Promotion of Instructors, Assistant Professors, and Associate Professors is governed by the University of Georgia’s Guidelines on Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure.

For details regarding the appointment and promotion of Lecturers, see the below guidelines.

For details regarding the promotion of Research Scientists, see the below guidelines.

For details regarding the promotion of Public Service faculty, see the below guidelines.

For details regarding the promotion of Clinical faculty, see the below guidelines.

For details regarding the promotion of Librarians, see the below guidelines.

For details regarding the promotion of Academic Professionals, see the below guidelines.

A promotion raise will be added to the salary of each tenure-track faculty member promoted to the rank of either Associate Professor or Professor. This amount is to be in addition to the merit increase allocation within the respective units. If any faculty member who is approved for promotion is not proposed for an above average merit increase with his or her department, then a specific justification must be given to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.

Revisions to any University guidelines for appointment and promotion of faculty will take effect upon the President’s acceptance of a recommendation for revision from the University Council. Revisions to an academic unit’s promotion and tenure criteria will take effect upon the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost’s approval of the revised criteria. If a candidate is within two years of preliminary consideration for promotion and/or tenure when either type of revision takes effect, and the candidate​ has a basis to believe that the application would be disadvantaged by the new guidelines or criteria, the candidate may choose that the previous versions of these documents apply. In such cases, the promotion and tenure unit head is responsible for making it clear to the eligible voting faculty which guidelines or criteria are applicable before the unit vote occurs. The dossier’s cover letter must also make it evident to subsequent reviewers of the dossier which guidelines or criteria are applicable.

These guidelines go into effect for the 2022-2023 academic year only during the spring 2023 semester. These guidelines will continue in effect for the 2023-2024 academic year.

As specified in University System of Georgia Board of Regents Policy Manual 8.3, Additional Policies for Faculty, teaching faculty reviews, including annual evaluations, third-year review, and post-tenure review, as well as University and discipline-specific criteria for promotion and tenure, shall include evaluation of teaching faculty members’ involvement in student success activities.

Student success activities is a comprehensive term for teaching faculty effort expended to support the short- and long-term academic and professional achievements of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and trainees. Student success is supported by in class as well as outside of class efforts. Involvement in student success activities is not predicated upon additional allocation of effort but is included within the faculty member’s allocation of effort in instruction, research/scholarship/creative work, service, and administration, as applicable.

Units are responsible for further specification of student success activities in their criteria for all review processes as relevant to their disciplines and practices.

Consistent with the USG Academic and Student Affairs Handbook, Section 4.4 Faculty Evaluation Systems, and recognizing that faculty members can promote student success in a variety of ways, assessment should focus on documenting a faculty member’s quality involvement in a small number of student success activities to maximize effectiveness and engagement.

Examples of student success activities, by area of effort, may include but are not limited to, the following:

1. Teaching and student success activities: Mentoring and advising of undergraduate, graduate students, and professional students; organizing and attending study groups; supervising independent study; course development, including experiential learning activities and active learning courses; developing, supervising, or managing internships or practicum opportunities
2. Research and student success activities: Mentoring of undergraduate students, graduate students, professional students; directing undergraduate research; co- authoring or co-presenting with students; sponsoring students to attend professional meetings and conferences
3. Service and student success activities: Sponsoring coffee hours/social events; sponsoring study abroad programs; sponsoring professional development activities for students (e.g., skills workshops); nominating students for awards; serving as faculty advisor for student clubs/organizations; course and career advising; preparing letters of recommendation and assisting with applications; supporting student recruitment and retention; graduate student professionalization; student care and outreach; student health and wellness
4. Administration and student success activities: Support for curriculum development; student advising; course scheduling and development of academic calendar, policies, and student support

UGA Policies and Guidelines, as well as unit-specific policies, guidelines, and criteria, applicable to teaching faculty should reflect the expectation of involvement in student success activities. Relevant UGA policies include:

• Academic Affairs Policy Manual, 1.06 Evaluation; 1.10 Promotion; 1.11 Tenure
• Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure of Academic Rank Faculty
• Guidelines for Appointment and Promotion of Clinical Faculty
• Guidelines for Appointment and Promotion of Academic Professionals
• Guidelines for Appointment and Promotion of Lecturers
• Guidelines for Appointment and Promotion of Research Scientists
• Promotion Process for Librarian/Archivist
• Additional Examples of Student Success Activities