University Promotion, Tenure/Reappointment & Merit Committee

PTRM Guidelines and Updates

Updated Merit Policy

This updated merit policy was passed by the Academic Senate on 4/4/22. The updated merit policy goes into effect immediately. A fillable Word version is here. 

First Year Tenure-Track Faculty Review 

The UPTRM unanimously passed a motion, reviewed by the Academic Senate at its 10/17/19 meeting, supporting the Provost’s recommendation to modify the procedure for first year faculty review by eliminating the reappointment binder due in December. According to this recommendation:  In lieu of a December binder submission and committee review, the department chair will review all relevant documentation for first-year faculty, including SENTF, CV, course syllabi, and student and peer evaluations; meet with the candidate to discuss the review; and make a recommendation for reappointment or non-reappointment. Should the Chair’s recommendation be for non-reappointment, the Department PTRM committee will convene to review the relevant documentation and vote in accordance with standard PTRM procedure. While this new policy is not included in the current ART document, this revised review process is a permanent change and will be the standard procedure moving forward, recorded in the ART document that is currently being revised.  This flowchart may help clarify the process, including timeline and chain of communication. 

 First Year Lecturer Review

  • Where applicable the first year review of lecturers shall follow the revised timing established by UPTRM for first year tenure-track faculty.
  • This mirrors the approved policy for tenure track faculty that was approved by the Academic Senate.

Voting Procedures for Remote PTRM Deliberations

The Office of the Provost strongly recommends the use of TU’s Involved @ TU web-based program for all remote PTRM voting.  Departments may use other means of voting and voting records so long as the ballot information and the balloting process follows that articulated in the Towson University Policy on Appointment, Rank and Tenure of Faculty.  All ballots must collect the Faculty ID number.  Any voting mechanism must be secure and allow for records retention in accordance with USM records retention policies. (Records Management) While it is NOT necessary to use the TU Ballot Summary, a paper copy of the electronic voting record, which includes a record of faculty ID numbers associated with each ballot, must be printed and kept on file per the ART policy. 

The Department Summary Recommendation (DSR) forms must be completed with faculty signature acknowledging receipt of the department’s decision and be retained within the Department and College Dean’s office.  If a department chooses it can forego the use of the DSR and use an email acknowledgment system, if the email acknowledgment is printed and retained. For Docusign Account Forms, see this link.  

 

Overview

The functions of the UPTRM are:

  1. To administer the system of faculty evaluation by implementing the provisions set forth in the document "Towson University Policy on Appointment, Rank, and Tenure of Faculty."
  2. To establish guidelines for standards by which departments will evaluate their members and to oversee the standards for promotion throughout the University.
  3. To review the PTRM documents of all colleges and departments on a regular schedule.
  4. To review and make determinations upon procedural appeals of faculty members.
  5. To consult with the Academic Senate and the Provost regarding standards for merit consideration and/or policies governing the allocation of merit increments.
  6. Individual members shall serve as liaisons to their department and college PTRM committees.
  7. To provide an annual report to the Academic Senate.

A more complete set of duties is outlined in the UPTRM Duties and Responsibilities document. 

UPTRM Internal Cycle of Review Schedule

Review Years Colleges
2024-2025 CBE & FCSM
2025-2026 CHP & COFAC
2026-2027 COE &CLA

Membership

The University Promotion, Tenure, Retention, and Merit Committee shall be composed of six faculty members (elected in the university-wide spring election), one from each academic college, each at the rank of associate or full professor, not concurrently members of college promotion and tenure committee, one faculty Academic Senate representative (elected annually by the Academic Senate); the Council of Chairs representative ex officio and non-voting; the Provost or Provost’s representative ex officio and non-voting; and the Vice President for Inclusion and Institutional Equity (or a representative of that office designated by the Vice President) ex officio and non-voting.

Name DEpartment College Term Expiration
Issac Bonaparte Accounting CBE 2027
Mary Lashley Nursing CHP 2026
Margherita Pampinella Languages, Literatures & Cultures CLA 2025

Mahnaz Moallem

 Learning Technologies, Design & School Library Media COE 2026
Joseph Kraemer Electronic Media & Film COFAC 2025
Angel Kumchev, CHAIR Mathematics  FCSM 2025
Omari Jackson

Academic Senate Representative  

   2025
Christian Koot,  Department Chair History

Council of Chairs 

Ex-officio & Non-Voting

    
Patricia Bradley, Vice President, OIIE

Inclusion & Institutional Equity

Ex-officio & Non-Voting

  
Laurie Mullen, Dean of COE

Provost's Representive

Ex-officio & Non-Voting

    

Meetings

The UPTRM Committee meets on the second Friday of each month at 10am (September-May).  

Forms and Checklists

College PTRM Policies

Department PTRM Policies

College of Business and Economics

College of Education

College of Fine Arts and Communication

College of Health Professions

College of Liberal Arts

Fisher College of Science and Mathematics

Joint and Interdisciplinary Programs

  • College of Liberal Arts  

UPTRM Resources

Additional Information and Documents