Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to share with you new guidance, entitled Recognizing the Impact of External Events on the Tenure, Promotion, and Evaluation of NJIT Faculty. This document was prepared by the Provost’s Ad Hoc Task Force on Federal Developments, endorsed by that group, and reviewed and supported by the University Promotion and Tenure Committee.

As you know, recent federal actions have disrupted traditional patterns of research funding, altered agency priorities, and placed new constraints on scholarly work. These developments have the potential to affect faculty productivity in ways that are outside an individual’s control. This guidance offers recommendations on how Promotion and Tenure committees may take such factors into account when evaluating cases.

I want to emphasize that this guidance does not change NJIT’s Promotion and Tenure policy. Instead, it provides a framework for committees to fairly assess faculty achievements in light of these external realities. The goal is to ensure that our processes remain both rigorous and equitable, recognizing the resilience and adaptability of our colleagues in navigating a shifting environment.

I am grateful to the Task Force and the University Promotion and Tenure Committee for their thoughtful work. I trust that both tenure-track faculty and promotion and tenure committees will find this guidance helpful throughout the promotion and tenure process.

Sincerely,
John A. Pelesko
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs