History:  First Issued:  August 26, 2019.  Last Revised: August 27, 2026

Related Policies:

NCSU RUL05.67.411 – College of Humanities and Social Sciences Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Standards and Procedures NCSU RUL 05.67.413 College of Humanities and Social Sciences Appointment and Promotion of Professional Faculty Standards and Procedures
NCSU POL05.20.01 – Appointment, Reappointment, Promotion and Permanent Tenure
NCSU REG05.20.03 – Annual Reviews of Faculty Members
NCSU REG05.20.27 – Statements of Faculty Responsibilities NCSU REG05.20.34 – Professional Faculty Ranks and Appointments

 

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 – Professional Faculty Ranks and Appointments), Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching, and Teaching Professor ranks are faculty appointments that are non-tenure-track, fixed-term appointments with a maximum term of 5 years, and are renewable. Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching, and Teaching Professors have a “principal responsibility in teaching,” specifically for teaching major courses at the 200-level and above. 

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

1.2.1 Qualifications for initial appointment: Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching, and Teaching Professors must meet the same qualifications as for the corresponding tenure-track ranks (Ph.D. or other terminal degree), whereas the minimum qualification for a Lecturer track position is the Master’s degree. 

1.2.2 Membership in the Graduate Faculty: Although graduate level instruction and advising is not the norm, Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching and Teaching Professors within the English department may be appointed Graduate Faculty status as set forth in REG 02.40.01 – Membership in the Graduate Faculty.

2. INITIAL & SUBSEQUENT CONTRACTS

2.1 Hiring. The department of English hires Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching or Teaching Professors to provide 1) teaching in 200-400 level courses required for majors and/or 2) serve in a programmatic administrative role. Senior Lecturers who provide these duties and otherwise meet the qualifications for an initial appointment as an Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching, or Teaching Professor may have their positions reclassified. New positions in the teaching professor track may be proposed by department disciplinary units to address teaching needs for majors at the 200-400 level or for programmatic administrative positions. Contract lengths shall be three years for Assistant Teaching Professors and five years for Associate Teaching Professors and Teaching Professors.

2.2 Authorization of Positions. By a positive majority vote, the Departmental Voting Faculty (DVF) will recommend to the Department Head (Head) issuance of an initial contract. The Head will send the recommendation to the Dean, who is responsible for issuing the contract.

2.3 Duties and expectations. Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching and Teaching Professors in English are expected primarily to provide teaching with a reduction for administrative work as appropriate. The base allocation for Teaching and Mentoring of Undergraduate and Graduate Students (Teaching and Mentoring) on the Statement of Faculty Responsibilities (SFR) will be 90%, with 10% reserved in Service to professional Societies and the Discipline, and Service and Engagement within the University itself (Service) for participation in department, college, and university initiatives as needed. At the Head’s discretion, a portion of the SFR (<25%) may be made in Discovery of Knowledge through Discipline-Guided Inquiry (Discovery of Knowledge) or Creative Artistry and Literature (Creative Artistry). Disciplinary and program groups may require a portion of the SFR (<25%) to be in Discovery of Knowledge or Creative Artistry for teaching at the 400-level. 

2.4 Subsequent Contracts. Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching and Teaching Professors will undergo committee review one year prior to when their current contract expires. Committees will consist of at least three members from the candidate’s disciplinary area, or an adjacent area, who are members of the appropriate DVF (REG 05.20.34). For their committees, candidates will prepare a portfolio that provides evidence of accomplishments in each area of their SFR since the start of the current contract. Committees will review the portfolios and present a recommendation about issuing subsequent contracts to the appropriate DVF (REG 05.20.34) for discussion. With a positive majority vote, the DVF recommends candidates to the Head for subsequent contracts. The Head will submit recommendations to the Dean for review and determination regarding subsequent contracts. The decision of the Dean is final.

2.5 Curricular Assignments. Faculty holding Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching or Teaching Professor appointments will be members of departmental disciplinary and program groups related to their areas of specialization. Assignment to 200-400 level courses will be made in consultation with these departmental groups. 

2.6 Voting. On curricular matters, faculty holding Assistant Teaching, Associate Teaching or Teaching Professor appointments will have voting privileges appropriate to the corresponding tenure-track ranks in the programs in which they teach; on Professional track faculty contract and promotion, they will have voting privileges as defined in REG 05.20.34; on any other matters, they will have the same voting privileges as faculty in the corresponding tenure-track ranks.

3. PROMOTION

3.1 After three years in rank as an Assistant Teaching Professor or five years in rank as an Associate Teaching Professor, a faculty member may seek promotion. Prior to a request for promotion, an Assistant Teaching or Associate Teaching Professor shall request feedback regarding their readiness for promotion. The candidate shall consult with the Head in the spring prior to their intended promotion cycle. The Head shall provide the DVF a summary of the candidate’s progress and then consult with the DVF and provide feedback to the candidate regarding the merits of their case. Although the candidate should consider the feedback, they may decide whether to participate in the promotion cycle independent of the preliminary feedback.

3.2 Promotion from Assistant Teaching Professor to Associate Teaching Professor requires appropriate accomplishments in all realms of faculty responsibility designated on the faculty member’s SFR. Appropriate accomplishments in Teaching and Mentoring will include at least four of the following:

3.2.1 Evidence of excellence in teaching undergraduate courses, as documented by consistently strong student (ClassEval) and peer evaluations of teaching, as well as any supervisory/departmental evaluations that have been conducted. Candidates may also cite awards or other sources of formal recognition of their excellence in teaching.

3.2.2 Evidence of willingness and ability to work effectively with colleagues within the candidate’s assigned realms of responsibility.

3.2.3 Engagement with curriculum development and/or course design/revision, as evidenced by syllabi and pedagogical materials or student work presented in a teaching portfolio.

3.2.4 Evidence of professional development, which may include but is not limited to: attending or presenting at regional, national or international meetings/conferences and/or attending or presenting at workshops in the discipline on effective instructional practices, instructional technology use, critical thinking, collaborative learning, etc.

3.2.5 A record of contributions to the candidate’s department beyond assigned teaching responsibilities that are clearly articulated in the candidate’s SFR. These may include, but are not limited to, committee service, mentorship, advising, etc.

3.2.6 A record of professional engagement in or related to the discipline that is clearly articulated in the candidate’s SFR, which may include but is not limited to: scholarly conference presentations and/or publications including textbooks and curriculum units, creative artistry related to the discipline, technological innovation, service in professional societies, etc.

Candidates with an SFR allocation in Discovery of Knowledge or Creative Artistry are expected to have a record of publications in rank as an Assistant Teaching Professor. The minimum number of publications scales by the percent allocation:

10% = 1-2 publications; and

20% = 2-3 publications.

3.3 Promotion from Associate Teaching Professor to Teaching Professor requires appropriate accomplishments in all realms of faculty responsibility designated on the faculty member’s SFR. All Teaching Professors should meet and exceed the criteria for holding the rank of Associate Teaching Professor. Appropriate accomplishments in Teaching and Mentoring will include at least four of the following:

3.3.1 Evidence of excellence in teaching undergraduate courses, as documented by consistently strong student (ClassEval) and peer evaluations of teaching, as well as any supervisory/departmental evaluations that have been conducted. Candidates may also cite awards or other sources of formal recognition of their excellence in teaching.

3.3.2 Evidence of willingness and ability to work effectively with colleagues within the candidate’s assigned realms of responsibility.

3.3.3 Engagement with curriculum development and/or course design/revision, as evidenced by syllabi and pedagogical materials or student work presented in a teaching portfolio.

3.3.4 Evidence of professional development, which may include but is not limited to: attending or presenting at regional, national or international meetings/conferences and/or attending or presenting at workshops in the discipline on effective instructional practices, instructional technology use, critical thinking, collaborative learning, etc.

3.3.5 A record of contributions to the candidate’s department beyond assigned teaching responsibilities that are clearly articulated in the candidate’s SFR. These may include, but are not limited to, committee service, mentorship, advising, etc.

3.3.6 A record of professional engagement in or related to the discipline that is clearly articulated in the candidate’s SFR, which may include but is not limited to: scholarly conference presentations and/or publications including textbooks and curriculum units, creative artistry related to the discipline, technological innovation, service in professional societies, etc.

Candidates with an SFR allocation in Discovery of Knowledge or Creative Artistry are expected to have added to their record of publications in rank as an Associate Teaching Professor. The minimum number of publications scales by the percent allocation:

10% = 1-2 publications; and

20% = 2-3 publications.