Policy Name: Faculty Classification Policy |
Date Approved: Original date of approval May 18, 2005; Faculty Categories Concept approved March 27, 2015; policy revised and approved December 8, 2017. Policy revised and approved March 26, 2021. |
Policy Category: Board of Governors – Employment Terms, Classifications, and Benefits |
Date Effective: March 26, 2021 |
Policy Number: 2.2.040 |
Date Last Revised: March 26, 2021 |
Approval Authority: UCM Board of Governors |
Review Cycle: 4 years |
Responsible Department: Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs |
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Faculty at the University of Central Missouri will be classified as adjunct faculty, instructional faculty, visiting faculty, library faculty or tenure-track/tenured faculty and appointed to positions as set forth in this policy and university procedures.
This policy applies to all faculty university employees.
Adjunct Faculty: Adjunct faculty are faculty who are hired on less than a full-time basis to teach and/or perform other faculty-related duties. Adjunct faculty members generally are hired on a per-course basis.
Visiting Faculty: Visiting faculty are hired on a full-time, term basis. Their job
responsibilities may mirror tenure-track or tenured faculty as described below, but
visiting faculty are not eligible for tenure or promotion and have no expectation
of renewal. Visiting faculty generally serve in this role for one academic year.
Instructional Faculty: Instructional faculty are hired on a full-time basis. Instructional
faculty members are not eligible for tenure. For full-time instructional faculty,
at least 50% of their job responsibilities usually relate to the instruction of students
or library services.
Library Faculty: Library faculty are academic librarians hired on a full-time basis.
Library faculty may be instructional faculty, tenure-track or tenured. To earn tenure,
at least 50 percent of library faculty job responsibilities must relate to professional
academic librarian responsibilities and library faculty must engage in librarianship,
service and research/scholarly activity or performance as specified by the Library
Services Department and university policy.
Tenure-Track/Tenured Faculty: Tenure-track/tenured faculty members are hired on a
full-time basis with at least 50 percent of their job responsibilities usually relating
to the instruction of students. Other duties may be assigned or accepted so long
as instruction responsibilities total at least 50 percent of the faculty member’s
responsibilities.
The primary responsibility of adjunct faculty is providing instruction.
Adjunct faculty appointments are extended upon the recommendation of a department
and with the support of the appropriate administrative officers. Individuals receiving
such appointments may come either from outside the university community or hold a
non-faculty position at the university.
Adjunct appointments do not involve a regular employment commitment. These appointments
are for a semester and may be awarded in successive terms on a semester basis if so
recommended based on need and the results of the evaluation of the faculty member.
Under special circumstances, multiple-semester appointments may be extended. Multiple-semester
appointments require the approval of the provost.
Visiting faculty are full-time. Available titles at time of hire include Visiting Assistant Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, and Visiting Professor, based upon academic credentials and experience as approved by the dean and provost. Visiting faculty’s job responsibilities may mirror tenure-track or tenured faculty as described below.
Visiting faculty are not eligible for promotion. Visiting faculty are not eligible for tenure or participation in decisions relating to tenured faculty promotion processes or tenure. Their appointments are made for either: 1) a semester, or 2) an academic year. There is no expectation of renewal at the end of the current contract term, and no notice is required that the appointment ends by its own terms. Successive contracts may be awarded with the approval of the provost but are highly unusual.
If a visiting faculty member at the university becomes a successful candidate for a tenure-track position, that person may request the provost consider his or her time in the visiting faculty position as prior service. If accepted, this service will be included in the person’s tenure probationary period in the same manner available to persons with prior service at other institutions.
Instructional faculty are full-time. Instructional faculty members provide classroom
instruction and/or other faculty-related assignments and may be expected to meet faculty
responsibilities in the areas of scholarship/creative activity and university service
as negotiated with the chair and the dean.
Instructional faculty members generally teach full time or perform library duties
at an equivalent level. They may perform service duties, such as curriculum development,
student advisement, committee work, and depending on the discipline, may provide clinical
services.
The categories of instructional faculty may vary based on college, department and
need. An instructional faculty categorization or title may be changed due to modification
in assigned responsibilities. Such a change in title requires written approval from
the chair, dean, and provost.
Instructional faculty may advance across levels based on meeting established promotion
procedures criteria. Instructional faculty levels include 1) assistant instructional
faculty (e.g., “Assistant Instructor”), 2) associate instructional faculty (e.g.,
“Associate Instructor”), and 3) senior instructional faculty (e.g., “Senior Instructor”).
Instructional faculty employed by the University as of May 2021 with titles other
than those set forth in this paragraph who are offered contracts for the AY-2021-2022
school year must choose whether they want to retain their May 2021 title or switch
to those outlined in this paragraph as offered by their dean. Those who choose to
maintain a title not listed in this paragraph will not be eligible at any time for
promotion or associated raises, regardless of meeting established promotion procedures
criteria. Any instructional faculty newly hired for AY-2021-2022 onward may not be
given titles other than those set forth in this paragraph.
Instructional faculty members are not eligible for tenure or participation in decisions
relating to tenured faculty promotion processes or tenure. Their appointments are
made for either: 1) a semester, 2) an academic year, or 3) multiple academic years.
Multiple-year contracts require the approval of the provost. All three types of contracts
are for a set term. There is no expectation of renewal at the end of the current contract
term, and no notice is required that the appointment ends by its own terms. Successive
contracts may be awarded.
If an instructional faculty member at the university becomes a successful candidate
for a tenure-track position, that person may request the provost consider his or her
time in the instructional faculty position as prior service. If accepted, this service
will be included in the person’s tenure probationary period in the same manner available
to persons with prior service at other institutions.