JSSOM Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure

The Process   Guidelines   How to get Promoted   The Dossier

What is Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure?

Appointment, promotion, and tenure for the John Sealy School of Medicine (JSSOM) at the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston is overseen by the JSSOM Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure Committee (JSSOM APTC). Policies and procedures governing these activities are described in the JSSOM APT Guidelines. Promotion and tenure considerations initiate with the submission of a dossier. Promotions and tenure typically become effective September 1 of the next fiscal year. New Appointments can take effect on the faculty member's designated start date after all approvals have been received (when tenure is included, Board of Regents consideration creates a longer turnaround).

Department Workflows and Resources

To Initiate the Process

The Department Chair conducts a thorough evaluation of the candidate's achievements and qualifications for academic appointment, promotion, and/or tenure and submits to the Dean.

  • Requests for appointments or promotions to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor require review by the JSSOM APTC.
  • Requests for appointment or promotion to junior ranks (Instructor or Assistant Professor) are submitted directly to the Dean.
  • Requests for movements to the tenure track or award of tenure at the rank of Associate Professor require review by the JSSOM APTC.

Process Resources

The Department Assembles the Dossier

All materials included within the dossier should be carefully reviewed before submission to the APT Coordinator. The finalized dossier is assembled and submitted to the coordinator via email or SharePoint link for for each candidate.

The dossier is a comprehensive file comprised of the following:

As well as: 

The Department APTC Letter*
Personal Statement
Any supporting documents (i.e. teaching evaluations, unsolicited letters from patients, etc.)

JSSOM APT Coordinator Processes Submissions through Appropriate Channels 

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  • JSSOM APT Committee

    The JSSOM APTC reviews the dossier; the committee may approve, deny, or table the request.

    • If approved, the dossier will be submitted to the Dean for the review of the materials.
    • If the committee denials or tables the request, the Department Chair receives a summary of the decision and may appeal to the committee by providing additional information.

  • Dean's Recommendation

    The Dean reviews all dossiers that have been approved by the JSSOM APTC.

    • If the Dean agrees with the committee's recommendation, the dossier is submitted to the Office of the Provost for review.
    • If denied, the Dean will go back to the Chair of the department to conduct further review.

  • *Provost Recommendation
    If approved by the Dean, the Provost reviews the Dean's recommendation, signs the letter, and forwards the decision to the President.

  • *President's Decision

    If approved by the Provost, the President conducts a review of the dossier; if approved, the President signs and returns the fully executed Presidential Letter to the JSSOM APT coordinator for disbursement.

    *If the dossier is denied or tabled by either the Provost or President, the materials are returned to the Dean. It is the responsibility of the Dean to communicate to the Department Chair and the faculty member the reasons for the denial or tabling. Once the concerns have been addressed, the file is resubmitted to the JSSOM APTC for review.

    If tenure is recommended and approved by the President, the final review and approval is done by the Board of Regents (BOR). The BOR meets quarterly.

Have Questions? We're Here to Help!
For assistance with JSSOM APT items, please contact:
Jacqueline Garcia – jacqugar@utmb.edu