Further, promotion may be granted before tenure. Consequently, the granting of tenure is a more serious decision than the award of promotion, as it has a significant impact on the faculty member, the University community, its students, and the citizens of the state. The university, for its part, benefits from the confident and disciplined pursuit of excellence undertaken by tenured faculty. In contrast to tenure, promotion in rank is more heavily dependent upon evidence of professional achievement. The application of criteria in promotion decisions provides evidence of the university's values and the seriousness with which they are applied.
Promotions measure, reward, and inspire accomplishment.
The award of tenure at the end of the probationary period as an assistant professor is linked to promotion. This connection is appropriate and even natural. In many careers the duration of the probationary period and the time needed to build a record in teaching, research, and service meriting promotion to associate professor are equal, and the university can address the separate decisions simultaneously. Both Indiana and Purdue Universities, however, recognize that in exceptional circumstances these decisions may not be made at the same time and that, although the criteria are the same, the weight assigned to each criterion differs from tenure to promotion. The university grants tenure and promotion to associate professor in the same year when a candidate meets the criteria established for both.