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Summary 12: Sample Solicitation Letters for Promotion

The Council on Academic Personnel requests that letters soliciting extramural evaluations for promotion to Associate Professor or Professor in the Regular Professorial Series indicate these are tenured positions within the University of California System. Such a statement should be added, where appropriate, in the first paragraph of the following model formats.

Note: For Step VI letters, use Summary #13 and for Above-Scale letters, use Summary #14.

Sample #1

Dear Professor ________________________:

The Department of _________________________ at UCLA has under consideration the promotion of

Assistant Professor _________________________ to the rank of _________________________.

Departmental custom and University policy require that extramural evaluations of the scholarly and professional contributions of each candidate for promotion be secured from recognized authorities outside the University in order to supplement the institutional record and provide reviewing authorities with an independent assessment.

Accordingly, I am writing to request that you provide me with your analysis and evaluation of

Assistant Professor ______________________’s scholarly or creative contributions with particular reference to their originality and significance. In addition, I would appreciate your comments on his standing within his discipline and on any other aspect of his professional competence with which you may be familiar. It would be particularly helpful if you would compare him with others in the field.

For your convenience, I am enclosing copies of Professor ____________’s complete bibliography and latest publications.

[incorporate statement on confidentiality or include on a separate page]

Your assistance in providing this analysis will be greatly appreciated.

 

Sincerely,

Sample #2 – Optional Time off the Clock Letter

Dear Professor ________________________:

The Department of _________________________ at UCLA has under consideration the promotion of

Assistant Professor _________________________ to the rank of _________________________.

Departmental custom and University policy require that extramural evaluations of the scholarly and professional contributions of each candidate for promotion be secured from recognized authorities outside the University in order to supplement the institutional record and provide reviewing authorities with an independent assessment.

Accordingly, I am writing to request that you provide me with your analysis and evaluation of

Assistant Professor ______________________’s scholarly or creative contributions with particular reference to their originality and significance. In addition, I would appreciate your comments on his standing within his discipline and on any other aspect of his professional competence with which you may be familiar. It would be particularly helpful if you would compare him with others in the field.
 

In assessing progress to tenure, the University excludes from consideration periods in which it has, consistent with a variety of important University policies, permitted the appointee to be “off the clock” and not engaged in scholarship. Assistant Professor ______________________has received _______ year(s) off the clock. Accordingly, in assessing this candidate’s progress to tenure, please recognize that the candidate has produced the work under consideration within the University’s normal evaluation period.

For your convenience, I am enclosing copies of Professor ____________’s complete bibliography and latest publications.

[incorporate statement on confidentiality or include on a separate page]

Your assistance in providing this analysis will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

 

PRIOR TO THE SOLICITATION OF LETTERS FOR TENURE REVIEW

I hereby authorize the department to use the Time off the Clock letter for this review:


Signature __________________________________________
 

Date __________________________________________

 

Sample #3 – Promotion Letter for Associate Professor to Full Professor

Dear Professor ________________________:

Associate Professor _____________is being considered for promotion in the Department of ________________at UCLA.   Promotions to full professor at the University of California system requires demonstration of “superior intellectual attainment” in teaching, research, and creative achievement, evaluation of the candidate’s professional competence activity, and University and public service. 

This review for promotion involves evaluation of performance since appointment, with emphasis on the period of service at the current rank.  I am writing to you as a recognized expert in the field to ask for your assistance in our review of Associate Professor ____________. 

We would appreciate your candid evaluation of Associate Professor ____________’s scholarly contributions with particular reference to their originality and significance and the extent to which he/she satisfies the requirements for “superior intellectual attainment.”  We would also appreciate your comments on his/her standing with his/her discipline and comparing him/her to others in the field at the same stage in their careers.   Please provide comments on his/her Associate Professor ____________’s teaching ability and or any other aspect of his/her professional competence that you may be familiar. 

For your convenience, I am enclosing copies of Associate Professor ____________’s complete bibliography and latest publications.

[incorporate statement on confidentiality or include on a separate page]

Your assistance in providing this analysis will be greatly appreciated. 

 Sincerely,

 

Revised 7/30/15

Web page updated 7/30/15