Stay of Tenure Guidelines for Tenure-Track Faculty

Purpose

This guideline outlines the recommended practice for requesting a Stay-of-Tenure in regard to the specific approval flow of the College of Health and Human Development. As the guideline is in reference to the provisional tenure period, it is only pertinent to full time tenure-track faculty members.

Initiating a Request

As outlined in the guidelines and in University Policy AC23, faculty are eligible to stop the tenure clock for one year for each occurrence during the period leading up to tenure, for a maximum total of two years. It is of note that one year is in reference to the academic year, July 1 to June 30. 

To request a Stay-in-Tenure, faculty are to submit in writing their intent to take a stay stating the reason and timeline. It should be submitted to the academic Unit Head of the faculty member as well as Dean Craig Newschaffer with Associate Dean Nicole Webster cc’d. After approval from the Dean, the request will be forwarded to the Vice Provost of Faculty Affairs. The VPFA will make the final decision on whether or not to gran the stay-of-tenure. 

Whenever possible, the request should be submitted prior to the start of the academic year in which the stay will occur. This is especially important if a provisional tenure review of the final tenure review is scheduled for that academic year. 

Per AC23

As found in University Policy AC23, in Section IV. GENERAL PROVISIONS, B. Staying of the Provisional Tenure Period.

Upon the written request of a faculty member, the Executive Vice President and Provost may grant a temporary staying of the tenure provisional period, if in their judgment, the academic performance of the provisional faculty member would be adversely affected by: the responsibility as primary care giver after the birth or adoption of a child, the placement of a foster child in the home, a serious personal illness, the provision of care for a seriously ill family member, or any similar situation.

Faculty are eligible to stop the tenure clock for one year for each occurrence during the period leading up to tenure, for a maximum total of two years. During this period the faculty member would not be evaluated according to the tenure guidelines, and the year would not be counted toward the provisional period.

When promotion and tenure committees are being charged, the statement below should be included as part of the charge. Also, the dean must include this statement in their letter when soliciting evaluations from external reviewers.

“The time period for achieving tenure and promotion to associate professor can vary, including one or more extensions of the tenure clock. A faculty member who stops the tenure clock must be evaluated according to the number of years on the tenure clock, not the number of years since being hired. The faculty member should not be held to a standard higher than the one he/she would have had to meet if the tenure decision had been made in the year it was originally scheduled.”

This staying of the tenure provisional period is not necessarily linked to a leave of absence with or without salary.

At the end of the stayed year the faculty member would continue on the tenure track.

Contact

If a faculty member has additional questions or is in need of further clarification, they are encouraged to reach out to the administrative assistant of the Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

KateLynn Luzier
Promotion & Tenure Coordinator
Administrative Support Coordinator 
Office of Faculty Affairs and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
kal5588@psu.edu

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