Beyond the yellow brick road: A new promotion, tenure planner

CVs, academic narratives, letters of recommendation – oh my! The road to promotion and tenure can feel like a never-ending journey to the Emerald City.

The UNMC Office of Faculty Development unveiled a new Promotion & Tenure Planner to demystify the process. The planner illustrates the requirements and offers a way for faculty to track their progress. While the timelines, requirements and examples in the planner are specific to the UNMC College of Medicine, the tips are applicable across all colleges.

The planner is divided into four sections:

  • The Process: A graphic representation of the overall promotion and tenure process.
  • The Criteria: A simplified breakdown of the pathways to promotion.
  • The Checklist: An organized and customizable checklist to track progress in the four
    areas of emphasis (teaching, research/scholarly activities, patient care and service).
  • The Details: A broad timeline and tips for successfully navigating the process.

The checklist portion of the document was developed by Nicolas Cortes-Penfield, MD, an assistant professor in the division of infectious disease. Dr. Cortes-Penfield created his own milestone tracking document early in his career at UNMC.

“After speaking with peers about my tracking document, I realized it would be just as beneficial for others,” he said about sharing the tool. “The process can be daunting, especially when you’re transitioning to a new organization. Simplifying the requirements makes it more approachable.”

“The planner gives faculty another tool to think about and design their careers strategically,” said Linda Love, EdD, director of faculty development. “It gives them a road map that they can bring to their discussions with their mentors, chairs, departmental promotion and tenure committees and other essential career advisors and coaches within UNMC’s faculty community. It helps faculty to make intentional and purposeful decisions and not leave career advancement to chance.” 

The planner is now available for digital download. To download a copy of the planner, visit this link.

To purchase printed copies of the planner, contact UNMC Printing Services.

For detailed information about UNMC’s promotion and tenure process, visit the newly redesigned webpage.

Faculty also can find additional assistance crafting their teaching portfolio or academic narrative by connecting with the Interprofessional Academy of Educators.