Faculty Affairs and Records

Background Information

Updated on

Who undergoes an RTP Evaluation?

Any employee classified as a "Tenure-track" or "Probationary" faculty, or "Tenured" faculty under the Collective Bargaining Unit 3 is required to be periodically evaluated according to the criteria laid out in UPS 210.000 and UPS 210.002.  "Tenure-Track" or "Probationary" faculty are classified as Full-time and are initially hired under a 2-year contract, which is renewed on an annual basis pending a satisfactory review.  Tenured faculty are faculty who have successfully finished their probationary period and are awarded tenure by the University.  Tenured faculty undergo an RTP review when and if they decided to apply for promotion to Full Professor.

Tenure-track or Probationary, and Tenured faculty are contractually guaranteed work for one of the following time periods:

  • an academic year
  • a full 12-month calendar year

Librarian and Counselor (CAPS) Faculty are contractually guaranteed work for one of the following time periods:

  • a 10-month "academic year"
  • a full 12-month calendar year

If you are unsure what kind of faculty member you are please reach out to HRDI.

Governing University Policies

The overall infrastructure of the RTP Evaluation Process is governed by the University Policy Statement (UPS) 210.000 and UPS 210.002, as well as Department-specific evaluation criteria, also known as a Departmental Personnel Standards (DPS).  These UPS documents are is drafted, edited, approved, and published by the CSUF Academic Senate.  The DPS standards are approved by the CSUF Provost's office.  

These documents outline the requirements for the RTP Portfolio, including the required volume of each documentation category, which varies depending on the type of evaluation.  

Download a copy of each of these documents and read them thoroughly to know what is expected of you.

The most up-to-date copy of these policies will also be available for download on the Faculty Affairs and Records (FAR) website.

Evaluation Types
  • Full Performance Reviews
    • This review type is always CUMULATIVE and normally occur for Tenure-track faculty in probationary years 2, 4, and 6
      • "Cumulative" for Tenure-tack Faculty means that the review period and volume of submitted documentation should reflect the time-span between the date of hire up to the submission deadline of the current academic year.
    • A CUMULATIVE Full Performance review occurs for Tenured faculty when they decide to apply for promotion to Full Professor
      • For Tenured Faculty however, "Cumulative" means that the review period and volume of documentation should reflect the time-span between the day after the RTP portfolio was submitted for tenure and promotion to Associate professor through the submission deadline of the current academic year
    • Full performance reviews can occur in probationary years 3 & 5 under one of the following circumstances:
      1. The Provost mandates a full-performance review in the final decision letter (make sure to read the entire thing)
      2. You decide to undergo an evaluation for Early Tenure and/or Early promotion to Associate Professor in one of these years.
  • Abbreviated Reviews
    • This review type is NOT cumulative and pertains only to Tenure-Track Faculty.
    • Abbreviated reviews typically occur in probationary years 3 & 5.
    • The period of review and volume of submitted documentation should reflect the time-span between the day after the last full-performance review was submitted and the submission deadline for the current academic year.
RTP Status  Review type  Review Period  Required Volume of Documentation  RTP Evaluation Timetable Due Date 
First Full Performance Review 
PY2 Cumulative Full Performance review  From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year  1 academic year or two semesters worth of documentation Timetable #1 on or around Sept 15th 
PY3-FR (1 year of Service Credit) Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
1 academic year or two semesters worth of documentation (will need to include some documentation from previous institution)
Timetable #1
on or around Sept 15th
PY4 (2 years of Service Credit) Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
1 academic year or two semesters worth of documentation (will need to include some documentation from previous institution)
Timetable #1
on or around Sept 15th
Subsequent Full Performance Reviews
PY3-FR Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
2 academic years or 4 semesters worth of documentation Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
PY4 Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
3 academic years or 6 semesters worth of documentation
Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
PY5-FR  Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
4 academic years or 8 semesters worth of documentation
Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
PY6 Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
5 academic years or 10 semesters worth of documentation
Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
Promotion to Full Professor
Cumulative Full Performance review
From day after RTP portfolio was submitted for Tenure & Promotion through submission deadline of the current academic year
depends on when the evaluation is requested
Timetable #2 on or around Oct 1st
Abbreviated Reviews 
PY3 Abbreviated Review From day after the last full-performance review was submitted through the submission deadline of the current academic year
1 academic year or 2 semesters worth of documentation  Timetable #3
on or around Oct 1st
PY5 Abbreviated Review  From day after the last full-performance review was submitted through the submission deadline of the current academic year
1 academic year or 2 semesters worth of documentation
Timetable #3
on or around Oct 1st
Exceptions to Normative RTP Process
Early Tenure and/or Early Promotion  Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
depends on when the evaluation is requested, but should go back to the date of hire Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
Early Tenure Only (applies only to faculty who have already been awarded the rank of Associate)  Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
depends on when the evaluation is requested, but should go back to the date of hire
Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
Early Promotion Only (department-specific) Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
depends on when the evaluation is requested, but should go back to the date of hire
Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
Tenure Only ((applies only to faculty who have already been awarded the rank of Associate) Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
5 academic years or 10 semesters worth of documentation
Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
Tenure & Early Promotion to Full Professor (applies only to faculty awarded the rank of Associate without tenure)
Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
5 academic years or 10 semesters worth of documentation
Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
Tenure & Promotion to Full Professor (applies only to faculty hired as Associates without tenure) Cumulative Full Performance review
From date of hire through submission deadline of current academic year
5 academic years or 10 semesters worth of documentation
Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
Early Promotion to Full Professor Cumulative Full Performance review
From day after RTP portfolio was submitted for Tenure & Promotion through submission deadline of the current academic year Anywhere from 1-3 academic years or 2-6 semesters worth of documentation depending on whether the evaluation is requested  Timetable #2
on or around Oct 1st
Annual Evaluation Time Table

Every year the Faculty Affairs and Records office publishes on our website an Evaluation Timetable, approved by the Provost's Office, for the RTP Evaluation Cycle.  This timetable documents the journey of the RTP Portfolio from submission to final decision.

For Tenure-track and Tenured Faculty Members undergoing evaluation there are several important dates to keep in mind, but the most important in the Submission Deadline.

  • All RTP portfolios will be submitted in the Fall semester of each academic year.  
    • For those undergoing their first full-performance review at CSUF, their submission deadline is always on or around September 15th.  During the years when 9/15 falls on a weekend a new date will be determined and published.
    • For all other reviews, full and abbreviated, the submission deadline is on or around October 1st.  During the years when 10/1 falls on a weekend a new date will be determined and published.

 

Next Article Log In Options