(C) Probationary periods of regular faculty.

(1) All non-tenured regular faculty are subject to annual reappoinment following their initial appointment. Reappointments shall be carried out according to procedures outlined in rule 3359-20-03 of the Administrative Code and faculty manual.

(2) Faculty may serve either on annual appointment or on indefinite tenure, according to the following provisions:

(a) Faculty in a professorial rank may be granted indefinite tenure, that is, they are appointed for an indefinite term without the necessity of reappointment each year. An assistant professor, associate professor, or professor may be granted tenure not later than the end of the sixth year of active service in professorial rank at the university of Akron subject to conditions outlined in paragraphs (C)(a)(i), (C)(a)(ii), and (C)(a)(iii) of this rule.

(i) If tenure is granted, it shall be effective either at the beginning of the academic year of service after which the candidate applied, or as specified in the certificate of appointment issued by the board of trustees.

(ii) If at the end of six years in professorial rank, indefinite tenure has not been received, notice shall be given that employment terminates at the end of the seventh year of service.

(iii) Faculty hired after Friday of week seven of the fall semester may apply for tenure and/or promotion in either the tenth or twelfth semester of service, and tenure, if granted, will be effective in either the twelfth or fourteenth semester of service.

(b) In cases where there are clearly extenuating circumstances, the probationary period may be extended by one year provided that it is initiated by the candidate, recommended by the appropriate dean, and approved by the senior vice president and provost.

(c) Tenure may be granted before the sixth year in a professorial rank contingent upon the candidate's successful completion of the following criteria.

(i) The candidate shall have completed at least two years of active service at the university of Akron before application for early tenure can be made.

(ii) At a minimum, the candidate must meet the academic unit criteria for tenure.

(iii) The academic unit tenure committee shall vote to determine if the candidate may apply for early tenure. The decision of the tenure committee is final and cannot be appealed.

(d) In exceptional circumstances, the board of trustees may grant indefinite tenure upon initial appointment to scholars who are nationally or internationally recognized and only upon the affirmative recommendation of the tenure committee of the academic unit of primary appointment, the dean, the senior vice president and provost, and the president.

(e) Regular faculty who hold the rank of assistant professor may be awarded tenure only if they are granted promotion to associate professor at the same time, except in rare and compelling circumstances.

(f) Regular faculty who hold rank beyond that of assistant professor but without tenure, may seek and be awarded tenure without promotion.

(g) A full-time appointment for two semesters shall equal one year of active service. Summer sessions or leaves without compensation granted for one-half or more of any semester may not be counted toward the probationary period for tenure. Faculty improvement program leaves count toward the probationary period for tenure.

(i) A candidate's application for indefinite tenure shall normally be initiated after ten semesters of active service.

(ii) Faculty hired after Friday of week seven of the fall semester may apply for tenure either in their tenth or twelfth semester of active service, and tenure, if granted, will be effective in either the twelfth or fourteenth semester of service.

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