2.7.I. Assistant Professors Review Committee (APRC)

1. Purpose

    The School of Medicine Assistant Professors Review Committee (APRC) is a standing committee, advisory to the Vice Dean, and appointed to review and assess the academic credentials for initial appointment or reappointment at the rank of Assistant Professor in the University Tenure Line, the University Medical Line and the Non-Tenure Line (Research).

2. Composition

    Appointed by the Vice Dean, the APRC is composed of seventeen members of the Professoriate, including two faculty members who also serve as Associate Deans for Academic Affairs.  All members of the Committee must hold the rank of Associate Professor or Professor.  Normally, no department will be represented by more than one member from a given unit.

    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 Associate Professors or Professors.  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 two Associate Deans serve on the APRC concurrent with their administrative appointment.  The other APRC 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 or reappointment considered by the APRC, the Office of Academic Affairs provides the APRC with the long form and the transmittal memorandum of the department chair. Academic Affairs staff assigns two APRC members to serve as first and second reviewers (the "Committee Reviewers") to aid in the assessment of the candidate's credentials.

    The department chair (or his or her designee) will be asked to make himself or herself available (on standby) to appear at the appropriate meeting of the APRC 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 his or her attendance is required.

    Upon request by an APRC 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 APRC 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 action recommended, including solicitation of additional letters of evaluation from external or internal referees, and consultation with others, such as Stanford faculty members, fellows, house staff or students.  It is inappropriate for the APRC or the Committee Reviewers to consult with or receive advice from the candidate.

5. Meetings and Quorum

    Normally, the APRC convenes once a month.  Consideration of a recommendation by the Committee 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 APRC 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 APRC and/or the Committee Reviewers.

6. Voting and Recusal

    Members of the APRC are not to vote in the context of, and are not to be present during, the APRC’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 APRC 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 APRC 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, APRC members who cannot attend a meeting may submit written comments to be reviewed by the APRC.