Academic Specialists

Reappointment and Promotion

Academic specialists in the continuing system serve two consecutive probationary appointments, with mandatory reviews for reappointment and for reappointment with continuing status. Once granted continuing status, academic specialists undergo a similar review process for promotion to senior academic specialist, but without a required timeline.

Fixed-term academic specialists do not have required reviews for reappointment. They are eligible for promotion to senior academic specialist after 5 years. The criteria for promotion to senior status is the same for both continuing and fixed-term academic specialists. 
Below you will find information and helpful resources to guide both academic specialists and their supervisors through the review process.

• Due date
  Dossiers are due to NatSci.RPT@msu.edu by March 1
  • NatSci chairs/directors are required to share their promotion review letters with the academic specialist applicant by March 1.
  • Academic specialists 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.
• Criteria and standards
  The College applies institutional criteria and standards for the review and recommendation of reappointment and promotion of academic specialists. Disciplinary norms and candidates’ functional areas are also considered when evaluating the merits of a case.
  • MSU Academic Specialist Handbook
  • Provost Memorandum (Posted when available)
• Guidelines & policies
  • NatSci Reappointment and Promotion Guidelines– Resource to understand the review process and criteria/standards applied to make recommendations for reappointment and promotion.
  • NatSci Teaching Evaluation Guidelines
  • Path to Promotion for Academic Specialists—Links to resources from the MSU Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs.
• Timeline
  • NatSci Timeline (COMING SOON)
  • HR Timeline
• Forms, templates & checklists
  Below are forms and other resources to guide faculty candidates and their supervisors through the RPT process in the College.
  • NatSci dossier assembly checklist (COMING SOON) – How to assemble the promotion dossier (sections filled out by the chair/director or faculty are color-coded and include summaries and links to relevant information and policies)
  • Form of Progress and Excellence for Academic Specialists- Form and other resources from HR
  • NatSci-specific forms:
    • Student evaluation summaries – SIRS and SPLS tables (See information about SPLS questions)
    • Funded grants table
    • RPT Teaching Portfolio Assessment Tool
  • Templates for Chair’s letter (COMING SOON) 
• Tips and other resources
  • Thriving as an Academic Specialist at Michigan State University—Resources from the Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development.
  • MSU Academic Specialist Advisory Committee (ASAC)