RUL 05.67.902 – College of Education Professional Faculty Appointment and Promotion Standards and Procedures

History: First Issued: April 16, 2021.

Additional References:
Office of the Provost RPT Website

Contact:
Dean of College of Education (919-515-5900)

1. INTRODUCTION

This rule describes the College of Education appointment, reappointment and promotion standards and procedures for fixed term professional faculty, and is supplemental to, and consistent with, NCSU REG 05.20.34 (Professional Faculty Ranks and Appointments). Departments in the College shall specify the standards associated with each professional faculty rank and title in a Departmental Rule. The College recognizes that the specific activities upon which professional faculty will be evaluated may vary within and across departments. The Department Professional Faculty Rule shall also establish guidelines regarding service on masters and doctoral advisory and dissertation committees.

North Carolina State University (NC State) specifies contributions in six Realms of Faculty Responsibility as the principal standards for decisions about faculty appointments and promotion. The College recognizes the importance attached to these realms of responsibility. Except as provided by NCSU REG 05.20.34, the College requires that promotion for professional faculty can be accomplished within the Realms of Faculty Responsibility outlined in the professional faculty member’s Statement of Faculty Responsibilities (SFR), and should consider the proportion of effort assigned in the SFR. Compliance with the SFR is a necessary, but not sufficient condition, for earning promotion.

2. TERMS AND PROCEDURES FOR INITIAL AND SUBSEQUENT CONTRACTS AND ANNUAL REVIEWS

2.1 Procedures for initial contract and subsequent contracts at the same rank adhere to NCSU REG 05.20.34 (Professional Faculty Ranks and Appointments).

2.1.1 The practice of issuing a series of single-year full-time contracts for a faculty member is discouraged after a first single-year full-time contract. Multi-year contracts affirm our commitment to professional faculty and foster their commitment to students and the University. Thus, terms of subsequent contracts for professional faculty at 0.75 FTE funded on continuing funds will generally be for a minimum of three years and cannot exceed five years. Having previously held a multi-year contract does not preclude a faculty member from subsequently holding a single-year contract or contract with fewer years.

2.2 In the spring semester, the College of Education shall distribute a calendar for the following academic year with relevant dates associated with professional faculty subsequent contract and promotion deadlines. The College shall comply with guidance regarding the notification of contract renewal as stipulated in NCSU REG 05.20.34, Section 6.4.

2.2.1 Professional faculty will be provided advanced notification of renewal/non-renewal. To receive notice in a timely manner, full-time and part-time multi-year professional faculty shall be notified of the processes for subsequent contracts at the same rank during the first semester of the last year of the current contract, with required documentation submitted for faculty review following a timeline approved by the College.

2.2.2 To receive notice in a timely manner, full-time professional faculty on a one-year contract shall be reviewed as early as possible during the last semester of the contract year following a timeline approved by the College. Every attempt will be made to honor the timely notification of decisions about contract renewal.

2.3 Professional faculty with 0.75 FTE or above and a contract length of more than one year must have an approved Statement of Faculty Responsibilities (SFR) prepared and approved in consultation with their department head(s) in the first six months of employment (NCSU REG 05.20.27 Section 3.1). The SFR should be reviewed each year as part of the annual review process. The contract serves in the place of the SFR until the SFR is prepared and approved.

2.3.1 For Professional Faculty with less than .75 FTE and any contract length, assigned duties should be explicated in their contract.

2.4 Documentation for initial contract and subsequent contracts at the same rank should include current CV, all relevant teaching evaluations and/or evidence of teaching effectiveness, and materials to be determined by the Department Head in consultation with the DVF that would be included in the dossier section appropriate to the faculty member’s responsibilities (see NCSU REG 05.20.34, Section 9 for more information on required materials).

2.4.1 The DVF for consideration of professional faculty initial and subsequent contracts at the same rank shall consist of all tenured and tenure-track faculty at a rank equal to or higher than the rank being considered for appointment and all professional faculty at 0.75 FTE in the track in which the appointment is being considered (e.g. teaching, research) and at a rank equal to or higher than the rank under consideration (NCSU REG 05.20.34 Section 9.1.2 (a)).

2.5 Each department DVF shall convene, discuss, and provide a vote and consultation to the Department Head for initial and subsequent contracts. The Department Head, only through procedures approved by the DVF, can issue part-time or full time, initial and subsequent contracts for up to a total of two (2) years for an individual faculty member. In these situations, the Department Head shall report to the DVF on such contracts.

3. EVALUATION OF PROFESSIONAL FACULTY

The College of Education recognizes that the specific activities upon which professional faculty will be evaluated may vary within and across departments. The framing of discipline-specific standards for appointment and promotion is the responsibility of the departments in the College.

3.1 Professional faculty shall be reviewed annually by the head of the department or designee according to NCSU REG 05.20.03. Documentation submitted for the review shall reflect the scope of the faculty member’s areas of responsibility as identified in the SFR for full-time professional faculty with contracts greater than one year or in the contract for all other professional faculty.

3.2 Promotion in rank for any professional faculty position is not a requirement of employment or an entitlement for years of service.

3.3 A negative recommendation on a promotion request does not translate into termination or non-renewal of a contract at the same rank.

3.4 There is no mandatory year or specific timeline for promotions in rank for professional faculty members. A professional faculty member may request to be considered based on recommendation from the Department Head, the DVF (generally suggested after the most recent contract renewal when documentary evidence has been closely reviewed), or the candidate. Regarding requests for consideration of promotion by lecturers and professional faculty, the College shall comply with recommendations stipulated in NCSU REG 05.20.34, Section 10.

3.5 Lecturers of any FTE are eligible for promotion to Senior Lecturer. Assistant and Associate Professors within the professional track at 0.75 FTE or above are eligible for promotion in professorial rank. Part-time faculty at less than 0.75 FTE with professorial rank are not eligible for promotion.

4. GENERAL STANDARDS

4.1 At the College level, the review of candidates will employ the standards of the University, standards in this College rule, and consider the DVF’s application of departmental standards, with the expectation that faculty who are appointed and promoted within the college are highly qualified within their discipline, as demonstrated by their teaching, service, and other relevant areas of responsibility, and that they meet the needs of the college and university. The merit of the faculty member’s performance rather than time in rank is the basis for all recommendations for promotion. The dossier must demonstrate that the faculty member has established a record of performance at NC State consistent with promotion criteria.

4.2. The standards to be used in evaluating professional faculty members for appointment, subsequent contracts at the same rank, and promotion must reflect an expectation of high-level performance in all types of scholarly activities based on the job description of the appointment and SFR. In addition, the overall program of the faculty member must have addressed the mission and needs of the department and the College.

4.3. In alignment with the explanation of collegiality in RUL 05.67.204, Section 3.2, the college recognizes that collegiality and the ability to cooperate with other faculty, staff, and/or students are factors that can affect a faculty member’s ability to meet the standards for their ranks and realms of responsibility. While collegiality in and of itself is not a performance standard, a lack of collegiality may be acknowledged in an evaluation process to the extent that it served as a factor negatively affecting the faculty member’s productivity in their realms of responsibility.

5. STANDARDS FOR PROMOTION FROM LECTURER TO SENIOR LECTURER

Each department in the College that appoints faculty at the ranks of Lecturer and Senior Lecturer shall establish written standards for promotion and make them widely available in departmental rules for reappointment, promotion, and tenure. Lecturers are eligible to be considered for promotion after five years of college-level teaching experience, in compliance with NCSU REG 05.20.34.

6. STANDARDS FOR PROMOTION TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR WITHIN THE PROFESSIONAL TRACKS

Based on the SFR and the General Standards in Section 4, the candidate is expected to show progress toward meeting the standards to be promoted to associate professor with promise of future contribution to the needs of the college and university.

Each department shall develop specific standards for promotion to Associate Professor within the Professional Tracks. At a minimum, those departmental standards for promotion will require significant accomplishments beyond those required for the previous rank and appropriate to appointment at the more advanced rank. Additionally, those departmental standards should include indicators of excellence within each of the realm of faculty responsibilities.

7. STANDARDS FOR PROMOTION TO PROFESSOR WITHIN THE PROFESSIONAL TRACKS

Based on the SFR and the General Standards in Section 4, the candidate is expected to show progress toward and promise of future success in being promoted to professor. In addition they are expected to have established a strong record in their area of expertise, have peer recognition and be upholding the needs of the college and university.

Each department shall develop standards for promotion to Professor within the Professional Tracks. At a minimum, those departmental standards for promotion will require significant accomplishments beyond those required for the previous rank and appropriate to appointment at the more advanced rank. Additionally, those departmental standards should include indicators of excellence within each of the realm of faculty responsibilities.

8. STANDARDS FOR APPOINTMENT/PROMOTION TO TEACHING ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

8.1 On an annual basis and in consultation with the College RPT Committee, the College shall develop a specific schedule and any additional procedures for the promotion of lecturer and professional faculty for the following year in conjunction with the overall College tenure-track Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure process.

8.2 Documentation for promotion cases should include current CV and materials to be determined by the Department Head in consultation with the DVF that would be included in the dossier section appropriate to the faculty member’s responsibilities as specified in the SFR and according to department guidelines. Documentation for promotion of lecturer and professional faculty shall comply with NCSU REG 05.20.20.

8.3 External evaluations for promotion are not required for promotion to senior lecturer. They are required for promotion of professorially-ranked faculty based on the decision of the Dean of the College of Education as stipulated in the NCSU RUL 05.67.204 – College of Education Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Standards and Procedures. Selection of external reviewers and solicitation of letters shall follow NCSU REG 05.20.05, Section 5.2. The materials provided to external reviewers shall include materials that reflect the effort of the candidate given their Statement of Faculty Responsibility.

8.4 Written assessments by the Department Head and the Departmental Voting Faculty (DVF) shall follow university guidelines as specified in NCSU REG 05.20.05 and REG 05.67.204.

8.5 The DVF for promotion of lecturer and professional faculty shall follow university guidelines as specified in NCSU REG 05.20.34 (see Section 10.2.1(a)).