Academic Specialists
The resources below provide College of Natural Science expectations, timelines, forms, and guidance for academic specialist reappointment and promotion. Candidates and unit administrators are encouraged to review the NatSci Academic Specialist Reappointment and Promotion Guide early in the reappointment or promotion process.
Completed packets are due to NatSci.RPT@msu.edu by March 1
- NatSci chairs/directors are required to share the unit recommendation letter with the candidate by March 1.
- Faculty have 5 business days after March 1 to send to NatSci.RPT@msu.edu a confidential response to the chair's letter with clarifications, corrections and/or updates, if they wish to do so.
The NatSci Academic Specialist Reappointment and Promotion Guide provides comprehensive guidance for continuing system academic specialists preparing for reappointment to a second probationary period and reappointment with continuing status. It also contains guidance for both fixed-term and continuing system academic specialists preparing for promotion to Senior Academic Specialist. The guide is also meant to support unit administrators and committees invoved in the review process. The guide brings together university policy and college expectations and provides information about reappointment and promotion criteria, the review process and timeline, and preparation of the packet and academic portfolio.
Below are the NatSci checklist and forms that candidates and unit administrators will use throughout the promotion process.
- Form of Progress and Excellence for Academic Specialists (new form developed in 2026)
- NatSci-specific Forms and Resources:
- NatSci Academic Specialist Reappointment and Promotion – Coming Soon
- Student evaluation summaries – SIRS and SPLS tables (See information about SPLS questions)
- RPT Teaching Portfolio Assessment Tool