2023-2024 Faculty Handbook

The faculty consists of all individuals appointed for the instruction of students. The University faculty consists of three distinct categories: ranked faculty, special appointment faculty, and administrators with faculty voice and vote. Each category operates with distinct contract types and contractual rights and responsibilities, as described below. At the discretion of the Dean and Provost, special titles may be assigned (e.g., Visiting Professor, Distinguished Educator in Residence, etc.). These titles do not replace the category of appointment below.

Ranked Faculty

A ranked faculty member is a full-time or part-time employee of the University who has been appointed to one of the four regular academic ranks: instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor.

1. Fulltime Faculty
   
   Fulltime faculty:
   1. may be employed on term, probationary, or continuous contracts;
   2. ordinarily have fulltime teaching duties or have teaching and other duties, such as academic administration equivalent to a fulltime teaching load;
   3. are full voting members of the faculty and have all of the rights and responsibilities of faculty as described in Sections Two. III. and IV. of this handbook.
2. Part-time Faculty
   
   Part-time faculty are faculty members who hold one of the regular academic ranks and who are given an appointment equivalent to halftime or more, but less than that of a fulltime faculty member.
   
   Part-time faculty:
   1. may be employed on term or continuous contracts, but are not normally employed on probationary contracts;
   2. depending on the type of contract, may have contractual rights on a pro-rata basis to promotion, tenure, sabbatical leave and fringe benefits as provided in this faculty handbook;
   3. are full voting members of the faculty and have, on a pro-rata basis, responsibilities for advising, serving on committees and all other responsibilities of full-time faculty members as detailed in this faculty handbook.
3. Special Appointment Faculty
   1. Definition
      
      Special appointment faculty are assigned the academic titles of lecturer, senior lecturer, adjunct, senior adjunct, senior mentor or professor emeritus. Appointments are made by the Vice President for Academic Affairs after consultation with the dean and department chair or program director and depend on adequate enrollment in the assigned courses.
       
   2. Types and Criteria
      1. Lecturer
         
         Annual faculty contracts are normally offered as ranked positions. However, on rare occasions an annual Lecturer contract is offered for positions that may not require a terminal degree, or in situations where the position is designated for a temporary length of time, or for a position that does not emphasize scholarly activity.
         
         Lecturers are employed on an annual contract and are selected by the dean and department chair or program director in consultation with the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs advises the Appointment, Rank and Tenure Committee regarding the offer of a Lecturer contract.
         
         A Lecturer position does not lead to or count toward tenure, nor does it lead to promotion to the regular academic ranks. Selection of Lecturers should be consistent with the University’s academic standards.
         
         Lecturers:
         1. may be employed on a full- or part-time basis (if part-time, the appointment is at least halftime);
         2. are expected to be available at least one hour per week for each course taught to advise students regarding their course work;
         3. are employed pursuant to a term contract;
         4. do not accrue time toward tenure or sabbatical;
         5. are full voting members of the faculty;
         6. have responsibilities for teaching, advising, service to the department and university, and for continued professional development;
         7. are evaluated by the Appointment, Rank and Tenure Committee on the same schedule as ranked faculty, with a two-year, four-year, and six-year review and then a review every five years.
      2. Senior Lecturer
         
         This title may be assigned to a Lecturer in recognition of effective teaching service to the University, its students and its faculty over a period of at least six years.  Assignment of this title is made by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, upon the recommendation of the dean and the department chair or program director and the Appointment, Rank and Tenure Committee. Expectations and criteria for Senior Lecturers are the same as those listed above for Lecturers.
      3. Adjunct Professor
         
         Adjunct faculty are part-time and appointed on a term-by-term basis with no commitment to ongoing employment. The primary responsibility of adjunct faculty is teaching.
         
         Adjunct faculty:
         1. teach no more than 18 credits per academic year;
         2. are expected to be available to advise students regarding their course work;
         3. are employed pursuant to a term contract;
         4. do not accrue time toward tenure or sabbatical;
         5. have no voting privileges in faculty business;
         6. receive no fringe benefits including tuition remission.
      4. Senior Adjunct Professor
         
         This title may be assigned to an adjunct professor in recognition of effective teaching service to the University over a period of at least six years. Assignment of this title is made by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, upon the recommendation of the dean and the department chair or program director. Expectations and criteria for Senior Adjunct faculty are the same as those listed above for Adjunct faculty.
          
      5. Senior Mentor
         
         Senior mentors and their spouses are individuals who have distinguished themselves in their fields and have been appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to teach or work in their field of expertise for a precise term. Benefits and privileges of senior mentors are set forth in the Senior Mentor Program for Retirees guide.
          
      6. Professor Emeritus
         1. Definition
            
            This rank may be assigned to associate professors or professors who have limited or terminated their responsibilities as a ranked faculty member for valid reasons such as retirement or illness after 10 or more years of service to the University. A professor emeritus is so designated and appointed by the Board of Regents, after recommendation by the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the ART Committee.
             
         2. Status and Privileges
            
            No compensation accrues by virtue of this rank unless by mutual agreement between the President and the individual. Professors emeriti may be offered part-time term contracts by the President to teach or fulfill other duties. In such cases, supplementary benefits, if any, will be set forth in the contract and such term contracts will be limited to less than half-time faculty status.
            
            In order to promote close ties between the University and its emeriti or other retired faculty, the following assistance and privileges are available to these faculty:
            1. The University will provide meeting facilities for such former members who may wish to meet as a group.
            2. After retirement, a faculty member may request an emeritus employee card at the Welcome Center. This card will provide (subject to current policies, restrictions, and fees applicable to full-time faculty) access to the University’s recreational and athletic facilities, library, bookstore, campus parking permits, and cultural, athletic, and educational events.
            3. All such faculty members will maintain access to their CLUnet account.
            4. Such a faculty member may take courses at the University, tuition free. Further, if a spouse and/or dependent is pursuing a degree program under the tuition remission plan specified in the faculty handbook in force at the time a ranked faculty member retires, such benefits will continue until the spouse and/or dependent has completed the degree program.
            5. The University, at the request of such a faculty member and provided that this person keeps his or her current address on file, will send notices of major campus activities to the faculty member.
            6. All such faculty members may participate in the University’s graduation and commencement exercises with appropriate academic dress if they so wish.
            7. Emeriti faculty members may make use of the departmental secretarial services on a low-priority basis.
4. Administrators with Faculty Voice and Vote
   
   The following administrators have ex-officio voting membership in the faculty:
   University President, Vice Presidents, Associate Provost for ISS, University Pastor, the Registrar, and the Director of Athletics.