Skip to main content

Updates: Tenure clock, faculty searches, staff hiring

Categories: Academics, Finance, Policies, Workplace & HR

As Stanford continues responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, this post provides new information on the faculty tenure clock, faculty searches and staff hiring processes.

New tenure clock extension policy

In recognition of the serious academic and personal challenges posed by the current health crisis, a new tenure clock extension policy for Stanford’s untenured faculty has been instituted. It offers a one-year extension for all faculty holding tenure-accruing appointments, with the exception of those currently in a terminal year appointment and whose tenure-conferring promotion or reappointment process commenced prior to January 1, 2020.

The new COVID-19 Tenure Extension Policy is posted to the Faculty Affairs website and in the Faculty Handbook.

Faculty searches

The university is anticipating that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a significant impact on Stanford’s financial picture. The recent market volatility is expected to continue, affecting endowment payout that supports Stanford’s budget, and a number of revenue-generating programs supporting university operations also are being curtailed. University leadership will be assessing these issues in greater detail in the coming weeks. For now, the financial picture is leading to two steps.

First, to allow more time to assess the university’s financial picture before extending new financial commitments, Provost Drell has asked the deans to pause faculty searches. If a search is in process and has not converged on a finalist, then the search should be paused temporarily, until more complete information about the university’s budget position is available. However, if a search has concluded and discussions have taken place with the finalist about terms of the offer, or if an offer has been extended, then the hiring process should proceed.

Staff hiring

Similarly, the university has instituted a hiring pause for staff positions. New requisitions will not be opened without the approval of a dean or vice president. All interviews in progress and pending offers should be put on hold temporarily. For more information, visit this page on the Cardinal at Work website.

Tag: