Tenure tracks lead to permanent full-time teaching positions with job security, while non-tenure tracks are regularly renegotiated. New hires start as assistant professors and progress to full professors, with progress reviewed before promotion. Tenured professors cannot be fired except in extreme circumstances, but assistant professors can be fired if they do not meet expectations. Progress is reviewed by a council, and contracts may be renewed or terminated. Tenured professors serve as mentors and have a lighter teaching load, while assistants and associates teach introductory and intermediate level classes.
Tenure tracks are career paths within a higher education institution that lead to permanent full-time teaching positions and differ from non-tenure tracks which are regularly renegotiated. These jobs are guaranteed, and a tenured professor typically cannot be fired or dismissed except in the most extreme circumstances, such as when an entire academic department is eliminated from a university. Most new hires start tenure tracks as assistant professors and then progress to associate professors and eventually become full professors. At many universities, assistant professors are expected to meet a certain number of teaching and research goals, and progress is reviewed before a promotion is granted to associate and eventually full professor. Although full professors achieve tenure and the associated job security, not all tenure ranges lead to tenured positions, and assistant professors can be fired if they do not meet expectations.
Newly hired professors begin induction tracks on a probationary basis, and their progress is reviewed at a predetermined time. They are often hired on an initial one to three year contract, which specifies the goals the professor will need to achieve in the areas of teaching and research. After the initial appointment, the assistant professor’s progress will be reviewed by a council composed of the head of the academic department, called the department chair, and other professors in the department. The review board evaluates the assistant professor’s progress and decides whether to renew or terminate the contract.
Tenure track contracts may be renewed for a second assistant professorship or a new contract may be offered for an associate professorship. Often, a faculty member holds the promotion to associate professor. The associate will typically be reviewed at another designated time period, usually several years, to assess whether a promotion to full professor is appropriate. This review is similar to that of assistant professors and evaluates teaching notes, published research, and other contributions to the academic discipline as a whole.
Since tenure ranges lead to tenure positions, universities typically extend the tenure offer each year. Tenured professors may not receive a substantial salary increase along with the promotion, but they often serve as mentors to junior professors and graduate students. Full professors therefore have a lighter teaching load and generally teach higher level courses, while assistants and associates are responsible for introductory and intermediate level classes. Full professors also participate as members of the doctoral council and evaluate the performance of doctoral students.
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