Office of the Provost

Updates on the Promotion and Tenure Process

January 2024

This message was sent to all tenured and tenure-track faculty.

Dear Stony Brook Faculty,

I write today to share a few updates on recent work reviewing and revising the Provost's Guidelines on Promotion and Tenure.

Since starting as Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in July, I've spent a lot of time reading promotion and tenure guidelines from across the University and at other universities, thinking about the terrific work done by the Senate-charged committee chaired by Axel Drees and Anissa Abi-Dargham, and listening to over 30 faculty, staff, and administrators from across the University in small group meetings. These conversations have helped Provost Lejuez and me to develop a set of proposed changes to enhance the promotion and tenure process, focused on rewarding excellence in a process that is intentional, clear, consistent, and equitable.

The Provost and I brought proposed changes first to the deans and the Senate Executive Committee, and then to the University Senate and the Arts and Sciences Senate in both October and November. We listened to and incorporated valuable feedback.

These changes are now finalized and available to view. The Provost's Guidelines on Promotion and Tenure, an updated version of the Notes on the Academic Review Process, are published on the Faculty Pathways website managed by the Provost's Office. As you review the guidelines, you will see acknowledgment of areas where there may be difference in process for the health sciences schools.

The four areas of particular focus for us were:

  • Creating a calendar for the promotion and tenure process, creating a single deadline for cases of promotion to associate with tenure and another for promotion to full professor;
  • Clarifying the selection criteria for external letters of evaluation and omitting the consideration of internal letters except as specifically solicited by the Chair/Area Head;
  • Mandating documentation of a midpoint review for pre-tenure faculty;
  • Establishing an annual workshop for new faculty and an annual celebration of newly promoted faculty each September, hosted by the President, Provost, and the Executive Vice President of Health Sciences.

A related set of FAQs is available.

Please note that these changes will go into effect for all cases beginning the review process in Fall 2024 and receiving a final decision in Summer 2025. 

Sincerely,

Amy

Amy Cook
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs