1 Policy Statement

The University will annually provide an opportunity for academic employees to seek promotion to the next level on the basis of meritorious performance.  In exceptional circumstances it is possible to seek promotion over more than one level.

There will be no quota on the number of promotions recommended to the Vice-Chancellor in any one year but recommendations for each level of promotion will be presented in rank order for the Vice-Chancellor's approval.  The number of successful applicants may be subject to budgetary constraints.

The University is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in promotion and recognises that employees contribute to its vision and goals in diverse ways. The achievements of candidates for promotion are considered relative to the particular circumstances of their career progression and the opportunities which have been available to them.

(Approved by Council February 2010)

2 Procedures

The promotion process consists of two stages:

• Part A: Assessment of Eligibility, and

• Part B: Application for Promotion

Applications for Part A: Assessment of Eligibility will normally be called by Human Resources in March, with applications from eligible employees for Part B: Application for Promotion normally called in May and at least four weeks before the closing date in July.  Applications must be submitted to the Executive Officer by the specified closing time and date.   Information relating to application is available in the Guide for Applicants.

2.1 Part A: Assessment of Eligibility

2.1.1 Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to apply for promotion academic employees will:

• Have completed 12 months or more service in the University in a fractional or full-time appointment as at the closing date of applications.

• For promotion to Level B, should have a masters qualification in the relevant discipline area, or equivalent accreditation or standing 

• For promotion to Level C, D and E, should have a doctoral qualification in the relevant discipline area, or equivalent accreditation or standing

Employees who were unsuccessful in their application for promotion in one year may not apply for promotion in the following year, except where:

• the application in the previous year was a first application for promotion to that level, or

• the applicant was deemed ineligible in the previous year and the applicant’s eligibility requirements have subsequently changed for the current year’s application (eg Doctoral qualification has been awarded)

• However, an employee who was unsuccessful in their application for promotion in one year may submit a case to the University Moderation Panel for approval to apply in the following year, where it can be demonstrated that substantial progress has been made towards addressing improvements identified in feedback received on the previous year’s application, The University Moderation Panel will assess this request as part of Part A: Assessment of Eligibility, in accordance with section 2.1.2 below.

2.1.1.1 Equivalent Accreditation or Standing

Where applicants do not possess the required qualification, cases will be considered for equivalence on the basis of professional accreditation or standing. 

• ‘Equivalent accreditation’ means that if an examining body, profession or similar institute admits a person to one of its awards or levels of membership, and that award or level of membership is widely considered by universities and the profession to be equivalent to a particular level of University award, then the award or level of membership may be deemed to have equivalent accreditation to the particular University award.

• ‘Equivalent standing’ means that applicants must demonstrate equivalence to the required qualification with regard to teaching experience, experience in research and scholarship, experience outside tertiary education in industry, creative achievement, professional contributions and/or to technical achievement.

A candidate seeking to establish equivalent accreditation or standing must prepare a separate written case which substantiates the claimed equivalence. Evidence subsequently provided in Part B to support a case for promotion must be of a different nature and impact from the evidence used to substantiate equivalent accreditation or standing in Part A.

Applicants may also request consideration for special circumstances, including career breaks, gender, family or other factors which may have impacted their qualifications, accreditation or standing.

Additionally, employees who at the time of applying for promotion, are in the process of submitting the relevant higher degree may be considered for promotion conditional on confirmation of eligibility to graduate in the higher degree following the promotion round, provided that it is within 12 months from the date of notification of the conditional promotion decision.  A case must be submitted in writing to the University Moderation Panel for consideration of eligibility.  If successful, the promotion will be effective from date of receipt of qualification and will not be backdated to 1 January. 

2.1.1.2 Applications over more than one level

Employees wishing to apply over more than one level must obtain written permission from the Chair of the University Moderation Panel prior to completing the promotion application.  The submission must contain details of the exceptional circumstances demonstrating why the employee should be considered at the higher level.

The promotion panel may also recommend that an applicant be promoted over more than one level.  In such cases, additional information including external referee reports may be sought.

2.1.2 Process for assessing eligibility

Applicants must submit an Assessment of Eligibility form following a call for applications from Human Resources, along with any written cases for equivalency; to support an application for promotion over more than one level; or to support a case for promotion in the year following an unsuccessful application in the previous year where this was not the first application for promotion to that level.

The University Moderation Panel will then meet to review all applications to determine whether eligibility requirements, including qualifications or equivalency requirements, have been met for the level of promotion sought.

Applicants who fail to meet the eligibility requirements at this stage will be declared ineligible and the applicant will be notified and offered feedback not less than 8 weeks prior to the closing date for applications for promotion.

An employee may appeal the decision on eligibility on the grounds of process only. All appeals will be heard in accordance with Section 2.6, with appeals being submitted in writing and forwarded to the Executive Director, Human Resources within four weeks of the notification of promotion outcomes in December of each year.

2.2 Part B: Application for Promotion

2.2.1 Criteria for promotion

Promotion of eligible employees will be 'on merit'.  The University recognises that meritorious performance can occur in a range of academic activities and that criteria for promotion should reflect diversity of performance within the constraints of the University's Mission.

The University identifies the following three broad areas of professional activity as worthy of contributing to individual excellence:

1. Teaching and Related Scholarship

2. Research and Original Achievement

3. Service to the University, Community and Profession

The criteria are defined as the following:

• Teaching is a creative activity designed to foster students' learning, their ability and desire to undertake scholarly work, and their personal development and creativity.  Teaching draws upon the professional and disciplinary expertise of staff and is continually revitalised by research, scholarship, consultancy or professional practice.  Teaching includes the design, implementation and evaluation of curriculum materials for all modes of delivery.
  
  
  
  Scholarship refers to the analysis and interpretation of existing knowledge aimed at improving, through teaching or by other means of communication, the depth of human understanding.
  
  
  
  Teaching and related scholarship includes face-to-face classroom teaching; the various modes of distance education teaching (including online mode, the preparation of print, voice, visual or electronic materials and contact with students directly or by telephone, computer link, or video link); the teaching or groups other than award students (including fellow employees); postgraduate supervision; curriculum, course and instructional design; education leadership and scholarship associated with teaching.

• Research is taken to mean systematic and rigorous investigation aimed at the discovery of previously unknown phenomena, the development of explanatory theory and its application to new situations or problems, and the construction of original works of significant intellectual merit.
  
  
  
  Research and original achievement encompasses all forms of original intellectual or cultural achievement including: research, exhibitions, performance, unique consultancy and the leadership, scholarship, publication, commercialisation and information/technology transfer associated with these activities.

• Service relates to the need for academic staff to contribute in an appropriate and sustained way to the corporate life of the University, the community good and the development of their profession in domains such as; contribution to the formulation and implementation of academic policy; the initiation (or active maintenance) of linkages between the University and the community, employers of graduates and professional institutions.

2.2.2 Weighting by applicant

In consultation with their supervisor, applicants for promotion will nominate the percentage weight they wish to be given in each of the three criteria for consideration by the relevant Promotion Committee in assessing their application.

Weightings assigned by an applicant must have a minimum of 10% in each category (unless an applicant applies for promotion as a ‘research only' or ‘teaching specialisation and scholarship' employee) and must total 100%.

The ranges for each employment category are:

In determining the weightings, applicants must take into consideration individual workload allocations relative to achievements in each category.

2.2.3 Supervisor's Statement

The relevant promotion committee will be provided with a written report which contains an evaluation of the applicant's suitability for promotion against the three promotion criteria by the supervisor/Head of School for promotion to Levels B and C, or by the Dean of Faculty for promotion to Levels D and E.  The written report will be prepared in consultation with the relevant Research Centre Director where applicable.

2.2.4 Submission Details

Applicants are required to submit via email a copy of their application addressed to the Executive Officer of the appropriate promotion committee (Faculty Promotion Committees for promotion to Levels B and C, University Promotion Committee for promotion to Level D and E) by 5:00pm on the specified closing date. 

Applications received after that date will not be accepted.

Applications must not exceed fifteen pages (font size of 12 point).  Applications must contain the following:

• A curriculum vitae.

• A self assessment of performance addressing the three criteria and supported by such evidence as the applicant deems appropriate.

• A statement by their supervisor based on the set criteria. (not included in page limit)

• The names and addresses of three people who have agreed to act as referees (not included in page limit).  

  • Applicants applying for promotion to Lecturer (Level B) and Senior Lecturer (Level C) must ensure that at least one of their three referees is external to the University.

  • Applicants applying for promotion to Associate Professor (Level D) and Professor (Level E) must ensure that at least two of their three referees are external to the University.

Applicants who are academic employees from non-faculty departments such as CAIK, OAC and LTS will be required to nominate the faculty that would be most relevant to assess their application.

Applicants may request consideration for special circumstances, including career breaks, gender, family or other factors which may have resulted in an alternative profile in one or more of the criteria or limited their career progression.

Up until five working days prior to the advertised meeting of the Committee applicants may provide additional information relevant to his/her application.  Additional information must be provided in electronic form and sent to the Executive Officer of the relevant committee and must not exceed one page.

For more detailed information on the format required and recommended content, refer to the Guide for Applicants.

2.3 Process for assessing promotion applications

2.3.1 Promotion Committees

Applications for promotion to Levels B and C will be considered by a Faculty Promotion Committee as defined in Attachment 1.  Applications for promotion to Levels D and E will be considered by the University Promotion Committee as defined in Attachment 2.  Applicants applying for promotion to Level E will have two external assessors selected by the Chair of the Panel who will contribute to the assessment of the candidate.

The University Moderation Panel as defined in Attachment 3, will review all decisions before recommendations are made to the Vice-Chancellor.  This committee is also responsible for determining whether eligibility requirements are met prior to the start of the promotion assessment meetings.

All promotion committee members will be required to attend an induction training session coordinated by Human Resources. 

2.3.2 Guidelines for assessment

The relevant promotion committee will assess applicants and rate each one based on the evidence provided in the application and any supporting documentation against the criteria outlined in 2.2.1. 

Each applicant will be given a score out of 10 according to the following:

*GPA here means Graded Performance Average, being the weighted aggregate of performance across the criteria.  Applicants must be awarded a GPA of 7 in order to be promotable.

The Performance description is defined as the following:

For the purposes of this policy the peer group of an applicant is defined as those academic employees of Australian universities in the same discipline and at the present level of the applicant.

The performance of applicants in each of the three criteria will be assessed against the position classification standards for:

1. their current level of appointment, and

2. the level of appointment sought,

with regard to demonstrated potential to perform at the level sought and actual performance at the current level relative to the applicants' peer groups.

Inherent in this approach is the expectation that, as the level of promotion being sought increases, the nature of the performance shifts from the conduct of an activity to the leadership, supervision and management of the activity. 

Further detail relating to the rating of applicants may be found in the Guidelines for Assessment.

2.3.3 Additional Submission by Applicant

Applicants are permitted to submit, one week prior to the advertised formal meeting dates, a maximum one page summary of achievements that have resulted since their application was submitted.

2.3.4 Interviews

For promotion to Levels B and C interviews will be at the panel's discretion.  For example, applicants may be called for interview where further clarification is required or there is significant variation in ratings.

For promotion to Levels D and E interviews will be conducted, as far as possible, during the time period outlined in the schedule.  Firm interview dates and times will be conveyed to applicants as early as possible to ensure availability.  All applicants must normally be available for face-to-face interviews unless there are unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, however a telephone interview may be arranged if the Chair of the Panel judges the circumstances make this necessary.  The purpose of the interview is to explore selected matters from the application, supervisor's statement and referee reports and to give the applicant an opportunity to present more recent information.

Applicants should note that inability to attend scheduled interviews owing to clashes with lecture timetables, for example, do not constitute unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances and will not warrant inclusion for early interview (rescheduling of a class or exchanging with another staff member are appropriate means of ensuring availability).

2.3.5 Moderation

Following the completion of all assessment meetings and interviews, the University Moderation Committee will meet to review the outcomes from each Promotion Committee and formulate the overall ranking. 

2.3.6 Review Meeting

After the moderation process, a meeting will be arranged inviting all promotion committee members and observers to review the process and provide feedback.

2.3.7 Outcomes and notification

Promotion decisions will be made by the Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of Council, with due regard to recommendations of the Promotion Committees, and other recommendations that may arise from the review process. 

It is the responsibility of the Dean of Faculty to personally inform the applicant verbally once formal written advice from Human Resources is available, of the outcome of their application. An unsuccessful applicant will be offered an opportunity for verbal feedback by Chair of the Committee and the Dean of the applicant's Faculty.  An applicant's Supervisor will also be present at the feedback meetings.

Successful applicants will be appointed at Step 1 of the salary classification to which they are promoted.

2.4 Other promotion matters

2.4.1 Resignation prior to the completion of the promotion process

Where an applicant for promotion tenders their resignation from the University prior to the promotion being approved, their application will be regarded as withdrawn.

2.4.2 Role of the applicant's supervisor

The role of the Supervisor is to assist applicants in determining readiness for promotion by providing feedback across the three criteria.  The Supervisor will be responsible for providing a written Supervisor's Statement to be submitted with the application providing commentary on the applicant's performance against each of the criteria. 

For the purposes of assisting the applicant's development, the Supervisor may also be present at the feedback meetings.

2.4.3 Confidentiality

Other than material required for feedback to an applicant or required for consideration of appeals, all materials and deliberations relating to promotion applications will be treated in the strictest confidence by all participants in and observers of the promotion process.  Members of the Promotion Committees and observers will not discuss applications, recommendations or deliberations outside of committee meetings.

2.4.4 Departure from regulations

Any departure from regulations may only be made with the approval of the Vice-Chancellor.

2.5 Timetable

The timetable for the promotion process will, as far as possible, be as follows:

2.6 Appeals

An applicant may appeal only on the grounds of process.  The appeal process is subject to the same expectations of confidentiality as the promotion round itself.

The appeal must be in writing and forwarded to the Executive Director, Human Resources within four weeks of notification of the outcome of the application for promotion.

The Executive Director, Human Resources will refer the appeal to an Appeal Panel consisting of:

• Deputy Chair of Academic Board as Chair unless disqualified by having been an applicant in the current round.  In this event the Chair will be a nominee of the Vice-Chancellor, who will be either a professorial member of Academic Board (providing the professor has not served on the core panel for the current round), or an Dean neither of whom will be from the Faculty of the appellant;

• a member of the Academic Board, of the rank of associate professor or above, who has not been part of a promotions panel in this round; and

• a nominee of the appellant who has not been part of a promotions panel in this round; and

• at the discretion of the appellant, an observer may be present from the NTEU, provided they have not served as observers of promotion panel interviews in the current promotions round; and

• A staff member from Human Resources will act as Executive Officer to the Appeal Panel.

The final composition of the Appeal panel will be approved by the Vice-Chancellor.  Consideration will be given to establishing the panel in accordance with University's requirements for committee composition

The recommendations of the Appeal Panel will go to the Vice-Chancellor for decision.

The Appeal Panel will advise the Vice-Chancellor whether, in its opinion, there has or has not been a breach of the University's procedures on Academic Promotion and/or that natural justice was or was not afforded.  The Appeal Panel will provide the Vice-Chancellor with a summary of the deliberations leading to its recommendation.

In the event that the Vice-Chancellor's decision is to promote the appellant, that promotion will take effect from the date at which it would have occurred if the original Promotion Panel had decided to recommend promotion.

3 Attachment 1 – Faculty Promotion Committee

Faculty Promotion Committees are Vice-Chancellor's committees established in accordance with section 2.3. These committees are accountable to the Vice-Chancellor.

3.1 Terms of Reference

A Faculty Promotion Committee considers applications for promotion to Levels B and C and recommends to the Vice-Chancellor for approval.  The Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor will oversee the process.

3.2 Membership

• Dean of Faculty (Chair),

• One senior academic employee (at Level C or above) nominated by the Dean of Faculty

• Two academic employees from the faculty nominated by the relevant Faculty Board, both of whom must have submitted an expression of interest to the Board and be an Academic Level C or above.  (At least one of the nominated members to be female except where the Faculty has fewer than four (4) female academic employees)

• One member, external to the faculty, at Level C or above nominated by the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor

• President, USQ Branch of NTEU (or nominee) as observer

• Manager (Organisational Development) (or nominee) as Executive Officer

Where an application is received from an Indigenous staff member, the promotion committee is to be reconstituted, prior to the consideration of any applications, to include an Indigenous Academic from any higher education institution.  This will be an additional committee position.  In this circumstance the Executive Officer to the Promotion Committee will request that the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor nominate the Indigenous staff member to become a committee member.

The Committee for applicants from the LTS, OAC, CAIK, ADFI and other non-faculty departments will be comprised of the following:

• Director/Head of Section (Chair)

• One (1) academic employee from the non-faculty department nominated by the relevant Department Board or equivalent, whom must have submitted an expression of interest and be an Academic Level C or above (where possible)

• Dean from a relevant faculty

• One representative from a relevant faculty (at Academic Level C or above)

• One member, external to the department or nominated faculty, at Level C or above nominated by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Scholarship)  (to ensure appropriate gender representation wherever possible)

• President, USQ Branch of NTEU (or nominee) as observer

• Manager (Organisational Development) (or nominee) as Executive Officer

Should the Director/Head of Section be amongst the applicants for promotion, the Vice-Chancellor will appoint a Deputy Vice-Chancellor to Chair the Committee.

Any employee who is an applicant will not be a member of the committee. Committee members will not act as a referee for any applicant submitting an application to that committee.

4 Attachment 2 – University Promotion Committee

The University Promotion Committees are Vice-Chancellor's committees established in accordance with section 2.3.  This committee is accountable to the Vice-Chancellor for fulfilling the following terms of reference.

4.1 Terms of Reference

A University Promotion Committee considers applications for promotion to Levels D and E and recommends to the Vice-Chancellor for approval.  The Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor will oversee the process.

4.2 Membership

• Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Chair)

• Chair, Academic Board

• An Academic employee at the level of Associate Professor or Professor nominated by the Vice-Chancellor (to ensure appropriate gender representation wherever possible)

• Dean of Faculty 

• Two academic employees from the faculty nominated by the relevant Faculty Board, both of whom must have submitted an expression of interest to the Board and be an Academic Level D or above.  (At least one of the nominated members to be female except where the Faculty has fewer than four (4) female academic employees)

• Two external discipline assessors for each applicant for promotion to Academic Level E as recommended by the Dean of Faculty

• President, USQ Branch of NTEU (or nominee) as observer

• Manager (Organisational Development) (or nominee) as Executive Officer

Where an application is received from an Indigenous staff member, the promotion committee is to be reconstituted, prior to the consideration of any applications, to include an Indigenous Academic from any higher education institution.  This will be an additional committee position.  In this circumstance the Executive Officer to the Promotion Committee will request that the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor nominate the Indigenous staff member to become a committee member.

The Committee for applicants from the LTS, OAC, CAIK, ADFI and other non-faculty departments will be comprised of the following:

• Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Chair)

• Chair, Academic Board

• An Academic employee at the level of Associate Professor or Professor nominated by the Vice-Chancellor (to ensure appropriate gender representation wherever possible)

• Director/Head of Section

• One academic employee from the non-faculty department nominated by the relevant Department Board or equivalent, whom must have submitted an expression of interest and be an Academic Level D or above (where possible)   

• One Dean from a relevant Faculty

• Two external discipline assessors for each applicant for promotion to Academic Level E as recommended by the Director/Head of Section

• Observer and Executive Officer as specified above 

Should the Director/Head of Section be amongst the applicants for promotion, the Vice-Chancellor will appoint an additional Deputy Vice-Chancellor to the Committee.

Any employee who is an applicant will not be a member of the committee. Committee members will not act as a referee for any applicant submitting an application to that committee.

5 Attachment 3 – University Moderation Panel

The University Moderation Panel is a Vice-Chancellor's committee established in accordance with section 2.3.  This committee is accountable to the Vice-Chancellor.

5.1 Terms of Reference

A Moderation Panel will meet to review the outcomes from each Promotion Committee and formulate the overall ranking.  The Panel will also be responsible for determining the eligibility for all promotion candidates.  The University Moderation Panel will be constituted as follows:

5.2 Membership

• Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Chair

• The Deans* from each faculty (or nominee, provided the nominee has participated as a member of the University Promotion Committee),

• Chair, Academic Board

• A nominee of the Vice-Chancellor drawn from the external members of the Faculty and University Promotion Committees,

• President, USQ Branch of NTEU (or nominee) as observer

• Manager, Organisational Development (or nominee) as Executive Officer

*Directors/Head of Section of non-Faculty departments where appropriate.

6 Other Policy Information