Promotion and Tenure
Both at Purdue and within the College of Engineering, we seek to reward faculty who demonstrate excellence in discovery, learning and engagement. Our promotion and tenure policies are designed to recognize those who demonstrate excellence in creative endeavors, research, scholarship, teaching, learning, extension and outreach.
- Review by Your Peers: Promotion and tenure is considered through your school’s Primary Committee (PC), which is made up of your colleagues—tenured full professors and associate professors—and chaired by your school or department head.
- Annual Feedback: The PC reviews every assistant and associate professor annually, provides written feedback and nominates faculty ready to be considered for promotion. Assistant professors must be nominated during their sixth year, but earlier nominations (and self-nominations) are welcome.
- Your Promotion Documents: After you’ve been nominated, you’ll work with a subcommittee of PC members to prepare your promotion document and gather 5-6 letters of recommendation for submission.
- Approval Process: Your PC will review your submission for promotion or tenure. Once they approve, they’ll forward it on to the Engineering Area Promotions Committee (EAPC), then the University Promotions Committee (UPC) and finally to the provost for approval.