Chapter IV: Appointments, Promotions and Tenure
The goal of the appointment, promotion and tenure process is to encourage and reward faculty contributions and achievements that support the missions of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS):
- Innovative and expert education, including the scholarly assessment of optimal modes of education and faculty development;
- Rigorous research and scholarship across a broad continuum, extending from basic molecular analysis through cellular and organ physiology, to animal models, computational models, clinical investigation, epidemiology, public health, and health services research;
- Innovative and expert patient care and health promotion;
- Community service, including assuring access to medical care and leadership of programs to encourage young members of the community to consider careers in health care.
The Committee on Appointments, Promotions and Tenure, a Committee of the Dean, is charged with ensuring that scholarly achievement and excellence are the criteria for academic advancement, independent of whether a faculty member's achievements derive primarily from clinical, teaching, research or administrative contributions to the department, institution, and medical and scientific communities. Selection of individuals for appointment and promotion to the ISMMS faculty must be in accordance with the highest standards.
Every faculty member is expected to strive to the highest academic rank within his/her selected track. The School and its departments shall endeavor to provide mentoring to enable individuals to reach their full academic career potential. Faculty must receive feedback on their performance and on their potential for advancement in order to make informed choices regarding career paths.
Adherence to the principles and the guidelines presented in this chapter is expected of all Department Chairpersons, Institute Directors, and departmental and institutional committees.
The following pertains to the appointment, reappointment and promotion of full time and voluntary faculty to a Department(s) other than the one in which the faculty member holds a primary appointment.
Non-primary appointments, reappointments and promotions to the rank of Assistant Professor are at the discretion of the Chairperson of the non-primary Department, subject to the endorsement by the Chairperson of the primary Department.
Non-primary appointments, reappointments, and promotions to the rank of Associate Professor and Professor will be made upon the recommendation of the Chairperson of the non-primary Department, endorsement by the Chairperson of the primary Department, and subsequent review and approval by the Committee on Appointments and Promotions.
All non-primary appointments and reappointments will be for a term of one year, without limitation on the number of reappointments, unless otherwise requested by the Chairperson of the Department in which the non-primary appointment will be held. At the end of each term the Chairperson of the non- primary Department may recommend reappointment or promotion, or not reappoint the individual to that Department. Full time and voluntary faculty members are entitled to written notice of non-reappointment to the non-primary Department at least six months prior to the end of that term of appointment. In the event that a primary appointment terminates for any reason, any non-primary appointment(s) will automatically terminate simultaneously with the primary appointment.
In extraordinary circumstances, a joint primary appointment may be granted at the ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor to a faculty member whose areas of expertise and responsibilities fall within more than a single existing Department or Center. Consideration for a joint primary appointment will require, in addition to submission of the standard appointment and promotion documents, a letter of agreement co-authored and co-signed by the Chairs/Directors of the involved Departments/Centers, and approved by the Dean. The agreement must address in detail distribution of responsibilities with regard to academic, clinical and research functions, as well as finances, space and other resources. The agreement must consider both short term and long term implications of the joint primary appointment. For non-tenured faculty, the occasion of a joint primary reappointment presents an opportunity for the two involved chairs to review and either renew or revise (with mutual consent) their resource commitment. For purposes of participation in Medical School governance, the faculty member must identify him/herself with one Department and must inform the Elections Committee of the Faculty Council.
Qualified physicians who practice at an off-site location under the auspices of the Mount Sinai Health Network may be granted titles in the School of Medicine as "Affiliated Physician."
Such individuals must be recommended by the President of the Mount Sinai Health Network to the Department Chairperson. The titles will be granted by the Dean upon the recommendation of the Department Chairperson.
Individuals granted these titles will not have specific educational or research responsibilities, but will serve as a liaison between the Health Network facility or practice and the School of Medicine.
The title does not carry any tenure, term, or financial obligation of the School of Medicine and may be terminated at any time at the discretion of the Dean or Health Network President. Affiliated Physician titles will terminate automatically upon the termination of Mount Sinai's partnership with the relevant Health Network facility or practice or upon the termination of that physician's association with the Health Network facility or practice.
Updated July 2015