Appendix V: Next Steps

The Committee recognizes that changes of the tenure process should occur only after broad consultation and involvement by faculty, administrators, and the Regents of the University. The Committee co-chairs and members are ready to engage in discussion with all of these groups. The following steps are recommended:

1. Discussion of the report with the deans and provosts on all three campuses.
   
   
2. Every dean will be asked to discuss the report with the executive committee, promotion and tenure committees, associate deans, department chairs, and in school and college faculty meetings. Upon request, committee members may visit faculty meetings to facilitate these discussions. Each dean will provide questions, comments, and suggestions from these faculty deliberations to the provosts’ offices. Executive committees or other appropriate faculty groups may endorse or respond to proposed changes in University policy.
   
   
3. Discussion of the recommendations with the members of the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs (SACUA), who will be encouraged to discuss the report with the Academic Affairs Advisory Committee and with the Senate Assembly. The Senate Assembly may wish to invite public comment from all faculty members. Suggestions, feedback, and comment from these bodies will be shared with the Provost’s office.
   
   
4. Discussion of the recommendations with the executive officers and the President.
   
   
5. Discussion of the recommendations with the Gender in Science and Engineering committee.
   
   
6. Discussion with the Board of Regents, especially related to recommendations dealing with Regents’ Bylaws.
   
   
7. Publication of committee recommendations in the University Record to provide an opportunity for public comment. Publication of committee recommendations on the Provost’s web site to provide further opportunity for public comment.

Feedback from these discussions will be collected by the Provost’s Office, and delivered to the Committee. The Committee will reconvene no later than March 1, 2006, to review the feedback, summarize the issues, and make further recommendations to the provosts.

After the Committee’s recommendations, the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs on the Ann Arbor campus, and the provosts on the Flint and Dearborn campuses will make final recommendations to the chancellors and President about appropriate changes in University policies.

The Provost and President will make final recommendations to the Regents about appropriate changes in Regents’ Bylaws. The University policy changes should be effective no later than the summer of 2006, so that schools and colleges may begin consideration of their policies in the academic year 2006-2007.