The University of South Carolina is committed to recruiting, retaining, and promoting outstanding faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching, research, service, and outreach. The University believes that the presence of a high quality and diverse community of scholars is necessary to achieve such excellence.
The Columbia Faculty Manual contains university guidelines for tenure and promotion. Unit Criteria and procedures for tenure and promotion are available online. The University Committee on Tenure and Promotions Guidelines for Units: Preparing Criteria and Files [pdf] also provides information for candidates and units on the compilation, submission, and confidential handling of tenure and promotion files.
University Supportive Actions for Faculty during Covid-19
Covid-19 policies regarding extensions and faculty evaluation processes remain in effect; these policy statements for all colleagues involved in faculty evaluation processes are important for showing compassion and flexibility during the disruption of Covid -19 and the aftermath of the pandemic. Candidates are encouraged to include Covid impact statements in their files; units are urged to continue conversations about how unit criteria might, without formal modification, reasonably accommodate pandemic impacts, particularly with respect to the quantity and timing of research output. All candidate portfolios should be considered thoughtfully in the evaluation of the candidate’s achievement relative to opportunity. Please see the following provost and UCTP statement for additional details.
Covid-19 Impact on Faculty - March 27, 2020 [pdf]
Covid-19 Impact on Faculty - November 18, 2020 [pdf]
Provost UCTP statement clarification - February 15, 2021 [pdf]
The Office of the Provost is currently reorganizing the tenure and promotion documents housed on this website, which may result in temporary issues with links and some documents. We appreciate your patience as we update this information to provide you user-friendly and current information. If you need assistance, please direct questions to provacaf@mailbox.sc.edu.