Departmental Tenure, Promotion and Reappointment (TPR)

This site serves as the repository for approved Department Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment guidelines. Guidance for faculty and staff revising their documents should refer to resources for document revision.

Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment criteria and procedures (including TPR Committee composition) must conform to the policies indicated in the Faculty Manual and are subject to review by the Faculty Manual Consultant (FMC) Committee and approval by the Department Chair or School Director, Dean, and Provost.

Departmental regular faculty determine the tenure, promotion and reappointment standards, as well as procedures for selecting the TPR committee and the procedures the committee must follow beyond those stipulated in the Faculty Manual. These standards and procedures will be stipulated in a department’s TPR document that is distinct from department or unit bylaws.

Faculty preparing amendments to TPR documents may conduct a self-review using the checklist. Prior to the final faculty vote on any such amendments, TPR drafts should be sent to the Faculty Manual Consultant Committee for compliance review. All TPR guidelines are subject to review for compliance by the Provost or designee. 

Please use this signature page to attest the Department, College, and University administrators have reviewed the document and concurred with the faculty's approval.

Faculty Manual Resolution 2026-04-14-1 expanded the Faculty Manual Consultant role from a single consultant to a group of consultants who may work collectively as a committee. The committee, which is chaired by the Policy Committee Chair, is responsible for providing interpretations of the Faculty Manual. This committee will support the Provost’s Office in its compliance review of college and academic unit bylaws and Tenure, Promotion, and Reappointment (TPR) documents.

In accordance with the resolution, Faculty Manual Consultants are responsible for the following:

1. Providing Faculty Manual interpretations
   Provide interpretations of the Faculty Manual to university constituents when questions arise regarding its provisions or application.
2. Reviewing Faculty Senate resolutions
   Review Faculty Senate resolutions for their potential impact on the Faculty Manual and provide feedback regarding necessary or appropriate revisions.
3. Supporting bylaws and TPR revisions
   Assist colleges and academic units with revisions to their bylaws and/or TPR documents to ensure alignment with the Faculty Manual.
4. Reviewing college and academic unit bylaws
   Review college and academic unit bylaws for compliance with the Faculty Manual prior to the effective date of any revisions.
5. Reviewing and revising academic unit TPR documents
   Review and, as appropriate, revise academic unit TPR documents to ensure compliance with the Faculty Manual prior to their effective date of revision.

The expanded consultant structure is intended to provide greater capacity and consistency in interpreting and applying the Faculty Manual across the University.

If you would like assistance with any of the responsibilities outlined above, the following process will apply:

1. Submit your request to tprbylawsadmin@clemson.edu.
2. The Committee will review the request at its monthly meeting, held on the first Thursday of each month.
3. The Committee will provide feedback and recommended edits, if applicable.

Please note: Any changes to bylaws or TPR documents require approval by the faculty through a vote. The Committee strongly recommends submitting proposed changes for review before seeking faculty approval to help ensure compliance with the Faculty Manual and avoid the need for multiple faculty votes.

The deadline for submission is one week before the monthly meeting to allow ample time for the consultants to review the request. Requests submitted less than one week before the first Thursday of the month will be reviewed at the following month’s meeting.

The current Faculty Manual Consultant List is:

1. Ellen Breazel, Chair
2. Sandy White
3. Jason Thrift