Non-Tenure Track Instructor Promotion

More detailed information about the promotion process, application materials, and the review process can be found in section 4.5.5 of the UVA Wise Faculty Handbook.

Senior Instructor

Instructors at UVA Wise who are not on the tenure track may apply for promotion to Senior Instructor after completing six years of full-time service.  Those interested in applying should refer to the Faculty Handbook for detailed instructions on preparing and assembling their application materials. 

An application for promotion to Senior Instructor should contain the following documents: 

  • A current curriculum vitae 
  • A cover letter that includes a personal statement making the candidate’s argument for promotion 
  • A letter of support from their department chair 

Applications should be submitted through this portal.

Department Chairs should submit their letter of support directly to the Dean of the Faculty.

The deadline for submission will be announced by the Dean of the Faculty each year. 

Distinguished Instructor 

Instructors at UVA Wise in their sixth year of continuous full-time teaching after having earned promotion to “Senior Instructor,” may apply for promotion to Distinguished Instructor.  

Faculty applying for promotion to Distinguished Instructor shall have exhibited sustained excellence as a teacher and provided substantial service to the college. Definitions and criteria for sustained teaching excellence and substantial service to the college can be found in the Faculty Handbook. 

An application for promotion to Distinguished Instructor should contain the following documents:

  • A current curriculum vitae 
  • A cover letter that includes a personal reflection and/or statement from the candidate describing his or her approach to teaching, curricular innovations, and teaching plans for the future; and service to the department or school. 
  • Student evaluations for the past three (3) years. 
  • Course syllabi from the past three (3) years.  
  • Statements of professional activities for the past five (5) years. 
  • Faculty performance evaluation feedback in the three most recent department review cycles.  This material could include the chair’s letter and memo of conversation from the most recent three-year contract renewal review. 
  • Two (2) letters from colleagues.  At least one must be from the candidate’s department, but one may be external to the department.  The letters should comment on the candidate’s teaching, either through chair or peer observation of teaching, review of teaching portfolio, review of the data on student performance, or other means. 
  • A chair’s letter that includes a summary of the evaluation process and department deliberations, including the recorded vote on promotion. The Chair will state the major reasons why the department committee voted as it did, explaining and summarizing the discussion during the promotion review meeting. The Chair will also provide his/her own assessment of the candidate, including the candidate's strengths and weaknesses and the Chair's reasons for voting one way or the other. 
  • Any other supportive materials the faculty member might wish to add (i.e. advising, lab duties, etc). 

Applications will be submitted through a Canvas portal that will be provided after an individual expresses their intent to apply to the Dean of the Faculty. 

The deadline for submission will be announced by the Dean of the Faculty each year.