Academic Guidelines

ACG17 Requests for Reduction of Prior Tenure Credit (Formerly HRG17)

Policy Status: 

Active

Subject Matter Expert: 

Kathy Bieschke, 814-863-7494, kxb11@psu.edu

Policy Steward: 

Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

 

GUIDELINE'S INITIAL DATE: December 4, 1984

THIS VERSION EFFECTIVE: March 10, 2017

  • Purpose
  • Limit for Submitting Requests
  • Dean's Approval
  • Procedure to be Followed
  • PURPOSE:

    To permit a reduction in prior tenure credit upon the written request of a faculty member and subject to the concurrence of the appropriate dean.

    (NOTE: "Prior tenure credit" is defined as credit awarded to the faculty member at the time of appointment to a tenure-line position.)

    LIMIT FOR SUBMITTING REQUESTS:

    A request for reduction in prior tenure credit must be made prior to the initiation of the fourth-year tenure review. In the College of Medicine, the request must be made prior to the initiation of the sixth-year tenure review.

    DEAN'S APPROVAL:

    The appropriate academic dean has the authority to approve a request for a reduction of prior tenure credit as outlined in this guideline. The dean may not rescind more years of service than those requested by the faculty member. However, the dean may rescind less than those originally requested with the concurrence of the faculty member.

    PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED:

    1. The faculty member petitions the dean, in writing, via the appropriate academic unit head, if applicable, for a reduction of prior tenure credit.

       
    2. If applicable, the academic unit head discusses the request with the dean of the college.

       
    3. If the dean concurs with the request, then the dean prepares and sends to the college's promotion and tenure designee instructions for the reduction of prior tenure credit.

       
    4. The unit's promotion and tenure designee prepares a written communication in accordance with the instructions from the dean. This may be a Memorandum of Personal Service, if normally in use by that unit, or a letter for the faculty member's signature.

       
    5. The unit's promotion and tenure designee sends the document to the dean for concurrence.

       
    6. The dean distributes the document to the faculty member with a request that the original be signed and returned to the dean's office.

       
    7. Upon receipt of the signed document, the dean's office delegate or the unit's promotion and tenure designee sends a copy of the signed document to the Executive Vice President and Provost and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.

       
    8. The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs issues a memo to the dean outlining the faculty member's new tenure review schedule.

       
    9. The dean's office delegate or the unit's promotion and tenure designee revises the faculty member's prior tenure credit as recorded in the master tenure file.

       
    10. The faculty member's probationary end date is updated in Workday, with the Workday approval routed through the Provost's Partner.

     

    1/9/24 - Revised to reflect current process.

    3/10/17 - "Limit for Submitting Requests" section revised to include the College of Medicine. "Procedure to Be Followed" section, part 3 updated to reflect Executive Vice President and Provost title.