Instructions for Faculty Promotion and Tenure Packet Preparation and Submission in Interfolio

The Interfolio Review, Promotion and Tenure (RPT) system is designed to streamline the review process and ensure that your materials are submitted securely and efficiently. Please follow the instructions below carefully as you prepare your tenure and promotion packet for submission via Interfolio.

These instructions apply to the 2026–2027 promotion and tenure cycle and reflect the updated Interfolio packet templates implemented across colleges. Faculty candidates should carefully review the official promotion and tenure packet template for their college and appointment type before preparing materials.

Packet Templates

The college-specific packet templates define the required sections, narrative prompts, and document uploads that structure your case in Interfolio Review, Promotion, and Tenure (RPT). The template assigned to your case supersedes any prior generalized lists of required materials.

Before preparing your packet, review the official packet template for your college. If you are unsure which template applies to your case, contact your college case manager.

Preparing Your Packet

Each faculty candidate will be assigned a structured packet template in Interfolio that reflects college- and appointment-specific requirements. The template includes:

• Required narrative prompts (e.g., Summary of Accomplishments, Teaching Statement, Research/Scholarship Statement, Service Statement, as applicable)
• Defined upload sections for supporting documentation
• Required forms or institutional documents
• Standardized section order to ensure consistency across cases
• Designated sections for external review materials (managed at the department/college level)

Candidates must follow the organization and prompts within the assigned template. Do not reorganize sections or combine materials in ways that conflict with the template structure.

Begin by compiling your packet materials as described below on your computer and then once you have all materials ready, upload them into Interfolio after you receive email notification that your promotion and/or tenure case is available to you.

Required Submission Materials

Required materials are defined within your assigned packet template in Interfolio. While specific requirements vary by college and faculty classification, most templates include:

• Curriculum vitae (current and complete)
• Summary of accomplishments (aligned to college guidelines)
• Narrative statements addressing teaching, research/scholarship/creative Activity, and service (as applicable to appointment type)
• Evidence of effectiveness in each performance category
• Required institutional forms
• Supplemental materials specified by your college

Refer directly to the prompts and upload sections within your template to determine:

• Word/page limits (if applicable)
• Whether materials should be entered into text fields or uploaded as attachments
• Where to place supporting documentation

The template structure in Interfolio determines the official organization of your packet.

Application for Promotion and/or Tenure

In a web-based form within your packet you will copy/paste the following:

1. Applicant Name
2. Application Type (Promotion and Tenure / Promotion Only / Tenure Only)
3. Current Rank
4. Department/School/Division
5. Educational Background (Include name of institution and location, dates attended, and degree earned)
6. Professional Experience (List institutions, rank or title, and dates of appointment concerning all professional positions in chronological order showing the most recent first. Include name of institution, rank/title, and appointment dates)
7. Effective Date of Promotion/Tenure (Date Promotion / Tenure will become effective, if approved)
8. NIU Employment Start Date
9. Number of Years in Present Rank at NIU (Number of years must include the current academic year when the promotion and/or tenure application is reviewed at the university level)
10. Number of years of full-time college-level teaching prior to NIU (Number of years of full-time college-level teaching in the rank of Assistant / Associate / Professor prior to joining NIU)
11. Memorandum of Understanding (State whether this position is covered by an MOU that modifies promotion / tenure criteria or procedures)
12. This is an early application (Yes / No)
13. This is a short-track application (Yes / No)

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

CV should be updated and follow any provided department or college guidelines and then upload.

Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness

Upload any evidence of teaching effectiveness, which could include:

1. Student course evaluations
2. Peer teaching reviews
3. Sample syllabi and instructional materials

Scholarly or Creative Work

Upload copies of published articles, books, conference presentations or other relevant works.

Service Contributions

Documentation of university, professional and community service activities.

Additional Supporting Materials

Any other documentation relevant to your tenure and promotion case.

Formatting Guidelines

Follow the formatting guidance provided within your college’s packet template. If page limits or specific formatting standards are identified in the template, those instructions take precedence.

Document Organization

Organize documents on your personal computer or Office 365 file storage and then upload to your Interfolio case once finalized and ready for review.

File Format

Submit documents as PDFs unless otherwise specified.

File Naming

Use clear and consistent file naming that suits your portfolio and discipline. A key goal is to make it easy for reviewers to locate documentation aligned with the activiries and works that you list.

Submitting Your Packet

1. Once you are notified that your case is created, log in to Interfolio using your NIU credentials.
2. Navigate to your case under the "Cases" section.
3. Upload all required materials to your packet in the designated sections. When you are ready to upload your materials, click the EDIT button for the associated section of your case.
4. Review your packet for accuracy and completeness.
5. Submit your packet before the deadline.

Before submitting, carefully review each section of the template to ensure all required prompts have been addressed and required documents uploaded. Incomplete packets may delay review.

Once submitted, you may not be able to modify materials unless the case is returned to you by your department or college. Your case will move through the review process at the departmental, college and university levels.

Review Process Overview

Your case will be reviewed in the following sequence:

1. External Review (if applicable) – Evaluation by external colleagues in your field, as per your department and college guidelines
2. Departmental Review – Evaluation by department personnel committee and chair/director
3. College Review – Review by the college council and the dean
4. University Review – Review by the faculty senate personnel committee
5. Provost Review – Review by the provost
6. President Review and Final Decision - Review by University President and sent to Board of Trustees for final approval

You will be notified at each stage regarding the status of your case.

Deadlines

Check with your department and college for local deadlines as well as university deadlines listed in Faculty Promotion and Tenure Guidelines.

Contact Information for Assistance

For assistance or questions in preparing your promotion and/or tenure packet or the status of your case throughout the review process, contact your college Interfolio coordinator.

For detailed policy information, refer to NIU Faculty Senate Bylaws Article 8: The Academic Personnel Process and NIU Faculty Promotion and Tenure Guidelines.