Midterm Review

Untenured TTF typically receive an initial contract that expires prior to the year in which tenure review must occur. During the final year of this contract (generally the third year for TTF hired with no credit for prior service), a formal midterm review is required. This review is designed to approximate the major elements and standards of the tenure and promotion process but does not include solicitation of evaluations from reviewers external to the University of Oregon.   

A successful outcome of this review, which replaces the annual review for that year, is one prerequisite for contract renewal.  

The midterm review is initiated at the department level, includes a review by the dean of the school or college, and concludes with a decision regarding the terms and duration of any subsequent contract by the provost or their designee. Contract renewal after the midterm review is not automatic. 

Process

To initiate the midterm review process, the department head will contact the faculty member during the fall term of the academic year in which the review will take place and request the following:  

  • Selection of criteria to be used for review, if there has been a change in criteria since the time of hire.  
  • Curriculum vitae: A comprehensive and current curriculum vitae that includes the faculty member's current research, scholarly and/or creative activities and accomplishments, including publications, appointments, presentations, and similar activities. The CV must distinguish between peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed work. Sign and date the CV.  
  • Candidate’s statement: A 3-6-page statement developed by the faculty member describing and evaluating their performance against the applicable criteria for tenure and promotion. The statement should expressly address the subjects of teaching; scholarship, research, and creative activity; and service contributions to the academic department, center or institute, school or college, university, profession, and the community. The statement should also include discussion of contributions to institutional equity and inclusion. (All faculty are urged to address the latter topic, though it is required only for United Academics bargaining unit members.)  The statement may also address COVID-19 impacts on the candidate’s work, if within the review period. Sign and date the statement. 
  • Scholarship portfolio: A comprehensive portfolio of scholarship, research, and/or creative activity, and any appropriate evidence of national or international recognition or impact.   
  • Teaching documentation: Representative examples of course syllabi or equivalent descriptions of course content and instructional expectations for courses taught by the faculty member, representative examples of student work and exams, and similar material.   
  • Service documentation (optional): Evidence of the faculty member’s service contributions to his or her academic department, center or institute, school or college, university, profession, and the community. Such evidence could include white papers authored or co-authored by the faculty member, commendations, awards, op-ed pieces, and/or letters of appreciation. The documentation may also include a short narrative elaborating on the faculty member’s unique service experiences or obligations, if it is not already documented in the CV or statement.   
  • The faculty member is responsible for preparing the documents listed above and submitting them to the department head by a mutually agreed upon date.  

Additional Materials

  • A copy of the original offer letter. 
  • Peer Teaching Evaluation: At least one peer teaching evaluation, conducted during the review period, will be added to the file.    
  • Student Experiences of Teaching Report: This report includes a list of all courses taught during the review period and all completed Student Experience Survey results, including student comments. The teaching detail report can be accessed by academic unit managers through cognos.uoregon.edu. 
  • Instructor Reflection Reports (optional): The instructor reflection reports can be accessed by academic unit if the faculty member requests.  

When the file is complete, the department head will:    

  • Establish a committee of tenured faculty and provide the committee with the file. (The department determines whether the committee is comprised of all tenured faculty in the department or a smaller subset of faculty.)    
  • Charge the faculty committee with writing a short report addressing the faculty member’s scholarship, teaching, and service and providing an assessment of progress toward tenure and promotion.    
  • The department/unit head prepares an evaluation of the faculty member's scholarship, teaching, and service and progress toward tenure and promotion. This evaluation should include a recommendation of renewal or non-renewal of the contract and, if the recommendation is for renewal, the recommended duration of the new contract.    
  • Department heads and personnel committees may find these materials, developed with promotion processes in mind, useful as they evaluate the teaching of faculty under review.  
  • Provide the department head’s report to the faculty member and allow ten days from receipt of the report for the faculty member to provide any written response or additional materials, including any such materials in the file.    
  • If a department or unit has, or develops, a policy or practice of providing the faculty committee report to the faculty member, the department/unit head shall do so.   
  • Submit the complete file to the dean of the school or college.    

The dean will review the file and may consult with others to obtain and document any additional relevant information. The dean will then:    

  • Prepare an independent report and recommendation, including a recommendation of renewal or non-renewal of the contract and, if the recommendation is for renewal, the recommended duration of the new contract.    
  • Provide the dean’s report and recommendation to the faculty member and allow ten days from receipt of the report for the faculty member to provide any written response or additional materials, including any such materials in the file.    

Submitting the File

Midterm review files are to be submitted to OtP using a VPAA-provided OneDrive “Request for Files” link, which will be sent to the personnel staff at the start of winter term. If you are unfamiliar with OneDrive or have questions about its use, please contact your IT staff. To upload the candidate’s file using the “Request for Files” link:   

  1. Save completed review dossiers using the following naming convention: Candidate’s Last Name, First Name-School/College – Dossier type – Review type AYXX-XY. E.g. Doe, Jane – CAS History – MTR- AY26-27.  
  2. Select the “Request for Files” link from the VPAA email you were sent or “Request for Files” document you were provided.   
  3. You can upload all candidate files for each major review in your school/college using the appropriate “Request for Files” links provided.   
    • Microsoft Office “Request for Files” will notify the VPAA email account automatically when candidate files are dropped into the online repository. There is no need to email when you complete this process.  
    • Candidates may add material to their files at any time up to the Provost’s decision.  Addenda must be signed and dated and will advance with the file but will not cause the file to be returned to a prior level of review.    

Revised dossiers may be submitted up until the file is reviewed by the Provost. To submit a revised dossier, email vpaa@uoregon.edu directly with the dossier linked or attached with the following information:

  • Candidate’s Last Name, First Name-School/College – Dossier type – Review type AYXX-XY- Revised + Date. E.g. Doe, Jane – CAS History – MTR - AY26-27 – Revised 4.1.2027.   
  • Provide details in the email about how this revised dossier differs from the original review dossier.  

Questions about the preparation of the promotion file can be sent to vpaa@uoregon.edu. 

Outcomes

Possible outcomes of the midterm review are:   

  • Issuance of a new contract extending to the date by which a tenure decision is required.   
  • Issuance of a new contract of insufficient duration to reach the tenure decision, necessitating an additional midterm review prior to a tenure review.   
  • Issuance of a non-renewable contract.   

The Office of the Provost will notify the faculty member of the review decision and contract renewal no later than June 1 in the review year. The summary report is to be placed in the faculty member's departmental or college personnel file.