The Chair/Director’s letter must comprehensively address the following elements.
Important Note: The Chair's letter must not reference, directly or indirectly, any aspects related to the candidate's age, race, or visa status, including quotes from letters of recommendation. This revised format organizes information clearly and professionally while maintaining all necessary details.
Faculty Vote Report
- Date of Vote: Specify when the vote took place.
- Eligible Voters: State the total number of eligible voters.
- Attendance: Indicate how many members were present during the vote.
- Voting Breakdown: Provide the counts for "yes," "no," and "abstained" votes.
- Independent Recommendation: Include the chair's independent recommendation regarding the candidate.
Appointment Details
- Title: Clearly state the proposed title for the position.
- Salary: Include the proposed salary for the appointment.
- Service Period: Specify whether the appointment is for a 9-month or 12-month period.
- Employment Percentage: Indicate the percent of employment associated with this position.
- Term of Appointment: If applicable, outline the term of appointment and effective dates.
Search Process
- Search Confirmation: Confirm that a search was conducted, give a brief outline of the department's process, and assert that this candidate is the most qualified among all applicants.
Candidate Background
- Education: Provide details on when and where the candidate obtained their degrees.
- Employment History: Summarize the candidate's employment history relevant to the position.
- Qualifications and Expertise: Highlight any qualifications or special expertise that make the candidate particularly suited for this role.
- Other Contributions: Offer insights into the candidate's teaching, research, and service contributions.
Departmental Benefits
- Impact Statement: Explain how this appointment will benefit the department as a whole.
Joint Appointment Considerations (if applicable)
- Primary Department: Identify which department is considered primary.
- Voting Rights: Clarify whether the candidate has voting rights in the secondary department.
- Funding Structure: Outline how funding will be divided between departments.
- Tenure Percentages: Specify the percent of tenure or tenure eligibility in each unit.
See New Joint Faculty Appointments for more information.
Assistant Professor Appointments
If appointing at the Assistant Professor rank and the Ph.D. has not been fully conferred, include a statement indicating the department's intention to convert this appointment to a regular Assistant Professorship upon timely completion of their degree. See the Forms, Checklists, and Samples page for a template offer at the Acting Assistant Professor rank.
Non-State Funded Positions
For positions funded by sources other than state funds, provide comments on tenure eligibility (if applicable) and any potential timelines for transferring to a state-funded position.