The Ithaca College Board of Trustees granted tenure and promotion to 13 professors and awarded emeritus status to nine former faculty members at its February meeting, the college announced earlier this week.

The following professors were promoted from assistant professor to associate professor and awarded tenure: Elizabeth Bleicher, Department of English; Hongwei Guan and Julia Lapp, Department of Health and Physical Education; Pearl Ponce, Department of History; Deborah Rifkin, Department of Music Theory, History and
Composition; Jeffery Meyer, Department of Music Performance; Alicia Swords, Department of Sociology; Annemarie Farrell, Department of Sport Management and Media; Dennis Charsky, Arhlene Flowers and Cory Young, Department of Strategic Communication; Catherine Taylor and Jack Wang, Department of Writing.

The following retired faculty members were named professor emeritus: Barbara Johnson, retired 2007, Department of Anthropology; Joy Adams, retired 2006, and Arthur McCue, retired 2010, Department of Art; Fred Madden, retired 2006, and Jane Vogel, retired 2007, Department of English; John Krout, retired 2011, Gerontology Institute; Peter Seligmann, posthumously, Department of Physics; Sarah Rich, retired 1997, Department of Recreation & Leisure Studies; Susanne Morgan, retired 2011, Department of Sociology.

The tenure process involves a long series of reviews and evaluations. After a faculty member forms their tenure file — a collection of evaluations, published works, recommendations and other materials — they submit it to their department, school dean, All-College Faculty Tenure and Promotion Committee, provost, president and eventually the board of trustees for review.

If a professor is denied tenure, he or she must leave the institution.

As long as tenured professors abide by college, state and federal laws, the Ithaca College Policy Manual states tenure can only be terminated because of institutional financial problems or academic program changes.

To be granted emeritus status, the retired faculty members must have at least 20 years of continuous employment with the college and must be endorsed by the president and provost.