Policy & Procedures for Academic Tenure

POLICY AND PROCEDURES – ACADEMIC TENURE

1.   TENURE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Tenure is earned as an outcome of satisfactory job performance. To be eligible for Tenure, as a general rule, the staff member needs to obtain a Tenurable appointment. Tenurable appointments are subject to review annually (i.e. on probationary period). Periods for tenurable appointments are as follows:

• Level A Academics – 5 years. This period may be extended in exceptional circumstances.
• Level B Academics – 3 years. This period may be extended by two periods of one year each (or further in exceptional circumstances) or shortened.
• Level C, D, E Academics – up to 3 years. This period may be extended by two periods of one year each (or further in exceptional circumstances) or shortened.

If a tenurable staff member is successful in attaining a promotion before the expiry of the review (probationary) period, tenure will automatically be granted from the date of promotion.

Exceptions: If a fixed term staff member is successful in attaining a promotion before the expiry of the review period or before the end of the appointment, the new appointment may be converted to tenured, subject to the recommendation of the Head of School, through the Dean, to the Vice-Chancellor. Regard will need to be had for the reason for a staff member being on a fixed term contract (e.g. external funding) and could result in a position not being eligible for tenure/tenurable track status. This does not affect the academic staff member's application for promotion.

A staff member who has held fixed-term appointments who obtains a tenurable appointment will normally be required to go through the review period for tenurable appointments, even where a period of probation has been completed on a fixed-term contract. On the recommendation of the Head of School and Dean the review period may be shortened.

2.   RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STAFF MEMBER

2.1   All staff appointed to 'subject to review' positions, including Professors will be required to submit an Academic Portfolio annually through the Head of School to the Dean. Required elements of the portfolio for tenure include a cover sheet, Curriculum Vitae, Folios F1 to F3, and the Personal Statement. (Folio 1 is optional for Research staff.)

2.2   Staff on tenurable appointments are required to submit an Academic Portfolio every 12 months, on the anniversary of their commencement of their Tenurable appointment. In the last year of review, however, this must be submitted at least eight (8) months before the expiry date in order to provide sufficient decision-making time to determine the final outcome.

2.3   Staff should refer to the Guidelines for the Use of an Academic Portfolio for details.

2.4   The staff member is responsible for submitting nine copies of the completed final application including the Academic Portfolio and Supervisors Report. For non-final reports only one copy is required and this should be forwarded directly to Human Resources for processing and assessment. A reminder will be formulated when the next report is due..

3.   RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

3.1   In each instance the Academic Portfolio will be considered by the Head of School who is required to prepare and submit a the Supervisor's Annual Report which should be forwarded to the Dean. The Head of School may delegate the preparation of the report to an appropriate person in discussion with the staff member.

3.2   Prior to finalisation of the report, the Head of School should meet with each probationary staff member to enable them to respond to the report and to collaborate on the development of an action plan. The staff member should countersign the Head of School's report to verify that they have seen its content. Where the staff member disagrees with the Head's report they may provide a written response which should be attached to the Head of School's report.

4.   RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEAN

The Dean's role in the tenure process is to review the Academic Portfolio and Head of School's reports, and either accept them or, where appropriate, forward to the Academic Promotions Committee with their recommendation/s.

4.1   The Dean has the authority to accept all annual reports plus the Academic Portfolio.

4.2   The Dean must forward the following reports to the Academic Promotions Committee:

• all unsatisfactory second or subsequent reports
• all final reports;
• fourth reports (Level A staff);
• all other reports which will require consideration by the Committee, (e.g. recommendation to shorten/extend the review period).

5.   RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ACADEMIC PROMOTIONS COMMITTEE

5.1   The Academic Promotions Committee oversees the promotions and tenure policies and procedures of academic staff throughout the University.

5.2   The major functions of the Academic Promotions Committee in relation to tenure are:

• to advise the Vice-Chancellor on policy and procedures relating to promotion and tenure;
• to recommend to the Vice-Chancellor regarding confirmation of tenure; and
• to monitor University-wide standards in the tenure process.

The Core Committee, established to review tenure reports submitted through the Dean, will consist of:

• Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor's Nominee (Chair)
• 3 Academic Board nominees
• 2 Vice-Chancellor's nominees
• 1 Elected Staff Representative

The Executive Officer to the Committee will be located in Human Resources.

The Manager, Equity and Diversity has a formal invitation to attend all meetings and view all documentation.

5.3   The Full Committee is established to review unsatisfactory or marginal tenure reports. It will consist of the Core Committee as well as:

• the appropriate Head of School;
• a member from a cognate discipline (if none exists in the core Committee);
• an Elected Staff Representative (observer); and the
• Director, Human Resources or nominee (observer).

5.4   The Academic Promotions Core Committee will meet every month or as required. The Full Committee will meet as required.

6.   CRITERIA

The criteria for tenure are the same as those for selection for academic positions and are set out in the Minimum Standards for Academic Levels which can be found at Selection Criteria for Academic Positions

7.   ROLE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR

The Vice-Chancellor will inform Senate of the outcomes of tenure applications for all academic staff Levels A – E.

8.   APPEALS AGAINST TENURE REVIEW DECISIONS

Appeals against tenure review decisions will be possible only on the basis of miscarriage of due process. They should be made in writing and directed to the Vice-Chancellor, who may either request the Academic Promotions Committee to review the procedural aspects of the decision, or establish a special committee to review the case.

9.   KEY STEPS IN REVIEW OF TENURE

The following flow chart outlines the key steps in the procedures relating to tenure.

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