Promotion and review of academic staff

1.1 Functions of the Head of Department

The principal functions of the Head of Department in relation to the promotion and review of academic staff are:

• to ensure that Lecturers pre-Major Review, receive appropriate career development advice and support from senior members of academic staff;
   
• to appoint departmental Mentors for lecturers pre-Major Review;
   
• to keep under review with departmental Professorial colleagues the progress of junior colleagues towards Interim Review and Major Review and to be responsible for the submission of proposals for Interim Review and Major Review to the Promotions Committee;
   
• to keep under review with departmental Professorial colleagues the possible claims of members of the department to promotion and to be responsible for the presentation and submission of departmental promotion proposals to the Promotions Committee;
   
• to ensure that all academics and particularly those coming up for promotion and review receive constructive advice on career development and that the Academic Career Development Scheme operates effectively at departmental level, including the nomination of senior members of academic staff to conduct career development meetings (CDMs) and ensuring that annual CDMs are conducted where appropriate;
   
• to put forward cases for the award of either recurrent or non-recurrent additional increments for non-professorial academic staff.

There is an annual timetable governing submission of proposals for Interim Review, Major Review, Promotion and Additional Increments (non-professorial academic staff). All proposals are assessed by the Promotions Committee – a Sub-Committee of the Appointments Committee chaired by the Director of the School.

Heads of Department are reminded to review on an annual basis, in consultation with professorial colleagues in their department, all members of their academic staff for possible promotion and, in particular, to consider very carefully the use of the Senior Lecturer and Reader grades.

1.2 Deadlines for Submission of Documentation

The 2008-2009 deadlines for submission of documentation to Human Resources are published in the promotion and review Timetable which is available on the Human Resources website: Promotion and Review of Academic Staff

Heads of Department are responsible for forwarding all documentation to Human Resources by no later than the specified dates. In cases of self-sponsored promotion the individual is free to submit their promotion documentation directly to the Human Resources Division or via their Head of Department. Failure to submit materials by the due date may preclude consideration of the case.

1.3 Vice Chair of the Appointments Committee

Professor George Philip is the Vice Chair of the Appointments Committee.

1.4 Who to contact in Human Resources

Queries on academic promotions and reviews should be directed to the following member of staff in Human Resources:

Dominic Smith, Deputy HR Manager
email: d.smith1@lse.ac.uk
Human Resources Division
W100, Tower 3

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