The UNC Policy Manual

Performance Review of Tenured Faculty (Post-Tenure Review)

I. Purpose. To support and encourage excellence among tenured faculty, there shall be a post-tenure review process. The post-tenure review process at constituent institutions[1] of the University of North Carolina is a cumulative, holistic, and comprehensive periodic evaluation of tenured faculty performance designed to:

A. Assist faculty members in meeting university performance expectations;

B. Recognize and reward exemplary performance when faculty members exceed expectations;

C. Provide for a clear plan and timetable for improvement of performance when faculty do not meet expectations; and

D. Provide for the imposition of appropriate sanctions, consistent with Chapter VI of The Code of the University, when faculty members do not meet the goals established in a faculty success plan.

II. Definitions. The following terms, as defined, shall be utilized by constituent institutions in post-tenure reviews of tenured faculty:

A. Exceeds Expectations: The faculty member consistently and considerably surpasses established goals in the faculty member’s annual and long-term work plans.

B. Meets Expectations: The faculty member consistently achieves and may occasionally surpass established goals in the faculty member’s annual and long-term work plans.

C. Does Not Meet Expectations: The faculty member does not consistently achieve established goals in the faculty member’s annual and long-term work plans.

D. Faculty Success Plan: A formative strategy that includes specific steps designed to lead to a faculty member’s improved performance in achieving established goals in the faculty member's annual and long-term work plans. This plan shall include a specified timeline in which improvement is expected to occur and a clear statement of consequences should improvement not occur within the designated timeline.

III. Policy and procedure requirements for post-tenure review of tenured faculty:

A. Each constituent institution shall adopt and maintain policies and procedures for the performance review of tenured faculty members consistent with this policy as well as with the mission of the institution.

B. For each tenured faculty member, a post-tenure review shall take place at least every five years. A review undertaken as part of the process for conferring tenure or recommending a faculty member for promotion qualifies as a cumulative performance review; the next post-tenure review shall occur five years after the date of the conferral of tenure or promotion regardless of the date of any preceding review.

C. All participants in the post-tenure review shall consider the faculty member’s annual evaluations and any faculty success plans that were required in the time period under review.

D. Each institution shall publish and make accessible to faculty members any refinement to the definitions of the evaluation categories (exceeds expectations, meets expectations, does not meet expectations). Such refinements shall be consistent with this policy and any regulations adopted by the president.

E. Faculty members shall conduct a self-evaluation to be used in the post-tenure review.

F. Faculty peers shall be included in the post-tenure review process.

G. The post-tenure review process shall include written feedback to the faculty member being reviewed as well as a mechanism for faculty response to the evaluation.

H. Both the department chair/unit head and the dean shall conduct an evaluative review in the post-tenure review process.

I. Each constituent institution shall develop appropriate recognition of faculty who receive a post-tenure review evaluation of Exceeds Expectations.

J. Each constituent institution shall require a faculty success plan for each faculty member who does not meet expectations in the post-tenure review. These faculty success plans shall include specific steps designed to lead to improvement, a specified timeline consistent with UNC Policy 400.3.3.1[R], Regulation on Performance Review of Tenured Faculty (Post-Tenure Review), in which improvement is expected to occur, and a clear statement of consequences should improvement not occur within the designated timeline.

K. Institutional policies for post-tenure review shall not abrogate, in any way, the criteria and procedures for disciplinary action or faculty employment rights established in Chapter VI of The Code of the University.

IV. Compliance, Reviews, and Updates of Policies and Procedures

A. The chief academic officer, however titled, shall certify via annual report that all aspects of the post-tenure review process are in compliance with this policy and any associated regulations adopted by the president of the University.

B. Institutions shall review and, as needed, update their post-tenure review policies and procedures on a regular timeline in accordance with appropriate institutional policies.

C. The post-tenure review policies and procedures developed or updated by each constituent institution shall be effective upon review and approval by the president of the University, or designee, in accordance with any regulations adopted by the president.

V. The president of the University shall adopt regulations for tenured faculty performance reviews (post-tenure review) to ensure compliance with this policy and The Code of the University.

VI. Other Matters

A. Effective Date. The requirements of this policy shall be effective with the 2024-2025 academic year. Institutions shall have internal policies in place at the beginning of that academic year.

B. Relation to Federal and State Laws. The foregoing policy as adopted by the Board of Governors is meant to supplement, and does not purport to supplant or modify, those statutory enactments which may govern or relate to the subject matter of this policy.

C. Regulations and Guidelines. This policy shall be implemented and applied in accordance with such regulations and guidelines as may be adopted by the president.

D. Periodic Review. Each institution shall review their institutional policy at least every five years and submit a copy of that review and any changes made to the president.

E. Approvals. All policies and procedures required under this policy must be submitted by the constituent institutions to the UNC System Office and approved by the president.

*Supersedes and replaces the prior UNC Policy 400.3.3, “Performance Review of Tenured Faculty” as this version was approved by the Board of Governors on January 25, 2024.