Senior Promotions

Introduction

Senior promotions must go through a full review by the Committee on Appointments & Promotions (COAP). See also the Flow Chart and Timeline.

Senior promotion procedures apply to promotions (on all tracks) from:

  • Assistant Professor to Associate professor
  • Associate Professor to Professor
  • Associate Research Scientist to Research Scientist
  • Research Scientist to Senior Research Scientist

Submitting an Application

Once you have received approval to apply (Getting Started), you should obtain the Application Materials required for a COAP review, available from Ms. Salen. These documents are also available here (Application Materials). There are four parts of the application:

  • A Nomination letter from your Division Chief describing in detail and with specific examples, your professional and academic accomplishments supporting the proposed promotion;
  • A CV formatted according to COAP requirements (includes grants, presentations, teaching, bibliography, etc.); Instructions for this are included in the Application Materials
  • Sample publications: submit 5 sample publications
  • Referees: the names, academic titles, email addresses, etc., of individuals who can provide an unbiased evaluation of your professional, academic or teaching accomplishments. The individuals providing the assessments must hold the academic rank (or higher) for which the applicant is applying.

The number and location (within vs outside of Columbia; national vs international) of referees required varies depending on the academic track and rank you are seeking (See Application Materials).

As Chair of COAP, Dr. Ehrhardt will write to each of the references you provide stating that you have been nominated for promotion and asking for an evaluation of your career accomplishments. 

Application Review Procedures

The Department of Psychiatry COAP meets in winter through early spring to review, discuss and vote on each promotion request. COAP members are provided with all of the material on each applicant (CV, letters from referees, sample publications). At the meeting prior to discussion, a brief summary of each application is presented to COAP by the nominating Division Chief.

Approved applications are presented to the VP&S Dean's COAP by Dr. Ehrhardt and the nominating Division Chief. The VP&S Dean's COAP is a medical school-wide committee, chaired by Dr. Anne Taylor, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, and comprised of members from departments other than Psychiatry.

Approved promotions go into effect on the July 1st following approval by the VP&S Dean's COAP. For recently incoming faculty, new appointments may be retroactive to your start date.

Senior Promotion Flow Chart