The Joint Promotion Committee

Duties and responsibilities of the committee shall include reviewing promotion files subject to the following rules of operation:

1. The committee members will use the general performance and achievement criteria described in Appendix B of "A Guide to Faculty Promotions and Portfolio Development at UW-La Crosse" under the heading of "Rank, Promotion, and Tenure" (the most current version is posted on the HR website). Changes to Appendix B should be recommended by Joint Promotion Committee or by Promotion, Tenure and Salary Committee, in consultation with the Joint Promotion Committee. These changes must be approved by Promotion, Tenure and Salary Committee and Faculty Senate. Criteria include teaching, research, professional and public service, and contributions to the university. The committee shall provide guidelines for the submission of departmental criteria and other data supporting candidacy for promotion and shall define criteria and other data by referring to departmental by-laws. Following the establishment of rules and procedures and prior to submission of candidate application, the Joint Promotion Committee shall hold a meeting for eligible candidates to describe the promotion process. The Joint Promotion Committee shall publicize the procedures that it employs via email and in the UWL Events Calendar prior to the submission deadline for promotion files. The members shall give fair and full consideration of all relevant materials that are presented on the candidate's behalf. The Joint Promotion Committee shall make promotion recommendations to the Chancellor. A written unpublished record of the deliberations shall be maintained. The unpublished records shall be destroyed at the termination of the committee year or after the resolution of all appeals.

2. Within seven calendar days of the committee's decision on a candidate for promotion, the chairperson of the committee shall communicate the decision in writing to the candidate and to the appropriate department chairperson. A candidate who is not recommended for promotion shall receive the reasons for the negative decision as part of this written notification.

3. Within seven calendar days of receiving the written reasons for a negative decision, should candidates wish to appeal, candidates must notify the Joint Promotion Committee Chair (written notice wherein e-mail is acceptable) of their intent to appeal. An appeal review shall take place within 14 calendar days of the filing date and the date will be provided to petitioners at the time of the request to appeal. Faculty members appealing a decision must provide their written appeal electronically to the Joint Promotion Committee chair by noon two days in advance of the appeal review meeting. The appeal must follow the guidelines below. The appeals process does not allow the inclusion of new materials either in the promotion portfolio or in the appeals document. The burden of proof in such an appeal shall be on the faculty member, and the scope of the review shall be limited to the question of whether the decision was based in any significant degree upon one or more of the following factors, with material prejudice to the individual:

a.) Conduct, expressions, or beliefs that are constitutionally protected, or protected by the principles of academic freedom, or

b.) Factors proscribed by applicable state or federal law regarding fair employment practices, or 

c.) Improper consideration of qualifications for promotion. For purposes of this section, "improper consideration" shall be deemed to have been given to the qualifications of a faculty member in question if material prejudice resulted because of any of the following:

i.    The procedures required by rules of the faculty or board were not followed, or

ii. Available data bearing materially on the quality of performance were not considered, or

iii. Unfounded, arbitrary or irrelevant assumptions of fact were made about work or conduct.

Written notice of the results of the appeal shall be transmitted to the candidate and appropriate department chair within seven days. 

4. The joint committee shall provide the chancellor with a list of those recommended and not recommended for promotion, and the results of any appeals. Separate lists shall be provided for each rank.

Membership of the committee shall consist of the Provost/Vice Chancellor, the four academic Deans, and 12 Professors representing the range of academic fields and nominated by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and approved by the Faculty Senate.

Terms of Service for the faculty members shall be three years, with four of the faculty members being replaced each year. Members shall be appointed in the fall without regard to membership on other committees, with new committee members replacing the former ones on October 1.

The committee shall elect its chairperson from its membership. A “related person” (as defined by the nepotism policy) to a current candidate for promotion may not serve on the committee during the year that their “related person” is going through the promotion process. As soon as the conflict is known, the JPC member should inform the Faculty Senate chair. Faculty Senate should replace the member for the year and the member may resume their service the following year if they have additional years in their three-year term.