Although the global pandemic is years in the past, its long-tail effects on scholarly pipelines—such as slowed publishing cycles and reduced reviewer pools—remain a documented challenge in 2026. Some schools of education have extended the use of "COVID Riders" in tenure and promotion processes through 2026 to account for these systemic delays.
For Discussion:
- Is it time to move away from these specialized riders, or has the pandemic permanently altered the standard pace of scholarly production?
- How do institutions balance a quality over quantity approach with the increasing demand for high-frequency output in a digital-first research economy?
Relevant Link: Loyola Marymount University 2021-2026 Riders for Rank and Tenure Processes
