Tenure is a foundational principle in higher education, and the University of Wisconsin Madison has a long tradition of strong tenure protections for its faculty. Tenure provides UW–Madison faculty the freedom to pursue a bold research and teaching agenda, and is in place to ensure that scholarship is allowed to flourish.
Tenure is a commitment to the faculty member from the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and is awarded under the authority of the Board. It is an express and binding commitment for an indefinite period, limited only by retirement, dismissal for cause, termination for financial emergency or program discontinuance for educational reasons in extraordinary circumstances, or voluntary resignation. Tenure will not be limited for reasons of conduct, expressions, or beliefs on the faculty member’s part that are constitutionally protected or protected by the principles of academic freedom.
Typical Tenure Process
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First Year
The first year as a faculty member at UW–Madison is essential for building the base of your tenure dossier. It is highly recommended that you attend the New Faculty Welcome (August) and a tenure workshop (January) in order to gain insight into the tenure process. Below are more items you can anticipate in your first year:
- Select faculty division
- Peer review of teaching (including direct observation of classroom, clinical, or other teaching)
- Document and collect material for tenure review (research, teaching, extension, outreach, service)
- View sample dossiers
- Appointment of oversight/review committee
- Appointment of mentor/mentoring committee
Second to Fifth Year, First Semester
These years are about building your dossier. You can expect the following:
- Peer review of teaching (including direct observation of classroom, clinical, or other teaching)
- Annual review
- Contract renewal (varies by school/college)
- Update dossier
Fifth Year, Second Semester
In the second semester of your fifth year, you will begin the tenure review process within your department. As you continue with peer reviews of teaching and building your dossier, you will also encounter the following in the second semester:
- Departmental executive committee decides if they move forward with putting you up for tenure and promotion
- The department requests external referee letters
Sixth Year, First Semester
In the sixth year, the tenure process begins. The following steps will occur with the department, school/college and divisional committee:
- The department receives external letters
- Departmental executive committee reviews the dossier, meets, and votes
- Department finalizes dossier & chair writes cover letter
- Department submits dossier to dean
- Dean asks the appropriate divisional committee for its recommendation
Sixth Year, Second Semester
The dean recommends tenure to the provost, who approves the recommendation and transmits it to the chancellor for recommendation to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. The board takes final administrative action on tenure recommendations in June. Promotions take effect on July 1 for 12-month appointments or the start of the faculty contract year in August for 9-month appointments.
Tenure Clock Extension
Tenure clock extensions exclude a semester or year from being counted in the probationary period. Upon approval, the mandatory review date moves forward by a semester or a year.
Assistant professors may extend the probationary period for a variety of reasons including:
- Childbirth or adoption
- Significant elder or dependent care obligations
- Disability or chronic illness
- Circumstances beyond the control of the faculty member
- Nature of duties (such as clinical duties) or substantial change in duties of an appointment
- Leave of absence
The reasons for stopping a tenure clock are confidential.
Appeals of Non-renewals
After an unsuccessful reconsideration, non-renewals and negative tenure decisions can be appealed to the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities (CFRR). CFRR reviews appeals on the following procedural grounds (UWS Admin Code 3.08):
- Conduct, expression or beliefs that are constitutionally protected or protected by the principals of academic freedom
- Factors proscribed by applicable state or federal law regarding fair employment
- Procedures required by the faculty or board were not followed
- Available data bearing materially on the quality of performance were not considered
- Unfounded, arbitrary or irrelevant assumptions of facts were made about work or conduct
