Mid-Cycle Reviews
Policy Update - PROV-017: Employment of Tenure-line Faculty
In February 2025, PROV-017: Employment of Tenure-line Faculty updated. As part of this update, all tenure-line faculty are entitled to a “pre-tenure review,” als referred to as a “mid-cycle review.”
The School of Medicine policy governing tenure-line faculty promotion and tenure states that tenure-eligible Assistant Professors in their third year are entitled to, and must opt-in or opt-out of, the pre-tenure review. Associate Professors in their second year are entitled to, but may opt-out of, the pre-tenure review.
Purpose
The Departmental Mid-Cycle Review is designed to ensure that tenure-eligible faculty members are adequately prepared for the Promotion and Tenure (P&T) process by providing structured feedback on their strengths and opportunities for improvement based on performance since hire or last promotion. It also offers valuable experience in preparing a CV and personal statement in the required School of Medicine (SOM) P&T formats, helping faculty become familiar with the expectations of the process, while feedback from the department’s committee further guides their development and preparation for P&T in the years that follow.
How is the Mid-Cycle Review Used for P&T?
The materials collected by Faculty Affairs will serve as documentation that the mid-cycle review has taken place. These materials will not be reviewed or included in the formal dossier for P&T; rather, they function as a checkpoint to assess progress and support preparation for eventual P&T review. As such, since these documents are not part of the formal P&T review process, the overall P&T process itself will remain unchanged.
Ultimately, the mid-cycle review is designed as a tool to help faculty ensure they are on track for a successful P&T outcome.
Timelines and Materials
Assistant professors are required to indicate their intent to opt in or opt out of the Mid-Cycle Review during the annual performance evaluation conducted in their second year at rank.
Associate Professors are expected to participate in the Mid‑Cycle Review but may elect to opt out during their first annual performance evaluation in rank. This decision will be documented on the annual review form and signed by both the faculty member and the department chair.
The Mid-Cycle Review should be conducted during the faculty member’s third year in rank (if assistant professor) and the second year in rank (if associate professor). The Mid-Cycle Review may occur before or after the annual review, but the Department Chair is required to discuss the committee’s report with the faculty member within three months of the Mid-Cycle Review committee’s assessment.
The department will provide the faculty member with internal deadlines for submitting their Mid-Cycle Review dossier materials for committee review. After the committee submits their review to the department chair or designee, the chair/designee will discuss the report with the faculty member.
The conversation between the chair/designee and faculty member will include a summary of the main points made in the committee report and discussions. This will be provided to the faculty member in a written as well as oral summary by the chair/designee. A Memo of Conversation will be shared with the faculty member, and both the chair/designee and faculty member will sign the memo after the discussion.
The Mid-Cycle Review will only evaluate the faculty member’s dossier. The dossier is comprised of the following documents:
- CV in School of Medicine P&T Format
- Personal Statement
- Portfolios (as applicable)
Departments are responsible for organizing a committee of reviewers for all tenure track faculty in the middle of their probationary period. For Assistant Professors, this review will be completed in their third year in rank. For Associate Professors, the review will be completed in their second year in rank. The committee will review the dossiers and provide feedback about the faculty member’s dossier to the Department Chair. The feedback should include strengths and opportunities for improvement. Reviews may be held earlier if the faculty member and/or the supervisor request.
Committee members must be tenured and at least one rank above the faculty member’s current rank. For example, an Assistant Professor may be reviewed by a tenured Associate Professor or tenured full Professor. An Associate Professor may be reviewed by a tenured full Professor. Committees must consist of at least three members; ideally, the committee members have not served in a formal advising or mentorship role for the faculty member. If the department does not have enough tenured faculty to conduct the review, it may invite faculty from another School of Medicine department to participate on the committee.
No vote is taken during mid-cycle reviews.
The final materials (including the dossier, department committee form, the current year’s annual evaluation, and memo of conversation) must be submitted to Faculty Affairs the first Monday in August. These materials will be uploaded to the O:Drive.
Timeline Examples
Example 1: TE Assistant Professor hired in 2024
- Indicate intent to opt-in or opt-out during the annual review (including on the signed annual review form) in 2026
- If opted-in, submit materials for review by departmental deadlines in 2027
- Discuss the departmental committee’s recommendations with department chair in 2027 (this can occur during the annual review or in addition to the annual review)
Example 2: TE Assistant Professor hired in 2025
- Indicate intent to opt-in or opt-out during the annual review (including on the signed annual review form) in 2027
- If opted-out, no further action is needed for the mid-cycle review
Example 1: TE Associate Professor hired/promoted in 2025
- Confirm intent to undergo the mid-cycle review during the annual review (including on the signed annual review form) in 2026; or opt-out
- If not opted-out, submit materials for review by departmental deadlines in 2027
- Discuss the departmental committee’s recommendations with department chair in 2027 (this can occur during the annual review or in addition to the annual review)
Example 2: TE Associate Professor hired/promoted in 2026
- Confirm intent to undergo the mid-cycle review during the annual review (including on the signed annual review form) in 2027; or opt-out
- If opted-out, no further action is needed for the mid-cycle review