Many schools make no such promises. The road to tenure is a long and often arduous one, however. During spring quarter of the second year, professors' contracts are considered for renewal. If renewed, profs are appointed to a second three-year term. They come up for tenure during their fifth year at the university.
Candidates prepare portfolios of their work to present to their departments.
According to Robert Stacey, professor and chair of the history department, these portfolios include their published work, student and peer evaluations, teaching records and a personal statement about the candidate's philosophy of teaching. After all of this consideration, senior faculty members in the candidate's school or department vote on whether to grant tenure. The council makes a recommendation for tenure to the dean of the school, who makes a recommendation to the provost, who makes a recommendation to the UW Board of Regents. The regents grant tenure. Candidates that make it through this process become associate professors.