Candidate’s Guide to the Faculty Rank Promotion Process

Eligible faculty are encouraged to apply for Rank Promotion at the same time they undergo Contract Reappointment Evaluation. In these cases, faculty may use the same evaluative materials for both processes. See Contract Reappointment Evaluation with Rank Promotion for more information.

Faculty who elect to apply for Rank Promotion during a Rank Promotion eligible year outside of the Contract Reappointment Evaluation year may not use any prior evaluative materials.  Faculty who elect to apply for rank promotion must submit a Letter of Intent by published deadlines.

Before You Begin

• To determine your eligibility, please see the Rank Promotion Eligibility Paths.  Faculty who are eligible to apply for rank promotion are strongly encouraged to discuss their readiness for rank promotion with their dean before submitting a Letter of Intent (DOC).  

• Read the guidance documents and review the forms on this web page so that you understand what is expected of you.

• Attend Faculty Rank Promotion informational workshops to understand what will be expected of you.  Look for workshop announcements in your email and the My SA announcements or contact your Faculty Rank Committee representative for workshop dates/times.

• Start thinking about external reviewers that you and your dean can agree upon.

What Guidance Documents Will Be Helpful?

• Procedures & Deadlines for Rank Promotion
• Packet Requirements for Rank Promotion
• Packet Checklist for Rank Promotion (DOC)
• Procedure for Faculty Self-Evaluation for Rank Promotion
• Sample Self-Evaluations (contact your Faculty Rank Committee representative)
• Definitions & Sample Criteria for ESP Rank Promotion
• Guidelines for Reviewers of Rank Promotion Applications.
• Rank Promotion External Review Guidelines for Candidates & Deans
• External Reviews FAQ
• UNCSA Faculty Manual (PDF) (see Section 8.2 Instructional Multi-year Contract Faculty Appointments)
• Optional COVID-19 Impact Statement Guidelines

Procedures and Deadlines

Letter of Intent for Rank Promotion (Due May 1)

Submit the Letter of Intent for Rank Promotion (DOC) to Faculty Affairs at rankpromotion@uncsa.edu by May 1.

Rank Promotion Packet (Due September 1)

• The Office of Faculty Affairs will initiate your Rank Promotion case in Interfolio RPT.   This is where you’ll upload your Rank Promotion Packet materials. You will receive an email from the Office of Faculty Affairs via the Interfolio platform with a link to “View Case” when your case has been initiated.  Instructions for using Interfolio RPT will be included and can also be found on the Interfolio Login and Help page. 

• Until your case is created, you may assemble your materials in Interfolio Dossier Institution.  Information about using Dossier to prepare for reviews can be found in Interfolio online help.

• More information about preparing your Rank Promotion Packet can be found in Packet Requirements for Rank Promotion, the Packet Checklist for Rank Promotion (DOC) and Procedures for Faculty Self-Evaluation for Rank Promotion.  Be sure to read these -- they provide specific details about your packet requirements.  You may also contact your Faculty Rank Committee representative for sample evaluations that are designed to help you write your Self-evaluation and Engaged & Sustained Résumé. 

• Submit your Rank Promotion Packet by uploading your materials to your Rank Promotion case in Interfolio RPT.  The due date is September 1. 

• You will maintain read-only access to your packet after the due date but you will not be able to add or edit packet materials.

External Reviews

• Submit the External Reviewer Nomination form (DOC) as part of your Rank Promotion packet which is due September 1. Your dean will use this to aid in the selection of external reviewers.

• Your dean will work with you to select a minimum of three external reviewers. One will be from your External Reviewer Nomination form. The second will be selected jointly by you and your Dean and may or may not be drawn from your Nomination Form. The Dean has discretion to select the final reviewer from your nomination form or select someone of their own choosing.

• Your dean will send a letter to the approved external reviewers asking them to provide a review.  If they agree, your dean will send them your packet materials.

• Your external reviewers will upload their evaluations to Interfolio RPT. 

• More information about the external reviewer process (including how to choose an external reviewer, how many reviewers you need, the procedure for soliciting external reviews and evaluative criteria) can be found in the External Reviews FAQ, Rank Promotion External Review Guidelines for Candidates & Deans, and Guidelines for Reviewers of Rank Promotion Applications.  

Peer Review Committee Evaluation

• Your Peer Review Committee will complete its review and upload its evaluation to Interfolio RPT by October 28 for the Dean’s review. 

• More information about Peer Review Committees including membership and evaluative criteria can be found in Section 8.1 Regulations on Faculty Employment and Section 8.2 Instructional Multi-Year Faculty Appointments of the UNCSA Faculty Manual (PDF).

Dean’s Evaluation

• Your Dean will complete his/her review and upload their evaluation to Interfolio RPT by December 13.   

Faculty Rank Committee Review

• The Faculty Rank Committee will complete its review and upload its recommendation to Interfolio RPT by April 1.

Provost Review

• After the Faculty Rank Committee completes its review, your case will go to the Provost for review.

• The Provost will present their rank promotion recommendation to the Board of Trustees at its last meeting of the academic year and the Board will vote on those recommendations. See Procedures & Deadlines for Rank Promotion for specific dates.

Notification to Candidate

• After the Board of Trustees has voted, Faculty Affairs will send you a notification letter via the Interfolio RPT platform.

• Faculty Affairs will share the evaluations submitted by the Provost, Dean, Peer Review Committee, and external reviewers with you at the conclusion of the rank promotion cycle.