2.7.L. Appointments and Promotions Committee

1. Purpose

The School of Medicine Appointments and Promotions Committee is a standing committee (A&P), advisory to the Vice Dean, appointed to review and assess the academic credentials for initial appointment, reappointment or promotion to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor in the University Tenure Line, the University Medical Line, the Research Line and the Teaching Line.

2. Composition

    Appointed by the Vice Dean, the A&P Committee is composed of sixteen members of the Professoriate.  All members of the Committee must hold the rank of full professor and be tenured or on a continuing term appointment.  The Committee membership will normally include three to five tenured faculty from the Clinical Science departments, three to five faculty from the University Medical Line, and two to four tenured faculty from the Basic Science departments.  Normally, no department will be represented by more than one member.

    The Vice Dean will attend meetings of the Committee contingent upon their availability.

    The School recognizes the challenges associated with the assembly of regular meetings of busy senior faculty members.  Accordingly, the Vice Dean may appoint faculty to serve as alternate Committee members.   Alternate members must be full professors, who are tenured or on a continuing term of appointment.  Their appointment should complement the composition of the Committee’s regular membership by faculty line and department affiliation.

3. Terms of Service

The Committee chair is appointed by the Vice Dean for a term of up to three years. The other committee members serve for staggered three-year terms, and each appointment is renewable for one additional term.  The membership is reported annually to the School’s Executive Committee.

4. Function

    For each appointment, reappointment or promotion considered by the A&P Committee, the Office of Academic Affairs provides Committee members with the long form, the department chair’s transmittal memorandum, and reprints of up to five papers -- published, in press or submitted -- provided by the candidate for their review.  The Office of Academic Affairs assigns two A&P Committee members to serve as primary and secondary reviewers (the “Committee Reviewers”) to aid in the assessment of the candidate’s credentials.

    The department chair (or their designee) will be asked to make themselves available (on standby) to appear at the appropriate meeting of the A&P Committee to present the department’s recommendation and to answer questions posed by Committee members.  During the opening of the meeting, the primary and/or secondary reviewers will be queried regarding their assessment of the need for the department chair (or designee) to appear in support of the recommendation.  Administrative staff will then immediately notify the department chair (or designee) if their attendance is required.

    Upon request by an A&P Committee member (and with the concurrence of the Committee chair), the discussion of a candidate may be deferred until a future meeting.  An action may also be tabled by the Committee chair for a variety of reasons including (but not limited to) a request for further input from the department or a recommendation that the Vice Dean pursue an alternate strategy with the department.

    Although rarely necessary, the A&P Committee and/or the Committee Reviewers, in their discretion, also may request and consider any other material or information to complete the evaluation of the candidate’s credentials for the rank recommended, including solicitation of additional letters of evaluation from external and/or internal referees, and consultation with others, such as Stanford faculty members, fellows, house staff or students.  It is inappropriate for the A&P Committee or the Committee Reviewers to consult with or receive advice from the candidate.

5. Meetings and Quorum

    Normally, the A&P Committee convenes twice a month.  Consideration by the Committee of a recommendation requires the presence of more than half of the current voting Committee membership, including either the primary or secondary Committee Reviewer assigned the file.  Members who are on sabbatical or are recused are not counted toward the current Committee membership for purposes of quorum.  Participation by alternate members will be counted for purposes of quorum and for purposes of voting as described below.

    Minutes of the meetings are confidential and are retained by the Office of Academic Affairs.  Minutes of a meeting of the A&P Committee will be available only to Committee members who participated at that meeting.  The minutes are to include copies of any additional correspondence and materials requested by or on behalf of the A&P Committee and/or the Committee Reviewers.

6. Voting and Recusal

    Members of the A&P Committee are not to vote in the context of, and are not to be present during, the A&P Committee’s consideration of a candidate if they have (a) overseen, or participated in, preparation of the documentation on behalf of the candidate (including submission of letters of evaluation); (b) attended a departmental or division meeting during which the candidate’s currently proposed appointment, reappointment or promotion was discussed; or (c) voted on the recommendation at the divisional or departmental level.  Members of the A&P Committee are expected to notify the Committee Chair and/or the Vice Dean regarding such situations or other possible circumstances that might make appropriate their recusal from consideration of a recommendation.

    All members present at a meeting are required to vote by secret ballot.  The tabulation of the vote is recorded.  To carry affirmatively, a yea vote must be cast by a majority of A&P Committee members (including alternates) in attendance.  The same number of nay votes (a majority) is required for a negative recommendation.

    Abstentions are inappropriate, except under extraordinary circumstances.  Absentee votes are not allowed; however, A&P Committee members who cannot attend a meeting may submit written comments to be reviewed by the A&P Committee.