A Quick Guide to FASTAP 2016

FASTAP 2016 Tenure Track Timeline
October 2, 2017

History

The original Faculty of Arts and Sciences Tenure and Appointments Policy went into effect in 2007, creating a genuine tenure track for the first time in Yale’s history. The policy (now known as FASTAP 2007) introduced two crucial elements into Yale’s promotion and tenure process: (1) it detached issues of resources from questions of promotion to tenure, and (2) it reduced the tenure clock from ten years (with consideration in Year 9) to nine years (with consideration in Year 8).

The report establishing FASTAP 2007 (see sidebar: Reports) recommended a review of the policy after ten years. In 2015, the establishment of the FAS Dean’s Office created an opportunity to begin this review slightly ahead of schedule.

The provost, citing “substantial changes…in the governance structure of the university; in the demographics of the professoriate and of our student body; in the appointment, promotion, and tenure policies and patterns at other American and international universities; and in the social and economic climate of the nation and the world,” charged the FASTAP Review Committee (see sidebar: Committees) with “articulat[ing] a process and set of standards for ladder faculty appointments, promotions, and tenure that will secure Yale’s continuing place in the world wide intellectual community as a leader in the creation, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge.” Between spring 2015 and fall 2016, the committee conducted extensive consultation and outreach within the FAS as well as with peer institutions.

In fall 2016, the report of the FASTAP Review Committee (see sidebar: Reports) was endorsed by a vote of the FAS faculty. The resulting policy is known as FASTAP 2016.

Implementation

On recommendation of the FASTAP Review Committee, an Implementation Advisory Committee (see sidebar: Committees) was established to consider how best to put into practice various elements of the new tenure and promotion system.

The Implementation Advisory Committee met extensively during the 2016-17 academic year, and the FAS ladder faculty community had opportunities to submit feedback and suggestions anonymously, through a public message board, at open houses, and through individual meetings. Representatives of the committee met with the FAS chairs, two sub-committees of the FAS Senate, and the Office of General Counsel to receive feedback and guidance on its draft recommendations. The committee issued its final report (see sidebar: Reports) in June 2017.

Impact

The key changes introduced with FASTAP 2016 are as follows:

  • The tenure clock has been shortened from nine years (with consideration in Year 8) to eight years (with consideration in Year 7).
  • The rank of associate professor on term has been eliminated as a rank to which assistant professors can be promoted.
  • An assistant professor reappointment review—conducted in the fourth year and designed to produce substantive, in-depth consideration of and feedback on a faculty member’s work—has been introduced.
  • Because of the shortened tenure clock, the number of semesters of paid research leave for which tenure-track faculty members are eligible has been reduced from four to three. However, additional flexibility has been added, allowing pre-tenure one-semester leaves to be taken as a full year of half-time teaching.
  • The criteria for initial promotion to tenure and for promotion within the tenured ranks to full professor have been updated.

FASTAP 2007 Timeline

FASTAP 2016 Timeline

In early summer 2017, the FAS Dean’s Office notified all members of the FAS faculty who were eligible to choose between remaining under the policies of FASTAP 2007 and moving to those governed by FASTAP 2016. As of July 1, 2017, all new faculty searches in the FAS are being conducted under FASTAP 2016.

The Resources sidebar directs you to further explanatory material. For FASTAP 2016 documents, please see the FASTAP 2016 document library. For questions about the transition to FASTAP 2016, please contact Jason Zentz.