Who is required to have external reviews?
Any faculty member who has research as an area of significant contribution must have external reviews as part of their application for promotion/tenure. This includes research-track faculty and most tenure-track faculty seeking associate/full rank.
Any faculty member who has service as an area of significant contribution must have external reviews as part of their application for promotion to any assistant/associate/full rank.
Any clinical-track or teaching-track faculty member seeking promotion to full professor must have external reviews of their clinical service or teaching as identified as their area of significant contribution.
What is an external review?
An external review is conducted by a person external to WVU. The external reviewer comments on the quality of a faculty members area of significant contribution being externally reviewed. The external reviewer may comment on whether the quality of the work of the faculty member being reviewed is comparable to or better than that of persons recently promoted in the evaluator's university. In addition, the external reviewer may be asked if the faculty member being reviewed should be granted promotion and/or tenure at WVU.
Does an external review determine whether a faculty member is awarded promotion and/or tenure?
The external reviews are one factor considered in evaluating the overall accomplishments of the faculty member.
What is the process for identifying external reviewers?
The faculty member will identify six external reviewers and submit their names, contact information, and include a paragraph describing the external reviewers’ qualifications to the departmental committee and/or chairperson. The departmental committee and/or the chairperson will also identify six external reviewers. The faculty member will be given the opportunity to review the proposed external reviewers and note any personal or professional relationships. In addition, the faculty member may comment on an external reviewer who may not be able to provide an objective review or request that an external reviewer be removed from consideration. Ultimately, the chairperson or dean decides the final list of external reviewers. The goal is to receive two external reviewers from the faculty member’s list and two external reviews from the department committee/chairperson list. The final list is not shared with the faculty member.
Does an external reviewer need to be from a peer institution or a university?
Peer institutions are preferred, although if an expert is in a non-university setting or at an institution that is not an R1 Very High Research Institution, the professional expertise of the individual must be noted in the external reviewer lists. The majority list of external reviewers should be peer institutions.
How many external reviews should a faculty member have in their promotion and/or tenure file?
A minimum of four external reviews is normally required and the responsibility to ensure that this occurs rests with the chairperson or dean.
As a faculty member, may I review the submitted external reviews?
Yes, upon request by the faculty member and after the first level of review letters and recommendations have been completed, the redacted external reviews can be shared with the faculty member.
Where do I find other faculty to externally review my research?
Visit the Carnegie Foundation Classification to start if your research is being externally reviewed.