Promotion to Full Professor
Supporting faculty in taking their next professional step
The promotion to full professor is based on each faculty member's achievements. The candidate should have made substantial contributions that have had a significant impact in the field, beyond the contribution that earned tenure. Full professors are expected to continue to produce research at a rate and of a quality commensurate with leaders in the field and be recognized as an expert in their field at a national and international level.
A candidate for full professor has demonstrated evidence of excellence in teaching and mentoring, and made significant contributions to the mission of the University, either through service to their department or college/school
Number of years in rank is not part of the requirements for promotion to full professor. The timing is individual, and expectations vary by discipline.
We help to ensure transparency, consistency, and equity
Prepare your file
As with promotion to tenured associate professor, your part of the file includes: CV; Statements on research, teaching, and service (three separate statements); Sample publications, talks, and/or creative works; Courses taught; Honors and awards; Dissertations and/or theses advised; Sample syllabi; List of external reviewers; Service to your department, university, and profession.
Timing
As with promotion to associate with tenure, the review process involves many steps and thus you should discuss the timing of your submission with your chair as early as possible to make sure to give the following steps sufficient time.
External Evaluation
Your tenure file will be sent for external review. Depending on your field, this stage of the process can take different amounts of time.
Review External Evaluator Requirements
Department, School/College Review
Your departmental review committee will evaluate your file. Only full professors will vote and your chair or committee head will write a letter to the dean. The college or school promotion and tenure committee will review your file and then vote. Your file will then be submitted to your dean for their review and recommendation.
Provost's Office Review
By January 15, your dean will submit your file to the Provost’s Office. The Provost’s Office will review your file and make its recommendation.
President's Office Review
The President's Office will review your file and make a determination.
Celebrate your Accomplishment
Every fall, the university hosts a celebration of newly tenured and promoted faculty.
Expedited Tenure
Granted as part of the hiring process
Expedited tenure is only for senior hires: faculty or administrative leadership who have already held tenure at another institution.
In these cases, candidates are hired with the understanding that they are qualified for tenure at the point of hire.
- Expedited tenure is not for faculty already on campus
- It is not an opportunity to evaluate the candidates once they have arrived
- It is not the same as going up early/credit for prior service
Hiring administrative leaders
Deans or Above
During the search, the hiring manager should ask leadership of the potential home department of the candidate whether the department views the candidate as likely to receive tenure and promotion within that department.
An email attestation of a discussion/preliminary vote is sent to the hiring manager and included in the candidate's expedited tenure file in Interfolio.
Hiring a Senior Scholar
Prior to making an offer to a senior hire with "expedited tenure," senior members of the department should hold a preliminary vote on the candidate's likely tenure and promotion, should the candidate accept the offer.
To prepare for this discussion, chairs may solicit additional information from the candidate, such as teaching evaluations or letters of recommendation, but must not contact the candidate's home department.
The results of this preliminary vote should be documented and saved for the candidate's expedited file in Interfolio.
The Process
Stony Brook uses Interfolio for promotion and tenure, and reappointment.
Candidate files will be initiated in Interfolio by their home department's assistant to the chair (ATC).