Overview of Promotions Process

Following their initial appointment, faculty at the rank of instructor (except for clinical instructors), lecturer, assistant professor, and associate professor may qualify for promotion in accordance with SOM policy herein described once they meet the necessary standards for their track as described in Appendix 5 of this Faculty Handbook. Neither a vacancy nor the creation of a new position is required for promotion to these ranks.

To be eligible for promotion to a faculty position at an affiliated hospital, the appointee must be on staff at the affiliated hospital within the applicable clinical department.

The basic process for promotion is:

1. A call for promotions applications is sent to faculty by the SOM Faculty Affairs Committee.
2. Eligible faculty submit their applications.
3. the ad hoc Faculty Affairs Subcommittee for Promotions (FASP), which is a subcommittee of the SOM Faculty Affairs Committee, reviews candidates’ applications. This committee is composed of full-time faculty, who are appropriately qualified to consider the promotions applications as per the standards defined in the Subcommittee for Promotions policy.
4. The Chair of the FASP notifies the Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee and then forwards the FASP’s recommendations, both favorable and unfavorable to the associate dean for faculty affairs.
5. The associate dean for faculty affairs reviews the recommendations to document for completeness and then passes them to the relevant senior associate dean.
6. The senior associate dean arranges for a qualified external reviewer, who makes a recommendation in support or in refusal of each of the promotion recommendations.
7. The senior associate dean of basic sciences or clinical studies reviews the forwarded recommendations, and then forwards the recommendations to the Dean of the School of Medicine.
   1. The senior associate dean of basic sciences or the senior associate dean of clinical studies will make final decisions in the event of a discrepancy between nominees recommended by the external reviewer and those made by the FASP.  
8. The dean of the School of Medicine reviews the forwarded recommendations and makes the final promotion decision and issues the letter of appointment accordingly.
   1. For basic sciences faculty, appointments are for one year in the first instances and then for one or two years subsequently.
   2. For clinical sciences faculty, reappointments are every three years, except for those holding the rank of Professor.

Certain faculty positions are non-track, rank-only positions, as designated in the faculty member’s appointment letter. There is not a promotion track for these ranks. Faculty in non-track, rank-only positions who have met the necessary standards can apply for a vacant position if they meet the necessary standards, as per the usual application and hiring process described. If offered the position, they would then resign from their non-track, rank-only position and be appointed into the new position, in the relevant track and rank. A vacancy is required for this transition. Please see the section in this document in relation to academic tracks.