1.0  Purpose

1.1         It is the purpose of this University Policy to provide standard position descriptions and terms of appointment for Non-tenure track faculty; voluntary faculty; and assistant, associate and deputy deans.

1.2         It is also the purpose of this University Policy to provide standard procedures in the appointment and continued assignment of voluntary faculty, and to assure fair and consistent practices in the selection and review of voluntary faculty in a manner consonant with the mission of the University.

2.0  Appointment Type and Benefits

2.1         Faculty employed at one hundred percent time (1.00 FTE) are considered to hold full-time appointments and receive full benefits.  Faculty employed less than one hundred percent time (1.00 FTE) are considered to hold fractional-time appointments.

2.2         Faculty holding appointments at fifty percent (.50 FTE) or more time but less than one hundred percent time (1.00 FTE) are eligible to receive all benefits provided for fractional-time employees by University policy.

2.3         Faculty holding appointments at less than fifty percent time (.50 FTE) are not eligible to receive benefits, except that they may participate in the University retirement program without the University making a contribution.

3.0  Non-tenure Track Faculty

Non-tenure track faculty classifications include (but are not limited to) faculty (teaching), faculty (research), faculty (clinical), academic staff, visiting faculty, and honorary faculty.  In addition, fractional-time faculty classifications are normally non-tenure track.  In rare and unusual circumstances a fractional-time faculty or academic-staff member may be granted and hold fractional-time tenure. (See subsection 2.0 for definition of fractional-time faculty)

3.1         Instructor (Teaching/Research/Clincial)

3.1.1  Instructor is a full- or fractional-time non-tenure track classification when used in cases where the doctorate required for a posted tenure-track position has not been completed by the beginning of the initial appointment.

3.1.2  The period of service for an instructor is limited to two years, during which the instructor is completing the doctoral degree.

3.1.3  The initial term of appointment for an instructor shall be for a period of no more than twelve months.  A renewal appointment of no more than twelve months may be granted where good progress toward the doctorate is being made.

3.1.4  The instructor must hold a master's degree.

4.0  Faculty (Teaching)

Faculty (teaching) titles include instructor (teaching), assistant professor (teaching), associate professor (teaching) and professor (teaching).

4.1         Faculty (teaching) is a full or fractional-time non-tenure track classification.

4.2         Terms of appointment for faculty (teaching) should be determined in accordance with the current AAUP-AFT contract.  Renewals of appointment are permissible contingent upon performance and the availability of funds.

4.3          Educational qualifications for faculty (teaching) are comparable to regular faculty of equal rank.

5.0  Faculty (Research)

Faculty (research) titles include instructor (research), assistant professor (research), associate professor (research), and professor (research).

5.1         Faculty (research) is a full or fractional-time non-tenure track classification.

5.2         Terms of appointment for faculty (research) should be determined in accordance with the current AAUP-AFT contract. Renewals of  appointment are permissible contingent upon performance and the availability of funds.

5.3         Educational qualifications for faculty (research) are comparable to regular faculty of equal rank.

5.4         Faculty (research) positions are intended for individuals who are appropriately qualified to begin or support an independent research program; that is, such positions are not intended to serve as post-doctoral traineeships (or as equivalent training experiences past the doctorate if post-doctoral work is not available generally for persons in a given discipline).

5.5         Faculty (research) duties center primarily on research, publication and proposal writing or, in the arts, creative performance or education.  Such faculty may be involved in incidental teaching.

5.6         The intent of this classification is to provide a means for highly qualified researchers to conduct research and, if appropriate, engage in a nominal amount of teaching.  It is not the intent of this classification to provide an alternate entrée to the tenure track.  Individuals who hold this classification remain eligible, however, to apply for posted tenure-track faculty positions.

6.0  Faculty (Clinical)

Faculty (clinical) titles include instructor (clinical), assistant professor (clinical), associate professor (clinical), and professor (clinical).

6.1         Faculty (clinical) is a full or fractional-time non-tenure track classification.

6.2         Faculty (clinical) appointments are limited to wholly clinical faculty positions in clinical departments of the School of Medicine, College of Nursing, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and in other academic units that may be agreed to in the WSU/AAUP-AFT Agreement.

6.3         Terms of appointment for faculty (clinical) should be determined in accordance with the current AAUP-AFTcontract.    Renewals of appointment are permissible contingent upon performance and the availability of funds.

6.4         Educational qualifications for faculty (clinical) are comparable to those of regular faculty of equal rank.

6.5         Faculty (clinical) duties center primarily on clinical activity and teaching in a clinical setting.  Research is also required, but considered a secondary priority.            

7.0  Visiting Faculty

Visiting faculty titles include visiting lecturer, visiting senior lecturer, visiting instructor, visiting assistant professor, visiting associate professor, and visiting professor.

7.1         Visiting faculty is a full or fractional-time non-tenure track classification.

7.2         The total period of service for visiting faculty is limited to three consecutive one-year appointments of full-time service.

7.3         The duration of any given term appointment for visiting faculty is limited to one year, except with the approval of the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs.  

7.4         Candidates for visiting faculty positions must have a home base institution, or hold non-resident alien status.  If candidates do not hold a home base institution, they will be appointed as Visiting Faculty and be represented by the AAUP-AFT union.  Exceptions to this rule require the approval of the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs.

7.5         Educational qualifications for visiting faculty generally are comparable to regular faculty of equal rank, but may reflect the accomplishment of the individual within the profession for those persons lacking the usual academic credentials, (e.g., visual or performing arts).

7.6         Visiting faculty duties are comparable generally to those of regular faculty of equal rank (i.e. teaching and scholarship are expected and required, while service is optional).

8.0  Honorary Faculty

Honorary faculty titles include distinguished professor, distinguished service professor, university professor, and Hilberry university professor.

8.1         University Professor and Hilberry University Professor

8.1.1  The title of University Professor or Hilberry University Professor is a full or fractional-time non-tenure track classification.

8.1.2   The titles of University Professor or Hilberry University Professor are conferred by the Board of Governors upon the recommendation of the President.

8.1.3  The titles of University Professor or Hilberry University Professor are conferred for a continuing period, for a specified term of years, or at the pleasure of the appointing body or officer.  Continued service in or reappointment to an honorary faculty position may be subject to periodic review pursuant to the terms of the appointment.

8.1.4  It should be noted that, while the titles of University Professor or Hilberry University Professor are non-tenure track, individuals with such honrary titles may also hold an additoinal faculty appointment (e.g., at the rank of associate or full professor) which is tenured.

8.2         Distinguished Professor and Distinguished Service Professor

8.2.1  The title of Distinguished Professor or Distinguished Service Professor is used to designate senior members o f the University faculty who have made extraordinary contributions.

8.2.2  Upon the advice of the Provost, the title of Distinguished Professor or Distinguished Service Professor is conferred by the President of the University, following approval by the Board of Governors.

8.2.3  Appointment as a Distinguished Professor or Distinguished Service Professor does not alter the pre-existing tenure or non-tenure status and full or fractional time status.

9.0  Voluntary Faculty

Voluntary faculty classifications include adjunct faculty, clinical faculty, and faculty full-time affiliate (FTA).

9.1         Voluntary faculty support the University's basic mission of teaching, scholarship, and service without salary or other financial compensation.

9.2         Educational qualifications for voluntary faculty generally are comparable to regular faculty of equal rank (e.g., voluntary assistant professors must hold a doctorate or other appropriate terminal degree or equivalent.)

9.3         Voluntary faculty will generally receive continuing appointments and serve at the pleasure of the President or his/her designee.  Continued assignment is contingent upon favorable outcome of biennial evaluations.

9.4         Hiring of Voluntary faculty

9.4.1  Public Notice of Position Availability.  Academic units should seek to increase the representation of qualified minorities and women within the voluntary faculty ranks in support of the University's affirmative action goals. To expand the pool of potential minority and women candidates, units should provide notice of the availability of voluntary faculty positions to appropriate institutions, associations, and the community in general at least once annually.  Such notice should be communicated through internal, local and regional advertising; through written contact with regional professional organizations; and through announcements in publications of special interest to minorities and women. The pool of potential voluntary faculty should be reconstituted annually from the responses to these public notices and announcements.

9.4.2  Exceptions.  In certain departments where voluntary faculty are appointed primarily because they hold specialized positions in external organizations (e.g., hospitals, clinics, laboratories), the chair and dean may request that the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs make an exception to the public notice requirement as specified in subsection 1 above.

9.4.3  Appointments of voluntary faculty are made upon the written recommendation of the department chair, with approval from the dean of the school/college or chief academic officer of the division.

9.4.4  Letters of Recommendation: Requests for initial appointment of voluntary faculty shall be accompanied by letters of recommendation from external sources.

9.4.5  Curriculum Vitae:  Request for appointment of voluntary faculty shall also be accompanied by a signed and dated curriculum vitae which furnishes evidence of the candidate's ability to contribute (in the case of appointments), or of actual contributions (in the case of subsequent evaluations), to the academic mission of the University.

9.4.6  Letters of Offer:  Standard printed or computer-based letters of offer, with language developed and maintained by the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, shall be used for appointment of voluntary faculty.  Any changes in standard letter language and/or format shall require prior approval from the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.  Standard letters shall include a means for inserting a description of the specific duties and responsibilities of voluntary faculty.

9.4.7  Term of Appointment:  voluntary faculty generally will receive continuing appointments subject to biennial performance evaluation.

9.4.8  Performance Evaluation:  voluntary faculty shall be evaluated every second year during the winter term if continuation is being contemplated.  The written evaluation by the department chair shall specifically address the voluntary faculty member's performance in those areas of responsibility specified in the letter of offer.

10.0  Adjunct Faculty

10.1         Adjunct faculty titles include adjunct instructor, adjunct assistant professor, adjunct associate professor and adjunct professor.

11.0      Faculty Full-time Affiliate

11.1         Faculty full-time affiliate titles include instructor FTA, assistant professor FTA, associate professor FTA, professor FTA, instructor (teaching) FTA,  assistant professor (teaching) FTA, associate professor (teaching) FTA, professor (teaching) FTA,  instructor (clincial) FTA, assistant professor (clinical) FTA, , associate professor (clinical) FTA, professor (clinical) FTA, instructor (research) FTA, assistant professor (research) FTA, associate professor (research) FTA, and professor (research) FTA.

12.0      Assistant, Associate and Deputy Deans

12.1         Term of Appointment:  Terms of appointment for assistant, associate, and deputy deans shall be determined by the dean of the school/college.

12.2         Restriction on Titles:  Apart from the classifications defined in this University Policy, no other titles that bear the term "dean" (with the exception of assistant to the dean) may be created or offered to candidates without prior approval of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

12.3        Assistant Dean

12.3.1  Assistant Deans hold full- or part-time appointments and typically provide academic support to a dean, deputy dean or associate dean.

12.3.2  Candidates for posts associated primarily with support of student services should hold appropriate graduate or professional degrees.

12.3.3  Candidates for posts not primarily associated with support of student services must hold faculty rank and tenure in a WSU school/college.  Exceptions to this provision may be granted by the Provost for special circumstances.

12.4        Associate Dean

12.4.1  Associate Deans hold full- or part-time appointments and are responsible for a functional area within a school/college, and the performance of executive duties following the dean's delegation.  Examples of functional areas that may be within the responsibilities assigned to an associate dean include the review of credentials for academic appointment, promotion and/or tenure; the review of courses or degree programs, or the review of scholarly activities.

12.4.2  Candidates to this post must hold faculty rank and tenure in a WSU school/college.

12.5       Deputy Dean

12.5.1  Deputy deans hold full-time appointment and may exercise considerable executive authority following the dean's delegation.

12.5.2  Use of this title is restricted to special circumstances of an organizational nature and requires prior approval by the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.  The title deputy dean should be used only when department chairs, directors, or other heads of academic units report directly to the deputy dean for ordinary operating purposes.

12.5.3  Candidates to this post must hold faculty rank and tenure in a WSU school/college.

13.0      Appointment and Reappointment of Non-tenure Track Faculty

Policy and procedures for the appointment and reappointment of non-tenure-track faculty are contained in University Policy 01-1.

14.0      Duration

14.1       This delegation is revocable by the President at any time and without notice.

14.2       This University Policy supersedes University Policy 03-02 Second Release.

15.0      Effective Date

15.1       This University Policy is effective upon issuance.

 

Signed by President M. Roy Wilson, October 25, 2022..