Post Tenure Review Policy
Post tenure review policy history at VCU
- There has been a post tenure review policy at VCU since 1997 – it was mandated by Virginia law in 1996.
- This policy was embedded in the promotion and tenure policy, which is not typical practice for large, R1 institutions.
- The post tenure review policy has not been updated since 2013.
- When the Promotion and Tenure policy was updated in 2025, the post tenure review policy was removed with the intention of it becoming a standalone policy.
Major differences between the current and proposed post tenure review policies:
| Current PTR policy | Proposed PTR policy* |
|---|---|
| Triggered by overall annual rating of unsatisfactory | Triggered by overall annual rating of unsatisfactory, or a second consecutive overall rating of below expectations/needs improvement, or a second consecutive rating of unsatisfactory in one area of effort |
| Review by tenured faculty panel | Reviewed by tenured faculty panel and dean |
| Two year performance improvement plan developed by faculty member, department chair, and dean | One year performance improvement plan developed by faculty member, chair, and dean, approved by dean and provost; may be extended to two years with provost approval |
| Faculty panel determines success of the improvement plan; if not successful, procedures for dismissal are initiated |
Faculty panel and dean determine success of the improvement plan; if not successful, consequences may include effort reallocation, salary reduction, or dismissal
|
| No timeline for review process | Clearly outlined timeline for the review process |
| No clear expectations for the performance improvement plan | Clear expectations for the performance improvement plan |
Policy development timeline (2026)
- January: Ongoing review by Deans
- Jan. 27: Notification to Faculty Senate of interim Provost priorities
- Feb. 5-10: Preliminary review by VCU legal and Integrity and Compliance Office
- February: Ongoing review by Deans
- March 2: Feedback from University Council Faculty Affairs
- March 3: Present to Faculty Senate
- March 4-13: 60% of entire policy revised following Faculty Senate feedback, including removal of cyclical review component, removal of conduct-related language, and extended review time by 45 days and open comment for an additional week.
- March 16-23: Review by the Ad Hoc Policy Committee
- March 25-30: Review by VCU legal and ICO
- March 30-April 3: Review by Faculty Senate
- April 6-24: Open comment period
- April 15-May 1: Ad hoc Faculty Senate committee to review themes and research PTR at comparable institutions
- April/May: Revisions to be made based on open comment feedback
- May 4: University Council Faculty Affairs votes 9-1 to recommend policy for full University Council vote.
- May 7: University Council vote
- May 18: VCU Cabinet vote
- June 4: Board of Visitors vote
Our current PTR policy is 13 years old and is a sub-section of the promotion and tenure policy. Following the revision of the Promotion and Tenure policy last year, it is a logical and necessary step to update the PTR policy.
Transitioning PTR into its own standalone policy aligns VCU with other R1 public universities and ensures we have a modern framework that supports faculty development and better protects the vital institution of tenure.
No. The primary goal of this revision is support and development. The university already has a PTR policy; this update is about ensuring we have clear, fair mechanisms to help faculty who may be performing below satisfactory levels. It represents an update to a modern framework that supports faculty development and better protects tenure.
Additionally, in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation and the Office of the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, the Office of the Provost has completed the first round of VCU’s Research Faculty Hiring Plan. The goal of the plan is to create approximately 23 tenure and tenure-track positions over the next three years to continue to elevate VCU's impact as an R1 public research university. Six positions have already been approved for this first round.
It will not. The process for earning tenure is separate from the Post-Tenure Review process. This policy only applies to faculty who have already earned tenure.
To ensure a balanced perspective, the review will include three distinct layers:
- A faculty committee (peer review)
- The Dean
- The Executive Vice President and Provost
Yes. Protecting faculty rights is a priority. The revised policy includes a specific grievance or appeals process for faculty who disagree with the findings of their review, ensuring that no single administrator has the final word without a path for recourse.
VCU remains committed to the principles of academic freedom as the bedrock of our research mission. By maintaining a peer-led committee as the first step of the review, we ensure that evaluations are grounded in disciplinary expertise and academic merit.
No. We recognize that "excellence" looks different in different disciplines. While the policy provides a consistent framework university-wide, the criteria should reflect the specific disciplinary norms of the department and school.
A robust PTR policy acknowledges that faculty careers evolve. The review process is designed to evaluate a faculty member’s contribution to the university's mission holistically, valuing high-impact service and teaching excellence alongside research, scholarship, and creative activity, in alignment with the faculty member’s effort allocation.
Tenure comes with the responsibility of continued excellence. By implementing a modern, transparent PTR process, we demonstrate to the public that tenured faculty at VCU are held to high standards and are continuously contributing to the Commonwealth. A strong PTR policy defends tenure by proving that the system has internal accountability.