RUL 05.67.803 – Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies Standards and Procedures for Non-Tenure Track Faculty Appointments and Promotions

History: First Issued: August 26, 2019.

Additional References:
Office of the Provost RPT Website

1. INTRODUCTION

This Rule describes the standards and procedures of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies for the appointment and promotion of non-tenure track (NTT) faculty. It supplements the NC State University Policies and Regulations and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Rule on NTT faculty appointments and promotions, which take precedence over this Rule to the extent that this Rule may be inconsistent with them. The Department Head is responsible for assuring that the procedures and standards set forth in REG 05.20.34 (Non-Tenure Track Faculty Ranks and Appointments) and RUL 05.67.413 (College of Humanities and Social Sciences Appointment and Promotion of Non-Tenure Track Faculty Standards and Procedures) are followed.

2. NON-TENURE TRACK FACULTY CONTRACTS

2.1 NTT teaching faculty are appointed as needed to help address the Department’s teaching responsibilities. Although these faculty are assigned primarily to the area of teaching, to which at least 50% of their time and effort should be allocated, they may also have assignments in one or more additional areas of responsibility.

2.2 NTT research faculty may be appointed in special circumstances. Although these faculty are assigned primarily to the area of research, to which at least 50% of their time and effort should be allocated, they may also have assignments in one or more additional areas of responsibility.

2.3 Visiting appointments, which may be made in special circumstances, are limited to faculty who are in residence at NC State but retain their status in a position in another institution of higher education and will generally be appointed at the rank held at their home institution.

2.4 NTT faculty may have full-time (>.75 FTE) or part-time (<.75 FTE) contracts.

2.5 Subject to RUL 05.67.413, the terms of the contracts of NTT faculty may vary between one semester and three years.

3. QUALIFICATIONS FOR INITIAL APPOINTMENT TO NON-TENURE TRACK FACULTY RANKS

Candidates for initial NTT appointments must have the following qualifications in addition to all other qualifications specified in REG 05.20.34.

3.1 Lecturer

3.1.1 A master’s degree in the applicable discipline or a related discipline.
3.1.2 Ability or potential in teaching in the applicable fields and in other areas of responsibility.

3.2 Senior Lecturer

3.2.1 A master’s degree in the applicable discipline or a related discipline.
3.2.2 At least five years of college-level teaching experience.
3.2.3 A high level of expertise and demonstrable excellence in teaching in the applicable fields and in other areas of responsibility.

3.3 Teaching Assistant Professor

3.3.1 An earned doctor’s degree in the applicable discipline or a related discipline.
3.3.2 Ability or potential in teaching in the applicable fields and in other areas of responsibility.

3.4 Teaching Associate Professor

3.4.1 An earned doctor’s degree in the applicable discipline or a related discipline.
3.4.2 Three or four sole-authored journal articles in reputable professional journals in the discipline, or other equivalent publications.
3.4.3 A high level of expertise and demonstrable excellence in teaching in the applicable fields and in other areas of responsibility.

3.5 Teaching Professor

3.5.1 An earned doctor’s degree in the applicable discipline or a related discipline.
3.5.2 Nine or ten sole-authored journal articles in reputable professional journals in the discipline, or other equivalent publications.

3.5.3 Distinguished achievement in teaching in the applicable fields and in other areas of responsibility.

3.6 Research Assistant Professor

3.6.1 An earned doctor’s degree in the applicable discipline or a related discipline.
3.6.2 Ability or potential in research in the applicable fields and in other areas of responsibility.

3.7 Research Associate Professor

3.7.1 An earned doctor’s degree in the applicable discipline or a related discipline.
3.7.2 Seven or eight sole-authored journal articles in reputable professional journals in the discipline, or other equivalent publications.
3.7.3 A high level of expertise and demonstrable excellence in research in the applicable fields and in other areas of responsibility.

3.8 Research Professor

3.8.1 An earned doctor’s degree in the applicable discipline or a related discipline.
3.8.2 Fourteen or fifteen sole-authored journal articles in reputable professional journals in the discipline, or other equivalent publications.
3.8.3 Distinguished achievement in research in the applicable fields and in other areas of responsibility.

4. PROCEDURES FOR NON-TENURE TRACK APPOINTMENTS AND RENEWALS

4.1 Subject to clauses 4.2 and 4.3 (as applicable), the Department Head will make recommendations to the Dean for the appointment of all NTT faculty and the renewal of their contracts.

4.2 In selecting Lecturers and Teaching Assistant Professors for appointment, the Department Head will be assisted by a search committee consisting of at least two members of the Department Voting Faculty (DVF) appointed by the Department Head, who may also serve on the search committee.

4.3 The appointment of Visiting Faculty, Senior Lecturers, Teaching Associate Professors, Teaching Professors, and NTT research faculty of any rank is subject to the approval of the DVF.

5. TITLE CHANGES

The title of a Lecturer or a Senior Lecturer who completes an earned doctor’s degree and who satisfies all the required qualifications for appointment as a Teaching Assistant Professor (as specified in clause 3.3 above and in REG 05.20.34) may be changed to Teaching Assistant Professor. The title will be changed on January 1 if the faculty member submits proof of degree completion to the Department Head by October 20 in the preceding year and on July 1 if the faculty member submits proof of degree completion by April 20 of the same year.

6. STANDARDS FOR PROMOTION OF NON-TENURE TRACK FACULTY

6.1 Full-time (>.75 FTE) NTT faculty may be promoted from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer, from Teaching Assistant Professor to Teaching Associate Professor, from Teaching Associate Professor to Teaching Professor, from Research Assistant Professor to Research Associate Professor and from Research Associate Professor to Research Professor.

6.2 In addition to the standards for particular promotions specified in clauses 6.3-6.7, the following general standards apply to all promotions of NTT faculty:

6.2.1 Candidates must have a record of active engagement in all their areas of responsibility and have clearly satisfied expectations in all these areas.
6.2.2 Candidates’ performance in areas in which they are assigned no responsibilities may be counted in favor of, but cannot be counted against, their promotion.

6.3 Particular standards for promotion from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer are as follows:

6.3.1 Candidates must satisfy the qualifications for appointment as Senior Lecturer as specified in REG 05.20.34.
6.3.2 Candidates must have a consistent record of high quality teaching as demonstrated by at least two peer teaching reviews conducted during the preceding five years, student evaluations and any other available evidence.
6.3.3 Candidates must have a record of engagement with course design or development.
6.3.4 Candidates must have displayed a willingness to help serve departmental teaching needs.

6.4 The standards for promotion from Teaching Assistant Professor to Teaching Associate Professor are as follows:

6.4.1 Candidates must satisfy the qualifications for appointment as NTT Associate Professor as specified in REG 05.20.34.
6.4.2 Candidates must have a consistent record of high quality teaching as demonstrated by at least two peer teaching reviews conducted during the preceding five years, student evaluations and any other available evidence.
6.4.3 Candidates must have a record of engagement with course design or development.
6.4.4 Candidates must have displayed a willingness to help serve departmental teaching needs.

6.5 The standards for promotion from Teaching Associate Professor to Teaching Professor are as follows:

6.5.1 Candidates must have a consistent record of high quality teaching as demonstrated by at least two peer teaching reviews conducted during the preceding five years, student evaluations and any other available evidence.
6.5.2 Candidates must have a record of engagement with course design or development.
6.5.3 Candidates must have displayed a willingness to help serve departmental teaching needs.
6.5.4 Clause 5.1.3 (c) of university REG 05.20.34 specifies that, for appointment as or promotion to Professor, “Established reputation in the individual’s profession or field of scholarly or germane creative activity” is required. Evidence that a candidate satisfies this requirement may include but is not limited to professional awards, service on committees in professional associations, inputs from other professionals and a well-established publication record.

6.6 The standards for promotion from Research Assistant Professor to Research Associate Professor are as follows:

6.6.1 Candidates must satisfy the qualifications for appointment as Research Associate Professors as specified in clause 3.7 above and for NTT Associate Professors as specified in REG 05.20.34.
6.6.2 Candidates must have a consistent record of high quality research and publication and a demonstrated commitment to serious ongoing scholarly work that is likely to result in further reputable publications.
6.6.3 Candidates with a workload in scholarship and research of 50% of a 1.0 FTE appointment must have a publication record that includes at least seven substantive sole-author articles published or unconditionally accepted for publication in respected refereed journals during the previous eight years. Substantive sole-author invited papers of comparable quality in anthologies that are published or in press, with copy-editing complete, may be substituted for refereed journal articles. Ordinarily, a sole-author scholarly book of sufficient quality that is published by a respected press or is in press, with copy-editing complete, may be counted as equivalent to five or six sole-author articles. Invited papers will be judged on their merits to determine their equivalence to refereed journal articles. Other scholarly work may also be substituted for sole-author articles and will also be evaluated on its merits. Co-authored and co-edited works will be taken into account on the basis of an evaluation of the extent and merit of the candidate’s contribution/s to such works. A reduced output of publications is acceptable if there is compelling evidence that the scholarly work under consideration is of an extraordinarily high quality or has had an exceptional impact.

For candidates with workloads in scholarship and research of above or below 50% of a 1.0 FTE appointment, the above standards should be adjusted as required to accommodate the applicable workload.

6.7 The standards for promotion from Research Associate Professor to Research Professor are as follows:

6.7.1 Candidates must satisfy the qualifications for appointment as Research Professors as specified in clause 3.8 above and for NTT Professors as specified in REG 05.20.34.
6.7.2 Candidates must have a consistent record of high quality research and publication and a demonstrated commitment to serious ongoing scholarly work that is likely to result in further reputable publications.
6.7.3 Candidates with a workload in scholarship and research of 50% of a 1.0 FTE appointment must have a publication record that includes at least seven substantive sole-author articles published or unconditionally accepted for publication in respected refereed journals after being appointed at or promoted to the rank of Research Associate Professor and during the previous eight years. Substantive sole-author invited papers of comparable quality in anthologies that are published or in press, with copy-editing complete, may be substituted for refereed journal articles. Ordinarily, a sole-author scholarly book of sufficient quality that is published by a respected press or is in press, with copy-editing complete, may be counted as equivalent to five or six sole-author articles. Invited papers will be judged on their merits to determine their equivalence to refereed journal articles. Other scholarly work may also be substituted for sole-author articles and will also be evaluated on its merits. Co-authored and co-edited works will be taken into account on the basis of an evaluation of the extent and merit of the candidate’s contribution/s to such works. A reduced output of publications is acceptable if there is compelling evidence that the scholarly work under consideration is of an extraordinarily high quality or has had an exceptional impact.

For candidates with workloads in scholarship and research of above or below 50% of a 1.0 FTE appointment, the above standards should be adjusted as required to accommodate the applicable workload.

7. PROCEDURES FOR PROMOTION

University and college procedures will apply. This section specifies additional departmental procedures.

7.1 Department procedures for promotion from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer are as follows:

7.1.1 Eligible Lecturers who would like to be considered for promotion must consult with the Department Head on their readiness for promotion by November 15 of the academic year in which they would like to be considered. The Department Head will provide feedback to the candidates regarding the merits of their case. Candidates will be given until December 1 to decide whether to put themselves forward for consideration for promotion during the spring semester. If they do, then the following procedures will apply.

7.1.2 Before January 30, the Department Head will schedule a meeting of the DVF to consider cases for promotion and will announce the date and time of the meeting to the DVF.

7.1.3 In consultation with the Department Head, each candidate will assemble a promotion file for inspection by the DVF. This file will contain the following:

a) A full and complete Curriculum Vitae, with all relevant dates, including degrees received, prior academic appointments, publications, presentations, grants, fellowships and awards.
b) Any and all Annual Activity Reports submitted since the candidate’s appointment or previous promotion (whichever is later).
c) The most recent syllabi of any and all courses that the candidate has taught at NC State.
d) Any and all NC State student teaching evaluations and peer teaching evaluations relevant to the candidate’s promotion.
e) Any and all published or forthcoming work that is relevant to the candidate’s promotion, with the expected publication dates and venues of forthcoming work documented.
f) Any other pertinent material that the candidate possesses and wishes to have considered in the assessment of his/her candidacy, including course materials in addition to syllabi, providing that the inclusion of this material is consistent with college and university principles.

7.1.4 Promotion files will be ready for review by all members of the DVF at least two weeks before their meeting to consider promotions.

7.1.5 The meeting to consider lecturer promotions will be held before March 30.

7.1.6 All members of the DVF who are not on leave or scholarly reassignment are required to attend meetings to consider promotions.

7.1.7 All members of the DVF, including those on scholarly reassignment or leave, are expected to vote on all cases, if necessary by proxy. The Department Head is required to explain all missing votes.

7.1.8 For each candidate, the DVF will select one member to prepare a report to the Head that summarizes the discussion, reports the vote on the candidate’s promotion, and makes a recommendation to the Head on the basis of the vote. In the event of a non-unanimous vote, a second member of the DVF will be selected to prepare a minority report to the Head that sets out the grounds for disagreement with the majority opinion, whether this disagreement takes the form of votes or abstentions.

7.1.9 The Department Head will prepare a written recommendation on each candidate’s promotion.

7.1.10 The Department Head will report the outcome of the Department’s deliberations to the Dean in the required format by May 1.

7.2 Department procedures for promotions in NTT professorial ranks are as follows:

7.2.1 Eligible faculty members who would like to be considered for promotion must consult with the Department Head on their readiness for promotion by January 15 of the calendar year in which they would like to be considered.

7.2.2 Before February 15, the Department Head will consult with the DVF and provide feedback to the candidates regarding the merits of their case. Candidates will be given until March 1 to decide whether to put themselves forward for consideration for promotion during the fall semester.

7.2.3 Early in the Fall semester, the Head will schedule a meeting of the DVF to consider promotion cases and will announce the date and time of the meeting to the DVF.

7.2.4 In consultation with the Department Head, each candidate for promotion will assemble a university promotion dossier that satisfies the dossier format requirements specified in REG 05.20.20. The dossier will not include external evaluations.

7.2.5 In consultation with the Department Head, each candidate will assemble a department promotion file containing resources for the use of the DVF. This file will contain the following:

a) A full and complete Curriculum Vitae, with all relevant dates, including degrees received, prior academic appointments, publications, presentations, grants, fellowships and awards.
b) Any and all Annual Activity Reports submitted since the candidate’s appointment or previous promotion (whichever is later).
c) Any and all published or forthcoming work that is relevant to the candidate’s promotion, with the expected publication dates and venues of forthcoming work documented.
d) The most recent syllabi of any and all courses that the candidate has taught at NC State.
e) Any and all NC State student teaching evaluations and peer teaching evaluations relevant to the candidate’s promotion.
f) Any other pertinent material that the candidate possesses and wishes to have considered in the assessment of his/her candidacy, including course materials in addition to syllabi, providing that the inclusion of this material is consistent with college and university principles.

7.2.6 University promotion dossiers and the department promotion files will be ready for review by all members of the DVF at least two weeks before their meeting to consider promotions.

7.2.7 The meeting to consider promotions will be held before September 24.

7.2.8 All members of the DVF who are not on leave or scholarly reassignment are required to attend meetings to consider promotions.

7.2.9 All members of the DVF, including those on scholarly reassignment or leave, are expected to vote on all cases, if necessary by proxy. The Department Head is required to explain all missing votes.

7.2.10 For each candidate, the DVF will select one member to prepare a report to the Head summarizing the discussion, reporting the vote on the candidate’s promotion, and making a recommendation to the Head on the basis of the vote. In the event of a non-unanimous vote, a second member of the DVF will be selected to prepare a minority report to the Head that sets out the grounds for disagreement with the majority opinion, whether this disagreement takes the form of votes or abstentions. The DVF report or reports will be added to candidates’ promotion dossiers.

7.2.11 The Department Head will add a written recommendation to candidates’ promotion dossiers.

7.2.12 As provided by NC State Policies and Regulations, a candidate may write a response to the DVF and/or Head’s recommendation and add it to the university promotion dossier.

8. DEPARTMENT VOTING FACULTY

The department voting faculty (DVF) for NTT faculty appointments and promotions will be as required by RUL 05.67.413 and REG 05.20.34.