Discrimination Concerns
Professor Jonathan has applied for promotion and tenure at a local university. He isrequired to compile a portfolio, evidencing his accomplishments and qualifications. This portfolio is then evaluated by his Departmental Promotion & Tenure Committee, consisting of tenured departmental members, who makes a recommendation to the Department Chair. The Chair makes a recommendation to the Dean, who then makes a recommendation to the University wide P & T Committee. The University Committee is made up of various faculty members from throughout the university, some of whom know Jonathan and some of whom don’t. This committee makes their recommendation to the Provost who in turn makes a recommendation to the University President. The process ends when the President makes a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Jonathan’s portfolio travels from level to level and is reviewed prior to each recommendation. However, Jonathan is not permitted to address any of the decision makers during their review. Assuming that you can’t change the number or order of steps in the review process, what are some of the concerns that need to be addressed in order to keep this system free from discrimination or other legal issue?
