The most recent collective bargaining agreement between United Academics and the University of Oregon went into effect April 15, 2025. This agreement includes substantive changes to many articles in the CBA which necessitate revisions to several unit policies. What follows are highlights of areas units should be aware of and consider as they revise policies. In addition, units should carefully review Appendix 1 and 2 in the new CBA for implementation agreements, unit-policy development guidelines, and the standards and criteria for major reviews.

The Office of the Provost has provided process instructions and templates required for unit policy revisions. 

Article 19 – Career Faculty Review and Promotion

In updating unit policy for Career Faculty Review and Promotion, consider : 

• Such revisions should align unit-level policies with Article 19, remove references to contracts to reflect the expectation of continuing employment, and align classifications and categories with those in Article 15. Units that employ faculty in Limited Duration classifications should revise faculty review policies for relevant classifications and categories consistent with Appendix 2.

Section 3: Career Faculty Performance Reviews

• Supervisors of career faculty members with a position description are to keep position description updated, in consultation with the faculty member
• Reviews should consider lack of resources necessary to perfomance of professional responsibilities that were identified in previous workload discussions

Section 4 & 6: Performance Review Timing and Process

• All performance review conducted during review period of evaluation for merit will be considered
• Personal statements - max of 3 pages
• Criteria limited to "meets" or "does not meet" expectations (for all Career Faculty review types). "Exceeds" expectations no longer in use.

Section 8: Credit for Prior Service

• Career faculty hired from Pro Tem positions will be evaluated for years of credit the by OtP, after consultation with the unit head. May result in full, partial, or no credit towards promotion.
• Faculty reclassified to Career from Pro Tem (Article 15, Section 8) will receive credit when employment was at 0.5 annualized FTE or greater, and faculty met expectations during review

Section 12 and 22: Eligibility for Promotion

• Career instructional and Career research faculty members who have achieved promotion must wait at least five (formerly six) years before initiating the promotion process again. Promotion review will take place the subsequent year.

Article 20 – Tenure-Track Faculty Review and Promotion

In updating unit policy for Career Faculty Review and Promotion, consider: 

• Such revisions should align unit-level policies with Article 20. Each Department or Unit must articulate criteria within their policies that clarify the expectations for faculty activity in research and scholarship.

Section 3: Review Types

• Third-year post-tenure review (3PTR) can now take place in the third year following:
  • a tenure and/or promotion decision (used to be one or the other)
  • a previous 3PTR for associate professors (if promotion to full is not taking place in the same year)
  • following a 6PTR for full professors
• 6PTR for full professorsfollowing a promotion to full decision or following a previous 6PTR

Section 4: Early Review

• Previous "accelerated" review is now called "early" review.

Section 7: Stopping the Clock

• The clock shall be stopped for one year in the two circumstances listed.
  • birth/adoption of child
  • leave of absence or intermittent leave with a duration of 12 weeks or longer as a result of an ADA or FMLA qualifying event. No more than two extensions may be granted for this reason.

Section 9: Review Evaluations and Considerations (Brand New Section)

• Reviews should provide justifications for their conclusion based on the file, previous levels of review, and the unit-level policy. Reviews shall consider any lack of resources necessary to the performance of professional responsibilities that were identified in previous workload discussions (see Article 17, Section 3)

Section 11 & 12: Mid-term Reviews - Purpose, Outcome, Appeals, and Timing

• The outcome of the mid-term review should be either:
  • Contract until the end of P&T review year to allow for possibility of identifying concerns, providing constructive feedback, and appropriate support before the reviewArticle 19 – Career Faculty Review and Promotion
  • A one-year terminal contract in rare cases where the review determines the faculty member will be unable to meet unit-level criteria for P&T by the tenure decision date (two-year contracts are no longer issued)
• Mid-term reviews are to happen halfway between appointment and eligibility of tenure, except those appointed with a P&T date three years or less from the time of their initial appointmentack to Top

Sample of research, scholarship, creative and artistic achievements

(From Article 20 § 39) In general, research, scholarship, and creative achievement may be demonstrated in the following categories. Units may insert additional categories or amend the existing categories as long as the changes they propose are consistent with the general standards;  they should delete categories that are not applicable to their discipline or interdisciplinary area; they should create hierarchy or tiers of relative importance (e.g., publications more important than participation in conferences): 

1. publications and/or creative activities of significance;
2. externally funded research;
3. patents, intellectual property developed; technologies licensed, companies spun-off;
4. adoptions of candidate’s research innovations by other researchers, organizations, or the public;
5. research awards and prizes;
6. membership in the national academies or other selective research societies;
7. Research-in-progress and substantially planned work (including grant proposals) in accordance with departmental policy;
8. translational research or scholarship that influences public policy or contributes to societal benefits; units may add a category that explicitly identifies and sets out criteria for evaluating public-facing scholarship, as applicable.
9. participation in conferences, conventions, seminars, and professional meetings;
10. professional peer review, holding office in academic and professional organizations, serving on committees and/or on editorial boards;
11. association with organizations and groups that will result in professional improvement of the faculty member and bring recognition to the university;
12. research or professional consultation for federal agencies, foundations, or other research sponsors;
13. recognized evidence of scholarly and professional visibility, such as special awards, scholarly citations, and the republication of work;
14. scope and depth of scholarship as revealed in public lectures, book reviews, and, in special circumstances, discussions;
15. works of art, such as painting, sculpture, design, planning, musical composition, poetry, fiction, drama, dance, photography, and film disseminated or exhibited in recognized venues of quality and distinction;
16. public performances: musical recitals, concerts, conducting, theater performance and production, dance performance and production, radio or television production disseminated/exhibited in recognized venues of quality and distinction;
17. public recognition: exhibitions, commissions, acceptance of work for permanent collections, awards.

Sample definitions of service

(From Article 20 § 39) Service must include some of the following [Units may insert additional categories or amend the existing categories as long as they are consistent with the general standards below; they should not delete categories unless the category is not applicable to their discipline or interdisciplinary area; they should create hierarchy or tiers of relative importance (e.g., unit-level service more important than service to professional and disciplinary organizations).):

1. Leadership in academic and administrative roles:
   • Academic program area or departmental administration and curriculum;
   • Personnel and policy committees or activities;
   • College or school administration and committees or activities;
   • University or state system administration and committees or activities.
2. Service and activities on behalf of the larger community (local, state, national, and international governmental bodies, NGOs, etc.);
3. Academic contributions to community activities, either as an individual or as a representative of the university;
4. Service to professional and disciplinary organizations;
5. Academic service on behalf of the public interest.