| [Note: substitute “creative achievement” for “research” whenever appropriate] Dear Professor ____________: The Department of ____________ has under consideration the advancement of Professor __________ to Professor, Step VI, which requires a special review.…… etc. Under University of California academic personnel policy, special advancement to the upper professorial ranks may be granted to faculty who have demonstrated sustained and continuing excellence in scholarship or creative achievement, University teaching, and service over their entire career, including the most recent period, and who have been recognized nationally for their scholarship, creative achievement, or teaching. A brief description of the standard required for advancement may be helpful. For positions at the professorial level, the University of California has established a hierarchy of steps, ranging from Step I to Step IX. Within these steps, there are two particular steps (Step VI and Above-Scale) to which special standards are applied. We are considering Professor __________ for the first of these hurdle steps, known as Step VI. All faculty members promoted to this first step must demonstrate excellence in scholarship or creative achievement, teaching and service. Furthermore, the individual must have achieved great academic distinction, recognized nationally in scholarly or creative achievement or in teaching. [incorporate statement on confidentiality or include on a separate page] For your convenience, I am enclosing copies of Professor ____________’s complete bibliography and selected publications. Your assistance in providing this analysis will be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, | 
