RUL 05.67.805 – Department of English Appointment and Promotion of Professorial Teaching Faculty

History: First Issued: August 26, 2019.

Additional References:
Office of the Provost RPT Website
English Department Process and Expectations for Promotion to Senior Lecturer

Contact Info: English Department Head (919-515-3866)

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 As defined by University policy (REG05.20.34), Teaching Assistant, Associate and Professor ranks are faculty appointments that are non-tenure-track, fixed-term appointments with a maximum term of 5 years, and are renewable. Teaching Assistant, Associate and Professors have a “principal responsibility in teaching.” Although Teaching Assistant, Associate and Professor positions are defined as having “a principal responsibility in teaching,” they have qualifications and privileges that clearly require achievement in scholarship.

1.2 The two primary differences between Teaching Assistant, Associate and Professor ranks and Lecturer ranks are as follows:

1.2.1 Qualifications for initial appointment: Teaching Assistant, Associate, and Professors must meet the same qualifications as for the corresponding tenure-track ranks (Ph.D. or other terminal degree and appropriate scholarly achievement), whereas the minimum qualification for the Lecturer position is the Master’s degree and a scholarly agenda is not required.

1.2.2 Membership in the Graduate Faculty: Teaching Assistant, Associate and Professors within the English department are eligible for appointment to Full status in the Graduate Faculty; Lecturers may be appointed to Associate status, under certain circumstances.

2. APPOINTMENT

2.1 Hiring. Normally, the department of English hires Teaching Assistant, Associate or Professors to accommodate specific, often unanticipated, curricular needs, as, for instance, when one or more faculty members in a particular field depart(s) and a tenure track line in that field is expected to be unavailable for at least three years. Because the duties and expectations of Teaching Assistant, Associate and Professors are substantively different from those of Lecturers and Senior Lecturers in our department, an open search will be conducted (rather than changing the designation of an existing faculty member from Lecturer or Senior Lecturer to Teaching Assistant, Associate or Professor). Qualified Lecturers and Senior Lecturers are eligible to apply for such positions when advertised. In addition to the minimum qualifications for rank specified by University policy, Teaching Assistant, Associate or Professors should have a prior teaching record that demonstrates excellence in the relevant area of importance to departmental programs.

2.2 Authorization of Positions. Appointments will be recommended by the Head to the Departmental Voting Faculty, which must approve such appointments by a positive majority vote.

2.3 Duties and expectations. Teaching Assistant, Associate and Professors in English are expected, at a minimum: 1) each year to teach a number of courses (normally 6, but agreed upon with the department head and designated in a SFR); 2) to conduct scholarship, or do creative work, in their field of expertise, present that scholarly or creative work at academic conferences or wherever else is appropriate, and publish the results of that scholarly/creative work in suitable venues; and 3) to participate on departmental, college, and university committees as appropriate opportunities to do so arise. It is expected that, for a Teaching Assistant, Associate or Professor, a substantially greater percentage of effort will be devoted to teaching than to scholarship, creative work, or service. Teaching Assistant, Associate, and Professors will undergo annual reviews by the DVF and department head, as required by university and system regulations.

2.4 Curricular Assignments. Faculty holding Teaching Assistant, Associate or Professor appointments will be members of departmental disciplinary and program groups related to their areas of specialization. Assignment to upper-division and graduate courses will be made in consultation with these departmental groups.

2.5 Voting. On curricular matters, these faculty will have voting privileges appropriate to the corresponding tenure-track ranks in the programs in which they teach; on non-tenure track faculty appointment and promotion, they will have voting privileges as defined in REG 05.20.34 Non-Tenure Track Faculty Ranks and Appointments; on any other matters, they will have the same voting privileges as faculty in the corresponding tenure-track ranks.

3. PROMOTION

3.1 Prior to a request for promotion, a Teaching Assistant or Associate Professor shall request feedback regarding his or her readiness for promotion. The candidate shall consult with the department Head in the spring prior to his or her intended promotion cycle. The Head shall then consult with the DVF and provide feedback to the candidate regarding the merits of his or her case. Although the candidate should consider the feedback, he or she may decide whether to participate in the promotion cycle independent of the preliminary feedback.

3.2 Promotion from Teaching Assistant Professor to Teaching Associate Professor requires appropriate accomplishments in all realms of faculty responsibility designated on the faculty member’s SFR, such as sustained positive student and peer evaluations of teaching and successful work in course and curriculum development; multiple publications in his or her field since being hired; and ongoing service at the departmental, college, and/or university level. These accomplishments might also include valuable collaborations, successful grant or fellowship applications, and/or a record of engagement activities.

3.3 Promotion from Teaching Associate Professor to Teaching Professor requires appropriate accomplishments in all realms of faculty responsibility designated on the faculty member’s SFR, such as sustained positive student and peer evaluations of teaching and successful work in course and curriculum development; multiple publications in his or her field since the previous promotion; and ongoing service at the departmental, college, and/or university level. These accomplishments might also include valuable collaborations, successful grant or fellowship applications, and/or a record of engagement activities.