III. The Promotion Dossier

Section B. College or School Review

III.B.1. The Dean's Letter*

This letter transmits the dossier to the Provost.  It should contain the Dean’s recommendation or that of the Vice Provost for University Libraries and discuss the factors considered in making the recommendation.  It should also contain the votes of the Personnel Committee at the level of the College/School/Library as well as any other advisory bodies at that level that have been authorized to act.  The letter should include the following:

  • A statement about the mission of the College/School/Unit, including its future growth and direction, and the contribution of the candidate’s work to that mission;
  • In the case of a promotion that might be construed as early, a statement giving the explicit reasons why early promotion is merited;
  • An explanation of any irregularities or anomalies in the case, amplifying in this regard the letter of the Chair as necessary;
  • A specific endorsement or modification of the Chair’s assessment of the candidate’s scholarly activity and instructional effectiveness, explaining the criteria used as a basis for these evaluations.

*The Dean’s letter should be placed at the front of the dossier before the Chair’s letter.