Appointments, Tenure and Promotion
Tenure is a covenant between an institution and a faculty member, with responsibilities flowing both ways. The granting of tenure through promotion or appointment is a privilege and an honor both for the University and for the faculty member. It is a declaration to the academic community of Emory’s confidence in the professional abilities and contributions of the faculty candidates, and is among the most critical decisions the University makes. It is also an affirmation by each faculty member of their continued commitment to academic and professional excellence.
Promotion marks the development and advancement of scholars as researchers, teachers, and citizens of the academy. It also symbolizes the continued growth and development of the scholar within the academic community. Through appointment or promotion to the rank of full professor, the University recognizes that a faculty member has reached the academic stature meriting highest respect within his or her discipline, as well as full participation in the governance of the University.
Emory’s success as a top tier research institution is inextricably linked to the achievements of its exceptional faculty. Their commitment to teaching, research and scholarship is an essential resource for achieving Emory’s vision of an inquiry-driven, ethically engaged, and diverse intellectual community.
University Policies
The university policies governing tenure and promotion are outlined in the Board of Trustees' Statement of Principles Governing Faculty Relationships.
The Process
The tenure and promotion process for tenure-track faculty involves four sequential steps, outlined below. A nomination for tenure and/or promotion must be approved at each level to advance to the next step in the process. The promotion process for non-tenure track faculty is governed by each school.
The tenure and promotion process originates in Emory's schools and colleges, each of which has its own guidelines and procedures. It is essential for faculty members to become familiar with their school's process and dossier requirements.
The Tenure and Promotion Advisory Committee (TPAC) is a panel of faculty members who review candidates' dossiers and make recommendations to the president and provost.
The Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees reviews candidates' dossiers recommended for consideration by the president and provost. The committee makes its recommendations to the full board (or its Executive Committee when the full board is not in session). The Board of Trustees is the final approving authority for tenure and promotion.
Office of the Provost contact: Carol Flowers St. John, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs/Engagement
Tenure and Promotion Advisory Committee (TPAC)
The Tenure and Promotion Advisory Committee (TPAC) is responsible for conducting evaluation of all candidates who are nominated for appointment or promotion to associate professor or professor with tenure, or for the grant of tenure at rank, from all departments, if applicable, and from all of Emory's schools and colleges.
Download the Guidelines for the Operation of the Tenure and Promotion Advisory CommitteeTPAC ensures broad representation of academic areas through inclusion of:
- 8 school-based members elected by each school's faculty
- 4 at-large members elected by all tenured faculty, with one each to represent STEM and health sciences, arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and open/unspecified area
The committee member term is three years, with one-third of the panel newly elected each year.
The Tenure and Promotion Advisory Committee (TPAC) ensures broad representation of academic areas through inclusion of eight school-based members elected by each school's tenured faculty and four at-large members elected by all tenured faculty.
| Name | Representation | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Susan Ashmore | Oxford College | 2022-2025 |
| Patricia Brennan | At-Large, Social and Behavioral Sciences | 2023-2026 |
| Susan Hylen | Cander School of Theology | 2024-2025 |
| Ben Lopman | School of Public Health | 2023-2026 |
| Kristy Kiel Martyn | School of Nursing | 2022-2025 |
| Ken Moberg | School of Medicine | 2023-2026 |
| James Morey | At-large, Arts and Humanities | 2023-2026 |
| Giacomo Negro | At-large, Unspecified Discipline | 2023-2025 |
| Igho Ofotokun | At-large, STEM and Health Sciences | 2023-2026 |
| Matthew Sag | School of Law | 2024-2025 |
| Dianne Stewart | Emory College | 2024-2027 |
| Kristy L. Towry | School of Business | 2023-2026 |
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Gregory L. Fenves | President, Emory University |
| Lanny S. Liebeskind | Interim Provost |
| Pearl K. Dowe | Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs |