Role and Description of the Florida Atlantic University Libraries Promotion Committee

This page lists the role and descriptions of the Libraries Promotion Committee. Current members and promotion guidelines can be accessed below: 

• Current Library Promotions Committee Members 
• Promotion Guidelines 

Adopted: April 2018
Revised: April 20, 2020 

Table of Contents 

I. Introduction
II. Role and Description of the FAU Libraries Promotion Committee  
III. Procedures and Timetable for Promotion 

I. Introduction

The purpose of the FAU Libraries Promotion Committee is to help implement the promotion guidelines, to assist the candidates who are assembling their promotion e-portfolios, and to advise the Dean of the University Libraries by reviewing and making recommendations, either positive or negative, concerning specific promotions and the promotion process.

The Promotion Committee investigates whether the candidate has performed the job with mastery, distinction, effectiveness, and commitment to both the FAU Libraries’ and University’s mission. Further, the Committee assesses each candidate’s potential to be a creative and contributing scholar recognized within the University and the profession, while demonstrating a strong service orientation to the FAU Libraries and to the larger Florida Atlantic University community.

II. Role and Description of the FAU Libraries Promotion Committee

Description and Service Terms:

• Excludes the Dean of the University Libraries, and Assistant Deans.
• Committee members are elected from the ranks of Assistant, Associate, and University librarian.
• Committee (four members) will select its chair. It is preferred that a prospective chair of the Promotion Committee has completed the promotion process at least once.
• Members serve a two-year term, and no one may serve two consecutive terms. If no candidates apply for promotion during the second year of service Promotion Committee members could remain on the Committee through the following year.
• All members must have been employed by Florida Atlantic University Libraries for at least one year and must be at the assistant university librarian level or above.
• No more than one assistant university librarian may serve on the Committee at one time.
• If a candidate’s direct supervisor is on the committee during the year that the candidate is going up for promotion, the supervisor is to recuse him or herself from all committee activities related to the evaluation of that candidate. Yet, the supervisor can continue to serve on the committee and evaluate other candidates going up for promotion.

Committee Responsibilities:

• Select a Chairperson.
• Become familiar with the FAU Libraries Promotion Guidelines and the Promotion and the Tenure Memorandum from the Office of the Provost for the current promotion process. New requirements in the Promotion and the Tenure Memorandum or conflicts between the FAU Libraries Promotion Guidelines and the Promotion and the Tenure Memorandum should be reported to the FAU Libraries Promotion Committee. See “Promotion Committee Submission Form” on the FAU Libraries Forms page.
• Review the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees/United Faculty of Florida Collective Bargaining Agreements as new versions are released. New requirements in the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees/United Faculty of Florida Collective Bargaining Agreements or conflicts between the FAU Libraries Promotion Guidelines and the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees/United Faculty of Florida Collective Bargaining Agreements should be reported to the FAU Libraries Promotion Committee. See “Promotion Committee Submission Form” on the FAU Libraries Forms page.
• Maintain confidentiality of the promotion process and assure candidates of the confidentiality of the promotion process.
• Confer with candidates for promotion while they compile their e-portfolios.
• Advise candidates of the right to reply to any material added to the e-portfolio.
• Consult with the Dean of University Libraries should the Dean require additional information regarding a candidate. The Promotion Committee will keep communication open between the candidate and the Dean of the University Libraries as necessary information is gathered and shared.
• Ensure the candidate’s e-portfolio is available for review and that access to the e-portfolio is restricted to library faculty who have been employed with faculty status in the FAU Libraries for one year at the start of the promotion process, excluding the Dean of University Libraries. A list of library faculty members should be provided to the library administration staff to ensure the e-portfolios are only reviewed by library faculty members eligible to participate in the numerical library faculty vote. 

Promotion Committee Chair Duties:

• Notify the Chair of the Faculty Assembly to call for nominees to fill vacancies on the Promotion Committee.
• Conduct an informational session each Spring semester to provide an overview of the FAU Libraries’ and University’s criteria, policies, and procedures regarding promotion.
• Prior to the start of the promotion process, review a current curriculum vitae for any faculty interested in going up for promotion.
• Upon receipt of the promotion application forms, send out a list of candidates along with the candidate's curriculum vitae and peer review forms to all library faculty members (except Temporary or AMP), who have worked for one year or more in the FAU Libraries.
• Provide the completed peer review forms to the candidates for promotion within one week of the peer review forms deadline.
• Call for a numerical library faculty vote with ballots sent to all library faculty members who have been employed with faculty status in the FAU Libraries for one year at the start of the promotion process excluding the Dean of the University Libraries.
• Direct candidates to the Provost’s most recent “Promotion and Tenure” memorandum and the link to the FAU Libraries Promotion Guidelines
• Copy and maintain all incoming documentation (peer review form results, the numerical library faculty vote, letters of evaluation, etc.) in a separate file, and return the originals to each candidate within one week of the deadline for submitting these items.
• Ensure that all library promotion paperwork is correctly filled out and submitted on time.
• Submit written recommendations covering positive and negative issues about specific candidates for promotion, and also any recommendations for changes in the promotion process, criteria, policies and procedures to the Dean of the University Libraries.
• Inform new library faculty of the promotion process, which could include the following: send an introductory email that lists the links to the online versions of the FAU Libraries Promotion Guidelines and the University Promotion and Tenure Memorandum; offer to meet with new library faculty to review the guidelines or answer any questions.
• Review emeritus candidates’ e-portfolios. Typically this will include an up-to-date curriculum vitae and additional supportive documentation as per FAU Libraries’ Emeritus Policy.

Written Reports:

• Report of the Department/School" reporting of the numerical library faculty vote to include in the candidate's e-portfolio and providing official notification of the result to the candidate within one week of the deadline.

III. Procedures and Timetable for Promotion

This timetable may change each year depending on the University’s “Promotion and Tenure" memorandum. See this link to Florida Atlantic University Libraries Promotion Guidelines for an abbreviated timetable. The Promotion Committee is granted the flexibility to determine which days of any month constitute second week, third week, etc.

MARCH
Second week - If vacancies exist, the Faculty Assembly announces that vacant seats on the Promotion Committee will need to be filled. The Chair of the Faculty Assembly calls for nominees to fill vacant seats on the Promotion Committee.

Third week - The Faculty Assembly presides over the election of members to the Promotion Committee. All librarians are eligible to vote in the election of Committee members to the Promotion Committee, excluding the Dean of University Libraries.

Fourth week - Ballots should be counted by the end of the fourth week and election results reported so that new committee members are in place by the first week of April. After the votes are counted, the Chair of the Faculty Assembly announces the new members of the Promotion Committee. The Committee members select a chair and an alternate.

APRIL
Whenever possible, the informational session designed to explain and guide librarians through the promotion process will be held after the Provost's Promotion and Tenure Forum, but before the promotion application form deadline. Anyone who is interested in attending the information session is encouraged to do so.

The chair of the Promotion Committee is encouraged to create a monthly calendar for this timetable with actual dates and note of where items on this timetable apply to the current year.

Second week - The Dean of University Libraries requests applications for promotion (see Appendix B in the Promotion Guidelines). The FAU Libraries Promotion Guidelines are available in the Faculty Corner section of the FAU Libraries Staff Web site.

Fourth week - The Dean of University Libraries forwards all applications to the Promotion Committee.

MAY
First week - At the beginning of the first week, The Promotion Committee directs the candidates to the most recent “Promotion and Tenure" memorandum from the Office of the Provost.

The Promotion Committee sends the following to the library faculty members who have been employed with faculty status in the FAU Libraries for one year at the start of the promotion process. Everyone except for the Dean of University Libraries should receive the following:

• List of candidates for promotion.
• Curriculum vitae for each candidate.
• Peer Review Form.

The candidate sends to the Promotion Committee a list of external referees with an explanation of why the referees were selected. The candidate may also include a maximum of two internal referees, but the use of internal referees is strictly optional. If the candidate chooses to submit any internal letters, one must be from a librarian. Optionally the self-evaluation and/or the letter of assignment can be included at the candidate’s discretion to be sent to the external and internal referees. For more information about University requirements, please see the section on “Letters of Evaluation” in the “Promotion and Tenure” memorandum

Second week - The Promotion Committee requests letters of evaluation and CVs from internal and external referees. Included in the request letters is a copy of the candidate’s CV and copy of the Florida Atlantic University Libraries Promotion Guidelines for External Reviewers. Referees will have one month to submit their letters to the Promotion Committee. The library faculty members return the peer review forms to the Promotion Committee.

Third week - Peer review forms must be forwarded to the candidate.

JUNE
Second week - Letters from referees are received by the Promotion Committee. The supervisor's letter must be received by the candidate to include in the promotion e-portfolio.

Third week - Original letters from referees must be forwarded to the candidate. The candidate has five business days to provide a written response to the supervisor’s letter. The e-portfolio cannot move forward for 5 business days after the candidate has received the letter unless, before the 5 day period has expired, the candidate indicates there will be no response.

JULY
Second week - The candidate submits all the required documentation.

• The candidate is responsible for the completeness of the documentation file.
• Promotion and Supplement e-portfolios that are submitted to the Promotion Committee that fail to meet the requirements stated in the University "Promotion and Tenure" memorandum and the FAU Libraries Promotion Guidelines will not be accepted for consideration and will be returned immediately to the candidate.
• With the candidate’s permission, the Promotion Committee may request further documentation, e.g., additional letters of recommendation from colleagues and other qualified persons.
• The Committee may choose to interview candidates.

Third week of JULY through the beginning of the first full week of SEPTEMBER – The Promotion Committee may choose to work with the candidate on certain aspects of the e-portfolio before writing the report. The Promotion Committee may wish to use the initial 4 weeks to review the candidate's e-Portfolio. E-Portfolios must be returned to the candidate by the end of the fourth week at the latest. The last 3 weeks should be used by the candidate to make any revisions and to have the revisions reviewed by the Promotion Committee.

SEPTEMBER
Second week - Secret Ballots for the numerical library faculty vote are sent out to all library faculty members who have been employed with faculty status in the FAU Libraries for one year at the start of the promotion process. Everyone except for the Dean of University Libraries should receive a ballot. Eligible library faculty will be given online access to the candidate’s e-Portfolio for review.

Third week - E-portfolios continue to be available for review by library faculty.

Fourth week - Ballots are due and counted on a date specified by the Promotion Committee. Following the ballot count, a report of the Department/School will be completed by the Promotion Committee and sent to the Dean of University Libraries.

OCTOBER
Second week - The Promotion Committee completes the report for or against promotion detailing positive and/or negative evaluation for each candidate, and documentation/e-portfolios for each candidate.

• All reports or letters originating from the Promotion Committee or the Dean of University Libraries must be in writing.
• Reports or letters for or against promotion are sent to the candidate.

Third week - The candidate has five business days to provide a written response to the Promotion Committee’s recommendation. The e-portfolio cannot move forward for five business days after the candidate has received the report unless, before the five day period has expired, the candidate indicates there will be no response. See “Negative Recommendations and Notice of Denial, section V in the Promotion Guidelines.”

Fourth week - The Library Promotion Committee must forward to the Dean of University Libraries the following items: written report for or against promotion detailing positive and/or negative evaluation for each candidate, and documentation for each candidate.

NOVEMBER
Second week - Dean of University Libraries:

• Reviews the documentation and report of the Promotion Committee.
• Makes his/her own written recommendation.

Letter of Recommendation for or against promotion is sent to the candidate.

Third week - The candidate has five business days to provide a written response to the Dean of University Libraries' recommendation. The e-portfolio cannot move forward for 5 business days after the candidate has received the letter unless, before the 5 day period has expired, the candidate indicates there will be no response. See "Negative Recommendations and Notice of Denial, section V in the Promotion Guidelines.

DECEMBER
First week - At the beginning of the first full week, the Promotion Committee forwards the Committee and Dean of University Libraries’ recommendations to the Office of the Provost prior to the deadline for the year. The Committee notifies the Dean that the candidate’s e-portfolio should be available online in Interfolio for the Provost’s office. The Dean of University Libraries provides any clarification if requested by the Office of the Provost.

MARCH
The Provost may meet with candidates who are applying for promotion prior to writing the official letter. Recourse from any negative administrative decision outside the Library is provided by the provisions of the current BOT/UFF Collective Bargaining Agreement. See “Negative Recommendations and Notice of Denial, section V in this document:https://library.fau.edu/staff/promotion-guidelines.

The Provost submits his/her recommendations to the President.

MAY
Letters regarding promotion decisions by the Provost and the President are forwarded to the candidate.
The effective date of the promotion is determined by the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees/United Faculty of Florida Collective Bargaining Agreement.