E6.0
POLICY ON FACULTY RANK
1. Definitions of Faculty Rank
a. Faculty rank shall include:
(1) All tenure-track faculty employed as full-time teachers or as a chair of full-time teaching faculty or researchers.
(2) Non-tenure-track teaching faculty.
(3) Non-tenure-track research faculty.
2. Faculty Classifications
a. The classifications of faculty rank are professor, associate professor, assistant professor and instructor. The classifications under non-tenure-track teaching faculty are: lecturer, adjunct (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor), and visiting (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor). The classifications under non-tenure-track research faculty are: assistant professor, associate professor, or professor.
b. Reassignment to full-time teaching of administrators with faculty rank should be based on an analysis of the individual's previous contribution to the educational activity of the college as an administrator and teacher in relation to the current teaching needs of the college. Colleges with rotating chairs (department chair or immediate administrator) should have written guidelines for this process.
c. The president may confer the equivalent of faculty rank on administrative personnel if and when this appears desirable and with the recommendation of the college dean.
d. The title of emeritus may be granted upon a regular or early retirement provided the faculty member has been a full-time member of the faculty for at least ten school years (not necessarily consecutive). This title recognizes meritorious service to the university by an individual professor in terms of their teaching, research and service to the institution. Recommendation as to the award of the emeritus title is initiated by the dean and directed to the provost and to the president for final action. Transfer to faculty status at another institution does not qualify for emeritus rank.
3. The Nature and Opportunities of Faculty Work
The view that teaching is the foremost activity of the RIT faculty is deeply rooted in the traditions of the institution, and the primacy of teaching continues to be a hallmark of RIT. Consequently, the basic consideration, both in initial appointments and matters pertaining to salary adjustments, promotion and tenure, is the extent to which high standards of teaching can be achieved and maintained.
Effective teaching, among other things, consists of clearly and enthusiastically communicating special knowledge and expertise based on an understanding of curricular objectives and the learner's needs and abilities. Further, it entails selecting and using appropriate instructional methods and materials, which lead to learning and providing fair and useful evaluations of the quality of the learner's work. Effective teaching requires a sensitivity to and rapport with the learner.
Evaluation of teaching cannot be totally objective, but such evaluation must include a conscientious effort to obtain and consider information that bears upon the work of the classroom and effective classroom performance.
The Institute endorses the view that good teaching is undergirded and indeed made possible by selective attainments in the areas outlined below which are appropriate to individuals in the circumstances of their academic units.
a. Academic and Professional Qualifications
These achievements refer to past and present professional and career experiences, professional recognition in the form of licenses, honors, degree attainments, and sustained effort directed toward professional and career updates.
b. Scholarship (see E4.4b)
These include research and creative activities, previously outlined and described in E4 as one of four types of scholarship. Also included are publication and consultation in a specialized area, or development and investigation of curricular and learning strategies. All scholarship to be considered for both tenure and promotion must be peer reviewed and disseminated.
c. Service (see E4.0.4c)
These include working with students and colleagues outside the classroom such as might be found in college and Institute committee work, student advising and student activities as well as linking the professional skills of members of the faculty to the world beyond the campus.
No faculty member has to be deeply engaged in all of the foregoing activities at any one time. Rather, specific forms of endeavor should be planned and agreed upon with the appropriate college authorities to the end that full opportunity is provided for individual development and enhancement of the teaching function.
Each college faculty shall develop, approve, and publish its own additional specific tenure criteria, as well as acceptable forms of evidence and documentation based on the previous general criteria and on section 4 of this policy. College criteria for tenure and for acceptable forms of evidence and documentation shall be no less than, and must be consistent with, sections 3 and 4 of this policy including Policy E.4.
4. Procedures for Faculty Promotion
a. The procedures described in this section shall only apply to those individuals who seek promotion from associate to full professor. Assistant professors being considered for tenure, are subject to policy E.5.3d
b. The chair should evaluate the rank status of each faculty member at least every two years. and may initiate consideration for promotion. A senior faculty member may also initiate a colleague's promotion consideration. Tenured faculty may request consideration for promotion, but at least a full calendar year must elapse between each such request.
c. When a faculty member is considered for promotion, the chair will inform all faculty members superior in rank to the individual under consideration. Within two weeks, those senior faculty will write the chair with a recommendation on the promotion. The chair will record the numbers in favor, opposed, and in abstention.
d. The chair shall forward to the dean a recommendation on the promotion that includes the faculty vote.
e. The dean will forward to the provost a recommendation for or against promotion that includes the faculty vote.
f. The provost forwards to the president a recommendation for or against promotion. The faculty's vote will also be forwarded.
g. All promotions are made official by the president.
5. Non-tenure-track Faculty
A non-tenure-track faculty member is an employee of the Institute engaged in teaching credit courses or special courses under the auspices of one of the colleges, whether full-time or less than full-time, and assigned the title lecturer, adjunct, visiting, or clinical professor. In certain very unusual circumstances approved by the provost, these titles may be preceded by "distinguished," for persons widely recognized for their knowledge and expertise. A non tenure-track faculty member is assigned to teach for a specific period of time, and the Institute is not committed to provide employment beyond the time specified. Appointment to any of these categories does not qualify one for consideration for tenure or other privileges accorded to tenure-track faculty (E5.0)
a. Lecturer
This title is generally used in situations carefully tailored to institutional programmatic needs. Lecturer positions normally should not be created out of previously tenure-track positions. Lecturer titles may be assigned to:
(1) Those who meet the normal criteria of education and experience for employment as a faculty member.
(2) Those who do not meet the criteria (e.g., lack of degree attainment or other deficiency) but whose talents and promise would give reasonable assurance of qualifying for consideration for a position as a teacher. Those appointed to the position of lecturer may be reappointed annually to non tenure-track employment as follows:
Lecturer’s contracts can be renewed indefinitely. Any Lecturer on a one-year contract should be notified whether the appointment is to be renewed no later than May 15. Lecturers in their initial year of appointment will be notified whether that appointment is being renewed by June 30.
After three years of annual appointments, Lecturers will be issued two-year renewable contracts, with a notice of non-renewal before June 30 of the first year.
After five years of high-quality performance, Lecturers are eligible for promotion to Senior Lecturer at the discretion of the dean. Senior Lecturers will have three-year renewable contracts issued annually, with notice of non-renewal occurring by June 30th of any contract year.
Responsibilities of Lecturers: the primary responsibility is teaching. Lecturers are not normally expected to participate in Institute service or scholarship, but they may be assigned student advisees.
Responsibilities of Senior Lecturers: in addition to teaching and advising students, are expected to engage in service to the Institute; they are not expected to participate in scholarship.
b. Adjunct (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor or professor)
This title may be assigned to those with significant experience in a field that qualifies them to teach specific course(s).
c. Visiting (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor or professor)This title may be assigned to those who possess the usual requirements for employment in that faculty rank, but have been employed in a non tenure-track position. Once assigned a visiting rank, there is no provision for advancing that rank except if their primary teaching and/or research responsibilities are at another post-secondary institution and they achieve advancement at that institution. The total time anyone may serve full-time in a visiting position is usually no more than three years. For positions approved as difficult to fill by the provost, this period may be extended to an absolute maximum of five years.
d. Clinical (instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor)
This title is usually limited to practitioners who are assigned regular and continuing responsibilities in a clinical setting in institutions with a formal affiliate relationship with the Institute.
6. Non-tenure-track Research faculty
The rank of Research faculty may be assigned to individuals who secure the funding necessary to establish, support, and lead research programs that will enhance the education of RIT students. After appropriate consultation with and endorsement of the faculty of the relevant department or program, the department chair or program director will recommend an applicant. The appointment is then made with approval from the dean(s) and provost. Persons having this classification will hold an appointment with an RIT academic department. Qualifications for the position include research expertise, research results, publication record, achievement of externally funded grants and contracts, demonstrated collaborative research, and ability to mentor students. Assignment of Research faculty rank will be determined through consideration of the individual's qualifications listed above and credentials such as degrees earned, current rank, and professional expertise. Continuation of the appointment is subject to the institutional commitment to the appointee's research and the availability of external funding.
Because the rank of Research faculty is assigned to individuals who secure the funding necessary to support research programs, external funds sufficient to cover the faculty member's salary and benefits must be available in a budget dedicated to the Research faculty position.
Appointment to this category does not qualify one for consideration for tenure or other privileges accorded to Tenured and Tenure-track Faculty (see E5.0). Tenure-track faculty who are accepted to Research faculty positions will be given a leave of absence from their tenure-eligible faculty positions. They may request a tenure-clock suspension during that period. Any scholarship completed while in this position may be considered towards tenure and promotion should the faculty member return to their Tenured or Tenure-track position.
Research faculty usually do not do service, nor are they required to teach, however, they must take a major role in the enhancement of student’s education in one or more of the following ways:
• Supervise undergraduate research and thesis projects
• Serve as principal advisor of doctoral and masters students.
• Serve on committees for theses defense.
• Serve on dissertation committees.
• Act as members only on final examination committees for doctorates.
• Engage as non-voting participants in curricular decisions.
Research faculty’s plans of work are to be assessed annually to ensure the education of students is reflected as a top priority. If the need arises, a department head or program chair can ask a research faculty member to teach or do service. In that case, the faculty member’s contract must specify the term of service and duties.
Approved June 22, 1959
Last revised May 2009