Office of the Provost

Promotion & Tenure

Faculty Tenure Description & Process

The quality of the faculty of any university is maintained primarily through support of a wide variety of professional development. It is monitored through the appraisal, by competent faculty and administrative officers, of each candidate for tenure. Tenure at Tennessee Technological University provides certain full-time faculty with the assurance of continued employment during the academic year until retirement or dismissal for adequate cause, financial exigency, or curricular reasons, as further discussed herein.

Academic Tenure

Tenure-Track Timeline / Deadlines
Note: The above links are to specific sections of the Faculty Handbook.

Tenure & Promotion Candidate Schedule 2023

Promotion Description & Process

Promotion in academic rank is recognition of past achievement of the faculty member being considered for promotion. In addition, promotion in rank is usually recognition of future potential and a sign of confidence that the individual is capable of greater accomplishments and of assuming greater responsibilities.

It is the policy of Tennessee Technological University to make promotions primarily on considerations of merit, tempered by considerations of institutional mission and fiscal responsibility. In maintaining this policy, promotions are made objectively, equitably, impartially, and as recognition of merit in accordance with the criteria contained in this policy.

Faculty Promotion Information
Note: The above link is to a specific section of the Faculty Handbook.

Tenure & Promotion Candidate Schedule 2023

Promotion Salary Increases

When a faculty member is promoted, they are awarded an increase to their base salary (typically a 9-month salary). The increase is either a percentage of their current salary or a fixed amount, whichever is larger. Below is a list of the current promotion salary increases:

    • Instructor/Lecturer to Senior Lecturer = 10% or $5000
    • Senior Instructor/Lecturer to Master Instructor/Lecturer = 10% or $5000
    • Instructor to Assistant = 10% or $6,000
    • Assistant to Associate = 10% or $7,500
    • Associate to Professor = 10% or $10,000           

Lecturer Re-appointments 

A Lecturer is evaluated annually by the unit chair/director in the same manner as other faculty members in the unit. Lecturers are typically hired on a three-year contract.  At the beginning of the third (or final year of their contract) year of the three-year contract (following the schedule for the tenure-track faculty), the lecturer will put together a dossier for evaluation according to the procedures in the link below.

Lecturer Re-Appointment Information
Note: The above link is to a specific section of the Faculty Handbook.

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