Frequently Asked Questions

Normal Promotion

Tenured faculty: According to Article 14.3 of the Unit 3 Collective Bargaining Agreement The promotion of a tenured faculty unit employee shall normally be effective the beginning of the 6th year after appointment to his/her current academic rank/classification In effect tenured faculty serve four years in a given rank/classification and then are evaluated in their fifth year in rank through the RTP process for possible award of tenure which would be effective at the beginning of the sixth year.

Probationary faculty: Probationary faculty are normally evaluated for promotion as well as tenure during the final year of their probationary period if they were not awarded early promotion during probation.

Early Promotion

Tenured faculty: Tenured faculty may elect to be evaluated for early promotion in any year prior to completing four years in rank. For early promotion to the rank of Professor, faculty “with a positive recommendation from his/her department or equivalent unit” (Unit 3 CBA, Article 14.4) may request to be evaluated.

Probationary faculty: Article 14.2 of the Unit 3 CBA states that, “A probationary faculty unit employee shall not normally be promoted during probation. However, a faculty unit employee…may be considered for promotion after completing one (1) year of service in rank. Probationary faculty unit employees shall not be promoted beyond the rank of "Associate.”

During probation, for reappointment evaluation each WPAF should only include information for the time period of the day after the submission of the previous WPAF until the due date for the current WPAF. The basic materials from all previous reviews are retained in the permanent files, so it is not necessary to resubmit information from previous years.

Probationary faculty: For promotion consideration, the information that is submitted should reflect a sufficient record of consistent scholarship, outstanding teaching, and significant service since the applicant’s last promotion (if promotion is exclusively requested) or initial appointment (if tenure and promotion are jointly requested). If tenure and promotion are jointly requested, candidates should submit a comprehensive WPAF for work done in the prior year, and summarize their accomplishments since initial appointment. Tenured faculty: For promotion consideration, the information that is submitted should reflect a sufficient record of consistent scholarship, outstanding teaching, and significant service since the applicant’s last promotion or, in the event that promotion was not granted during or at the conclusion of the probationary period, initial appointment.

Each Department/Division has its own “Definition of Departmental Scholarship” which outlines expected scholarly achievements. This document should be available in each Department or Dean’s Office.

It is understood that first year faculty will not report an extensive record of supporting materials. Therefore, the principal document in the WPAF for first year tenure-track faculty is the Professional Plan. The Professional Plan is the principal criterion for evaluating the performance of first year tenure-track faculty, and is an outline and discussion of expected research, publication, or creative activity agenda. Specific goals and objectives will be described in the Professional Plan.

There are no special requirements for promotion to Professor. The faculty handbook lists criteria for promotion and early promotion, but not directly related to rank. However, such promotion will be based upon consistently significant achievement. For early promotion to the rank of Professor, faculty “with a positive recommendation from his/her department or equivalent unit” (Unit 3 CBA, Article 14.4) may request to be evaluated.

Community service refers to voluntary engagement in endeavors that contribute to the betterment of the community at large. Such service contributions can be made with any public or private organization or initiative. The standard for review is the quality of this contribution.

Interviewers will consider pedagogical innovations and the effectiveness of methods of instruction.

Because early promotion and/or tenure are awarded only in unusually meritorious cases, such an award is a credential that reflects positively on the awardee’s accomplishments. Therefore, candidates should not expect to receive early promotion and/or tenure solely for meeting the minimum requirements of standard promotion and tenure; rather, they must demonstrate merit above and beyond the minimum requirements. It is important to note that faculty may only be considered for tenure after completing a minimum of two consecutive semesters at CSUDH. (CSUDH Faculty Handbook, Section D)

There is no disadvantage to requesting evaluation for early promotion and/or tenure, other than that more stringent criteria must be met for a positive award decision (see criteria listed below). The only other difference between evaluation for reappointment versus early promotion and/or tenure is that the URTP committee is obligated to provide an evaluation in cases of tenure and promotion, so a request for early promotion or tenure incurs an additional level of review. If the requests are not granted, faculty are given the normal reappointment or non-reappointment decision at the end of the evaluation period (in effect as if the faculty had requested evaluation for early promotion and/or tenure, but in the event it is not granted, then evaluation for reappointment).

The criteria for early tenure and early promotion as noted in the CSUDH Faculty Handbook, Section D, are as follows:

Early Tenure Guidelines
(Adopted 1/6/75 and Revised by PM. 78-11, 5/17/78)

Early tenure is granted rarely and only for unusually meritorious performance as a faculty member at California State University Dominguez Hills. In order for a member of the instructional faculty to be granted early tenure they must demonstrate outstanding performance in teaching and in one other area of evaluation. Non teaching faculty must demonstrate outstanding performance in their professional assignment. The demonstration of unusually meritorious performance requires substantial documentation which may not be possible on the basis of a relatively short period of time spent at this institution. Therefore, evidence relating to professional performance at another institution will, if submitted, be given consideration. However, the granting of tenure is based primarily on evidence of merit demonstrated in performance at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Early Promotion Guidelines
(Reference: PM 78-12, 5/17/78.)

Early promotion is granted rarely and only for unusually meritorious performance as a faculty member at California State University, Dominguez Hills. In addition, for instructional faculty, outstanding performance in teaching is a prerequisite for consideration for early promotion; non-teaching faculty members must demonstrate outstanding performance in their professional assignment. The demonstration of unusually meritorious performance requires substantial documentation which may not be possible on the basis of a relatively short period of time spent at this institution. Evidence relating to professional performance at another institution, if submitted, will be given consideration; however, promotion is based primarily on evidence of merit demonstrated in performance at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Provision 15.5 of the Unit 3 Agreement stipulates that a faculty member being evaluated may submit a response or rebuttal and/or may request a meeting to be held to discuss an RTP recommendation within ten days following his or her receipt of the recommendation. The provision further specifies that a copy of a response or rebuttal shall be sent to all previous levels of review, without requiring that the time lines of the review be extended. Faculty may submit a response in letter form, addressed to his/her own Personnel Action File, and sent to the Office of Faculty Affairs, where it will be appropriately processed. The response may not include attachments or new materials for inclusion in the file.

Aside from University funds, many research grants allow for travel and other activities related to the project. Campus sources for funding can be found in the Office of Research and Funded Projects.

Yes. It is not required to be evaluated for both concurrently or for one prior to the other. In the final year of probation, however, faculty may not opt out of evaluation for tenure without the President’s approval following his/her consideration of recommendations from the department or equivalent unit and appropriate administrator(s). (Unit 3 CBA, Article 13.3)

April 15, 2020 E-Mail | COVID-19 Probationary Faculty RTP Clock Extension [PDF]      

To:     Probationary Tenure-Track Faculty (Years One – Five)

Cc:     College Deans, Department Chairs, Academic Senate Chair, CFA  

From:  Cheryl Koos, AVP for Faculty Affairs and Development, and Michael Spagna, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

The coronavirus (COVID-19) situation has impacted the teaching, research and service activities of all faculty.  In light of this, probationary tenure-track faculty may request an extension of one year for tenure and promotion. To do so, the faculty member shall submit the request to their Department Chair by August 1, 2020.*  The Department Chair shall forward the request to the college Dean for notification and signature. The completed form shall be forwarded to the Office of Faculty Affairs and Development for placement in the faculty member’s Personnel Action File.

The request should include justification(s) such as:

1. Additional workload due to the transition to alternative modes of instruction;
2. Disruption of research, scholarly, and creative activities, including but not limited to lack of access to research lab, research subjects, archival research, materials, performance spaces or venues, or professional growth opportunities such as conferences and academic meetings;
3. Disruption of department, college, university, and community service, including but not limited to committee service, lack of access to service sites, lack of access to materials essential to completing service obligations;
4. Family care or medical leave related to or individual sick leave due to COVID-19

Requesting the extension of time for tenure and promotion shall not negatively impact the faculty member. Thus, if the faculty member considers themselves ready for tenure and promotion at the time for which they were originally scheduled (i.e. without the one-year extension of time), they can rescind their RTP extension request prior to the WPAF file submission deadline and apply for tenure and promotion at their original, pre-extension time without having to satisfy policy requirements for early tenure and promotion (highly meritorious in two categories). To do so, the faculty member will re-submit the RTP extension request form indicating the decision of the extension. 

Probationary faculty members who opt to receive an extension of their probationary period due to the impact of COVID-19 will undergo a COVID-19 Abbreviated Review during the academic year in which they would have had their scheduled tenure review. Applicable provisions of Article 13 (Probation and Tenure), 14 (Promotion), and 15 (Evaluation) of the CSU/CFA Collective Bargaining Agreement continue to govern the RTP process for probationary faculty.

*The Office of Faculty Affairs and Development will be developing a COVID-19 RTP Extension form for use in this process.  FAD will distribute the form to probationary faculty once it is ready.

FORM:

COVID-19 Probationary Faculty RTP Clock Extension Form - Due: August 1, 2020 [PDF]