Hi everyone:

Following President Bachi’s email [below] informing all faculty about the option (a) for untenured TT faculty to extend their tenure clock and (b) for all faculty to exclude teaching evaluations for Spring 2020 for promotion/reappointment evaluations, the University and the AAUP/AFT have reached the attached formal agreement. Please take note of the terms of this agreement for future purposes. 

TO: All Untenured TT Faculty:

To implement the provision relating to the extension of the probationary period, please note the following:

1. If you decide to take advantage of the offer, please send a formal memo to Dean Lei with a copy to your Department Chair (and to me) asking for the extension.
2. The Department Chair has to consider and approve/disapprove the request by sending an email to Dean Lei.
3. Upon the receipt of the Department Chair decision, Dean Lei will consider the request and decide. If she approves the request, it is likely that a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will be sent to you to sign, indicating that the approval of the extension of the tenure clock should not be construed as a grant of tenure (see below). This has been the standard practice for all other extensions of the probationary period, including those for family leave, etc. This part is subject to further instructions from the Office of Academic Labor Relations but will be resolved shortly.

That is all we know for now. You can email me any questions you may have after you have read the attached agreement carefully.

-Yaw Mensah

Standard language in MOAs for extension of tenure:

“In agreeing to this adjustment in her/her probationary period, Professor XXX waives any future claim to tenure based on length of service.  He/She accepts and agrees that this arrangement is exceptional and that it does not constitute a precedent.  He/She further agrees not to grieve this arrangement either within or outside the University.”

Dear Colleagues:

As you begin the work of delivering instruction remotely, I want you to know that the University appreciates your efforts in responding to this international public health crisis while keeping our students moving forward toward completing their Rutgers degrees.

Given the extraordinary challenges we are facing as a result of COVID-19, I have made the following decisions with respect to faculty evaluation:

1. We will extend the probationary period (tenure clock) for full-time tenure track faculty who are in a probationary period as of January 1, 2020 for one year. In other words, academic year 2019-20 will be excluded from their probationary period—much like we exclude an academic year for other contractual reasons (parental or medical leaves). Faculty will have until May 1 to request an additional year, which must be approved by the department chair and the dean.
2. We will administer student course evaluations at the end of the semester, as is our usual practice, but will permit faculty, at their option, to exclude the teaching evaluation data for spring 2020 from their promotion or reappointment packets.

I hope these changes will be helpful as you conduct your work at this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Robert Barchi

Update:

President Barchi’s directive and the University-AAUP Agreement regarding the option to exclude the Spring 2020 teaching evaluations apply to ALL faculty (not just TT faculty).

-Yaw Mensah

Probationary Period Final MOA