EVALUATION AND THE PROFESSIONAL FILE	No. 8-25	Rev. 7-1-97
		Date 11-12-80

POLICY

Decisions made regarding the advancement in rank or the awarding of tenure of a candidate will be based on information contained in their professional file, as well as all other relevant information brought to the attention of reviewers at any stage of the review process. However, reviewers must take reasonable steps to protect candidates from unfair and prejudicial surprise when they consider information not contained in the candidate's professional file. Candidates must be apprised of any additional information to be considered and afforded a reasonable opportunity to respond to such information a reviewer might consider. Finally, reviewers must state in writing all information not included in the candidate's professional file upon which their findings and recommendations might be based.

Ordinarily, the professional file will contain the results of several tenure reviews, earlier promotion reviews and student and peer input in addition to the material included by the candidate or others. Decisions regarding promotion or tenure may consider but will not be based primarily on the results of earlier review processes or student and peer input. Decisions must instead reflect a thorough and relatively independent analysis of the candidate's accomplishments in relationship to the established college tenure criteria or the University promotion criteria.

Members of tenure and evaluation committees must realize that opinions of committee members expressed during deliberation on committee recommendations are confidential. Any evidence used to determine the outcome of a tenure or promotion review must be made available to the candidate.