TENURE-LINE, CAREER-LINE, ADJUNCT AND VISITING FACULTY MEMBERS
The faculty is composed of tenure-line faculty(tenured or tenure-generating) and career-line, adjunct, and visiting faculty who are appointed for limited terms (year-to-year or 2-5 years by written contract).
University Policy provides the following summary of faculty membership, Policy 6-300 :
1. The University Faculty shall consist of the University President, vice presidents, deans, directors of libraries, and members of the faculty within each of the following main categories and their subcategories:
a. the Tenure-line Faculty members (in the sub-categories of Tenured, and Tenure-track) as described in Section III-B, which category includes those members of the University Academic Libraries faculty in Tenure-line positions (as described in Section III-C);
b. the Career-line Faculty members (in the sub-categories of Clinical, Lecturer, and Research), as described in Section III-D, which category includes those members of the University Academic Libraries faculty in Career-line positions; and
c. the Adjunct, Visiting, and Emeritus Faculty members (as described in Section III-E).
Faculty are appointed to either 9 or 12 month terms.
APPOINTMENTS AND SEARCH PROCESS
Faculty (and academic library staff) appointments are made by the president with the approval of the Board of Trustees. Faculty of the appointing department and college play significant roles in appointments. The president makes appointments only after receiving written recommendations from the department (faculty and chairperson), the college, and the vice president.
Policy 6-301
Appointment Process: Search Procedure Guidelines
The faculty search process strives for a diverse pool of applicants.
Faculty Hiring Process
Required Disclosure of Criminal Record
No person convicted of a felony may be appointed to a faculty position without the approval of the vice president.
Policy 6-301, Section 3
Search/Appointment Process for Appointments to Department or Single Department College
Joint Appointment Procedures for Faculty Appointed to Several Departments
CAREER-LINE FACULTY
Career-line faculty members participate in the university’s academic programs and make substantial contributions, but their continuing professional activities do not span the full range of responsibilities of regular faculty members in the appointing department or college. Career-line faculty members are non- tenured and have probationary appointments that either terminate automatically every year or are limited by written contracts. Auxiliary faculty may serve on committees and participate fully in departmental affairs but can not vote on RPT policies or appointments. Career-line faculty may serve on some university-wide committees and, depending on college and department policies, may serve on some department and college committees. They cannot vote on appointments, retention, promotion, or tenure of regular faculty.
Ranks of Career-line Faculty:
Research Faculty
Career-line faculty members who are primarily devoted to research projects.
Policy 6-300, Section 4. D. 1
Clinical Faculty
Auxiliary faculty members whose expertise is in the practice or clinical setting.
Lecturer or Lecturing Faculty
Auxiliary faculty members who are primarily devoted to teaching.
Adjunct Faculty
Faculty members whose professional activities do not span full range of regular faculty responsibilities.
Visiting Faculty
Special policies pertaining to Visiting Faculty appear in Policy 6-300, Section 4. D. 5.
RETENTION, PROMOTION, AND TENURE PROCESS
Terms of Appointments
An appointment to a regular faculty position which is either tenured or tenure-generating is considered to be continuous rather than terminal. All tenured appointments, however, are subject to established policies regarding tenure.
Tenure Review Process
Credit for Prior Service
Probationary Period
a. Extension of Probationary Period
The normal probationary period may be extended due to leaves including medical and family, administrative positions and extenuating circumstances.
b. Shortening of Probationary Period
The normal probationary period may be shortened due to prior service elsewhere or extraordinary progress.
c. Instructor can opt out of counting years as instructor when promoted to Assistant Professor. (Policy 6-300, Section 2.D. )
Post Tenure Review
The department chairperson administers a review of the work of each tenured faculty member of the department in five year cycles, with the involvement of a faculty review committee.
Policy 2-005, Section5.C.
Procedures and criteria for post-tenure reviews are normally established by each department.
FACULTY RANK
Unless s/he has prior experience elsewhere, a faculty member with a terminal degree is usually appointed to the tenure track in the rank of assistant professor. S/he will then progress up through the ranks via the RPT system. The rank of associate professor is usually awarded at the time tenure is granted. Regular faculty includes professors, associate professors, assistant professors, instructors (who shall not have tenure), and the following categories of honored faculty: Distinguished Professor, Presidential Professor, and University Professor. Policy 6-300
University Professorship
Each year, at least one faculty member is selected for the special rank of University Professor. This professorship recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary skills in teaching, distinguished scholarship in their field, and an interdisciplinary approach to undergraduate instruction.
Distinguished Professor/Presidential Professor
POLICIES ON RETIREMENT
General University Policy
Retirement Programs and Benefits
Early Retirement Incentive Program
Phased Retirement
EMERITUS / EMERITA STATUS
Appointments to emeritus status for retired faculty members and certain administrative officers are made by the Board of Trustees on recommendation of the president and vice president for academic affairs.
Policy 5-112
Emeriti faculty (and spouses) are able to enroll in classes free of tuition.
Policy 5-305