Frequent Asked Questions

In June, 1982 CU Medicine was established and was designated as the University's agent to accomplish certain University purposes, including education, research and service. CU Medicine was also designated as the exclusive billing agent for the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine.

Under an Operating Agreement with the University of Colorado, CU Medicine supports clinical activities and bills and collects for clinical services. CU Medicine also provides managed care contracting, credentialing, hospital negotiations and professional support services for university physician members. In addition to collecting professional fees for patient services, CU Medicine also bills and collects for medical-legal activities performed by faculty members and for scientific, clinical and other professional consulting not otherwise exempted by the Member Practice Agreement (MPA). A portion of the revenues that are collected are transferred to the University of Colorado Denver to support, in part, the faculty member's salary. The CU Medicine Member Practice Agreement outlines the agreement between the faculty member and CU Medicine, including assignment of income. CU Medicine by-laws outline cash flow principles among CU Medicine, departments and faculty, including incentive policy guidelines.

The University of Colorado Board of Regents requires that all School of Medicine faculty sign a MPA with CU Medicine as a condition of employment by the School of Medicine. All School of Medicine faculty (including faculty in basic science departments) are required to sign one of the three different MPAs, based on the type of appointment they hold.

• Full Members: A School of Medicine faculty member must sign a Full MPA if he or she is employed full-time (> 0.5 FTE) by the University of Colorado and is a member of the SOM Executive Faculty (Professor, Research Professor, Associate Professor, Associate Research Professor, Assistant Professor, Assistant Research Professor, Senior Instructor, Instructor, Senior Research Instructor, and Research Instructor). Full members (regardless of percent FTE) are not allowed to have any independent or other health care practice. Full Members have all voting privileges and are eligible to serve as officers of CU Medicine and serve on the Board of Directors of CU Medicine.
  
• Associate Members are individuals who: (1) have a clinical faculty appointment in the medical school or a regular faculty appointment in the school through an affiliated institution which is their primary employer; and (2) are employed or paid less than 0.5 FTE by the University of Colorado. Associate Members have no voting privileges and are not eligible to serve on the Board of Directors of CU Medicine.
  
• Affiliate Members: The Affiliate MPA is for Instructor-Fellows, Instructor-Chief Residents, Nurses, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Nurse Anesthetists and other allied health professionals who have been granted a faculty appointment in the School of Medicine. Affiliate members have no voting privileges and are not eligible to serve as officers on the Board of Directors of CU Medicine.

The Member Practice Agreement states that the Member will provide professional or clinical services only at CU Medicine-designated sites of practice, and that all income will be assigned by the faculty member to CU Medicine. An exception: Members are not required to assign income that is earned while they are employed and paid directly by an affiliated hospital (Veterans Administration Medical Center, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, National Jewish Hospital) or income earned while on an approved leave of absence.

The assignment of income policy applies to all income or other compensation or remuneration earned by a Member (unless an exception is applied for and approved), including:

• Fees, retainers or other compensation earned for performing patient care, administrative or consultative services.
  
• Fees, retainers or other forms of compensation or remuneration earned for services rendered as an expert witness or consultant in a legal manner.
  
• Fees and honoraria for teaching, lecturing or training.

Exceptions: The school has designated certain honoraria as exempt from the assignment-of-income policy, such as modest one-time payments for lectures, articles, visiting professorships, NIH study sections and service on certain non-profit boards.

The Policy to Limit Conflicts of Interest Between Health Care Professionals and Industry Representatives, adopted by the University of Colorado School of Medicine in May 2008, with updates in August 2012 and January 2014, prohibits faculty members from accepting free meals, drug samples, travel or gifts from manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, nutritional supplements or medical devices. The policy also prohibits Speakers’ Bureau participation by School of Medicine faculty, except in limited circumstances.  

The Industry Talk Approval Committee, which consists of school Faculty Officers and other school faculty members from various departments, must approve, in advance, all industry-paid speaking engagements. Approval by the committee will be considered for faculty presentations that represent a genuine service to the community and are solely for educational purposes. However, approval will not be granted if 1) the talk focuses on specific products; 2) the speaker is required to use any slides or other materials provided by industry; or 3) if the slides or other content are subject to any oversight or review by industry, with a limited exception to allow company review to ensure compliance with FDA regulations.  

The Speaker Request form is available on the Faculty Affairs Rules and Policies website, and the completed form should be emailed, along with a copy of the company contract in Microsoft Word form, to the Industry Talk Approval Committee. Please allow 10 days for review of the request.

Some faculty presentations are permissible and do not require review or approval by the Industry Talk Approval Committee. Under the above policy, faculty members may continue to:

1. Receive compensation from an academic institution for serving as a visiting professor or presenting grand rounds.
   
2. Give presentations where ACCME-approved Continuing Medical Education credit is awarded.
   
3. Receive compensation for research consulting, as long as the research consulting does not in any way involve speaker’s bureaus or marketing for any industry products. Although not expressly defined by the school policy, “research consulting” includes activities that focus on planning, conduct or analysis of a clinical or scientific investigation or dissemination of the results of an investigation performed or coordinated by the faculty member.

If a faculty presentation has been approved by the committee, or if it is exempt from review by the committee, the income received from the presentation may need to be assigned to CU Medicine. Please review the Assignment of Income Document to determine whether the income is assignable to CU Medicine. Generally, industry-sponsored speaking engagements that are considered “one-time” events do not need to be assigned to CU Medicine. “One-time” means that the faculty member will not engage in repeat presentations for the same company, non-profit institution or other sponsor. You may also contact Robert Shikiar, Senior Legal Counsel for University Physicians, Inc., for more information regarding assignment of income to CU Medicine.

For more information regarding industry-sponsored speaker approval, please see the Faculty Affairs Rules and Policies website, or contact Cheryl Welch at 303-724-5356.

Faculty members who have a full-time appointment (FTE = at least 50 percent) and who meet specific age and service requirements are usually eligible to retire with benefits. For most faculty members, “eligible to retire” means that, immediately preceding their retirement date: they are actively enrolled in a University of Colorado 401(a) retirement plan; and they are at least 55 years of age; and their age plus years of university employment is at least 75 years. Click here for additional information regarding the definitions of normal and early retirement.

Upon retirement, faculty members may be eligible to continue their participation in several university-sponsored health insurance plans. However, the health insurance benefits and requirements can be complicated. If you anticipate retiring from the School of Medicine in the next 3-5 years, contact Employee Services for important information regarding your plans for retirement. Employee Services Benefits Professionals can be reached at 303-860-4200 (option 3) or 855-216-7740 (option 3). You can also go to https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/retirement-ready-0 for a comprehensive list of topics related to retirement.

Faculty members who retire may also be eligible to retain certain benefits from their departments, such as office space, administrative support, campus parking or a university email account. Please contact your department directly to inquire about the availability of these benefits.

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What is “Phased Retirement?”

Some faculty members prefer to retire “gradually.” One option is to work at a reduced FTE (for example, 0.50 or 0.75 FTE) for a period of time. This option is available to all school faculty members, regardless of age or retirement eligibility, with the approval of the department chair. The appointment FTE, length of agreement and work assignments are negotiated between the faculty member and his or her chair.

Faculty members may also petition to participate in the University’s Phased Retirement Program. These agreements with the university permit the faculty member to reduce his or her time commitment, either immediately or incrementally. Importantly, they also include the faculty member’s irrevocable agreement to retire and, if tenured, to relinquish tenure on or before a specified date.

Phased Retirement Agreements are binding contracts that are prepared by the university’s legal office, and they must be approved by the faculty member’s department chair, the Dean of the School of Medicine and the Chancellor. Faculty members participating in the Phased Retirement Program accrue several benefits:

(1) The university’s retirement plan contributions (which are ordinarily 10 percent of full-time salary) are paid at twice the faculty member’s negotiated workload percentage (subject to specific limitations);

(2) the university contributions to the group insurance plans (including health, dental and life insurance) continue during phased retirement, even if the faculty member is less than 50 percent; and (3) assuming the faculty member is at least 59 ½ years old, he or she may begin retirement plan withdrawals as permitted under the terms of the retirement plan and IRS regulations.

Click here for important additional eligibility requirements, terms and conditions of this program.

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What faculty titles are available to me after I retire?

After retirement, some faculty members may wish to continue their teaching, research or other academic work on a voluntary basis. Talk to your department chair or division head about converting your regular faculty appointment to a clinical (volunteer) faculty appointment.

An Emeritus Professor title may also be available. According to the Rules of the School of Medicine, “Upon retirement, any member of the School of Medicine faculty who has given exemplary service to the School and continues to be active in the affairs of the School of Medicine may be allowed to retain his or her title with the description of ‘emeritus’ or ‘emerita,’ respectively.”

Recommendations for emeritus or emerita titles originate with the department chair and are then forwarded to the School of Medicine Dean and Executive Committee for approval. Final approval by the Chancellor of University of Colorado Anschutz is required. One additional benefit of having an emeritus or emerita title is continued eligibility to be a Principal Investigator on grants and contracts submitted through the School of Medicine. For more information regarding the process for obtaining emeritus appointments, please contact Cheryl Welch, Director of Faculty Affairs in the School of Medicine.

School of Medicine faculty members are eligible for a sabbatical assignment after six years of full-time service to the University of Colorado and after achieving the rank of Associate Professor or Professor. Faculty members who hold “part-time” appointments (0.50 - 0.99 FTE) are eligible for a sabbatical after a longer, pro-rated period of service. All tenured and tenure-eligible faculty members are eligible, as are faculty members in the Research Professor and Clinical Practices series. A sabbatical assignment may not be granted more than once in a seven year period.

According to the Board of Regents, “a sabbatical is a privilege granted by the University for the advancement of the University. A sabbatical assignment is an important tool in developing academic scholarship and is a time for concentrated professional development. The faculty member shall use the sabbatical assignment in a manner that will enhance her/his scholarly and/or teaching competence and potential for service to the University, and advance departmental program goals.”

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Applying for Sabbatical

Faculty members must apply for a sabbatical assignment. All sabbaticals must then be approved by the faculty member’s department chair, the Dean of the School of Medicine, the Provost of the University of Colorado Denver and the President and Board of Regents. Importantly, all sabbatical assignments are subject to the availability of resources. All sabbatical requests should be submitted at least six months prior to the start of the planned sabbatical.

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Submitting a Written Plan

Faculty members requesting a sabbatical must submit a written plan for the sabbatical, which includes: the dates of the sabbatical; plans for coverage of teaching, clinical, administrative, research and other responsibilities; and a budget, which outlines explicitly how the faculty member will be paid (including internal or external sources of funding). The application must include a statement of available external funding sources and “attempts to obtain such funding.” Obviously, the application must also include a clear description of the sabbatical, including a work plan, specific goals and an explanation of how the sabbatical will contribute to the faculty member’s professional growth and expertise and the academic goals of the department and the School of Medicine. The sabbatical plan must also describe how the work will contribute to “enhancing the University’s reputation and the educational experience of students.”

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Remuneration during Sabbatical

Remuneration during the sabbatical (from University resources such as state funding, University administered grants or contracts, or any other University managed sources) is subject to the following limits: faculty members may be paid either: their full salary for a period up to six months; or half salary for sabbaticals from six to 12 months.

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Post-Sabbatical Requirements

In accepting a sabbatical assignment, the faculty member also must agree to return to the University upon completion of the sabbatical and work for the University for at least one year thereafter.

After completing the sabbatical, and within four months after returning to regular duties, faculty members must file a written report with the Dean and with their department chair, summarizing their work and accomplishments during the sabbatical. Both the plan for the sabbatical and the post-sabbatical report are evaluated by the Dean and are public documents. Departments are expected to use the sabbatical report during annual performance and post-tenure reviews.

For more information about sabbaticals and the application process, visit the Faculty Affairs website and click on the link for “Sabbaticals and Other Privileges.”

Moonlighting is prohibited for all full-time School of Medicine faculty physicians. "Full-time" includes all university-paid faculty members whose employment status is 0.50 FTE or greater and who have regular faculty appointments. This prohibition against moonlighting, which is strictly enforced, derives from policies governing CU Medicine as well as the University of Colorado Malpractice Trust. Both documents require School of Medicine faculty members to devote 100 percent of their professional time and effort to the university.

Moonlighting, clinical consulting and locum tenens work are prohibited, even during weekends and vacations. Here is why:

• Every full-time faculty member, at the time of hire, must sign a Member Practice Agreement with CU Medicine. The agreement is mandated by the University of Colorado Board of Regents as a condition of faculty appointment. The agreement is a binding contract that obligates each faculty member to assign all clinical practice and other professional income to CU Medicine. This includes all earned income, even during weekends, nights and vacations.
  
  "Clinical practice and other professional income" is defined broadly in the agreement; such income includes all work that relates to a faculty member's training, expertise and professional duties.
  
  Unrelated income—for example, from a lawn care business or private music lessons—is not restricted by this contract. There is also a narrow exception for certain types of small, one-time academic honoraria. The university has strictly and vigorously enforced, in court, the prohibition against moonlighting.​
  

• Moonlighting also violates the provisions of the Colorado Government Immunity Act (GIA) and jeopardizes a faculty member's malpractice protection. Regular, full-time (> 0.50 FTE) university-employed faculty members are considered "public employees" under the GIA, and their malpractice liability is limited to $350,000 per person and $990,000 per incident. But the "public employee" status—and this malpractice insurance protection—only apply if a faculty member has "no independent or other health care practice." A faculty member who moonlights may no longer be considered a public employee under Colorado law and may not be covered by the GIA and the university's self-insurance trust.
  
  
• A faculty member who moonlights jeopardizes not only his or her malpractice protection for the moonlighting work but also for clinical practice at the university and its affiliated hospitals. Thus, moonlighting can result in unlimited liability and no malpractice insurance coverage from the University of Colorado. Note that work for other public entities, such as Denver Health or the Veterans Administration, is not considered an "independent or other health care practice" and is permitted.

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Information for Part-Time and Volunteer Faculty Members

• Separate provisions apply to volunteer faculty members and to those who are paid on a part-time basis. Part-time, paid (<0.50 FTE) faculty members sign an Associate CU Medicine Member Practice Agreement that does not restrict their outside clinical or consulting practices. However, if they also have an outside health care practice: a) they are covered by the self-insurance trust only for injuries caused by a student, intern or resident under their supervision; and b) they are not covered by the self-insurance trust for their own acts or omissions and must maintain their own malpractice coverage for work performed within and outside the university.
  

• Volunteer faculty members, who receive no payment or compensation from any university sources are covered by the university self-insurance trust for those services that are volunteered.
  

• Part-time and volunteer physicians must have active clinical faculty appointments to receive coverage by the University of Colorado Malpractice Trust.

Exceptions: Occasionally, an outside clinical practice is considered vital to a faculty member's work and to the School of Medicine. In these exceptional circumstances, CU Medicine and the School of Medicine can structure contractual agreements to bring this outside work into a School of Medicine cost center, so that earned income can be provided as an incentive to the faculty member. When properly executed, such outside clinical work is no longer considered moonlighting; rather, it becomes a component of the faculty member's work for the university, and the legal entanglements discussed above are avoided. In these unique circumstances, the faculty member and his or her department should work closely with CU Medicine to structure an agreement that permits the faculty member to perform the activities in question.

The Faculty Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) is a need-based housing assistance loan program that is available to full-time, tenured and tenure-eligible faculty on all campuses of the University of Colorado. It is jointly administered by the University and the University of Colorado Foundation. The program is designed to support junior faculty, including newly-recruited faculty members, who may have limited access to capital resources.

Since its inception in 2001, 114 faculty members from the Boulder, Downtown Denver, Anschutz and Colorado Springs campuses have taken advantage of the program. More information is available by FHAP website or by calling the Office of the Treasurer at (303) 837-2182.

As private citizens, University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine faculty members are permitted to participate in election campaigns and advocate for public policies. However, most faculty members are also public employees, and the state and Board of Regents limit the manner in which employees may use the name and resources of the university. Specifically:

• Under the Colorado Fair Campaign Practices Act (CRS 1-45-117), public money and university resources cannot be used to advocate for or against any candidate, ballot initiative or referred measure in any local, state or national election. This means that faculty members are prohibited, 24 hours per day, from using university computers, email accounts, university websites, faxes, office supplies, or other resources to influence an election or to advocate for or against any candidate for office or any issue that is before the people.
  
• Faculty members may not use their university email accounts to send or forward any materials that urge electors to vote for or against a candidate, ballot initiative or other campaign issue that is before the people.
  
• Faculty members may not participate in any election activities during working hours; if they wish to do so, they must take personal (vacation) leave. Even if using personal time, faculty members may not use university resources and must clarify that their activities are being conducted on personal time and not on behalf of, or at the request of, the university.
  
• Under the Act, any person can complain to the secretary of state that a public entity or public employee has violated the campaign practices law.
  
• Certain campaign-related activities are allowed. For example, faculty members may provide information in response to questions posed in the ordinary course of their duties, even if the information provided relates to a ballot issue – so long as the question was not solicited by a state employee.
  
• Separate rules and restrictions apply to students and student groups and to regents and certain other officers of the university.

When a faculty member terminates from the university, 100% of earned vacation leave is paid out, up to the maximum accrual of 44 days. The rules for sick leave are different. Upon retirement, 25% of accumulated sick leave is paid out, up to a maximum payment of 30 days.

Other variables which may influence the maximum sick leave earned prior to May 1, 2001, are best dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Payment of leave accruals is made from a central pool of money maintained by CU Anschutz. Please contact Human Resources for additional information.

The School of Medicine Base, Supplement and Incentive (BSI) Plan, which was initially approved by the Board of Regents in 1995, describes the salary components and salary adjustments for full-time faculty members (Instructors and above who are at least 50% FTE) in the School of Medicine.  Full-time faculty members in all three series (Regular Faculty, Research Professor and Clinical Practice) participate in the BSI Salary Plan. Regent Policy 11C governs the policies and procedures pertaining to salary adjustments.

The University permits salary adjustments for full-time faculty members once a year.  Consideration of salary increases occurs in the spring, for salary changes that will take effect on July 1st.  In recent years, the Regents have granted an additional opportunity to adjust salaries, which occurs in the fall (for salary adjustments that will take effect on January 1st).  January 1st salary adjustments are permitted only for schools and colleges that have adopted a BSI compensation plan.  Outside of these two opportunities, full-time faculty salaries are generally not adjusted at any other time during the year.

Salaries for all faculty members must be approved by the Regents.  All salary recommendations are submitted to the Regents through a process managed by the individual Schools and Colleges.  A “salary pool” is provided for use during the process, and all adjustments are required to fall within that pool.  Typically, individual faculty salaries are based on merit and cost-of-living factors and cannot increase more than a pre-determined “threshold,” unless the department and the School of Medicine provides written justification.  For example, a large salary increase may be denied unless it can be justified based on a substantial change in the faculty member’s responsibilities, market demands or equity considerations. 

Decreases in a faculty member’s salary are occasionally recommended, and these adjustments follow the same processes and timelines.  According to BSI guidelines, a faculty member’s salary cannot be lowered more than 15% in a given year without approval by the Dean and Chancellor.  Faculty salaries cannot generally be decreased below the pre-determined School of Medicine Base.

Stipends for specific administrative duties (e.g., program director, assistant dean, department vice-chair) are handled separately; they can be processed at any time during the year and require development of a new letter of offer outlining the additional administrative responsibilities.

The CU System Office of Academic Affairs site provides additional information and links to additional resources.

Faculty members who are employees of the University of Colorado in the regular academic ranks of Associate professor or Professor are eligible for the award of tenure. Faculty members at affiliated institutions are not eligible for tenure but may be considered for the distinction of "tenure criteria." Details regarding tenure and tenure criteria may be found in the School Rules.

Tenure is handled in a different manner at the medical school, when compared with other colleges and campuses in the University system. At the medical school, promotion and tenure are separate processes, although they may occur concurrently. Furthermore, the standards for awarding tenure are higher in the school than elsewhere in the University system, and tenure awards are now infrequent at the school. For example, during the past three years (2002-2005), the School's Faculty Promotions Committee (FPC) approved 243 promotions to Associate professor or Professor. During this period there were only 39 applications for tenure; of these, 33 (85%) were approved. Currently (July, 2005), there are 295 University-paid Associate Professor; of these, just 36 (12%) are tenured. Among the 306 Professors, 70% hold tenure.

According to the school Rules, "The award of tenure is reserved for those faculty members who are among the best in the field of scholarly endeavor [and who are] widely recognized as outstanding and influential teachers . . . Excellence [the highest school standard] in both scholarship and teaching must be present before an award of tenure is made." In teaching, the faculty member must have "an outstanding record of demonstrated success in mentoring students, residents, fellows or less experienced faculty members."

The school employs a broad definition of scholarship, modeled after the work of Boyer. The school recognizes the scholarship of discovery, application, integration and teaching. To be considered for tenure, the candidate must demonstrate "excellence in scholarship, which has led to a national and international reputation." According to the school Rules, scholarship (in the context of tenure) means "the long, systematic study of phenomena or events . . . accuracy and skill in investigation . . . [and] the demonstration of powers of critical analysis in the interpretation of such knowledge."

At the School of Medicine, the tenure salary obligation is limited to the "base salary." In accordance with the "Base-Supplement-Incentive" salary plan approved by the Board of Regents in 1995, the base salary is adjusted each year such that it equals 70% of the average salary during the prior year of all basic science faculty holding the rank.

The University of Colorado recognizes four types of faculty appointments:

1. Tenured appointments continue until resignation or retirement, or until termination (pursuant to applicable Regent laws and policies).  Only faculty members who are employed by the University of Colorado in the regular ranks of Associate Professor or Professor are eligible for tenure.  According to the Rules of the School of Medicine, tenure is reserved for faculty members “who are widely recognized as outstanding and influential teachers and scholars … [and] whose presence on the faculty enhances the prestige of the University of Colorado School of Medicine.”  A faculty member at an affiliated institution who holds the rank of Associate Professor or Professor, and who has a record of outstanding accomplishments in teaching and scholarship, is eligible for consideration for the distinction of “tenure criteria.”
   
2. Indeterminate appointments are made for an indefinite period of time.  However, as stated in the faculty member’s letter-of-offer, continuance of the appointment is dependent upon inclusion in the approved budget and availability of salary support from specified grants, contracts or other sources. If funding from those sources ends, the appointment converts to at-will, without the requirement for advance notice to the faculty member.  However, faculty members holding indeterminate appointments are entitled to notice (according to the schedule, below), if their appointment will not be continued for reasons other than available funding.
   
3. Limited (term) appointments are for specified periods of time (from less than one year to four years).  Limited appointments are the most common appointment types for School of Medicine faculty members, and they are especially appropriate for faculty members who have been promoted or who, in other ways, have demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, clinical work or other appropriate areas.  Except in the case of “dismissal for cause,” faculty members who hold limited appointments are entitled to advance notice before a chair or other administrative supervisor can end their appointment.  One year's notice of non-reappointment is required for full-time faculty members after three or more years of service at the University. Three months' notice is required for faculty members in their first year of service at the University, and six months' notice is required for those in their second or third year of service.  
   
4. At-will appointments are made for an indefinite period of time; however, their continuance is at-will.  By state law, non-tenure eligible faculty members (Instructors and Senior Instructors and faculty holding research associate or research professor titles) may only hold at-will appointments, with two important exceptions.  First, any faculty member whose duties are at least 50 percent devoted to direct patient care may hold a limited (term) or indeterminate appointment.  Second, due to a 2012 change in state law (HB 12-1144), Instructors and Senior Instructors holding .5 FTE or greater classroom teaching assignments, are eligible for term appointments not to exceed three years, with approval of the Dean and Chancellor.   
   

Learn more about appointment types: Rules of the School of Medicine.

School of Medicine faculty members, in consultation with their mentors and chairs, must decide whether to seek promotion in the Regular Series, the Clinical Practice Series or the Research Professor Series.

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The Regular Series

This is the appropriate promotion pathway for the majority of School of Medicine faculty members, including basic scientists, clinician-scientists and clinician-teachers. Faculty members seeking promotion to Associate Professor must demonstrate excellence in one of the principal areas of accomplishment:  teaching, research or clinical practice. Importantly, at least meritorious achievements (the lower standard) must be demonstrated in scholarship, teaching and clinical work or service. “Scholarship” is broadly defined and includes not only research (the scholarship of “discovery”), but also the scholarship of teaching, application and integration. All faculty members in the Regular Series, who are employed by the University of Colorado, are eligible for tenure.

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Clinical Practice Series

This is an academic pathway designed for faculty members who focus the majority of their time on direct patient care and other activities related to improving health care quality (e.g., outcomes, access to care, outcomes, efficiency, patient safety or the health of populations). There is an expectation of greater clinical effort, and excellence in clinical work (as measured against the School of Medicine Promotion Matrix) is required. There is no requirement for written scholarship, although clinically-relevant scholarship is encouraged. Teaching (at least at the meritorious level) is required. Because scholarship is not required, faculty members in the Clinical Practice Series are not eligible for tenure.

Instructors, Senior Instructors and Assistant Professors may not be assigned to the Clinical Practice Series; rather, they will hold titles in the Regular Series. Prior to undergoing departmental review for promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, all faculty members who are clinicians, in consultation with their chair and mentor(s), must choose whether to seek promotion to Associate Professor in the regular or clinical practice series. Normally, they will make this election after undergoing a comprehensive mid-course review, based on their interests and accomplishments in clinical work, service, teaching and scholarship.

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Research Professor Series

Faculty members who devote almost all their time to grant-funded research, with limited teaching and service responsibilities, may be appointed and promoted in the Research Professor Series.  Faculty members in the Research Professor Series will be supported by funds from external grants and contracts. They may be independently-funded or collaborative scientists, as defined in the Rules of the School of Medicine. Faculty in the research professor series are at-will employees and are not eligible for tenure, in accordance with Colorado law and University of Colorado policies.

For more information about each of the promotion series, see Section II.G of the Rules of the School of Medicine.

The school rules state that Assistant Professors must be reviewed for promotion by the beginning of their seventh year in rank. Faculty members who are not promoted by the end of their seventh year will be given one-year's notice that their appointment will not be renewed. However, there is built-in flexibility. First, the time-clock is routinely extended (pro-rated) to account for periods of part-time employment. And if the faculty member, department chair and Dean all concur, extensions may be granted; valid reasons include illness, family obligations, changes in career focus or assignments or other circumstances indicating that additional time is needed before promotion. Extensions may be granted for 1, 2 or 3 years.

There is one additional requirement: Before requesting an extension to the promotion time clock, the faculty member must undergo a formal evaluation of his or her academic progress and readiness for promotion. This review is typically conducted by the department's promotions committee.

Requests for extensions should come from the department chair and should include an explanation of why the additional time is needed and how the time will be used to prepare the faculty candidate for promotion.

What is PRiSM?

PRiSM, or Performance Reviews in the School of Medicine, is a new, unified online system for faculty performance evaluations developed by the Office of Faculty Affairs and the Information Technology project team. PRiSM will be utilized for all university-based School of Medicine faculty members, beginning in January 2014. It replaces DOMINO, FIDO and the Family Medicine department’s version of DOMINO.

PRiSM is designed to help faculty document activities and accomplishments while updating information pertinent to the annual performance evaluation. PRiSM complements—but does not replace—the face-to-face performance review meetings between each faculty member and his or her division (or section) head or department chair or their designee.

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How do I access PRiSM?

You can access PRiSM via this link: https://som.ucdenver.edu. This link will take you to the portal, where you will be able to click on a link to PRiSM to begin your performance review and view and upload prior-year evaluations.

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What is the review period for PRiSM?

The review period encompasses activities and accomplishments that were completed during the calendar year (January 1 through December 31).

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What is the deadline for annual faculty evaluations?

The deadline for completion of faculty evaluations is May 1st. Faculty members must submit their performance reviews by this date. May 1 is also the deadline for division heads, department chairs and other supervisors to complete their reviews. (Note: Most departments will establish department-specific, earlier deadlines for submitting performance reviews in PRiSM.)

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Will I be able to access information from my previous reviews?

As in past years, information that was contained in the last year’s review can be been uploaded into your review this year. However, some of the data and free text fields have changed. Therefore, some information from your prior-year review may “map” to a different field or section of PRiSM. It will be easy to cut and paste information within the system.

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How is my faculty appointment information updated in PRiSM?

Your faculty appointment information, including academic rank and other information, will now be updated automatically using information contained in the Faculty Information Management System (FIMS), which is a database maintained by the Office of Faculty Affairs. This will minimize data duplication and increase data integrity, while also alleviating the need for administrative staff to add or manage faculty data within PRiSM.

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Will teaching evaluations be uploaded into PRiSM?

Medical student teaching evaluations from the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) will be automatically uploaded into your review in February. You will also have the ability to upload additional teaching evaluations (for example, from residents or graduate students).

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What other enhancements have been made to PRiSM?

PRiSM includes some additional features that should make your work easier. Formatting text using rich text features is included, so you can easily underline, add bullets or bold text. Sections in which you summarize your accomplishments in teaching, clinical work, research and scholarship and community service have been redesigned to match the language of the promotion matrix (making later dossier preparation easier). Near the end of the PRiSM document, you will have an opportunity to upload other documents, such as letters from peers, mentees or grateful patients. And you can now automatically upload your publications directly from Pub Med.

For more information regarding the enhancements that have been made to PRiSM, click here.

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Will IT support be available?

Open information sessions will be held weekly to provide hands-on support during the performance review cycle. Sessions are scheduled every Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. in the Health Sciences Library Teaching Lab 1. Ongoing support will also be available by contacting SOMSupport@ucdenver.edu.

The University of Colorado Anschutz recently modified the schedule for providing notice of non-reappointment. These policies apply to non-tenured faculty members who hold limited or indeterminate appointments

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Limited Term Appointments

Effective July 1, 2012: One year’s notice of non-reappointment is required for full-time faculty members holding limited term appointments, after three or more years of service to the university. Three months’ notice is required for faculty members in their first year of service at the University, and six months’ notice is required for those in their second or third year of service. Written notice of a chair’s intent not to renew a faculty member’s appointment can be provided at any time.

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Indeterminate Appointments

Similar notice must be provided to faculty members holding indeterminate appointments if their appointment will not be continued for reasons other than availability of funding (as outlined in the letter-of-offer).

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At-Will Appointments

Faculty members holding at-will appointments may see their appointments end at any time, without notice (although certain constitutional protections apply). In addition, as outlined in the university policy, “as a courtesy, university administrators may provide advance notice of non-reappointment to at-will employees, when feasible.”

Faculty members holding limited or indeterminate appointments may not be re-assigned to at-will appointments unless proper notice is provided.

For more information about the differences among tenured, limited, indeterminate and at-will faculty appointments; see the FAQ question "What are the different types of faculty appointments?".

The School of Medicine Base, Supplement and Incentive (BSI) Plan, which was initially approved by the Board of Regents in 1995, describes the salary components and salary adjustments for full-time faculty members (Instructors and above who are at least 50% FTE) in the School of Medicine. Full-time faculty members in all three series (Regular Faculty, Research Professor and Clinical Practice) participate in the BSI Salary Plan. Regent Policy 11C governs the policies and procedures pertaining to salary adjustments. For additional policies related to faculty performance review and salary policies, please visit our website.

The University permits salary adjustments for full-time faculty members once a year. Consideration of salary increases occurs in the spring, for salary changes that will take effect on July 1st. In recent years, the Regents have granted an additional opportunity to adjust salaries, which occurs in the fall (for salary adjustments that will take effect on January 1st). January 1st salary adjustments are permitted only for schools and colleges that have adopted a BSI compensation plan. Outside of these two opportunities, full-time faculty salaries are generally not adjusted at any other time during the year.

Contact Professional Risk Management at PRM@ucdenver.edu, or go to their website: www.cuanschutz.edu/offices/prm.

As we embarked on the process of revising the University of Colorado School of Medicine (CU SOM) Rules, we were guided by the following principles to ensure that the changes reflect our institutional values, support faculty success, and foster a transparent and equitable academic environment:

1. Streamline and Simplify
We aimed to reduce redundancy in the dossier and promotion processes, creating a more efficient and faculty-friendly system. By eliminating unnecessary complexity, we seek to enhance clarity and usability while maintaining rigor and fairness in academic advancement.

2. Align Nomenclature with Institutional Values
The terminology used in faculty tracks and series should reflect the full spectrum of contributions made by our faculty. We believe that all faculty roles are mission-critical, and our revised nomenclature should clearly communicate this alignment with our institutional values.

3. Clarify Distinctions in Faculty Appointments
To reduce confusion, particularly between faculty in the clinical practice track and volunteer or part-time faculty, we have refined our terminology to ensure that faculty roles, expectations, and contributions are clearly differentiated and understood.

4. Modernize Promotion Timelines
Recognizing the evolving nature of faculty careers, we have addressed concerns related to the promotion clock. Our recommendations aim to create a system that is adaptable to diverse career trajectories, ensuring that faculty are supported in their professional growth while maintaining excellence in education, scholarship, clinical care, and service.

5. Maintain Standards for Academic Promotion
Our revisions were not intended to make it easier or harder to achieve various academic ranks. Rather, we focused on ensuring that the process is clear, fair, and aligned with the realities of modern academic careers, while upholding the high standards of excellence that define CU SOM.

The following major updates have been made to the promotions process: 

 

• Removal of the time-clock for Clinical Practice and Research Professor tracks, along with clearer language on switching between tracks
• Addition of new ranks (Instructor, Senior Instructor, Assistant Professor) within the Clinical Practice track. 
• CV Abstract will now only be accepted for applications for award of tenure
• Consolidation of the four dossier portfolios into a single cover letter and Personalized Promotions Matrix. 
• The Promotion Criteria have been condensed, with detailed guidance and specific examples moved to the Dossier Building Guide, available on the Office of Faculty Affairs website. 
• New requirements for ongoing career development and mentoring for all faculty at all ranks.

The 7-year time-clock was causing significant distress among faculty, particularly those in community-based or clinically-oriented roles, as it created pressure for mandatory promotion or risk non-renewal. Additionally, time-clock policies are traditionally associated with tenure-track systems. 

While there is no mandatory time limit for promotion in these tracks, an early-career comprehensive review will be required for all Assistant Professors in their 3rd or 4th year regardless of track. This review will ensure mentorship and career guidance without forcing faculty to promote against their preferences.

Some faculty have expressed concerns that removing the time-clock from Clinical Practice and Research Professor tracks may create disparities with the Tenured and Tenure-Eligible (TTE) track. However, system policy requires a probationary period for tenure-track faculty, and the School of Medicine rules continue to emphasize that all tracks are equally valued.

Adding the ranks of Instructor, Senior Instructor, and Assistant Professor allows greater flexibility for departments in hiring and promotions. It also provides a clearer pathway for career progression. 

Departments will establish their own guidelines for how faculty progress through these ranks, including defining job expectations and promotion criteria at each level. 

Faculty at the Assistant Professor level may request a switch from the TTE track to the Clinical Practice or Research Professor track before the end of their 6th year (or before the end of a granted extension). An Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice may promote in the TTE track, so long as they have met the criteria for promotion in that track and are within their first seven years of service at that rank. Track switching for Associate Professors and Professors is also possible and will be clarified further in departmental guidelines.

The CV Abstract was seen as duplicative and a significant administrative burden. Instead, a single 3-5 page cover letter will summarize a faculty member’s accomplishments. Key grant and publication data will still be included in a structured table within the cover letter.

This matrix will replace the previous format that required faculty to manually enter bullet points and narratives for each criterion. Instead, faculty will indicate where evidence of meeting criteria can be found in their CV, cover letter, or supplemental materials. This change aims to reduce redundancy and streamline dossier preparation.

YES. Updated contents are being added regularly to the Dossier Preparation website to assist with assembling a portfolio, whether in the new or Legacy format.

No. Any dossiers submitted in 2025 can be in either the new or legacy formats, as laid out on the Dossier Preparation website.

Yes. System policy requires a minimum of three “arm’s length” referee letters from individuals without a University of Colorado affiliation. Additional letters of support may be included, but only external referees will fulfill the system requirement.

For faculty known primarily for clinical excellence, identifying qualified external referees can be difficult. This is especially challenging for Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), who may not have higher-ranked academic peers. Some junior faculty feel as though they do not have a network of extramural colleagues they can identify as potential referees. Faculty are encouraged to work with their mentors and departments to identify appropriate external referees.

Yes. To reduce the burden on letter writers, alternative approaches such as structured surveys are being explored. However, traditional letters will still be required for tenure applications.

No. All existing criteria will remain in place, but the wording has been condensed for clarity. Cross-reference between the Legacy Matrix and Promotion Criteria, as well as a template for the Personalized Promotions Matrix are provided on the Dossier Preparation website.

All faculty, regardless of track or rank, will be required to engage in ongoing career development and mentoring. Departments will play a key role in supporting faculty growth.

The Office for Faculty Affairs will actively monitor for equity across faculty demographics to ensure no group is disproportionately impacted by these changes.

Yes. The School of Medicine Rules (both currently and in the proposed amendments) explicitly state that all tracks are equal in value and importance, without hierarchy.

The School of Medicine aims to be ranked in the top 10 nationally within 10 years. A national reputation requirement ensures faculty are actively contributing to the broader academic community.

Faculty who engage in significant educational activities, such as presenting at congressional panels or giving extramural grand rounds, will have these contributions recognized in their promotion materials even if formal teaching evaluations are not available.

No. Faculty will only need to complete sections relevant to their promotion. For example, Clinical Practice faculty will not need to complete the Research or Other Scholarly Activity section. All faculty are expected to contribute to the service mission of the school and thus will generally complete the Service component of the matrix. However, the distinction between Meritorious and Excellent has been removed from the Service domain, as it has no bearing on promotions decisions.

The approved Rules took effect July 1, 2025, and dossiers in the new format will be accepted for the current promotions cycle. For this cycle, either the new format or the legacy format can be submitted; your department administrator will select the format you wish to use when they create your case in Interfolio. Hybrid formats are not allowed, and, starting in 2026, only the new format will be used.

Detailed guidance, templates, and educational resources will be available on the Office for Faculty Affairs website. Faculty are encouraged to reach out to their department chairs or the Office for Faculty Affairs with any questions.