102.01 Tenured Faculty

All tenured faculty members employed under written contract for the fiscal or academic year of two semesters who do not wish employment with the University for a subsequent fiscal or academic year shall give written notice of their intention to resign to the President postmarked no later than February 1, immediately preceding the expiration of the contract period. (#803.06, Board of Regents Policy Manual, University System of Georgia)

102.0201 The Probationary Period

1. The substantive and procedural standards generally employed in decisions affecting renewal of appointments, promotion and tenure are published in this Handbook. When a new faculty member is employed, the Department Chair will ensure that the new faculty member receives a copy of this Handbook or at least is referred to the Web site <www.westga.edu/~vpaa/handbook/>  and the relevant written departmental promotion and tenure policies and procedures. These specific department policies may be more precise than the institution-wide criteria delineated herein, but they must generally conform to them. Department policies on promotion and tenure must be developed by the tenured department faculty members in consultation with the department chair and the appropriate college dean or Library Director. If there are fewer than three tenured faculty members in a department, the appropriate dean or Library Director, in consultation with the department chair and the faculty members in the department, shall appoint a sufficient number of tenured faculty members from similar disciplines outside that department to develop these departmental policies, so long as a majority of those who develop these policies are not department chairs. These policies must have the approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. It is the responsibility of the individual faculty member to be aware of these policies and expectations.
2. Pre-Tenure Review. Assistant professors in their third year (or those serving a full probationary period regardless of professorial rank)are required to have a pre-tenure review. This review will be conducted by a Pre-Tenure Review Committee. This committee shall be composed of tenured faculty members of the department, selected by the faculty of the department by whatever means the faculty of the department shall determine. If there are fewer than three tenured faculty members in a department, the appropriate dean or Library Director in consultation with the department chair and the faculty members in the department, shall appoint a sufficient number of tenured faculty members from similar disciplines outside that department to constitute this committee. No department chair may serve on a Pre-Tenure Review Committee.  This Committee shall thoroughly and comprehensively review the individual's achievements and performance in light of the department's promotion and tenure policies. The Pre-Tenure Review Committee will report its findings to the tenured faculty members of the department, to the department chair, and to the college dean (or Library Director). The report will state in writing whether progress toward promotion and/or tenure is sufficient at this time. In addition, the department chair and the dean of the college (or Library Director) will each provide a separate written report as to the progress of the faculty member toward promotion and/or tenure.  The faculty member under review shall receive written copies of the reports prepared by the Pre-Tenure Review Committee, the department chair, and the college dean (or Library Director).  The faculty member is encouraged to reply to the reports. Progress judged toward promotion and/or tenure in the reports does not guarantee or prejudice a favorable recommendation later on.
3. Any recommendation to the department chair regarding reappointment shall be reached by a departmental faculty group in accordance with procedures approved by the faculty in that department. Available evidence bearing on the relevant performance of the candidate should be sought out and considered in light of the relevant standards.
4. In any year a department may recommend whether or not to extend a contract to a non-tenured faculty member. This recommendation shall be made by the department chair in consultation with the tenured faculty members in the department. Recommendations for reappointment of faculty members shall be presented through the appropriate administrative channels to the President for his or her consideration, so long as administrators under consideration for reappointment do not have an opportunity to make recommendations with respect to their own status as faculty members.

1. By or before the beginning of the contract year, the President shall, in writing, advise all non-tenured faculty members and other non-tenured personnel employed under written contract (except those who are in their first year of employment) whether an employment contract for the succeeding academic year will be offered to them. Such written notice shall be delivered by hand or by certified mail to the addressee only.
Notice of the intention to renew or not to renew a non-tenured faculty member shall be furnished in writing according to the following schedule:
1. at least three months before the date of termination of an initial one-year contract;
2. at least six months before the date of termination of a second one-year contract;
3. at least nine months before the date of termination of a contract after two or more years of service in the institution.
2. Non-tenured faculty and other non-tenured personnel employed under written contract shall be employed only for the term specified in their contracts, and subsequent or future employment, if any, shall result solely from a separate offer and acceptance requisite to execution of a new and distinct contract. (Par. 803.06 Policies of The Board of Regents, University System of Georgia)