ARTICLE 16: Non-Tenure Track Faculty Classifications
ARTICLE 16
NON-TENURE TRACK FACULTY CLASSIFICATIONS
A. The university may create classifications of faculty who are not on the tenure-track. These non-tenure track classifications are limited to appointment of persons who are not charged with the tripartite mission of teaching, research and service, but who specialize in one of the three missions and whose assignment is wholly or predominantly in one of the three missions.
1. Such classifications may include, but are not limited, to those listed in the Provost’s guidelines issued June 12, 2008. Any classifications and ranks may be added or eliminated in the sole discretion of the university. If the university adds or eliminates classifications or ranks, it shall notify TAUP before implementation.
2. Non-tenure track faculty members shall be free to apply for open tenure track positions. Similarly, individuals on the tenure-track shall be free to apply for available positions as non-tenure track faculty.
B. Appointment and Reappointment Procedure
1. Searches to fill non-tenure track positions may be conducted at the local, regional or national level. Searches shall not be required when reappointing a non-tenure track faculty member whose initial appointment was the result of an appropriate search or whose appointment has already been renewed as of the execution date of this agreement. For cases in which inadequate time exists to conduct a search, individuals may be hired and will, in most cases, be given a maximum appointment of one year. Affirmative action procedures as defined by the university shall be followed in accordance with university policy.
2. The processes for appointment and reappointment shall be discipline specific and shall be determined by the Dean in consultation with Department Chairs, department committees and other appropriate collegial bodies. These processes shall include consultation with appropriate departmental committees and/or faculty within the department, except in urgent situations, such as when faculty are unavailable for consultation and a rapid decision is necessary. The faculty in the relevant departments and colleges shall be provided a copy of the procedures once they have been approved by the Dean. Faculty shall be notified of any changes in the procedures.
3. At the time of initial appointment and at each reappointment, the term of the appointment and the responsibilities of the non-tenure track faculty member shall be clearly defined in the appointment letter signed by the appointing authority. In the case of faculty continuing on multiple year appointments, the Dean annually shall provide the faculty member with a letter outlining the faculty member’s assignments and responsibilities for the coming year. The responsibilities as specified in the foregoing appointment and annual letters shall be used as the primary criteria by which to evaluate the faculty member’s performance and eligibility for reappointment, promotion and merit. If the responsibilities of a non-tenure track faculty member were changed during the previous year, it will be documented in their annual report and acknowledged by the department chair.
4. Non-tenure track faculty members who have appointments continuing into the next academic year shall meet with the Dean or the Dean’s designee to discuss the faculty member’s performance in meeting their responsibilities in the current year. Such performance evaluation meetings shall take place no later than March 15. Evaluations shall be based on multiple measures of performance and accomplishment in relation to the type of appointment. A written summary of the performance evaluation shall be provided to the faculty member and placed in the individual’s official personnel file. A performance evaluation meeting pursuant to this section will not constitute a reappointment or promise of continued appointment.
5. Non-tenure track faculty may be hired initially on a series of single year contracts for three (3) years. Faculty members who receive a satisfactory evaluation following completion of their third year will receive multi-year appointments. Faculty members who have been satisfactorily employed as non-tenure track faculty for more than three (3) years and who are subsequently appointed only for a single year will receive a letter of explanation from the chair with a copy to the Dean and the Office of the Provost. Faculty members who have been employed by the university as non-tenure track faculty for six (6) consecutive years or more will receive appointments of three (3) years or longer. Faculty members who have been satisfactorily employed as non-tenure track faculty for six (6) years or more and who are subsequently appointed for less than three (3) years or less than their prior contract length will receive a letter of explanation from the chair with a copy to the Dean and the Office of the Provost that will document the reasons for the reduced length of the contract. This paragraph does not apply to NTT research faculty funded predominantly or wholly on external grants.
C. Appointment Termination and Notice of Non-Renewal
1. For full-time non-tenure track faculty employed for three (3) consecutive years or less in one of the classifications described in this Article (Section A.1 above), whose letters of appointment include a termination date, the appointment shall end at the termination date without further notice. Full-time non-tenure track faculty employed for more than three (3) but less than five (5) consecutive years shall be given written notice of renewal at least three (3) months prior to the expiration of their contract.
2. If a faculty member has been on the non-tenure track for five (5) consecutive years or more and is not being renewed, they shall receive a separate termination notice at least four (4) months prior to the termination date in their letter of appointment.
3. Temple shall have the option of substituting equivalent severance salary for the period of advance notice, called for in C2 above. In making this determination, Temple will take into consideration the faculty member’s expressed preference.
D. Promotion Standards and Procedures
1. The university will maintain uniform guidelines on procedures for schools and colleges to follow for promotion of non-tenure track faculty. Such guidelines shall provide process timelines and for timely notification of the individual as their application for promotion proceeds through the levels of review. Applications for promotion in rank shall be considered in any year, whether the individual is currently under a single year or multi-year appointment.
2. The processes and criteria for promotion shall be discipline-specific and shall be determined by the Dean in consultation with Department Chairs, department committees and other appropriate collegial bodies. These processes and criteria will be consistent with university established guidelines and Section A above. The faculty in the relevant departments and Colleges shall be provided a copy of the procedures once they have been approved by the Dean. Faculty shall be notified of any changes in the procedures and criteria
3. Whenever available, there shall be NTT faculty representation at the appropriate rank on any committee evaluating an NTT faculty member for promotion.
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