Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences 400 East Main Street, Second Floor Hathaway Hall Frankfort, KY 40601
TO: Interim Provost Lucian Yates
FROM: University Tenure and Promotion Committee
DATE: February 5, 2021
RE: Application for Tenure and Promotion of Dr. Swagata Banerjee
The University Tenure and Promotion Committee has reviewed and discussed the documents that Dr. Swagata Banerjee has provided in his online dossier in consideration of his application for (1) tenure and (2) promotion to the rank of Full Professor. We have thoughtfully weighed that material against the criteria for tenure and promotion to the rank of Full Professor as set forth in the Faculty Handbook of Kentucky State University. The University Tenure and Promotion Committee members expressed great concern with the difficulties experienced previously by Dr. Banerjee in his prior application for tenure and promotion. Through a series of complications that were no fault of his own, it is our understanding that no decision was ever rendered on his prior application.
Dr. Banerjee holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Georgia, and he has been employed in a tenure-track position as an Associate Professor at Kentucky State University since 2017, having received four years of credit toward tenure at the time of his hire, which is documented in his dossier with a letter from then-Provost Candace Jackson. During that time, Dr. Banerjee has taught a range of courses from 100 level courses through the graduate level, totaling approximately nine different courses over four years.
Dr. Banerjee has an impressive background in the area of scholarship and creative activity, with numerous conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications which are documented in the dossier and recognized in the letters tendered by his Chair and Unit Committee. Additionally, he has demonstrated his ability to secure grant funding for his research agenda which allows advancement in his field of expertise. However, some members of the Committee noted that Dr. Banerjee’s record of peer-reviewed publications fell short of expectations for the rank of Full Professor. In particular, much of his publication record pre-dates his arrival at Kentucky State University. During his employment at KSU, he has only one peer-reviewed publication, although he has an additional three under current preparation.