writing a tenure letter - conflict?

[aprof]

I was asked to write a tenure review letter for someone I studied with in the same research group during my PhD and with whom I have interacted on both a professional and social level for 10+ years.  We do not have publications or proposals together, but I still feel somewhat conflicted about writing this letter.  Though I haven't thought about their case much, I do hope that this person receives tenure for various reasons, and this worries me that I can't provide a fully objective analysis of their record. At the same time, I don't want to harm his tenure case by declining to write the letter.

Are these valid reasons to recuse myself or am I being overly cautious? I will also add that this is my first request to write a tenure review letter so I'm not entirely familiar with the process from this side.  Any insight about the norms at your institutions on cases like this would be appreciated.

[Harlow2]

Our university has a policy against using tenure or promotion letters where these kinds of relationships exist between evaluator and candidate for exactly the reasons you lay out.  Our deans vet letter writers to ensure that we don't jeopardize a candidate's case by including letters from inappropriate writers. Your colleague should have a written statement from the Promotion chair, Dean, or provost that outlines policy on this.  I suppose in a small sub field it might be difficult to avoid these relationships, but everything needs to be clearly spelled out and above board so there are no surprises.

[Ruralguy]

I have two rules for recusal:

1. If someone else can document a relationship, even if you feel you can be objective, then recuse (obviously documented "first degree" relatives are out, co-authors, etc.).
2. If you feel conflicted you probably are. Recuse.

[fuwafuwa]

Recuse. In my letters, I explicitly state all relationships I have with the candidate.

[fizzycist]

Disclose your relationship. Depending on the college, that may be the end of it. But if you are permitted to proceed, then of course write the letter. There is no such thing as an objective assessment of merit. And it is not your job to police how another institution decides on promotion. But if you can honestly put in a good word for your friend/colleague then I can't imagine a better use of your letter-writing time.

[quasihumanist]

I think this is a case where you ought to ask the Chair or whomever is asking for the letter.  They can tell you whether a letter under the given circumstances will be actually taken seriously and whether it would help them in their tenure decision.  You should of course disclose your relationship with the tenure candidate as part of your letter; you are probably explicitly asked to do this.

In most fields, any qualified letter writer will tend to have a slight bias in favor of the candidate, because subfields are in competition with each other for positions, and everyone wants to see more people in their subfield tenured (as long as their work is not an embarrassment to the subfield).

[aprof]

Thanks for the advice everyone.  I did talk with the chair and have a better understanding of their expectations now.