Promotion and Tenure Case Review Internal Sections

The following internal case sections are built into case templates and designed to compliment the promotion and tenure case review steps and provide organization to the materials that the review committees at the department, college and university levels add to the case as part of the review. These sections are not visible to the candidate but instead are used in configuring the specific requirements for the reviewers of the case in the case review steps. These internal case sections also provide the capability for committee managers to add files for documenting and facilitating early, short-track, split decisions, appeals, and any other special circumstances.

External Review Process Documentation

Purpose

Documents how external reviewers were identified, vetted and invited to ensure the review process followed departmental, college and university procedures and that reviewers were independent and appropriately qualified.

Include

Candidate list of suggested reviewers (if applicable)
Department/Chair list of suggested reviewers
Rationale for reviewer selection
Independence verification documentation
Reviewer qualifications (CV, bio, or link)
Invitation tracking log (sent/accepted/declined)
Copies of solicitation templates used (not individual letters)
Any approved deviations from standard external review procedures

Guidance on Soliciting External Reviews and Selecting Access Level for Letters

In eliciting your requests for external evaluation, be sure to include an explicit confidentiality reminder, for example, "Please note that all materials shared as part of this promotion and tenure evaluation are confidential. They may not be distributed, discussed, or used for any purpose outside this review process."

When requesting an external evaluation in Interfolio, be sure to select the access level that aligns with your department’s established policies and procedures for external letters. The available options include:

Administrators & Entire Committee – Grants access to all committees at every review level that will view the case (e.g., Department Personnel Committee, College Council, Faculty Senate Personnel Committee).
Administrators & Committee Managers – Grants access only to designated committee managers (e.g., DPC Chair, Department Chair, College Council Chair, and Dean).
Administrators Only – Limits access to system administrators (i.e., the Provost’s Office); no other reviewers at any level will have access.

Unless your unit has a different standing practice, it is recommended that departments select either “Administrators & Entire Committee” or “Administrators & Committee Managers.”

External Evaluations

Purpose

Contains the confidential external assessment letters evaluating the candidate’s scholarship/creative activity and professional standing. All external review letters requested through the Interfolio system will automatically be added into this section of the case when the external review submits.

Interfolio System Forms / Documents Automatically Included

All received external evaluation letters requested through the Interfolio system

Additional Optional Items to Include

Certified translations (if letters are not in English)
Documentation of unusable letters (e.g., reviewer withdrew after submission) if policy requires retention

Do Not Include

Solicitation correspondence
Reviewer CVs
Reviewer selection rationale
Follow-up emails or reminders

(This section should function as the official sealed record of external evaluations.)

Department Review Materials

Purpose

Records the departmental evaluation and recommendation regarding the case.

Interfolio System Forms / Document Uploads to Include

Department Personnel Committee Overall Recommendation Form
Department Personnel Committee Vote Tally Form
Department Chair Vote Form
Department Chair (Part II) Document
Department-level Notification to Candidate

Additional Optional Items to Include

Requests for clarification to the candidate (if any)
Candidate responses at the department level (if any)
Documentation of recusals (if relevant to departmental vote)
Any documentation of early, short-track, split decision or appeal at the department level

(This section should function as the official record of all department-level review processes and related communications.)

College Review Materials

Purpose

Records the college-level review and recommendation of the case.

Interfolio System Forms / Document Uploads to Include

College Council Overall Recommendation Form
College Council Vote Tally Form
Dean Vote Form
College Commentary
College-level Notification to Candidate

Additional Optional Items to Include

Any documentation of early, short-track, split decision or appeal at the college level

(This section should function as the official record of all college-level review processes and related communications.)

University Review Materials

Purpose

Records the university-level review and recommendation of the case.

Interfolio System Forms / Document Uploads to Include

Faculty Senate Personnel Committee Summary Form
Provost Summary Form
Letter After Faculty Senate Personnel Committee Review
Letter After Board of Trustees Vote

Additional Optional Items to Include

Any documentation of early, short-track, split decision or appeal at the university level

(This section should function as the official record of all university-level review processes and related communications.)

Supplemental Administrative Documentation

Purpose

Maintains a transparent administrative record without cluttering evaluative sections.

Interfolio System Forms / Document Uploads to Include

Candidate Cover Sheet

Additional Optional Items to Include

Approved late additions or corrections to the case
Withdrawn or replaced documents (retain with notation)
Timeline exceptions or approved extensions relevant to the review process
Procedural clarifications added during review
Accessibility or accommodation documentation related to process (not medical details)
Other administrative materials required for audit or grievance review

Additional Resources

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Email the Interfolio at NIU team with any questions about the faculty promotion and tenure submission and review process using Interfolio.

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