The promotion and tenure review process is an arduous one that is very stressful for the candidate. The process generally takes the entire 6th year of employment. The most difficult hurdle is typically the College Tenure and Promotion Committee, although strong departments usually weed out weak candidates before their case goes up to the College committee. The candidate is evaluated on teaching, research , and service. Methods of evaluating teaching vary, but may include written student evaluation at the end of each class, peer review, and interviews with former students.
Service is typically a minor component.
It is possible to get tenure for excellence in teaching and an adequate research program, or excellence in research and an adequate teaching record, but excellence in service is not enough. Letters of recommendation are solicited from between 3 and 6 members of the academic community outside the university, who are asked to comment confidentially on the impact of the candidate's research, and their general suitability for promotion and tenure. The reviews are solicited by the departmental evaluation committee. The candidate may suggest names, but the committee is not required to use any of them. Some Assistant Professors have tenure .