Faculty Review Processes

All full-time faculty at MSU Denver go through various review processes as outlined in the Faculty Employment Handbook. Detailed information about these processes can be found in the FEH and in the Guidebook for Portfolio Preparation as well as on the Department Guidelines and the Office of Faculty Affairs Watermark pages.

However, for a birds-eye view of the review process, here are some “cheat sheets” we recommend you bookmark for future reference:

Levels of Review

* Faculty submit first year portfolios in the spring semester, and thereafter portfolios are submitted annually in the fall, according to the procedural calendar, which may be accessed on the Office of Faculty Affairs website.

** For Lecturers, in cases of a recommendation of non-retention or promotion to Senior Lecturer, the Provost will make the final determination. In tenure track years 1, 2, 4, and 5, if the Dean does not reappoint a faculty member, the faculty member may appeal to the University Appeals Committee. The recommendation of the University Appeals Committee, along with the candidate’s portfolio, will be reviewed by the Provost, who will make the final decision. In tenure track year 3, if the Provost does not reappoint a faculty member to the next tenure track year, the faculty member may appeal to the University Appeals Committee. The recommendation of the University Appeals Committee, along with the candidate’s portfolio, will be reviewed by the President, who will make the final decision.

*** The President is the final authority regarding promotion to Associate Professor, while the Trustees are the final authority regarding granting or denying tenure.

` In the case of a Department Chair being a candidate for reappointment, tenure, promotion, and/or post-tenure review, the recommendation of a Peer Review Committee, comprising at least three other Department Chairs appointed by the College/School Dean, will substitute for the recommendation of the Chair. In such cases, the Department Chair will still review the reappointment, tenure, promotion, or post-tenure review portfolios for other candidates within that Department.

Materials Included for Review

^ If the review letters for the previous year have indicated specific areas of concern that may prevent a successful tenure application, the faculty member will include in the portfolio relevant documentation addressing progress in those areas.

Pay Increases

As of July 1, 2023, base pay increases for successful reviews are as follows:

• Tenure-and-Promotion: $5000
• Promotion: $8000
• Post-Tenure Review: $3000