Sample Solicitation Letter for Promotion

Dear [recipient name],

The Department of [reviewing dept/unit name] at the University of California, Santa Cruz is considering the advancement of [candidate's title and full name] to [proposed promotion title, e.g. "Associate Professor with tenure"]. Your evaluation of this individual's record of accomplishments and impact is being requested as a valued contribution to our review process.

Ladder-rank advancement within the University of California is based upon research, teaching, and University and public service. The review committee is primarily interested in your evaluation of the individual's scholarly and/or creative contributions with particular reference to their originality and significance. In addition, I would appreciate your comments on the individual's teaching ability, standing within the discipline, and any other aspect of professional competence with which you may be familiar. We are also interested in any comments you have on the individual's contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion through their research, teaching, and service work. Lastly, it would be helpful if you would include a comparison with others in the field who are at a similar stage in their career.

We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted the research and teaching of our faculty, and we have provided options for faculty to have additional time to meet the criteria for promotion. When reviewing this research record, please focus on the research output, rather than the productivity over time, as decreased productivity due to the pandemic should not be factored into this review.

I kindly ask that you respond by [deadline], as our consideration of this action is planned soon thereafter.

Under University of California policy, the identity of authors of letters of evaluation are held in confidence; however, an appointee is entitled to see the main body of your letter after identifying information outside the body of the letter has been redacted.

Please be sure to review the entire statement on the confidentiality of solicited letters at the University of California at https://apo.ucsc.edu/confstm.html ¹

The quality of faculty at the University of California is dependent upon receiving informed and objective evaluations of their contributions to the academic community. We appreciate your time and attention.

Sincerely,

[Department Chair Name]
[Department Signature]