External Letters for Full-Time Faculty Reviews
External letters are required for all faculty reviews with the exception of RTA faculty being reviewed for a first reappointment at CoPA, NSSR, Parsons, and SPE. Lang requires letters for all RTA reappointments, including initial ones. Reviewers should hold the rank of associate professor or professor with a preference to similar appointment type and rank. For a field that extends beyond academia, reviewers should be individuals with a well-established and significant reputation in the field who are familiar with the standards of academia.
The number of external letters required is as follows:
- Tenure: a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 10
- Extended-Employment: a minimum of 5
- PPR (Post-Probationary Review) on a tenure or EE track: a minimum of 3
- RTA 2nd reappointments: a minimum of 3
- Lang RTA candidates: a minimum of 3 required for all reappointments.
- Rank Reviews (stand-alone):
- RTA for rank of Associate: a minimum of 3
- Tenure, EE, RTA for rank of Full Professor: a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 7
The creation of a list of potential external letter writers is handled locally by the colleges taking into account the lists provided by the candidate. [See "February" in the Review Timeline for details.]
In order to ensure that no more than 30% of the letters used for the review are from the candidate’s list of suggestions those who handle the solicitation need to be especially mindful of those asked and from which list they are taken so that this 30% rule can be honored. Faculty being reviewed are encouraged as well to provide no more than 3-4 names of potential external letter writers mindful that the review committee will supplement the list with their own list which is likely to already include key figures in your field or discipline.
External reviewers are invited to serve as early in the spring as possible prior to the review year, and generally review the dossiers from July - September of the review year. Reviewers are sent the candidate's full dossier with a cover letter asking for responses to a specific set of questions.
The cover letter sent to external letter writers is based on a template initially provided by the PO and includes specific details as to what is being requested. It includes the assessment language we use (i.e. “excellent” and “good”) and highlights, if relevant, unique features of the case that may need attention.
Final versions of the cover letters are reviewed by the PO (as soon as available in early spring) and once approved the template (without names of any of the potential letter writers) can be shared with the candidate to increase transparency as to the review process. Colleges are asked to include these cover letters in the final dossier package forwarded to review committees at every level of the review.
Reviewers evaluate candidates' research, scholarship, and creative or professional practice (RSCP) along with candidates' contribution to their field, teaching, and service when relevant. Once received, these letters become part of the dossier and the review at every level.
The external letters are strictly confidential. Faculty should never attempt to contact any potential external evaluators, either before, during, or after the review.
Return to the Operational Guidelines for Faculty Reviews for Promotion & Reappointment.