This page provides a summary of Teaching Stream faculty appointments, covering Definite-term and Probationary Appointments, Reappointments, and Criteria for Permanence and Promotion based on Teaching, Service, and (where applicable) Scholarship. Evaluation follows the Teaching Effectiveness Framework and must meet specific timelines and dossier requirements.
See related resources below or contact the Administrator, Faculty Relations and Appointments.
- Definite-term appointments
- First probationary term
- Probationary re-appointments
- Consideration for Permanence and Promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor
- Timing and criteria
Definite-term appointments
Refer to Policy 76 - 2A
Definite-term appointments in the Teaching Stream are limited to teaching and service, and formal teaching duties are normally assigned in all three terms. Definite-term appointments in the Tenure Stream normally have duties in teaching, service, and scholarship; formal teaching duties are often assigned in all three terms.
For those holding definite term appointments, a recommendation to reappoint at a higher rank shall be considered by the Faculty Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (FTPPC), and requires the approval of the Dean and the Vice-President, Academic & Provost.
As of September 1, 2024, Regular Faculty appointments are made in two mutually exclusive categories: Tenure Stream and Teaching Stream. The ranks in the Tenure Stream are: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. The ranks in the Teaching Stream are Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream; Associate Professor, Teaching Stream; and Professor, Teaching Stream.
First probationary term
Refer to Policy 76 - 3B
A probationary appointment is a regular faculty appointment for a contractually limited period of time. While probationary appointments can be made at any rank in the Tenure Stream or the Teaching Stream, they are generally made at the ranks of Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream. A faculty member holding a first probationary appointment is entitled to formal consideration for reappointment to a second probationary contract. A faculty member holding a second probationary appointment is entitled to formal consideration for tenure or permanence; see Policy 77. Faculty members with probationary appointments are not eligible for promotion prior to the granting of tenure or permanence.
Consideration for reappointment to a second probationary appointment shall occur during the final year of the first probationary appointment. If reappointment is not approved, the candidate's appointment shall be extended as necessary to provide twelve months' notice from the date they are informed of the Dean's negative decision.
Probationary re-appointments (second probationary)
Refer to Policy 76 - 3B
Consideration for reappointment to a second probationary appointment shall occur during the final year of the first probationary appointment; see below. If reappointment is not approved, the candidate's appointment shall be extended as necessary to provide twelve months' notice from the date they are informed of the Dean's negative decision.
For reappointment of Teaching Stream faculty members, the candidate is expected to present a record (i) as an effective teacher and evidence of becoming a strong teacher, both as part of formal course-based teaching and outside of this formal teaching, as detailed in the University’s Framework for Teaching Effectiveness, and (ii) of satisfactory service, as described in sections 2 and 3 of Policy 77. (In the case of Teaching Stream faculty members with service weight greater than or equal to 40%, expectations for Service are higher than “Satisfactory” because of the prominence of this part of their roles.) The Department/School Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (D/STPPC) shall assess whether the candidate is making satisfactory progress towards permanence, recognizing that at this stage it may be necessary to make judgements in some areas based on potential. The Department/School Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (D/STPPC) shall forward the Department/School Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (D/STPPC) recommendation to the Dean and shall inform the candidate in writing, including reasons if the recommendation is negative.
Consideration for permanence and promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor
Refer to Policy 77 - 4 and 6
The criteria and procedures for the granting of tenure or permanence are set out in Policy 77.
Permanence will be awarded only at the ranks of Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, or Professor, Teaching Stream.
A faculty member holding a second probationary Teaching Stream appointment is entitled to formal consideration for Permanence, which normally occurs during the second year of the second probationary appointment. However, the candidate may choose to postpone consideration until the third year. Employment as a regular faculty member beyond the second probationary appointment is possible only if tenure/permanence has been granted.
An initial appointment with permanence is unusual and can be made only at the rank of: Professor, Teaching Stream; or Associate Professor, Teaching Stream. An appointment with permanence must be recommended by the Faculty Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (FTPPC), and requires approval by the Dean, the VPA&P, and the Board of Governors.
In exceptional circumstances, for instance where extensive experience was acquired at Waterloo or elsewhere prior to the probationary appointment at Waterloo, an individual may be considered for tenure/permanence earlier than the second year of the second probationary appointment. Such early consideration requires the agreement in advance of the candidate and the Department/School Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (D/STPPC) plus the written agreement of the Dean. If either the Department/School Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (D/STPPC) or the Faculty Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (FTPPC) recommends against tenure/permanence, early tenure/permanence consideration shall cease, and the candidate must wait for tenure/permanence consideration until the final year of the second probationary appointment.
The expectations for the granting of permanence are a record as a strong teacher committed to academic and pedagogical excellence, and a record of satisfactory professional, university or community service. While the default weights for a Teaching Stream faculty member are 80% Teaching and 20% Service, there are Teaching Stream faculty members with lower Teaching weights due to a higher Service load.
For Teaching Stream faculty members with a service weighting of at least 40%, expectations for Service are higher than “Satisfactory” and increase as the weighting increases, because of the prominence of this part of their roles. Notwithstanding this higher service weight, as Teaching Stream faculty members, the expectation is still that a record as a strong teacher is maintained, regardless of their Teaching weight, recognizing that those with less than 80% Teaching may have less opportunity to demonstrate the quality of their teaching as those with 80% Teaching.
In exceptional cases, an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream may have a non-zero Scholarship weighting as part of their appointment. In such cases, the granting of permanence normally will require a record of strong performance in teaching and good performance in scholarship, in addition to a record of service as described earlier. However, a candidate may also qualify for appointment as a permanent Associate Professor, Teaching Stream by virtue of very strong performance in teaching with at least satisfactory performance in scholarship, in addition to a record of service as described earlier. Generally, the expectations for the quality of scholarship will be the same as those for promotion to Associate Professor in the Tenure Stream, though the expectations for quantity must be moderated to recognize the time and opportunity their appointment provides to pursue scholarship.
Timing and criteria
Refer to Policy 77 - 6
Candidates for permanence and promotion must apply to the department Chair/Director not later than June 1 in order that their applications can be considered by the Department/School Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (D/STPPC) and Faculty Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (FTPPC) during the fall term. The granting of permanence to a probationary Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, carries with it appointment at the rank of Associate Professor, Teaching Stream.
For candidates in the Teaching Stream, by July 1 the candidate shall submit a brief supporting an application for permanence or promotion. The brief must include a curriculum vitae, a summary of evidence of the candidate’s contributions in teaching, in service, and in scholarship (where relevant), along with a teaching dossier and other relevant information the candidate feels may be useful to the Department/School Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (D/STPPC) and Faculty Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (FTPPC). The candidate must also submit, by July 1, the names of at least three referees, as described in more detail later in this Policy.
The teaching dossier should include the following sections:
- Teaching Responsibilities
- Statement of Teaching Philosophy
- Strategies Used to Teach Effectively
- (Optional) Scholarship
- Educational Leadership (required for promotion to Professor, Teaching Stream)
- Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness
- Goals in Future Teaching along with Appendices
The Chair/Director shall provide the Department/School Tenure, Permanence and Promotion Committee (D/STPPC) with copies of all written assessments made of the candidate within the department.