Timelines for Renewal for TPAC and Research Faculty

Assistant TPAC or Research Faculty

• Contracts are typically for one-year.
• Reappointment recommendations in the form of an email or e-attachment to the appropriate associate dean are required in the first and second year of every three-year cycle. If duties have changed, this must be specified in the recommendation letter.
• A review packet is required every third year of the three-year cycle. Many units conduct teaching observations and other parts of the review in the spring semester of the second year. The packet is submitted to the dean’s office in the fall of the third year. Review packets are compiled according to the college’s TPAC Formal Review and Reappointment Checklist. 

Associate TPAC or Research Faculty

• Contracts are typically for three years.
• A review packet is required in the final year of a three-year contract. Many units conduct teaching observations and other parts of the review in the spring semester of the second year. The packet is submitted to the dean’s office in the fall of the third year. Review packets are compiled according to the College’s TPAC Formal Review and Reappointment Checklist.

Full TPAC or Research Faculty

• Contracts are typically for five years.
• A review packet is required in the final year of a five-year contract. Many units conduct teaching observations and other parts of the review in the spring semester of the fourth year. The packet is submitted to the dean’s office in the fall of the fifth year. Review packets are compiled according to the College’s TPAC Formal Review and Reappointment Checklist.

Extensions to the Timelines for Review and Reappointment

TPAC and research faculty members may request a review extension in connection with family and medical leaves or primary caregiver status as dictated by the Academic Articles. Following the policy for tenure-track faculty renewals, TPAC and research faculty members may receive one extension per FMLA leave up to a maximum of two extensions before submitting a review packet.

Annual Reviews

TPAC and research faculty members should be reviewed annually. An annual review is intended to provide TPAC and research faculty with an indicator of their performance during the year. It is not intended to assess whether they should be offered another contract. The process may be informal, although the college strongly urges chairpersons and directors to provide written feedback. Reviews for clearly high-performing TPAC and research faculty do not need to be overly long. If, however, a TPAC or research faculty member appears to be struggling with her or his responsibilities, or if there are questions about performance, a more extensive review is necessary.