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2.2.040 Faculty Classification

University of Central Missouri Policy

Policy NameFaculty Classification Policy

Date ApprovedOriginal 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 EffectiveMarch 26, 2021

Policy Number2.2.040

Date Last RevisedMarch 26, 2021

Approval Authority:  UCM Board of Governors

Review Cycle:  4 years

Responsible DepartmentOffice of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

 

Purpose/Policy Statement

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.

Scope

This policy applies to all faculty university employees.

Definitions

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.

Procedure


A. Adjunct faculty

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.

B. Visiting Faculty

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.

C. Instructional Faculty

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.

D. Library Faculty

Library faculty members are academic librarians hired on a full-time basis.  Library faculty may be instructional faculty, tenure-track or tenured.  Tenured-track library faculty must engage in librarianship, service and research/scholarly activity or performance as specified by the Library Services Department and university policy. Only faculty members in tenure-track positions are eligible for tenure, promotion, and academic leave.

Levels of promotion for library faculty with established criteria for advancement:

Assistant Librarian

Appointment to assistant librarian is based upon academic credentials and experience. There should be a clear indication that the individual will grow professionally in librarianship, service, and scholarship.  Evidence of progress towards promotion to associate librarian is expected.

Associate Librarian

Appointment or promotion to associate librarian is based upon actual performance as well as future potential. Above all, the individual should demonstrate excellence in librarianship, service, and scholarship while continuing to develop professionally. A candidate for associate librarian should be well on the way toward becoming a recognized contributor in a specialization relevant to his/her departmental discipline. Evidence of progress towards promotion to librarian is expected.

It is assumed that candidates meet all requirements of the assistant librarianship prior to promotion to associate librarian.

Librarian

Appointment or promotion to full librarian implies that the individual faculty member is recognized as an outstanding contributor in a specialization relevant to his/her departmental discipline and as a contributing member of the university academic community. In addition, the individual should demonstrate excellence in librarianship, service, and scholarship.

It is assumed candidates meet all requirements of the associate librarianship prior to promotion to librarian.

E. Tenure-Track/Tenured Faculty

Tenure-track/tenured faculty must engage in teaching, service and research/scholarly activity or performance as specified by the relevant department and university policy. Only faculty members in tenure-track/tenured positions are eligible for tenure, promotion, and academic leave.

Levels of promotion for tenure-track and tenured faculty with established criteria for advancement:

Assistant Professor

Appointment to assistant professor is based upon academic credentials and experience. There should be a clear indication that the individual will grow professionally in teaching, service, and scholarship.  Evidence of progress towards promotion to associate professor is expected.

Associate Professor

Appointment or promotion to associate professor is based upon actual performance as well as future potential. Above all, the individual should demonstrate excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship while continuing to develop professionally. A candidate for associate professor should be well on the way toward becoming a recognized contributor in a specialization relevant to his/her departmental discipline. Evidence of progress towards promotion to professor is expected.

It is assumed that candidates meet all requirements of the assistant professor prior to promotion to associate professor.

Professor

Appointment or promotion to full professor implies that the individual faculty member is recognized as an outstanding contributor in a specialization relevant to his/her departmental discipline and as a contributing member of the University of Central Missouri academic community. In addition, the individual should still be demonstrating excellence in teaching, service, and scholarship. 

It is assumed candidates meet all requirements of the associate professorship prior to promotion to professor.

 

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