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Associate Professor Time-in-Rank Policies

College of Arts and Sciences

  1. Beginning FY09, a College-wide expectation will be set that all faculty are to achieve the rank of full professor within seven to eight years of promotion to associate professor.  Such a policy will help structure faculty in much the same way as the promotion to associate professor does and erase the ambiguous timeframe that currently exists.  The College recognizes that for some faculty there will be circumstances that will require variations (e.g., becoming a parent of a child or assuming significant responsibilities for the care of a relative or domestic partner).Beginning FY09 the College will offer a one-course reduction during the third- or fourth-year after tenure to all regular title series associate professors who were promoted from assistant to associate professor at UK, provided that they have provided continuous service since the receipt of tenure.  The course reduction cannot fall in a semester immediately following or preceding a semester of sabbatical leave.  The one-course reduction is subject to the approval of the A&S Dean's Office and in consultation with the department chair.  It is also contingent on the submission and approval of a research proposal.  The research proposal should not be longer than five pages in length and should include the following: a research agenda, a proposed timetable for promotion to professor, and the progress made since receipt of tenure. Application (doc)
  2. Beginning FY09 all department chairs and senior colleagues will be asked to consider ways in which to mentor informally associate professors.  It is recommended – given the saddle-shaped curve of faculty productivity – that such mentorship begins following successful promotion to associate professor with tenure.