ABSTRACT
This chapter demystifies the retention, tenure, or promotion (RTP) process. It describes the types of reviews and the typical review process, and offers suggestions for how to put together and maintain a file that showcases the work. The chapter addresses some common RTP-related questions and gives suggestions for how to survive the process. The RTP criteria and process should be spelled out in department, college-, and university-level RTP policy documents. RTP documents have guidelines for instructionally related activities, scholarship, and service. Sometimes department chairs serve on the department RTP committee, sometimes they write an independent review, and in other cases they do not officially review the file at all. The campus or department RTP policy probably addresses the question of adding information to the file after it has been submitted. The RTP narrative is the chance to tell the professional story.
