Panel guidance

Academic promotions committee

Committee objectives and outcomes

To recognise and reward excellent performance that supports the delivery of University objectives in a fair and transparent way.

Committee remit

The remit of the Committee under the following core, agenda-aligned headings, is:

Strategic development, planning, performance monitoring and resourcing: items for consideration and/or decision

  1. To consider and approve applications for academic promotion via the annual promotions process
  2. To consider and approve applications for academic promotion for retention purposes
  3. To consider reports on probationary lecturers and confirm appointments

Policy and regulatory matters

  1. To keep under review the criteria for the promotion of academic, research and teaching staff
  2. To promote and enhance equal opportunities and to eliminate discrimination

Committee authority

Academic promotions committee holds delegated authority from Senate to discharge its functions under 2(a) above.

Reporting and frequency of meetings

Reporting to Senate

The Academic Promotions Committee is a committee of Senate and reports directly to it.

  1. Annually through reports on the outcomes of the academic promotions processes following conclusion of business for the year in question (considered as Cat II business).
  2. Periodically referring/reporting individual items of business where necessary.

Meeting frequency

Promotion to grade 7, 8, reader and professor

  • April: Three meetings to review to establish whether a prima facie case has been evidenced
  • June / July:
    • Three meetings to review incorporating references and confirm approvals
    • One meeting to conclude business for the year

Promotion through the professorial bands

  • September: One meeting to review applications, including references, and confirm approvals

Business to be conducted outside formal meetings via written resolution as necessary e.g. consideration of retention cases.

Meeting modes: physical or virtual convening of members and attendees, or meetings which simultaneously enable both modes.

Constitution and membership

Membership considerations

  • Nominated members to be from different academic departments and to serve for three years
  • The committee should strive for a balance of gender and ethnicity

Conflicts of interest and unconscious bias

  • All committee members must have undertaken unconscious bias training annually prior to undertaking committee duties
  • Professorial members only to consider promotion to Professor/Reader; all members to consider promotions to Grade 8 and recommendations of the Faculty Promotions Panels for promotions to Grade 7.
  • Committee members must ensure they can provide an impartial, fair and consistent judgement. Before discussions begin, members of the committee must declare any conflicts of interest, or any relationship with a candidate that might be perceived as a conflict of interest.

Quorum

50% of members, or 50% rounded up where the number of members is odd.

Membership review

Constitution will be periodically reviewed by the Committee itself for Senate approval. Membership is otherwise coterminous with the individual's appointment term. Gender balance and wider EDI considerations should be factored into the Committee's reflection on its own size and composition.

Membership

Nominated members' periods of office are for 3 years, running from 1 August - 31 July.

Academic promotions (promotion to grade 7, 8, Reader and Professor)

  • Chair: Professor Ken Badcock Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost
  • Nine members nominated by Faculty Executive Groups comprising:
    • Six professors - two from each faculty
    • Three at Grade 8 (Reader/Senior Lecturer/Senior Research Fellow) - one from each Faculty
    • Three members from the University's EDI networks

Professorial promotions (promotion through the Professorial bands)

  • Chair: Professor Ken Badcock Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost
  • Seven members comprising:
    • Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research
    • Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Teaching, Learning and Students
    • Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Partnerships and Engagement
    • Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Strategy
    • Three Band 3 Professors - one from each Faculty