Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure : Academic Human Resources : UMass Amherst

Provost's Annual Promotion and Tenure Memo

View the Provost's 2024 Promotion and Tenure Recommendations for Tenure-Stream Faculty memorandum.

Academic Personnel Workflow System (APWS)

The Academic Personnel Workflow System (APWS) is your tool for faculty and librarian personnel actions, such as applying for reappointment, promotion, tenure, or sabbatical leave.

APWS Training Schedule

The Academic Human Resources team offers several trainings throughout the year to help you learn how to better use APWS. Find out what sessions are coming up next.

What Is the Reappointment, Tenure, and Promotion Process?

Please note that all promotion and tenure cases require external reviewers; most reappointment cases do not. The process of creating an application that requires external reviewers typically begins months before the file will be submitted at the department level. Candidates should work with their department chair/heads to plan for the submission.

At a Glance

Candidates will create a draft submission and specify if the submission requires external reviews.
Candidates upload all the materials they want to be available to external reviewers by marking the checkbox next to the respective document.
Candidates work with their department head/chair to identify an appropriate pool of external reviewers. Both the candidate and the department chair can continue to update the list of suggested external reviewers while the submission is still in the draft stage.
Candidates should review the uploaded materials to make sure that everything is correct. For example:
- Is everything that you want to be available to external reviewers uploaded?
- Are these items marked as being available to external reviewers?
Candidates select a waiver option.
After making and confirming a waiver option, candidates cannot change that option and cannot add or change materials (other than the CV and personal statement) that were uploaded for external reviewers.
Department heads/chairs begin the solicitation process.
While external reviewers are preparing their letters, candidates can continue to build their file by adding further evidence of accomplishments in research/creative activity, teaching, and service. Up until the time candidates actually submit the application, they may add, delete, and replace all materials except those previously submitted for external reviewers.
Before finally submitting an application, candidates should check everything again very carefully. After the candidate submits, candidates can continue to add materials, but cannot delete, edit, or replace previously uploaded materials.
Candidates submit their draft file. Candidates will need to review the anticipated workflow steps to make sure they are correct before confirming the submission.
After submitting their draft, candidates can add additional material as post-submission materials.

In-Depth User Guides

For Faculty: How to Submit a Reappointment, Tenure, or Promotion File Requiring External Reviews

For Department Chairs and Proxies: How to Manage the External and Internal Solicitation Process

For Approvers: How to Review a Reappointment, Promotion, or Tenure File

Text for Screen Readers and Search Engines

Change in Tenure Decision Year (TDY)

Pre-tenure faculty may apply for a change to their tenure-decision year in certain circumstances. For more information, please consult Section 6.2 of the Academic Personnel Policy (Red Book) and Article 27 in the MSP contract.

Template Letters for the Solicitation of External Reviewers

Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure

Promotion to Full Professor

Need Assistance?

For APWS system-related questions, please contact the APWS Support Line at @email.

For policy-related questions, please contact Academic Human Resources at academic.hr@umass.edu.  