Meeting

Ad Hoc Committees

Generally, each Ad Hoc Committee has three members nominated by a central review committee and appointed by the Vice Provost to review the teaching, research/creative activity, and service performance of a particular candidate according to the guidelines of APM 210. Typically one member is from the candidate's department and the other two members have expertise in the candidate's field of research. Although the composition of the Ad Hoc Committee is confidential, the candidate has the right to request certain individuals not be appointed to the committee, which is accomplished by way of a letter to the Vice Provost. Ad Hoc Committees are often appointed for promotions or high-level merits at Professor, Steps VI and Above Scale. Streamlined processes allow the Committee on Academic Personnel - Oversight Committee (CAP-OC) the discretion to waive an Ad Hoc review when it deems appropriate (APM 210-1 and APM 220-80e).

Evaluation Instructions

Please see the relevant APM section for evaluation criteria for specific titles.

Frequently Asked Questions


How are campus ad hoc review committee members selected?

The Committee On Academic Personnel (CAP) makes the initial recommendations for membership on an ad hoc review committee. Nominations are based on the

committee nominees' expertise or interest in the candidate's field of research. Note that some members of the committee need not be expert in the candidate's field; the objectivity of an individual who is familiar, but not expert, makes a valuable contribution to the committee's deliberations. The membership recommendations from CAP are then reviewed and approved by the Vice Provost--Academic Affairs.
 

Will serving or declining to serve on an ad hoc review committee have an impact on my own promotion or merit increases?

Records of committee service are kept, and ad hoc service will be taken into account at the time of your promotion or merit. To safeguard that the record of service is noted, it should be entered on the List of Service as "service on campus ad hoc review committee," followed by the date. Please do not list the particular candidate reviewed.
 

How do I decline to serve on an ad hoc review committee?

In writing or by email. We ask that you state your reason for declining to serve in a letter or email addressed to the Vice Provost--Academic Affairs. Declinations should be sent immediately upon receipt of the Vice Provost's letter.
 

What are valid reasons for declining to serve?

We realize that there are numerous reasons why you may not be able to serve on a particular committee at a particular time in the academic year.  These include the following.

  • If you are on sabbatical, even in residence, you are not required to serve during the sabbatical period (although this does not preclude your serving, if you are willing to do so).
  • If you wrote one of the letters of evaluation included in the candidate's file, you usually will not be asked to serve on the ad hoc committee.
  • If you have a personal bias, or feel there may be a conflict of interest in regard to the candidate, you may be excused from service. It is your responsibility to state the reasons why you may feel there is a conflict of interest.
  • If you are seriously ill, or if a member of your family is seriously ill, you may ask to be excused.
  • If you hold an administrative position on campus, or if you are serving on another campus-wide committee (e.g. a Faculty Personnel Committee, or Academic Senate Committee, etc.), you are not normally expected to serve on an ad hoc review committee. In some instances where your unique expertise is required, you may be asked to serve.

NOTE: If you are excused from service at a given time, you may, depending upon the reason for your declining to serve, be asked again later in the academic year.
 

How much of a time commitment does ad hoc committee service typically involve? How many meetings will I be required to attend?

All committee members are expected to read the dossier and familiarize themselves with publications submitted with the case. Typically, the committee holds one two-hour meeting, during which the case and publications are discussed. The Chair then writes the report - or asks each member to write a section of the report. The draft report is then circulated to all committee members for comments, revisions, or approval, and the signature page is attached to the final version.

In those instances when the committee requests additional information before completing its deliberations, one more meeting may take place to evaluate the case in view of the additional materials. In the majority of cases, additional materials are not necessary.
 

What are the duties of the committee Chair? How do they differ from those of the department and non-department members?

The Chair and each committee member are expected to read the dossier materials and be familiar with them in order to discuss the pros and cons of the case when the committee meets.  The Academic Affairs Assistant will assist in scheduling the meeting.  In addition, the Chair is responsible for preparing and submitting the report on or before the established deadline. 
 

Must the Committee's report be unanimous?

No, although that is the goal. If all members of the committee cannot reach an agreement regarding the case, a majority and a minority report may be submitted. Before final submission to the Vice Provost's Office, both of these reports must be circulated to all members of the committee in order that all members are aware of the contents of each report.
 

Is it possible to volunteer for ad hoc committee service?

It is not possible to volunteer for service on a particular ad hoc review committee.
 

Why is the ad hoc review committee so important to the review process?

The ad hoc review, which is undertaken by a campus-wide committee, is a critical component of the peer-review process at the University of California. It is hoped that the several levels of review and the expertise represented by the members of the ad hoc review committee from several disciplines will ensure a thorough and unbiased evaluation of each candidate for promotion or appointment.
 

Why is the confidentiality of the ad hoc review process so carefully maintained?

The confidential nature of the ad hoc review is essential to the integrity of the process. It fosters an atmosphere of free and open expression of opinions and insights, encouraging honest and thorough discussion of the candidate's case.  For details, please see sections 160, 210, and 220 of the Academic Personnel Manual.
 

Is email communication between committee members allowable? How can confidentiality be assured?

Members of an ad hoc committee may feel free to communicate by means of email; it often proves to be the most efficient and convenient method of communication. However the committee should bear this caveat in mind: in order to preserve the confidential nature of the review process, all names and references that might reveal the identity of the candidate or any of the other individuals involved in the case should be deleted prior to sending. At the end of deliberations, all e-mail relating to the case should be deleted.
 

How do I access the review materials?

To safeguard the confidentiality of the ad hoc review process, all materials are kept within the office of the Vice Provost-Academic Affairs. For actions available in MIV, committee members will be assigned viewing privileges of the candidate’s dossier, which can be accessed through the Internet. Supporting documents and actions available only in hard copy can be reviewed by contacting the Academic Affairs Assistant for an appointment.  The materials will also be provided for review during the meeting.