Interfolio Frequently Asked Questions

Interfolio RPT is an online platform that streamlines faculty review processes, including promotion, tenure and annual reviews. It allows candidates to submit materials, committees to review cases and administrators to manage workflows efficiently.

NIU is adopting Interfolio RPT to improve efficiency, transparency and consistency in faculty review processes. By replacing paper-based workflows, the system provides a secure, centralized platform that aligns with the university’s changes to promotion and tenure bylaws. Interfolio RPT streamlines the review process, reducing administrative burden and improving data security. It also simplifies the management of external reviews, ensuring a seamless and modernized approach. NIU joins a growing number of 500+ institutions that use Interfolio RPT to support fair, clear, and efficient faculty evaluations.

No, requirements are not changing for promotion and tenure consideration at NIU. You are only required to submit the materials outlined in your department or school bylaws and follow the usual submission timeline established by your department.

We are simply updating the medium for doing so through Interfolio to streamline workflows while enhancing security, ensuring compliance with evolving guidelines and reducing administrative burden. The goal is for our faculty and staff to be able to focus more on their teaching, research and service.

Faculty, committee members, and administrators can log in via the Interfolio portal by searching for Northern Illinois University and then entering their institutional credentials (NIU Account ID and password) when prompted.

Currently, on-demand training resources are available, including Interfolio’s help guides and interactive training courses.

Live NIU-specific Interfolio training is being scheduled for those who will be using the system during the 2025-2026 cycle. Find more details here.

You can access Interfolio’s support resources, including user guides and interactive training courses, curated on the Interfolio at NIU support website and through the Interfolio Product Help Center. These materials cover key functions for faculty, committee members and administrators.

Yes, NIU-specific training sessions and documentation will be introduced later this year to align with institutional processes. The first of these sessions, for case managers and faculty candidates, are being scheduled. See available training details to learn more and stay up-to-date.

Email the Interfolio at NIU team interfolio@niu.edu with your questions.

Interfolio Scholar Services is available for live support Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. CT. You can call, email, or chat with any technical questions at 833-844-2118 or interfolio-support@elsevier.com.

No, all current deadlines and existing departmental requirements remain exactly the same. You still follow your usual departmental timeline for submission. Each department, as it has always been, establishes their own deadlines.

No. You are only required to submit the materials outlined in your department or school bylaws and follow the usual submission timeline established by your department.

The Office of the Provost is requesting that you submit this form if you intend to seek promotion and/or tenure for the 2026-2027 academic year.

We will communicate this initial intent with case managers in your unit to assist in their preparations. However, completing this form is not a substitute for your unit-level processes, and your submission neither prohibits nor precludes your 2026-2027 application. If you are uncertain about applying for promotion and tenure in 2026-2027, go ahead and submit this form.

Your submitted notification helps ensure that the Office of the Provost includes you in all targeted communications and support as you prepare your application. In addition, it will help to prioritize college-level specification of the application templates in Interfolio for the upcoming 2026-2027 year. General information about Interfolio at NIU is available here.

If you are not seeking promotion and/or tenure in this cycle, no action is required. Please refer to your department or school bylaws for the usual submission timeline and specified criteria.

You will receive an email notification when your case is created. Log in to Interfolio, review the required documents and forms, upload your materials and submit by the deadline.

Yes, download the available summary of accomplishments document template from among the following that applies to you, complete and upload into your Interfolio packet.

• Clinical Faculty Summary of Accomplishments Template (DOCX)
• Faculty Summary of Accomplishments Template (DOCX)
• University Library Faculty Summary of Accomplishments Template (DOCX)

You can not only find an introduction to NIU faculty promotion and tenure packet templates, but after you login to Interfolio with your NIU username and password you can navigate to a preview of the various packet templates in the system.

1. Click the arrow beside your name in the upper right corner and then click Interfolio Dossier
2. Click Collections
3. Click Guidelines
4. Under Search for Guidelines, click Select a unit and then Northern Illinois University

Interfolio supports a variety of file types, including PDFs, Word documents and images. File size limits may apply.

Once you submit your packet, edits are typically restricted. If you need to make changes, contact your case manager to discuss options.

You can track your case status within Interfolio RPT. You will also receive notifications as your case moves through the review process.

Access is restricted to authorized committee members and administrators at each stage of review. Interfolio ensures confidentiality and data security.

Faculty candidates submitting their promotion and tenure packet in Interfolio RPT should upload the documents intended for external reviewers to the section labeled "Candidate Documents for External Evaluation." This section is specifically designated for materials that will be shared with external reviewers as part of the review process.

To upload your documents:

1. Log in to Interfolio RPT.
2. Navigate to your Promotion and Tenure case under "Your Packets."
3. Locate the section titled "Candidate Documents for External Evaluation."
4. Click "Add File" to upload the appropriate materials.

If you have questions about what to include, please contact your department chair for guidance.

Log in to Interfolio, navigate to the Cases tab, and select the assigned case. You can view submitted materials, evaluation criteria and submit recommendations.

While you cannot annotate directly on submitted documents, you can add private notes (visible only to you) for committee discussions when viewing within the Interfolio document reader.

Yes, faculty review policies and criteria remain the same. Interfolio simply facilitates digital access to materials. Reviewers should follow NIU’s established evaluation procedures.

Access will be restricted once your committee’s review stage is complete. Check with the case manager if you need to reference materials later.

You oversee case setup, ensure reviewers have access, manage deadlines and facilitate the review process. You may also communicate with candidates and committees.

Within Interfolio, you can designate committee members and adjust access permissions as needed. Work with your college case manager to ensure the correct reviewers are assigned to your case(s).

Yes, Interfolio allows you to send automated or manual reminders to reviewers about upcoming deadlines.

First, verify their role permissions in Interfolio. If issues persist, email interfolio@niu.edu for assistance.

This usually happens if the incorrect case template was used when setting up the candidate’s case in Interfolio. Committee forms are tied to the case template, which determines whether the options for promotion, tenure, or both appear.

If you notice a mismatch, please check with your college case manager to confirm that the correct case template was applied. If it was not, the case manager can update the case forms to ensure the appropriate options are available for recording committee recommendations and vote tallies (whether for promotion, tenure, or both).

Case managers set up cases by selecting a workflow template, adding candidate information and ensuring the correct review steps and documents are included.

Yes, Interfolio allows customization of workflows to align with NIU’s specific review processes.

Workflows are designed to follow NIU’s official policies. Case managers should verify setup details before launching cases to ensure alignment.

Once a review is finalized, cases are archived in Interfolio for record-keeping. Access can be granted to appropriate personnel as needed.

If you realize that the wrong case template was used when creating a candidate’s case, do not attempt to correct it on your own. Please email interfolio@niu.edu for assistance from the NIU Interfolio team. They will help ensure that the correct forms and settings are applied so the case is properly configured.

To avoid delays in the review process, we recommend reaching out as early as possible if you suspect a template error.