At the College, the only criteria for tenure and promotion are those stated in the Ithaca College Policy Manual. Primary among these is teaching excellence. Another important criterion is a record of scholarly/professional attainment. A third criterion is service to the institution.
Attainment of the appropriate terminal degree or its professional equivalent is necessary but not sufficient for either tenure or promotion. For appointments to certain professional, technical, and artistic fields, commensurate preparation for appointment to a given rank may be recognized. Any additional exceptions to these criteria must be set forth in the letter of appointment and agreed to by the faculty member, planning unit, dean, provost/VPAA, and president. In addition to the qualifications of the individual faculty member, reappointment and tenure are subject to the long-range curricular and staffing needs of the College as specified in the previously approved staffing plans.
A candidate for tenure is expected to fulfill the criteria specified for promotion to associate professor. A candidate for tenure who was appointed at the rank of professor is expected to fulfill the criteria for promotion to professor. A tenure-eligible notice faculty member holding the rank of assistant or associate professor normally is not promoted prior to the tenure review. However, faculty who have held non-tenure-eligible notice appointments in a school at Ithaca College, and who currently hold a tenure-eligible notice appointment (without interruption) are eligible for promotion under the same rules which would have applied had they continued in non-tenure-eligible notice appointments.