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Academic Review & Appointment Life-Cycle

Periodic review of academic accomplishments is required by University policy (APM - 210, 220, and 160) for all academic appointees. The academic review process is conducted to ensure the continuing quality of faculty and academics who are eligible for reappointment, merit advancement, or promotion based on their applicable academic series criteria.

During an academic review, a file containing materials submitted by the academic appointee, their department, and their school is prepared and submitted for committee review and issuance of an outcome by an applicable final authority.

This page is aimed at providing faculty and academics with an improved understanding of UC San Diego's academic review process while promoting procedural transparency.

Delegation of Authority

UC San Diego's academic review process functions under the concept of "delegated authority".

Defined as the process of transferring responsibility for a task from one individual to another , delegated authority for the academic review process is normally divided between a school's Dean, the Sr. Associate Vice Chancellor - Academic Affairs, Executive Vice Chancellor, and Chancellor.

For a detailed understanding of UC San Diego's delegations of authority for the academic review process, we encourage faculty and academics familiarize themselves with UC San Diego's Authority & Review Chart and Delegation of Authority webpage.

Academic Review Process Overview

Based on the applicable delegated authority, academic review files can undergo one of several possible procedural workflows. Please review the charts listed below for a visual representation of an academic review file's movement through the review process.

2025-2026 File Deadlines by School

UC San Diego's academic review process works at its most efficient level when materials, recommendations, and files are submitted in consideration of applicable campus review deadlines. Below is a listing of deadlines established at each school for the submission of academic review files and materials by a department to the school's dean's office for review.

Links to School Deadlines
Colleges	Duet & SCIDS
Jacobs School of Engineering	School of Biological Sciences
Rady School of Management - Coming Soon	School of Global Policy & Strategy
Schools of Arts & Humanities	Scripps Institution of Oceanography
School of Social Sciences	School of Physical Sciences
VC Research (ORU's)	VC Health Sciences

Please contact your departmental academic personnel services representative if you have questions about your school's submission deadlines.

Please note, school deadlines are established in consideration of campus and committee review deadlines as linked below:

Interfolio Review, Promotion, & Tenure (RPT) Workflow Templates

UC San Diego's academic review and appointment process is managed via an electronic workflow and case management software called Interfolio Review, Promotion, & Tenure (RPT). Within RPT, proposed academic actions follow a pre-established workflow template that grants reviewers and final authorities, as determined by the proposed academic action and policy, access to file materials and the ability to issue final outcomes.

The creation and subsequent use of RPT workflow templates is determined by the academic review or appointment action and the applicable delegated final authority.

UC San Diego employs the use of several policy driven workflow templates for departments and schools to use when processing academic review and appointment actions. Departments and schools have some flexibility in how they design their specific workflow templates as long as they observe and maintain policy driven workflow requirements. Below is a breakdown of UC San Diego's foundational policy driven workflow requirements as well as a breakdown of workflow templates separated by school, department, action, and delegated authority.