teaching experience in an institution accredited by one of the accrediting agencies recognized by the US Dept. of Education (or its equivalent as determined by the academic unit/division and the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs).
Faculty members shall be evaluated for promotion in any year at their request. Faculty members below the rank of professor, including non-tenure accruing ranks, must have their dossiers submitted for review by the basic academic unit at least once every five years. Frequent reviews of faculty performances for purposes of promotions are encouraged.
The University established academic tenure as an important means for protecting academic freedom, providing employment security, and promoting institutional vitality and stability. This privilege, granted by the institution, has distinct legal, societal and ethical implications.
Tenure extends from the date of its award to the date of retirement, and may be abrogated only by a reduction in the work force, a discharge for cause, resignation, disability, or death.
Permanent tenure can be awarded to faculty members above the rank of instructor. One may not attain tenure in such full-time positions as coach, research associate, researcher, lecturer, assistant instructor, instructor, or in any clinical, adjunct, or visiting rank.
Credit toward the fulfillment of any probationary period, applicable to the attainment of tenure, must be earned through continuous full-time appointment, including full-time employment prior to the beginning of continuous employment at Kentucky State University and full-time employment as a faculty member at other institutions up to three (3) years. This credit for prior teaching experience must be granted in writing by the Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs at the time of appointment. The initial letter of appointment must specify whether the faculty member will or will not receive credit for prior service if the faculty member has previously served as faculty at an accredited institution of higher learning. Once this service credit has been granted, these years must be counted as part of the probationary period. See Section 2.7.1, "Computing Years of Continuous Full-Time Service."
A professor's qualifications for tenure may be reviewed at the end of a two-year probationary period but must be reviewed at the end of a six-year probationary period. Only in exceptional cases may the basic academic unit recommend tenure at the time of the initial appointment of a professor.
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