Appointments, Tenure and Promotion

Work Patterns: Teaching/Service (TS); and Teaching/Scholarship /Service (TSS)

There are two full time faculty work patterns: the Teaching-Service Pattern (TS), and Teaching-Scholarship-Service Pattern (TSS). The expectations and workloads for these two patterns differ. Faculty in the TS pattern are generally required to teach eight courses (with 3h/wk instructional time) over the academic year, and are also expected to contribute to the University through service. Faculty employed in the TSS pattern are expected to produce scholarly work, and are generally required to teach six courses per year in addition to contributing through service. Workload is described in more detail in Article 14 of the Collective Agreement. Faculty are hired in one pattern or another, however, there is an option to change work patterns after tenure.

Both patterns are valued equally for tenure and promotion.

Tenure

As stated in Article 10 of the Collective Agreement, tenure refers to a permanent appointment and it represents a major commitment between the institution and the Employee. Tenure carries with is a significant responsibility for the Employee, including the obligation to continue to perform at a high level of professionalism. A tenured appointment may only be terminated by retirement, resignation, mutual consent, redundancy, or dismissal for just cause (as described in Article 4.13 of the Collective Agreement.

All full time faculty are eligible for tenure (this includes professors, librarians, counselors and educational developers, but excludes laboratory instructors). New faculty are generally hired for a five-year probationary period as an Assistant Professor. During this period the candidate needs to fulfill the requirements for tenure which include evidence of proficient and scholarly teaching, evidence of significant contributions in service, and evidence of scholarship (where applicable). A more detailed description of the criteria for tenure can be found in the Tenure and Promotion Handbook which is available at MyMRU. Please note: the responsibility for meeting the criteria for tenure rests with the employee so please read the Tenure and Promotion Handbook (as well as the documents referred to therein) carefully.

Promotion

Once you’ve been granted tenure, you are promoted to the Rank of Associate Professor.

All associate professors are eligible for promotion to the Rank of Professor. At MRU this is a formal recognition of sustained excellence as an Employee in an instructionally-focused undergraduate university. You can apply for promotion based on one of the following categories:

  • Excellence and Leadership in Teaching
  • Excellence in Scholarship and Proficient and Scholarly Teaching
  • Substantial Contribution in Service

The details of the criteria and application process for promotion to Professor can be found in Article 11 of the Collective Agreement and in the Tenure and Promotion Handbook (MyMRU / Faculty).

Related Information

Members of Tenure or Promotion committees are encouraged to review the Fall 2023 TPC Workshop for more details.

Members are required to inform the MRFA when applying for Tenure or Promotion. Please complete the online form to inform us of your application.

Tenure and Promotion Resources:

General Reference and Timelines

Dossiers and Annual Reports

Peer Evals and SPoTs

Teaching
Scholarship

MRFA PD Scholarship Series Event Notes (2021-2022)

Service

Pandemic Impacts

MRFA Events Calendar

MRFA Events and Deadlines Calendar


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