descriptive assessments they contain become part of the individual’s portfolio for the later review. If the performance in any of the categories is judged to be not successful/not satisfactory the faculty member must be provided with a Performance Remediation Plan (PRP). (See BoR Academic and Student Affairs Handbook 4.4 and KSU Faculty Handbook Section 3.12). 

Tenure Review

The second major part of the process is the review at the end of the probationary period that leads to a tenure decision. All tenure track faculty must be reviewed for tenure. The length of the probationary period over which this review is to occur depends upon several factors. For faculty who enter KSU at the assistant professor rank or above, the probationary period is five years, with a mandatory review for tenure being conducted in the sixth year if tenure has not already been awarded. However, faculty may be granted years of credit toward tenure for work experience prior to coming to KSU (BoR Policy Manual 8.3.7.4; USG Academic & Student Affairs Handbook 4.4.1). This credit will be noted in writing by the President before the faculty member is employed and can range from one to three years, with the latter figure being reserved for rare cases of exceptional service elsewhere, such as administrative work. Any, all, or none of the granted credit can be applied toward tenure, at the discretion of the individual faculty member. If applied toward tenure, this credit plus the number of years of service at KSU must match the minimum probationary period of five years and the tenure portfolio will include evidence from this credited time and must include evidence of relevant work experience prior to employment at KSU. A faculty member may use their probationary credit towards tenure and apply for tenure earlier than the completion of the minimum probationary period only once. Faculty who have used probationary credit towards tenure and who were denied tenure will have one additional attempt to obtain tenure which will occur in their sixth year of eligibility (i.e., their required year for tenure as outlined on their faculty tenure and promotion status sheet). The amount of the probationary period spent at KSU must be continuous unless the interruption is for a leave of absence or for part-time service that must not, in either case, exceed two years (BoR Policy Manual 8.3.7.4). A faculty member who is granted two or three years of credit toward tenure may replace the pre-tenure review with a tenure review in the second year in the position (if taking three years of credit toward tenure) or in the third year of the position (if taking two years of credit toward tenure).

At KSU, if a tenure track assistant professor or associate professor is granted probationary credit upon initial hire, the same amount of credit will be granted for both tenure and promotion and can only be used once. For example, if a faculty member is using probationary credit and chooses to apply for tenure only or promotion only during their first portfolio submission at KSU, the probationary credit initially granted for both tenure and promotion will be considered used at that time.

A faculty member who was hired without credit toward tenure may apply for tenure during the fifth year of service (after serving a minimum of four years in their current tenure track position at KSU). Tenure track faculty can be reviewed concurrently for both promotion (from assistant professor to associate professor or from associate professor to full professor) and tenure; however, the awarding of tenure for assistant professors can only be approved after a positive decision on promotion to associate professor has been made by the KSU President (BoR Policy Manual 8.3.7.5).

Tenure track eligibility for a faculty member will be stated in a letter offering employment from the Provost. An administrative faculty member who is appointed without academic rank or with a part-time rank is not on track for tenure. Part-time, limited term, adjunct faculty, and temporary or visiting faculty, are not eligible for and do not accrue any credit toward tenure. Service as a non-tenure track faculty with professorial rank, part-time, limited term, temporary or visiting faculty member at KSU does not earn credit toward the probationary period if the individual is hired later into a regular permanent faculty status. However, BoR policy (BoR Policy Manual 8.3.8) does allow for credit toward tenure for service as a lecturer/senior lecturer.

Academic deans and department chairs are normally appointed with tenure. Tenure does not reside in an administrative position. Deans and chairs who are not hired with tenure are subject to a similar tenure-track review process as all other tenure-track faculty. Once tenured as a faculty member, an individual does not lose tenured status as a function of changing positions, responsibilities, or departments at the University.

Tenure track faculty who are not recommended for tenure during their required sixth or ninth (e.g., due to leave of absence) year reviews automatically receive a terminal one-year contract and formal notice that they will not receive another employment contract after their seventh or tenth years, respectively.

According to Board of Regents Policy Manual 8.3.4.2, all non-tenured faculty who have been awarded academic rank (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor) are employed under written contract and who served full-time for the entire previous year have the presumption of renewal of the next academic year unless notified in writing by the President of an institution or authorized representative of the intent not to renew. Such individuals are employed from contract to contract and only for the term specified in the contract. Subsequent or future appointment results solely from a separate offer and execution of a new and distinct contract. The offer of a new contract under these circumstances is the prerogative of Kennesaw State University, provided that sufficient advance notice is given informing the individual of the institution’s intent to exercise its option of not renewing the current employment contract.

In addition to the minimum criteria above, tenure at the rank of associate or full professor requires the terminal degree in the appropriate discipline or its equivalent in training, ability, and/or experience. Kennesaw State University takes the view that the qualities of knowledge, experience, and ability that would qualify as equivalent to the earned doctorate or terminal degree must be demonstrated at a high level of achievement. Equivalency should be awarded only in cases when the demonstrated evidence is clear and convincing. In addition, the judgment of equivalency depends on many variables specific to the particular discipline in question and to the individual achievements of the person making the case for equivalency.

The following criteria are established as a guideline for faculty committees and administrators who will use their professional judgment to recommend doctoral or terminal degree equivalency for hiring and promotion and tenure.

Required criteria for terminal degree equivalency include:

1. Demonstrating broad and in-depth knowledge and understanding of the body of information in the discipline beyond a masters’ degree
2. Demonstrating the ability to implement one’s own scholarship and creative activity agenda, to apply research and creative methodologies, and to produce scholarship that meets the criteria for quality and significance outlined in departmental guidelines

A variety of other factors may be considered in determining doctoral equivalency. Additional supporting evidence might include the following:

1. Holding a master’s degree in the appropriate discipline
2. Completing graduate coursework in the discipline beyond what would be expected for a masters’ degree
3. Holding appropriate professional licensure or certifications in the discipline
4. Achieving a leadership position in and/or honors and awards from a professional society or societies which indicates regional, national, and/or international peer recognition of professional accomplishments
5. Having professional work experience relevant to the faculty member’s teaching assignments that are significant in level of responsibility and duration
6. Having already been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor

In addition to the criteria mentioned, there may be other discipline-specific achievements that constitute doctoral or terminal degree equivalency that colleges and/or departments have outlined in their promotion and tenure guidelines.

Faculty members submitting portfolios for tenure who do not hold the doctorate or terminal degree must address the criteria for equivalency in their portfolios. The review committee or administrator will consider equivalency at the time the tenure recommendation is considered. Candidates without a doctorate or terminal degree can be tenured if, in addition to the criteria for tenure, they meet the requirements for equivalency as stated in departmental, college, and University guidelines. Each level of review will make a recommendation for tenure and a decision on doctoral or terminal degree equivalency.