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Governing Policy
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Instruction in courses for credit may only be offered by persons who hold appointments in one of the following five categories:
- Regular (Tenured and Tenure-Track) Faculty
- Term (Non-Tenure Track) Faculty
- Adjunct Faculty both from Within and Outside the University
- Academic Staff
- Graduate Teaching Assistants
Category 1. Regular (Tenured and Tenure-Track) Faculty
These individuals constitute the core faculty of each of the colleges and participate in teaching, research/scholarship and service/outreach.
Titles: Professor (9401), Associate Professor (9402), Assistant Professor (9403), and Instructor (9404). Regents’ Professor (9410) and holders of endowed chairs are included.
Appointment Type: Indefinite tenure (P) or probationary status (N). Other appointment types to be used as the situation dictates: special contract (C), retired (R), outside term of appointment (X), and other (0).
Governing Document: Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure.
Limits: The number of tenured and tenure-track faculty is limited by budgetary considerations. Individuals should not be appointed to these positions unless reasonable levels of annual long-term income sources are available to support the appointment. The Executive Vice President and Provost, in consultation with the Vice President for Human Resources, must approve a collegiate funding plan that addresses the financial risks associated with all positions that are tenure-track or tenured as part of the regular planning and budgeting process, as referenced in the compact agreement.
Appointment Process: Each appointment requires recommendation of the faculty of the unit and approval by the dean or other responsible administrator.
Selection Process: A national search is required. Exceptional, spousal hires without a search may be used in special circumstances. Specific steps to follow and required recommendations and approvals are outlined in the Guidelines for Recruiting and Appointing Academic Personnel.
Benefits:
- Standard fringe benefits if eligibility requirements are met. See Benefits Summary for Prospective Employees.
- Members of the regular faculty have access to Faculty Sabbatical Leave and Faculty Single-Semester Leave, as defined in the Administrative policy: Granting Faculty Development Leaves. They also have access to competitive supplemental funding from the Faculty Sabbatical Supplement Program according to the criteria and procedures established by the college or campus.
Performance review: All regular faculty are subject to annual review as part the unit’s merit review process. Probationary faculty are also reviewed annually in the promotion and tenure
process, and receive additional review when considered for promotion and/or tenure (Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure). Tenured faculty are subject to post-tenure review (Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure). Rules and procedures can be found in the Rules and Procedures for Post-Tenure Review.
Notice requirements: The appointment of a probationary faculty member may be terminated with one year’s notice to be given by May 15, to take effect slightly over one year later. Probationary faculty must be reviewed for tenure status by the sixth year of service (ninth year of service in approved special cases) or given a notice of non-continuation. Tenured and probationary faculty may be removed for cause, as set forth in Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure.
Governance: Persons in this category are members of the faculty and have full right to participate in the governance of the unit. They participate in promotion and tenure decisions and in post-tenure review in accordance with Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure. Only members of the tenured faculty participate in tenure decisions. Only members at higher ranks participate in promotion decisions. Departmental compensation review processes are also determined by the regular faculty.
Criteria: A faculty appointment is appropriate if the individual is engaged in teaching, research, and service as defined in Section 7.11 of Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure. To hold a faculty appointment, a terminal or professional degree that is recognized by the discipline normally is required.
Category 2. Term (Non-Tenure Track) Faculty
2A. Contract Faculty
These individuals are additional faculty members who are hired on an A (12 month) or B (9 month) annual renewable or multiple-year contract. These positions may continue on a long-term basis, but are appropriate only in the circumstances set forth in Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure, Sections 3.3 and 3.4. Contract faculty appointments must be made in accordance with an approved Contract Faculty Template Request.
Titles: Professor (9401), Associate Professor (9402), Assistant Professor (9403), and Instructor (9404). The collegiate plan may also articulate the circumstances under which the use of one of the following four prefix working titles to the Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor titles is appropriate: Teaching, Research, Clinical, or Service/Outreach. Refer to Job Code and Title Information for a complete list of possible titles and appropriate job codes for contract faculty.
Appointment Type: Annual renewable contract (K); multiple year contract (J); clinical scholar, medical school (I); and yearly appointment, medical school (W). Other appointment types to be used as the situation dictates: retired (R); outside term of appointment dates (X); non-credit teaching/other professional work (Z); and other (0).
Governing Document: Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure (especially Sections 3.3 and 3.4)
Limits:
- These contract faculty appointments are for use only in pre-approved circumstances that fall within the situations determined by Section 3.4 of Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure, e.g., full time clinical track faculty in the Medical School. They may not be used as a substitute for regular faculty appointments. The template to request use of contract faculty, Contract Faculty Template Request, must be approved by the dean or chancellor and appropriate senior vice president. The Executive Vice President and Provost, and the Vice President for Human Resources must also approve the request in consultation with the Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure. The Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure will review the use of each approved Contract Faculty Template Request and the experience thereunder as part of the annual reporting and review process.
- Contract faculty appointments must provide for:
- No less than the same notice period for non-renewal as that provided for academic staff.
- A process for annual and periodic comprehensive performance review.
- A dean or vice chancellor for academic affairs, after consultation with the regular faculty of the unit, may amend an approved Contract Faculty Template Request for a unique set of circumstances subject to review and approval by the Vice President for Human Resources.
Appointment Process: Each appointment requires recommendation of the faculty of the unit and approval by the dean, vice chancellor or other responsible administrator.
Selection Process: A national or limited regional search is required. Exceptional, spousal hires without a search may be used in special circumstances. Other no search options as well as specific steps to follow and required recommendations and approvals are outlined in the Guidelines for Recruiting and Appointing Academic Personnel.
Benefits:
- Standard fringe benefits if eligibility requirements are met. See Benefits Summary for Prospective Employees.
- Contract faculty are eligible for Faculty Sabbatical Leave and Faculty Single-Semester Leave if funding is available and the unit administrative head and dean concur. Refer to the Administrative Policy: Granting Faculty Development Leaves.
Performance Review: All contract faculty are subject to annual review as part of the unit’s merit review process. The unit must also conduct a more thorough review at least once every six years, using a committee comprised of regular faculty and a representation of term faculty.
Notice Required: Appointees serving in their first year of employment are entitled to one months’ notice of non-renewal; appointees serving in their second through fifth years of employment are entitled to three months’ notice of non-renewal; appointees serving in their sixth through tenth years of employment are entitled to six months’ notice of non-renewal; appointees serving in their eleventh year of employment and beyond are entitled to twelve months’ notice of non-renewal.
A written notice of nonrenewal must be provided in a timely fashion by the responsible authority for nonrenewal of appointments. The length of the nonrenewal notice required will be determined by consecutive years of service in a contract faculty position and by the end date on the Notice of Appointment.
If proper notice is not given so that the notice period occurs within the term of appointment, the appointment end date shall be extended to provide for the required nonrenewal notice period. In this situation, the appointment end date shall not be extended beyond the required notice period. Non-renewal of appointments consistent with this policy are not grievable unless the non-renewal was in violation of some other University policy.
Notice period and paid vs. unpaid time: If the length of the required notice period is longer than the typical contract year (e.g. 9-month typical contract, 12-month notice requirement), it is allowable to include both paid and unpaid time during the required notice period in alignment with the individual’s typical term of appointment
Part-time appointments: Part-time annual renewable (K), multiple year (J), or non-credit teaching/other professional work (Z) appointments are entitled to the same length of notice provisions. The length of the notice period is not prorated, however, the minimum percentage of time the employee must be allowed to work during their notice period is the average of the different percentages. Alternatives to the non-renewal notice period (e.g., 100-percent time appointment for three months rather than 50-percent time for six months) are permitted providing the agreement is in writing and mutually consented to by the employee and the responsible administrator.
Reassignment of duties: During the non-renewal notice period, the employee may be reassigned to different job duties and responsibilities by the responsible administrator. This reassignment is to be commensurate with the individual’s credentials, experience and expertise, either inside or outside of the unit. The employee continues to receive the same salary and benefits during the reassignment and should retain their existing job code and title.
Salary: For the duration of the non-renewal notice period, salary must be retained at a level no lower than the salary in effect at the time of the notice.
Governance: Contract faculty participate in faculty governance, but do not participate in decisions regarding the appointment, promotion or tenure, or retention of members of the regular faculty. Contract faculty should be made eligible to participate in the University Senate.
Criteria: Similar to regular faculty, a contract faculty appointment is appropriate if the individual is engaged in teaching, research, and service, as defined in Section 7.11 of Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure. The percentage time devoted to each of the three missions may deviate from those of the regular faculty based on the needs of the unit and the qualifications of the individual. To hold a contract faculty appointment, a terminal or professional degree that is recognized by the discipline normally is required.
2B. Temporary Faculty
These individuals are hired to address temporary short-term situations and normally are appointed for no more than one year. In exceptional cases such appointments may be renewed for a second year only with appropriate internal unit approval and approval by the Vice President for Human Resources. The Executive Vice President and Provost and the Vice President for Human Resources will review the pattern of such renewals annually with the Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure.
Titles: Professor (9401), Associate Professor (9402), Assistant Professor (9403), Instructor (9404). The collegiate plan may also articulate the circumstances under which the use of one of the following four prefix working titles to the Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor titles is appropriate: Teaching, Research, Clinical, or Service/Outreach. Refer to Job Code and Title Information for a complete list of possible titles and appropriate job codes for temporary faculty.
Appointment Type: Temporary (T). The appointment terminates at the end of the appointment term.
Governing Document: Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure.
Limits: A temporary faculty appointment is typically for one year or less. This form of appointment is limited to the situations listed in Sections 3.3 and 3.4 of Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure. The appointment document should specifically identify these qualifying conditions. This form of appointment is not appropriate if a regular (probationary or tenured) faculty appointment or a contract faculty appointment can be made.
Appointment Process: Each appointment requires recommendation of the faculty of the unit and approval by the dean or other responsible administrator. The faculty may delegate its recommendation authority to a faculty committee. Appointments beyond the initial one year or less are discouraged. They are permitted only under exceptional circumstances for a second appointment term only and are dependent on special needs of the unit and the faculty member’s high quality of performance. They require appropriate internal unit approvals and approval by the Vice President for Human Resources. A unit wishing to retain such a faculty member should consider making a tenure-track or contract faculty appointment following normal University recruiting and selection guidelines.
Selection Process: A national, limited regional or limited local search is required. Exceptional, spousal hires without a search may be used in special circumstances. Other no search options as well as specific steps to follow and required recommendations and approvals are outlined in the Guidelines for Recruiting and Appointing Academic Personnel.
Benefits:
- Standard fringe benefits if eligibility requirements are met. See Benefits Summary for Prospective Employees.
- Due to the short-term nature of their appointments, temporary faculty are not eligible for Faculty Sabbatical and Single Semester Leaves. If a temporary faculty member is subsequently hired into a regular or contract faculty position, the time spent in temporary status will be reviewed by the unit head at the time of the subsequent hire to determine prior service credit for eligibility for sabbaticals and semester leaves.
Performance Review: The unit should provide an informal performance review for every temporary faculty member. If reappointment is contemplated, a review equivalent to the annual merit review is required.
Notice Required: The appointment automatically terminates at the end of the year (or less) appointment period. Reappointments are discouraged. If special circumstances warrant a reappointment to a second year or portion thereof, it is suggested that the decision to reappoint should be communicated no later than April 15 for the following academic year.
Governance: Since temporary faculty by definition have no continuing connection with the University, they have no vote in faculty governance. Their participation in the discussion of relevant and applicable issues is encouraged.
Criteria: Similar to regular faculty, a temporary faculty appointment is appropriate if the individual is engaged in teaching, research, and service, as defined in Section 7.11 of Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure. The percentage time devoted to each of the three missions may deviate from those of the regular faculty based on the needs of the unit and the qualifications of the individual. To hold a temporary faculty appointment, a terminal or professional degree that is recognized by the discipline normally is required.
2C. Visiting Faculty
Visiting faculty are individuals who have a regular faculty appointment at another university or a similar status in a research institution or in government service.
Titles: Visiting Professor (9401V), Visiting Associate Professor (9402V), Visiting Assistant Professor (9403V), Visiting Instructor (9404V). The collegiate plan may also articulate the circumstances under which the use of one of the following four prefix working titles added to the Visiting Instructor, Visiting Assistant Professor, Visiting Associate Professor or Visiting Professor title is appropriate: Teaching, Research, Clinical, or Service/Outreach. Refer to Job Code and Title Information for a complete list of titles and appropriate job codes for visiting faculty.
Appointment Type: Visiting (V). The appointment terminates at the end of the appointment term.
Governing Document: Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure.
Limits: Typically visiting faculty are for appointment periods of one year or less. Only persons who are on leave from regular appointments at another university, research institution, government service, or other similar organizations are eligible for these appointments.
Appointment Process: Each appointment requires recommendation of the faculty of the unit and approval by the dean or other responsible administrator. The faculty may delegate its recommendation authority to a faculty committee or to the unit head.
Selection Process: No formal search is required. Departments are encouraged to review all available candidates.
Benefits:
- Standard health benefits if on the U of M payroll. See Benefits Summary for Prospective Employees.
- Due to the short-term nature of their appointments, visiting faculty are not eligible for Faculty Sabbatical and Single Semester Leaves as defined in the Administrative Policy: Granting Faculty Development Leaves. If a visiting faculty member is subsequently hired into a regular or contract faculty position, the time spent in visiting or other temporary status will be reviewed by the unit head at the time of the subsequent hire to determine prior service credit for eligibility for sabbaticals and semester leaves.
Governance: Since visiting faculty by definition have no continuing connection with the University, they have no vote in faculty governance. Their participation in the discussion of relevant and applicable issues is encouraged.
Note: In some instances it may be preferable to enter into a “contract for services” with the faculty member’s home institution. This may provide continuity of retirement benefits and medical benefits under that institution’s plan. In such a case, the individual should be appointed as a Visiting Instructor, Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor without salary, with the accompanying Contract for Professional Services agreement form administered under the U of M’s Purchasing Services Office and the University controller. (Refer to Purchasing a Professional Service.)
Category 3. Adjunct Faculty
3A. Adjunct Faculty from Within the University
These individuals already hold a regular tenured or tenure-track faculty appointment or a contract or temporary term faculty appointment elsewhere in the University, and have been asked to provide additional service in another department or college. The title can also be used to recognize cross-disciplinary activity. In selected academic professional research-related positions, the addition of an adjunct faculty appointment or an unpaid research faculty appointment may also be applicable with approval by the regular faculty or by a designated faculty committee.
Titles: Adjunct Professor (9401A), Adjunct Associate Professor (9402A), Adjunct Assistant Professor (9403A) and Adjunct Instructor (9404A).
Appointment Type: Adjunct from within the University (B), or non-credit teaching/other professional work (Z).
Governing Document: Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure, Sections 3.3 and 3.4.
Limits: The individual must currently hold a regular tenured or tenure-track faculty appointment or a contract or temporary term faculty appointment in another unit of the University. Unless otherwise specified in writing in the appointment letter by the dean and the faculty member, the adjunct appointment is for a one-year term, but may be renewed by mutual agreement by the dean or other responsible administrator and the faculty member.
Appointment Process: Each appointment requires recommendation of the faculty of the unit and approval by the dean or other responsible administrator. The faculty may delegate its recommendation authority to a faculty committee.
Selection Process: No formal search is required.
Benefits: None, in addition to the benefits provided by the primary appointment. For the purposes of calculating the percentage of time for eligibility for benefits in the primary appointment, the sum of the two partial appointments applies.
Performance Review: The unit head must conduct a performance review of each adjunct faculty member annually, before proposing reappointment. The unit’s regular faculty must also conduct a performance review at least once every six years; the faculty may delegate its review to a committee.
Notice Required: None. The appointment terminates at the end of the appointment term, but may be renewed if there has been appropriate review and affirmative faculty recommendation.
Governance: The adjunct professor is not a member of the governance bodies of the unit in which the adjunct appointment is held unless otherwise specified by departmental procedures. Adjunct faculty do not participate in the promotion or tenure process of faculty within the unit where the adjunct appointment is held unless permission is obtained by the Executive Vice President and Provost or other process as defined for this purpose.
3B. Adjunct and Clinical Faculty from Outside the University
This category consists of individuals who have a principal occupation in professional activities in the community or are retired from such occupation and who participate in teaching at the University only on a limited, part-time basis.
Titles:
- Adjunct Faculty titles: Adjunct Professor (9401A), Adjunct Associate Professor (9402A), Adjunct Assistant Professor (9403A) and Adjunct Instructor (9404A). The collegiate plan may also articulate the circumstances under which the use of one of the following four prefix working titles to the Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor or Adjunct Professor titles is appropriate: Teaching, Research, Clinical, or Service/Outreach.
- Academic Health Center (primarily in the Medical School), use the “Clinical” title: Clinical Professor (9401C), Clinical Associate Professor (9402C), Clinical Assistant Professor (9403C) and Clinical Instructor (9404C). The collegiate plan may also articulate circumstances under which the use of one of the following three prefix working titles to the Clinical Instructor, Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Associate Professor or Clinical Professor titles is appropriate: Teaching, Research, or Service/Outreach.
- Refer to Job Code and Title Information for a complete list of possible titles for Adjunct and Clinical faculty from outside the University.
Appointment Type: Adjunct from outside the University (A), clinical (U), or non-credit teaching/other professional work (Z).
Governing Document: Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure, Sections 3.3 and 3.4
Limits:
- These appointments may only be used for individuals who have a related principal professional occupation outside of the University or are retired from such occupation. The adjunct or clinical faculty member is bringing expertise from that field to the students at the University.
- Because the majority of individuals holding these appointments must have principal occupations in their professions outside of the University, appointments normally should not exceed approximately 20 percent time. (If an appointment in excess of 20 percent time is desired, a contract [term] faculty, a temporary [term] faculty for one year only or a teaching specialist, senior teaching specialist, lecturer or senior lecturer appointment should be considered.) If an adjunct or clinical appointment is made significantly in excess of 20 percent, a justification for this action must be forwarded to the Executive Vice President and Provost. The Executive Vice President and Provost and Vice President for Human Resources will review the pattern of such appointments and justifications annually with the Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure.
Appointment Process: Each appointment requires recommendation of the unit head, in conjunction with approval of the regular faculty of the unit and, as appropriate, representation of adjunct or clinical faculty. The faculty may delegate its review to a committee or to the unit head. The appointment is made by the dean, vice chancellor for academic affairs or other responsible administrator.
Selection Process: A limited local search is required. May be renewed without a search if there has been appropriate review and affirmative faculty recommendation.
Benefits: None.
Performance Review: The unit head must conduct a performance review of each adjunct and clinical faculty member annually, before proposing reappointment. The unit’s regular faculty must also conduct a performance review at least once every six years; the faculty may delegate its review to a committee.
Notice Required: None. The appointment expires at the end of the appointment term. It may be renewed without a search if there has been appropriate review and faculty approval.
Governance: Adjunct and clinical faculty do not participate in the governance of the unit, unless otherwise specified by departmental procedures.
Criteria: Adjunct and clinical faculty are active professionals who bring their practical expertise to bear in the support of the instructional mission of the University. To hold an adjunct or adjunct clinical faculty appointment, a terminal or professional degree that is recognized by the discipline normally is required. The faculty member must actively be engaged in the practice of that profession or be retired from such occupation.
Note: In some instances it may be preferable to enter into a “contract for services” with the adjunct or clinical faculty member’s principal employer. This may provide continuity of retirement benefits and medical benefits or may be necessary to comply with the principal employer’s requirements. In such a case, the individual should be appointed as an Adjunct or Clinical Instructor, Assistant, Associate, or full Professor without salary, with the accompanying Contract for Professional Services agreement form administered under the U of M’s Purchasing Services Office and the University controller. (Refer to Purchasing a Professional Service.)
Category 4. Academic Staff – Academic Professional and Administrative (P&A)
4A. Academic Professionals Who Hold Primary Responsibility for Teaching
In a limited number of situations, individuals are appointed as instructional academic professional staff to fulfill responsibilities primarily in instruction.
Titles: Only the following titles are permitted: Teaching Specialist (9754), Senior Teaching Specialist (9771), Lecturer (9753), Senior Lecturer (9770).
Appointment Type: Annual renewable contract (K), multiple year contract (J), probationary academic professional staff (H), and continuous academic professional staff (G). Other appointment types to be used as the situation dictates: retired (R), non-credit teaching/other professional work (Z), and outside term of appointment (X). The initial appointment is normally for the academic year or for one semester or summer term, but may be renewed. The University encourages units to make appointments in this category on a full-time basis, but appointments of any percentage of time are permissible. In the college plan, unit heads and deans must justify on a programmatic basis any pattern of less than full-time appointments.
Governing Document: Academic policies applicable to the P&A employee group.
Limits:
- Appointments may be made in this sub-category only in accordance with the unit’s overall collegiate personnel plan approved by the normal Executive Vice President and Provost, the Vice President for Human Resources, and the Subcommittee on Tenure. The collegiate plan should specify when the use of this appointment is appropriate to meet the needs of the college and must also include a specific supplemental plan for any unit in which the number of FTE contract faculty positions (category 2A) plus the number of FTE academic professional positions with primary responsibility for teaching (category 4A) exceeds 25% of the FTE tenured and tenure-track faculty. Each supplemental plan should indicate the appropriate balance of faculty and academic staff responsibility, to include the levels and types of courses for which members of each group will be responsible. This supplemental plan must be based on broader consultation with the leadership, faculty and academic staff of these units.
- Individuals in this category may not teach classes at the 5-000 or 8-000 level without special approval of the graduate faculty of the department, granted on an individual basis. A simultaneous appointment in the Graduate School is also required for full membership, associate membership, and/or examining membership in the graduate faculty.
- If a unit wishes to have an academic professional or administrative (P&A) staff member in another employment category undertake teaching assignments as an ongoing principal activity, it must move the individual to one of the approved categories of appointment by following the required appointment procedures. The staff member will not lose any fringe benefits (including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, and retirement) or credit for their years of service at the University associated with the title change. A search also would not be required for this title change.
Appointment Process: The instructional appointment must be recommended by the regular faculty of the unit or by a designated committee consisting of a majority of regular faculty. The committee should also include appropriate members of the academic professional staff of the unit.
Selection Process: A limited-local search is required, but a decision may be made to conduct a national or limited regional search. Exceptional, spousal hires without a search may be used in special circumstances. Other no search options as well as specific steps to follow and required recommendations and approvals are outlined in the Guidelines for Recruiting and Appointing Academic Personnel.
Benefits:
- Standard fringe benefits if eligibility requirements are met. See Benefits Summary for Prospective Employees.
- Teaching specialists and lecturers who meet the normal eligibility for the Faculty Retirement Plan will be able to participate. To recognize the increased costs to unit budgets, a phased schedule for participation by this group will be developed by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and the Office of Human Resources.
- Academic Professionals in this category are eligible for professional development leaves as outlined in the Regents’ Policy, Professional and Administrative Staff Development Leaves.
Performance review: The unit must conduct an annual performance review as part of the merit review process. A committee, the majority of which are regular faculty, with appropriate representation of other academic professionals, must conduct a thorough review of performance for promotion in rank, consistent with academic professional promotional policy. Refer to the Administrative Policy: Performance Reviews for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees. A similar thorough review must occur at least once every six years; the faculty may delegate its review to a committee.
Notice Required: Refer to the Administrative Policy: Non-Renewal Program for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees for information regarding required notice periods.
Governance: Individuals holding academic professional appointments with responsibility primarily for instruction have input into decisions in their units relating to the policies, courses and programs in which they are involved. They do not participate in the decisions regarding the appointment, promotion, tenure, or retention of faculty. Academic professionals should be eligible to participate in the University Senate.
Criteria: Persons are appointed to these positions primarily to provide instruction. They are not normally expected to fulfill the other missions of the University. To hold a teaching specialist or senior teaching specialist position, a masters degree is normally required; the appointee must have competence to teach the material of the specific courses. To hold a lecturer or a senior lecturer position, the degree expected of faculty in the department or substantial professional recognition in the field is required.
The Education Specialist series and Continuing Education Specialist series will continue but are not meant to be used for positions that are primarily teaching.
4B. Academic Professional and Administrative Staff with Primary Non-Instructional Duties Who Assume Part-Time Instructional Duties
Some members of the academic professional or administrative (P&A) staff who have primary duties that do not involve teaching may become involved in limited instructional activities in the unit in which their primary appointment is held or a different unit. This teaching effort is to be documented in one of two ways. It may be handled through the use of an additional appointment or otherwise documented through the use of a courtesy title.
Titles: The additional instructional assignment is typically recognized through one of the four instructional academic professional titles including Teaching Specialist (9754), Senior Teaching Specialist (9771), Lecturer (9753), and Senior Lecturer (9770).
Appointment Type: Annual renewable; additional appointment teaching (Q) or non-credit teaching/other professional work (Z). The primary appointment defines the individual’s employment and may be of any type appropriate for that appointment. The secondary instructional appointment is tied to the teaching assignment, either credit or non-credit or other non-instructional professional work. Other appointment types to be used as the situation dictates: other (0). The other (0) appointment type would be used in conjunction with the use of a courtesy title documenting teaching effort.
Governing document: The primary appointment is governed by academic policies applicable to the P&A employee group.
Limits:
- The teaching assignment must be secondary to the individual’s principal duties. Normally it should occupy no more than approximately 20% of the individual's assigned activities. If a unit wishes to have an academic staff member in this category undertake teaching assignments as an ongoing principal activity, it must move the individual to one of the appointments approved under Category 4A – Academic Professionals Who Hold Primary Responsibility for Teaching.
- Appointments may be made in this sub-category only in accordance with the unit’s overall collegiate personnel plan as approved by the normal governance processes and the dean, and subject to review by the Executive Vice President and Provost, the Vice President for Human Resources, and the Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure. The collegiate plan should specify when the use of this appointment is appropriate to meet the needs of the college.
- Individuals in this category may not teach classes at the 5-000 or 8-000 level without special approval of the graduate faculty of the department, granted on an individual basis. A simultaneous appointment in the Graduate School is also required for full membership, associate membership, and/or examining membership in the graduate faculty.
Appointment Process: The instructional appointment must be recommended by the regular faculty of the unit or by a designated committee consisting of a majority of regular faculty. The committee should also include appropriate members of the Academic Professional staff of the unit.
Selection Process: Limited-internal to the University search is required when a separate appointment is made to carry out the teaching assignment. For applicable no-search options, refer to the Guidelines for Recruiting and Appointing Academic Personnel.
Benefits:
- None.
- Benefits are defined by the primary appointment. For the purposes of calculating the percentage of time for eligibility for benefits in the primary appointment, the sum of the two partial appointments applies.
Performance review: The unit must conduct an annual performance review, before proposing reappointment. The regular faculty with appropriate representation from other academic instructional staff of the unit must conduct a performance review related to the teaching activities at least once every six years; the faculty may delegate its review to a committee.
Notice: The appointment is typically for a single course, semester, or summer term, but may be renewed. No notice of non-reappointment related to the secondary title linked to the teaching portion of the appointment is required.
Governance: These individuals are encouraged to participate in deliberations regarding courses they teach and have input into decisions relating to the policies, courses, and programs in which they are involved.
Category 5. Graduate Teaching Assistants
Graduate teaching assistantships are to provide financial support and training for graduate students and should help students toward educational and career goals. Teaching assistants may work under direct supervision of the faculty member responsible for a course or may be the instructor of record for an entire course. Teaching assistants provide assistance to the faculty in teaching or advising students registered for specific courses. Graduate teaching assistants are limited to students registered in a graduate or post-baccalaureate professional degree program at the University of Minnesota.
Titles: Teaching Assistant (9511), Graduate Instructor (9515), Ph.D. Candidate Graduate Instructor (9517), Advanced Masters Teaching Assistant (9518), Ph.D. Candidate Teaching Assistant (9519), Summer Term Teaching Assistant Without Tuition Benefits (9571), Summer Session Teaching Assistant With Tuition Benefits (9574), Summer Session Teaching Assistant Without Tuition Benefits (9575)
Appointment Type: Number of years restricted (Y).
For further information: Refer to the Policies and Guidelines for Graduate Assistants.