Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1976 [PAGE 624]

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1976]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

613

Recommendations by the General Policy Committee Concerning Policies and Procedures Relating to Tenure and Promotion

T h e following adoption: report was presented by M r . H o w a r d who moved its

T h e General Policy Committee recommends that the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois adopt the following resolution: O n March 19, 1975, the Board of Trustees requested the President of the University to consult with appropriate parties at the campuses of the University to determine whether and to what extent changes should be considered in the policies, practices, procedures, guidelines, and Statutes pertaining to promotion and tenure. On behalf of the full Board of Trustees, the General Policy Committee has heard two presentations related to this study, and all members of the Board have received written reports from faculty groups, students, and administrators concerning the topic. As a result of these activities conducted in response to its resolution of March 19, 1975, the Board of Trustees adopts the following recommendations submitted by the President of the University: 1. Because tenure and promotion policies and procedures contribute in a major way to the academic distinction of the University, the administration of the University and of the campuses and the appropriate faculty and campus Senate bodies should continue the practice of annual review and evaluation of such policies to insure that they serve the University, the faculty, and the students in achieving academic distinction. 2. Changes in tenure procedures which result from this regular review and evaluation and which do not result in policy changes requiring Board approval should be reported to the Board by the President. 3. Studies of current tenure and promotion procedures and policies within the University reveal that the following areas of concern should be given special consideration in the ongoing review of such procedures and policies: a. T h e manner in which faculty members are made aware of tenure and promotion policies and procedures to insure full understanding of those policies and procedures; b. T h e degree to which University and campus tenure and promotion policies and procedures are followed at the departmental level; c. T h e degree to which evaluations of teaching, gathered for tenure and promotion decisions, are used in in-service programs with faculty members to assist in improving teaching performance; d. T h e degree to which instruments used for evaluating teaching performance are valid and reliable and enjoy the confidence of both those evaluated and those evaluating. 4. While the University system does recognize the legitimacy of variations in procedures among its campuses, the University administration, through the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the faculty through the University Senates Conference, or through a procedure developed by the conference, should conduct regular reviews of tenure procedures to insure that procedural variations among the campuses do not reflect differing standards of excellence nor differing interpretations of University policies. As it has done consistently, the Board of Trustees reaffirms its support of the principles of academic tenure and promotion as reflected in the