Faculty Processes and Forms

APS #5008: Faculty Performance Evaluation provides guidelines for the mandatory annual performance evaluation of faculty members.  Faculty should consult with their department chair/discipline director and/or Dean’s Office for specific procedures.

Campus Administrative Policy 1006D: Faculty Compensation - University of Colorado Denver establishes process and authority for various types of faculty compensation.

Faculty members have access to school/college/library processes and procedures. In addition, the Ombuds Office and the Faculty Senate Grievance Committee offer avenues for faculty members to seek advice and/or file grievances.

The Office of Assessment cultivates a culture of continuous improvement through assessment to advance student learning, teaching effectiveness, and program quality.

Curriculum development and oversight is the responsibility of the faculty members in each academic program.

At CU Denver there also is a Core Curriculum Oversight Committee, charged with approving courses for inclusion in the undergraduate core curriculum (required of all undergraduate students) and ensuring that the core courses deliver the approved curricula.

The standard CU Denver CV Format is requested or suggested for various purposes, including reappointment, tenure, and promotion, and faculty excellence awards.

The title “Distinguished Professor” is the highest honor that the University of Colorado bestows on its own faculty members. Candidates must demonstrate accomplishments in accordance with university-wide criteria.  

See more information about the CU Denver Distinguished Professor Process.

Nominations for Distinguished Professor are due to your Dean’s Office by March 1, and from there to Betsy Metzger in the Provost’s Office by April 1 each year.

View the list of the CU Distinguished Professors.

The Faculty Activity Reporting (FAR) tool in Interfolio is easy to use, assures access to validated and accurate information, and provides the kind of data and reports that will empower faculty to tell their story, inform accreditation processes, and provide university leadership with insights into the breadth and depth of faculty activities, accomplishments, and contributions. Check with your department chair, program director, or Dean’s Office for how to access FAR.

See the offerings through the Center for Faculty Development and Advancement (CFDA) and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL).

Emeritus/Emerita is an honorary designation awarded upon retirement to faculty with a record of strong contributions to the university. Faculty are nominated for emeritus/emerita status by their department and approved by the dean, provost, and chancellor. The emeritus/emerita designation is added to the title/rank held by the faculty member at the time of retirement. Check with your department chair or Dean’s Office for the nomination process for your unit.

Read the CU Denver campus policy.

Participating in the FHAP can make housing more affordable for University of Colorado Denver tenured and tenure-track faculty members by providing a source of financial assistance for a down-payment needed to qualify for a loan and potentially avoiding the cost of private mortgage insurance.

Review the program description and application worksheet.

For information about Graduate Faculty appointments for programs on the CU Denver campus, contact Graduate Education.

See the Office of International Affairs website for information on international student and scholar services and global education/study abroad.

New Faculty Orientation is sponsored by the Center for Faculty Development and Advancement during the week before classes begin in August. All new faculty members (tenure-track, instructional/research/clinical track, and lecturers) are encouraged to attend.

The Office of Academic Affairs oversees the development of new degree proposals and shepherds them through the review and approval processes at University of Colorado Denver. 

Most University of Colorado Denver schools and colleges are governed by the One-Sixth Rule regarding outside consultation, research, clinical, and other external professional activities by full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty members. Check with your Dean’s Office about the approval process and appropriate form to complete.

Post-tenure reviews at CU Denver are conducted in accordance with the University of Colorado APS (1022) and CU Denver (1050) policies.  

For faculty members who receive a “below expectations” rating in the annual merit evaluation or as a result of post-tenure review, the APS 1022 guides the development of Performance Improvement Agreements (PIAs). Here is a PIA Suggested Template.

For faculty on the tenure track seeking credit for years of prior service, this must be negotiated at the time of hiring and must be included in the letter of offer.  A separate prior service agreement form must be signed by the faculty member, and approved by the chair, dean, and provost.

The professional plan is a highly recommended individually prepared blueprint that aids in evaluating performance, during both annual review and post-tenure review. Academic units or schools/colleges may require faculty members to prepare and maintain a professional plan after their award of tenure.

Check with your department chair or Dean’s Office for the appropriate form to use.

You don’t have access to your FCQ results before 2014?  Your last sabbatical assignment was so long ago you can’t find that post-sabbatical report?  Some faculty records can be found for you in the Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development shared drive and archives.

For example, we have FCQ Results for Fall 1997-Summer 2014 archived.  

Email Betsy Metzger, Faculty Affairs Campus Administrator, to see if she can help you find historical records that you need for processes you are undertaking now.

Eligible faculty complete a Sabbatical Application Form that is subject to approval by the dean/library director, provost, chancellor, and Board of Regents.

** New form is coming for AY 2027-28 sabbatical requests!

Upon completion of the sabbatical assignment, the faculty member is required to file a written substantive report with the dean/library director, who submits a report to the Provost’s Office each fall. The Provost’s Office submits a summary report to the Board of Regents. 

Faculty who wish to change their approved sabbatical plan should complete the Amendment to Application for Sabbatical Assignment form and submit it to their department chair or unit head for signature. Any change in the time frame of the sabbatical should be sent to the dean and provost for approval.

All faculty members must have a current syllabus for each course and must provide a syllabus to students at the first class meeting of every course. 

While a faculty member has great flexibility in the design and content of a syllabus for a course, core information should be found in every syllabus for courses offered at CU Denver.

Here are the Syllabus Template and Campus Administrative Policy 1031: Syllabus.

If a leave request includes a request to extend the tenure probationary period (“tenure clock”), approval is needed by the Department Chair, Dean, Provost, and Chancellor.  Find templates here:

• Tenure Timeline Extension Request with Parental Leave
• Tenure Timeline Extension Request with Leave Other than Parental
• Tenure Timeline Extension Request without Leave of Absence