Suggestions for Dossiers

Section V: Letters from Outside Evaluators

• This section should be handled with utmost confidentiality.
• There are 6 possible subsections discussed separately below.
• Please include a copy of one sample letter of request to outside reviewers. If you deviate in a substantive way from the letter authorized by the provost, please submit it to the Office of the SBS Dean prior to sending it to potential external reviewers.
• The section on the summary of the process used to select outside reviewers changed for the 2002-03 academic year. Please read the new instructions and follow them carefully.
• Tips:
• The candidate may submit a list of names of potential reviewers as well as names of individuals whom the candidate wishes should not be contacted.
• No more than half of the total reviewers contacted may come from the candidate's list of suggested reviewers.
• All names of individuals contacted should be included in this list including those who did not agree to serve as an outside reviewer. In the case of declines, include the reason for the decline in this section.
• When choosing outside reviewers, remember that reviewers should be independent from the candidate.
• All letters received from solicited evaluators must be included in the dossier.
• The section on the brief statement on each evaluator's standing should include a short description of each evaluator. The description should focus on the evaluator's qualifications for serving in this capacity including evidence of the national and international stature of the evaluator.
• Evaluators should be chosen based on some criteria including the level and depth of knowledge of the candidate's research areas.
• Evaluators should have already attained the rank for which the candidate is being considered.
• The section including letters from outside evaluators must include all the letters solicited and received. Please make sure that the original dossier contains letters that are originals (i.e., not email correspondence) with original signatures.
• The section including letters from collaborators should be separated from the section on solicited letters from independent evaluators. If collaboration constitutes a major or significant portion of the candidate's research record, then the unit should solicit letters from the collaborators. The collaborators should be asked to document the nature and extent of collaboration.
• The final section of letters may include letters from colleagues and former and present graduate students. IF you include these letters, it is important to include a short description of how these letters were solicited (e.g., by whom).
• In the case when a candidate participates in an interdisciplinary program, this would not be the appropriate section to include a letter of evaluation. Letters of support for candidates who have participated in interdisciplinary programs should be included in Section VII for tenure track faculty.