The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted our normal schedules and ability to accomplish our teaching, research, and service in a more conventional manner. The rapid switch to teaching remotely has not only taken considerable work and time but has also interrupted research. We understand that substantial effort and time will be required to start moving your research forward again when this pandemic is over. Hence, I am invoking the option (c) of the Extension of the Tenure Clock Policy 02.01.63 to provide a one-year extension to all tenure-track faculty who have not received a notice of non-reappointment as explained below.
UAH Policy 02.01.63 Extension of the Tenure Clock option (c) allows the Provost under exceptional circumstances as deemed appropriate and necessary to provide a one-to two-year extension of the tenure clock. Under the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Provost is exercising option (c) of UAH Policy 02.01.63 to extend the probationary period for all tenure– track faculty by one year. This automatic extension begins on May 1, 2020, and applies to all faculty who are in the tenure-track and who have not received a notice of non-reappointment.
This automatic extension does not affect the right of tenure–track faculty to extend the tenure clock for up to two years under option (a) and/or option (b) of the policy. Specific language stating an extension under option (c) does not affect the extensions allowed by option (a) and option (b) as long as they are not concurrent with an extension granted by option (c) is now included in Policy 02.01.63.
Tenure-track faculty may choose to opt out of this extension at any time. Those who opt out of this automatic extension and decide to go up for tenure in their previous penultimate year will not be considered as an early request for tenure. Departments and colleges should make appropriate adjustments to pre-tenure reviews because of this change.
If you have any questions regarding this extension of the tenure clock, please contact me at Christine.Curtis@uah.edu.
Signed Memorandum
