Policy 4:16 - Post-Tenure Review

Policy 4:16 - Post-Tenure Review

BLACK HILLS STATE UNIVERSITY

Policy and Procedure Manual

SUBJECT: Post-Tenure Review 

NUMBER: 4:16

Office/Contact: Human Resources

Source: SDBOR Policy 4.4.11, SDBOR Policy 4.4.4, BHSU Policy 4:9

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish the procedures for conducting Post Tenure Review (PTR) of tenured faculty at Black Hills State University. PTR is intended to ensure that faculty performance continues to meet institutional standards in the areas of teaching and advising, scholarship/creative activity, and service, consistent with Board of Regents expectations and BHSU’s academic mission. PTR complements BHSU’s annual Professional Staff Evaluation (PSE) process and uses a cumulative five-year review of faculty performance.

Definitions

1. Post Tenure Review (PTR): A five-year comprehensive evaluation of tenured faculty performance conducted in accordance with SDBOR Policy 4:4:11.
2. Annual Professional Staff Evaluation (PSE): BHSU’s annual faculty evaluation process, required for all faculty, as described in BOR Policy 4.4.4 and BHSU Policy 4:9
3. Faculty Improvement Plan (FIP): A structured plan created when a faculty member does not meet expectations, including goals, supports, timeframes, and follow up evaluation, consistent with SDBOR policy.
4. Tenured Faculty Member: A faculty unit member who has been granted tenure by the Board of Regents.

Policy

1. Review Cycle: All tenured faculty must undergo PTR every five (5) years, based on the five most recent PSE evaluations and accompanying documentation. Post-tenure review normally occurs in the 6th year after a faculty member achieves tenure or promotion to full Professor (covering the five-year period since earning tenure or promotion to Professor), and subsequently every five years thereafter.
   1. Faculty who apply for and are granted promotion from Associate to full Professor reset the five-year clock on PTR review.
   2. Administrators who return to a faculty position reset the five-year clock on PTR review.
   3. Faculty within one year of announced retirement, resignation, or other forms of employment are exempt from PTR. An official notice of retirement or resignation must be submitted and on file in HR to be exempt.
   4. Other exceptions to the PTR review cycle are outlined in BOR policy 4.4.11.
2. Standards for Evaluation
   • Performance will be assessed relative to departmental and institutional standards for teaching/advising, scholarship/creative activity, and service, referencing standards used in the Promotion & Tenure process and annual PSE structure.
3. Evaluation Ratings
   1. Consistent with BOR Policy 4:4:11, each PTR will conclude with one of the following:
      • Exceeds Expectations
      • Meets Expectations
      • Does Not Meet Expectations

Procedures

1. PTR Schedule
   1. Academic Affairs will make available the PTR review calendar, identifying faculty scheduled for review and aligning PTR deadlines
      1. Faculty undergoing PTR the next academic year will be notified by May 15 of the previous spring semester.
   2. Faculty will submit their PTR dossiers to their school chair by February School chairs will forward the dossiers with their recommendations to their college PTR committee by February 15.
   3. The college PTR committees will forward the dossiers with their recommendations to their college deans by March 1.
   4. The college deans will forward the dossiers with their recommendations to the University PTR Committee by March 15.
   5. The University PTR Committee will forward its recommendations to the Provost by April 1. The provost will finalize recommendations to the President by April 15.
2. Dossier Requirements
   1. The faculty member must submit a dossier that includes:
      • Personal Statement addressing teaching/advising, scholarship/creative activity, and service over the past five years.
      • Annual PSEs for each of the five years under review.
      • Curriculum Vitae (current).
      • Teaching Evaluations (from the previous five years).
3. Faculty Improvement Plans (FIPs)
   1. If a faculty member receives a rating of Does Not Meet Expectations in their annual evaluation in the year prior to or the year of their PTR review:
      1. The faculty member may receive a FIP outlining deficiencies, goals, measures, supports, timeline, and evaluation procedures.
      2. PTR may be postponed by one year, subject to approval by the Executive Director.
      3. Upon completion of the FIP period, the faculty member will complete PTR the following year.
4. Outcomes
   1. The faculty member receives an overall performance rating of Meets Expectations or Exceeds Expectations after presidential review. Their next post-tenure review will take place no sooner than the end of their next five-year cycle.
   2. The faculty member receives an overall performance rating of Does Not Meet Expectations after presidential review but has not received an annual performance rating of Does Not Meet Expectations in any category of the previous five annual evaluations and has not been placed on a Faculty Improvement Plan in the previous five years. As a result of the post-tenure review, the faculty member will be placed on a Faculty Improvement Plan and issued a one-year term contract for the following academic year.
      1. Successful completion of the Faculty Improvement Plan will result in continuation of tenure in a probationary status until their next post-tenure review.
      2. Faculty Improvement Plans must be approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the appropriate dean. Faculty Improvement Plans will begin at the start of the fall semester. Faculty members must meet the requirements of the plan within 6 months of receiving the final version of the Faculty Improvement Plan.
      3. Faculty may be notified in advance of a formally assigned Faculty Improvement Plan regarding its likely conditions.
      4. Faculty Improvement Plans should consist of goals that can be realistically achieved in the allotted six months.
      5. Failure to meet the requirements of the Faculty Improvement Plan will result in the faculty member completing their one-year term contract and not being offered a continuing contract beyond that. The faculty member would retain eligibility to apply for open non- tenurable positions within the Board of Regents system.
5. The faculty member receives an overall performance rating of Does Not Meet Expectations after presidential review and has either received an annual performance rating of Does Not Meet Expectations in any category of the previous five annual evaluations or has been placed on a Faculty Improvement Plan in the previous five years. As a result of the post-tenure review, tenure will be non-renewed, and the faculty member will be issued a one-year term contract for the following year. The faculty member would retain eligibility to apply for open non-tenurable positions within the Board of Regents system.

Responsibilities

1. Faculty Member
   1. Prepares and submits the PTR dossier by the published deadline.
   2. Participates in review processes and, if applicable, improvement planning.
2. Department Chair
   1. Reviews dossier independently and submits a written recommendation.
3. College P&T Committee
   1. Conducts a college-level evaluation, ensuring consistency with college standards, and submits a written recommendation.
4. College Dean
   1. Conducts a college-level evaluation and submits a written recommendation.
5. University PTR Committee
   1. Ensures consistency across colleges; provides a recommendation to the provost.
6. Provost/VPPA
   1. Issues institutional recommendations to the president and authorizes/implements any required improvement plans or personnel actions.
7. BHSU President
   1. Issues final PTR determinations and notifies faculty.
   2. Submits annual report to the Board of Regents as required by BOR Policy 4.4.11.
8. Records and Confidentiality
   1. All PTR files, evaluations, and related documentation are considered confidential personnel records and will be retained by Academic Affairs in accordance with SDBOR records policies.
      1. BHSU Human Resources will receive a copy of the final PTR decision notification to place in the faculty member’s official personnel file.
9. Training and Support
   1. Academic Affairs will provide annual training for faculty and committee members on PTR expectations, evaluation standards, dossier preparation, and procedural requirements.

Source and Revision History

Adopted by President 2026.05.14. New policy adopted to comply with SDBOR systemwide implementation of PTR beginning AY 2026–27.