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Office of the Provost

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Hiring Procedures

Hiring with Tenure

The University of South Carolina is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting an outstanding faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching, research, service and outreach. When a faculty member has demonstrated sustained excellence in a previous position, the university may choose to offer initial faculty appointment with tenure or at the rank of professor.

Unit Recommendation

Deans must recommend a faculty member for hire with tenure at the rank of associate professor or professor. Deans must also recommend a faculty member for hire at the rank of professor without tenure. The memo will be sent in an electronic packet, including: the candidate's CV, the tenure/rank votes from the unit’s tenure and promotion committee (if tenure-track position), the department chair’s recommendation (if applicable) and three letters of recommendation. The recommendation memo and electronic packet should be sent to Terrie Smith (tlsmith0@mailbox.sc.edu) for review by the provost.

Provost Approval

The provost will review all materials provided in the electronic packet and submit a recommendation to support the hire with tenure and/or at the rank of professor. For tenure-track/tenured faculty candidates, the provost will forward her recommendation to the president.  The provost’s approval for clinical professor or research professor is final.

Presidential Approval

The president will review all materials provided in the electronic packet.  The president’s approval is final for the rank of professor.  For a hire with tenure, the president will forward his recommendation to the Board of Trustees.

BOT Approval

The Board of Trustees gives final approval for all positions offered with tenure. An appointment letter for a hire with tenure contingent upon the trustees’ approval can only be offered after the president has given his approval.