Non-Tenured Faculty/Appointments
Non-Tenured Faculty/Appointments Heading link
Article II C, Section 3a (2) of the University of Illinois Statutes, provides that “the bylaws of a unit may grant specified faculty privileges to members of the faculty of the unit or of other units who are neither tenured nor receiving probationary credit toward tenure, and who have the rank or title of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor or lecturer.” The unit bylaws may further grant specified faculty privileges to faculty members with modified faculty titles under the terms “research,” “adjunct,” “clinical,” “visiting,” and/or “emeritus.” Only academic staff with titles listed above may be extended faculty privileges. A brief description of the various non-tenured faculty appointments are listed below.
1. CLINICAL FACULTY
Clinical faculty hold positions through which they contribute to the teaching and service missions of the University, typically by engaging in the professional preparation of practitioners. Each unit should determine the appropriate role, if any, of clinical professorial appointments in their unit. A terminal degree is generally required and appointments with the clinical rank are appropriate for those who work primarily in a clinical and/or instructional setting and engage in scholarly activity related to their discipline. Ranks held by clinical faculty include assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. The criteria for promotion among these ranks are specified in the department norms of the home unit. All titles of clinical faculty must contain the term “clinical” as a modifier to the title, for example, Clinical Associate Professor. Clinical faculty are not eligible for tenure, but are eligible for promotion in the clinical track based on procedures established by the University under their Campus Promotion and Tenure Guidelines. Salaried clinical faculty at 50 percent time or greater must be searched for and appointed through the hiring procedures established for non-tenure track faculty. While individual faculty members hired in a tenure-track probationary appointment may switch to a clinical appointment during the first four years of their probationary period (exceptions may be granted), such a switch requires appropriate documentation from the department head and approvals as outlined under FPPG 304: Track Switching Guidelines. Additionally, clinical appointments should not be used as a means of retaining tenure-probationary faculty members who are not successful in attaining tenure and promotion.
2. TEACHING FACULTY
Teaching faculty hold positions through which they contribute to teaching and service missions of the University, typically through instruction and contributing to the curricular aspects of the University. A terminal degree is generally required and appointments with the teaching rank are appropriate for those who work in an instructional setting and engage in scholarly activity related to their discipline. Ranks held by teaching faculty include assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. The criteria for promotion among these ranks are specified in the department norms of the home unit. All titles of teaching faculty must contain the term “teaching” as a modifier to the title, for example, Teaching Associate Professor. Teaching faculty are not eligible for tenure, but are eligible for promotion in the teaching track based on procedures established by the University under their Campus Promotion and Tenure Guidelines. Salaried teaching faculty at 50 percent time or greater must be searched for and appointed through the hiring procedures established for non-tenure track faculty. While individual faculty members hired in a tenure-track probationary appointment may switch to a teaching appointment during the first four years of their probationary period (exceptions may be granted), such a switch requires appropriate documentation and approvals as outlined under FPPG 304: Track Switching Guidelines. Additionally, teaching appointments should not be used as a means of retaining tenure-probationary faculty members who are not successful in attaining tenure and promotion.
3. RESEARCH FACULTY
Research faculty are appointed on a fixed-term basis to work on research projects either independently or in collaboration with other UIC faculty; they are members of the academic staff of UIC. A terminal degree is required with experience to develop a substantial research and publication record. Ranks held by research faculty include assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. The criteria for promotion among these ranks are specified in the department norms of the home unit. All titles of research faculty must contain the term “research” as a modifier to the title, for example, Research Associate Professor. Research faculty are not eligible for tenure, but are eligible for promotion in the research track based on procedures established by the University under their Campus Promotion and Tenure Guidelines. Salaried research faculty at 50 percent time or greater must be searched for and appointed through the hiring procedures established for non-tenure track faculty. Additionally, research appointments should not be used as a means of retaining tenure-probationary faculty members who are not successful in attaining tenure and promotion.
4. SPECIAL WRITTEN AGREEMENT FOR DEFINITE TERM (“W”) APPOINTMENTS
By execution of a “special written agreement,” for definite term (“W” Agreement) a faculty member waives rights to all tenure provisions contained in Article X of the University of Illinois Statutes. A “special written agreement” requires that the faculty member be paid partially (at least 50 percent time) or wholly from non-State funds.
The authority for a “special written agreement” is through the president and defined in the University of Illinois Statutes, Article X, Section 1a(1). The president’s designee is the chancellor, who in turn has delegated this authority to the provost.
The “W” agreement is necessary on occasion when the University’s interest is best served by offering a rank of Assistant Professor (at 51% or greater), Associate Professor or Professor to a faculty member who either is not on the tenure track or has not been reviewed for tenure. It should not be used to provide faculty, who are in the latter stages of the probationary period, an escape from the tenure track when an unfavorable tenure review is anticipated or has already occurred.
5. LECTURERS AND INSTRUCTORS
Lecturers and instructors are appointed on a fixed-term basis for teaching duties, and for research and service that supports teaching. They may be modified by “adjunct”, “clinical”, or “visiting” as outlined in Article IX, Section 3c of the University of Illinois Statutes. They generally have professional experience or expertise in the area of instruction and are generally not required to have a terminal degree.
6. VISITING AND ADJUNCT IN FACULTY TITLES
“Visiting” may be used in the title of a faculty appointment when the individual to be appointed is to be a temporary appointee of one year or less. Such appointments may be renewed for a period generally not longer than five years when the funding source is non-state. Appointments beyond three years (state funded) or five years (non-state funded) imply permanent status and if they are to continue should be converted to permanent appointments in accordance with established campus policies.
The use of “adjunct” as a prefix to a faculty rank indicates that the position is not the individual’s primary position. Adjunct may be used in the title of a faculty appointment when the individual to be appointed is expected to have some sort of short-term, peripheral association with the University or when a department wishes to provide a more formal affiliation to a faculty member from another unit. The individual appointed should be recognized in his/her field and departments should exercise appropriate review procedures before making an adjunct appointment.
The use of visiting and adjunct as prefixes to faculty ranks excludes eligibility for tenure. Therefore, care must be taken to assure that the individual being appointed is a bona fide visitor or adjunct appointee; these titles cannot be used merely as a means of avoiding a tenure-track or tenured appointment.