Reviews
Faculty on both regular and term appointments are subject to periodic reviews by either the Promotions Committee or the Reappointments Committee.
The principles and procedures governing faculty reviews are described in detail in the Faculty Handbook, and all participants in reviews should consider that the definitive source on review procedures. This page provides supplemental information and guidance to candidates undergoing their First Review, Tenure Review, or Review for Promotion to Professor. The information herein is specifically targeted at candidates, and Chairs/Directors and other participants should consult the Handbook for information about their roles. Please note that the “Overview” sections summarize information available in the Faculty Rules, while the “Guidelines” section describes best practices for engaging reviews. Questions about the review process should be directed to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (ovpaa@middlebury.edu).
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Advises the president on each case in which a faculty member is under review for tenure or for promotion to professor, or is facing dismissal.
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Advises the provost in all reappointment reviews, including the First Review and Contract Reviews. This committee also conducts ten-year reviews.
Quick Links
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First Reviews
Details on process for first review
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Tenure review
Details on process for tenure review
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Promotion to Professor
Details on process for promotion review
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Guidelines for Dossiers
Information and tips for faculty preparing review dossiers
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Guidelines for Letters
Describes best practices for review letters
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Faculty Handbook
The Handbook is the definitive resource on policies and procedures
Frequently Asked Questions
Q How many senior colleagues should I invite to visit my classes?
The Handbook does not specify a particular number, and practice varies from department to department. You should consult with your chair and/or program director to decide on an appropriate number of visitors. Note that, as per the Handbook, it is the job of your department chair to ensure that visits are not disruptive to your courses.
Q May I add materials to my dossier once I have submitted it?
No, you may provide updates on the status of the materials included in your dossier—say, for instance, if you learn that a manuscript has been accepted or rejected for publication—but you may not add new materials to it. This is to insure that all parties who are reviewing your dossier are assessing the same body of materials.
Q If I am a program affiliate, how do I decide whether to request a letter from my program director?
The handbook specifies that a program director will submit a letter if “programmatic involvement is explicitly stated in the letter of appointment”, or if you request such a letter. If programmatic involvement is not explicitly stated in your appointment letter, this would be a good topic to discuss with your PC/RC liaison. They can give you advice on how to proceed. (If you are not sure if programmatic involvement is stated in your appointment letter, and do not have a copy handy, you can contact the Dean of the Faculty and ask!)
Q Is it acceptable to ask to look at the dossiers of colleagues who have recently undergone a review?
Yes, absolutely. It would be best to look at multiple dossiers, to give you a sense of the range of variability, and not a bad idea to look at dossiers from colleagues outside your department.
Q Can I ask a colleague to read a draft of my self-evaluation?
Yes, you can. In fact, former members of the PC, RC, and COR have suggested that having someone outside of your discipline read your self-evaluation is good practice, to make sure that you are describing your work in terms that a non-specialist can understand.
Q Is a public lecture required or expected of candidates for tenure?
The Handbook rules do not require a candidate for tenure to give a public seminar. It is the practice in some departments, however, for candidates to give a research seminar or scholarly talk before or during their tenure review. You should consult with your chair or program director to find out the common practice within your department.
Information for Chairs
In addition to the guidelines for colleague letters, the chair or director is urged to read the rules regarding our Rules for Reappointment and Tenure in the Middlebury handbook. Guidelines are provided for each review, both tenure-track reviews and contract reviews. Questions should be directed to the VPAA.
Faculty Course Response forms can be viewed for all departmental colleagues on line. Please contact the office of the VPAA to obtain the link. Should you want to read off-campus, you must use VPN.
The information on this page is intended to clarify the details of how the review process works; the Handbook remains the definitive resource on policies and procedures. To ask a question that is not already listed, send an e-mail to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty (ovpaa@middlebury.edu).
Review deadlines for 2024-25
Each year, the VPAA’s office provides deadlines for the reviews to take place each year. The appropriate deadlines are listed below for those undergoing reviews this academic year.
Fall Reviews
Chairs and candidates for tenure and promotion must submit names of outside scholars, CV, publications
Candidate dossier must be submitted
Outside referee letters (if requested) due Tenured colleagues from dept & program (if requested) due
Department chair & Program director (if requested) letters due
Decision notification for fall First, Contract and Promotion Reviews
Decision notification for Tenure Reviews
Winter Reviews
Candidate dossier must be submitted
Tenured colleagues & program colleagues (if requested) letters due
Department chair & program director (if requested) letters due
Notification of decision
Spring Reviews
Chairs and candidates for tenure and promotion must submit names of outside scholars, CV, publications
Candidate dossier must be submitted
Tenured colleagues & program colleagues (if requested) letters due. Outside referee letters (if requested) due
Department chair & program director (if requested) letters due
Decision notification for spring First, Contract, Tenure and Promotion reviews