Supporting Guidelines & Resources

The faculty member MUST inform the Chair and submit the notification form to Human Resources: Appointments. (form) Clock stops for childbirth may be granted on a gender neutral basis; these are different from maternity leave. The Office for Faculty Affairs MUST be copied on the HR notification for their records. This information is kept on file in case any questions arise later regarding time in title and reviewing clock stop data in aggregate. 

Note: Tenure clock stops for childbirth, adoption, or foster care, do not require approval. However, they do require notifications to all supervisory levels including the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs for their records.

The faculty member should inform the Chair of the reasons for the necessary clock stop, the Chair should write a memo to the Dean, and the Dean then should grant the clock stop for a specified period and send a copy of that memo (see below) to the Office for Faculty Affairs. This memo is kept on file in case any questions arise later when the faculty member is up for tenure.  The usual time period for clock stops for these reasons is one year, but if the reason endures for a longer period, e.g. the illness persists; the clock stop may be for a longer period.  

Note: Tenure clock adjustment based on a "critical life event", e.g. family member serious illness, elder care issues, etc., only requires approval by the Dean.  It does not require prior provostal approval.  However, they do require notifications to all supervisory levels including the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs for their records.

A clock stop adjustment based on a research setback due to circumstances beyond the faculty member's control must be approved by the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Office. Because the individual circumstances vary, these clock stops are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Examples of such reasons have included delays in setting up labs or obtaining equipment; data destruction; animal problems; university press editor quitting and losing manuscript . . . The faculty member should make a request to Chair, who then transmits this request to the Dean, along with a recommendation. The Dean makes recommendation to the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs who either approves or disapproves. (Form below)

Clock stops will generally be granted for one year.   This makes it much easier to coordinate clock stops with contract renewals, as well as the normal schedule during the tenure review year.   Faculty who receive a clock stop also have the discretion to submit their tenure case on what would have been their “original” tenure clock. In other words, they are not obligated to use extra time provided by the clock stop. 

• Sample Tenure Clock Stop Memo (to be copied to Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs) Note: If the reason for a clock stop adjustment is a research setback due to circumstances beyond the faculty member's control, the clock stop must be approved by the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Office. Because the individual circumstances vary, these clock stops are evaluated on a case by case basis. Examples of such reasons have included delays in setting up labs or obtaining equipment; data destruction; animal problems; university press editor quitting and losing manuscript . . . The process is: faculty member makes request to Chair, who then transmits to Dean with a recommendation, Dean makes recommendation to Office for Faculty Affairs, and the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs reviews and either approves or disapproves. See below for an example how such a request should come forward.
• Sample Request for Tenure Clock Stop Under Extenuating Circumstances (For case by case requests/This form may open as a minimized document at the bottom of your screen depending on your browser.)