II. Definition of Faculty, Status, and Terms of Contract
A. Statement of Terms of Appointment
1. The terms and conditions of every appointment to the Faculty will be stated in writing, and be in the possession of both the institution and the Faculty before the appointment is consummated. The initial appointment letter will clearly spell out the terms of the appointment, including Faculty rank, credit toward promotion and rank for prior professional experience, and the conditions (if any) of ongoing appointments.
2. Except for Faculty members who have tenure status, every person with a teaching or research appointment of any kind will be informed each year in writing of his/her reappointment and all matters relative to his/her eligibility for the acquisition of tenure.
3. Faculty positions will be identified as either for ten-month (Aug. 16-June 15) or 12-month appointments.
4. No later than May 1, Faculty with continuing employment will receive a written contract specifying the length and terms of the contract, the salary amount, and/or placement on the salary scale. An exception may be made for first-year Faculty on 12-month contracts who have not completed at least half of their assigned teaching responsibilities by the time of initially scheduled performance reviews. In such instances, decisions regarding continuing employment and the issuance of a contract will be completed by June 1.
5. Other than special appointment Faculty, each non-tenured Faculty member’s specific responsibilities will be addressed in the annual Guidelines for Faculty Performance (Form 3) document, which is written in consultation with the Division Chair. This Guidelines for Faculty Performance document should be completed and returned to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs’ Office no later than Oct. 1.
6. Full-time Faculty may be offered overload course assignments. These overload assignments are subject to approval of the Division Chair in which the course is offered or the General Education Coordinator for Gen Ed-only courses, as appropriate. The full-time Faculty member’s Division Chair will be informed of the assignments. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs shall resolve conflicts regarding overload assignments. SEIs and other information from the overload assignments will be used by the Faculty member as part of their self-evaluation packages for consideration in reappointment, tenure, and promotion.
B. The Ranked Faculty: Positions of Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor
1. Definitions of the Ranked Faculty
a. Instructor
1) An individual may be appointed to the rank of Instructor if s/he does not currently hold the appropriate terminal degree as determined by the Division in accordance with standards appropriate to the discipline, OR a master’s degree and the equivalent of three years of full-time teaching as an instructor at a college or university or equivalent part-time teaching or professional experience. A contract is for a one-year appointment.
2) At least 75 percent of an Instructor’s time must be spent in routine academic activity (teaching, advising, and participation in the work of the Division and/or the College). Specific responsibilities of the individual Faculty member are to be specified in the Guidelines for Faculty Performance (Form 3) in consultation with the Division Chair and approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
3) Instructors will be voting members of the Faculty and eligible for election/appointment to Faculty committees.
4) Instructors seeking reappointment will be reviewed annually by the Division Chair and every other year by the Division Chair, Professional Standards Committee, and Provost. The Division Chair or Faculty member may request formal review by the Professional Standards Committee and VPAA at any time.
5) Faculty seeking advancement to Assistant Professor will be evaluated according to expectations at that rank.
b.Clinical Faculty
1) An individual who holds a practice degree in the program s/he is teaching (i.e., Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Social Work) as determined by the Division in accordance with the standards appropriate to the discipline. This Faculty line is intended for an individual with exceptional practice knowledge and experience in his/her associated discipline who holds the appropriate terminal degree. A Clinical Faculty position may be tenure-track, as determined by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation with the appropriate division chair. Their contribution to the Division and College is primarily focused on teaching, advisement, service to the institution, and with ongoing practice engagement expected in lieu of scholarly expectations.
2) At least 75 percent of the Clinical Faculty member’s time must be spent in routine academic activity (teaching, advising, and participation in the work of the Division). Specific responsibilities of the individual Faculty member are to be specified in the annual Guidelines for Faculty Performance in consultation with the Division Chair.
3) Clinical-track Faculty may hold the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor. Advancement from Assistant Clinical Professor to Associate Clinical Professor, and Associate Clinical Professor to Full Clinical Professor, is dependent upon fulfilling the conditions listed in Sections 1 or 2 above. The basis for positive recommendation for reappointment and additional criteria for advancement are described in Section VI (Evaluation), Part A (Evaluation).
4) Clinical Faculty will be given Faculty rank as appropriate to their qualifications and experience and will be voting members of the Faculty eligible for election/ appointment to committees of the Faculty.
5) Clinical Faculty who have been employed consecutively for five or more years will receive a full year’s notice of non-reappointment except in the case of termination due to financial exigency, termination of or change in the requirements of a program, or in cases of termination for cause.
c. Assistant Professor
1) An individual who holds the appropriate terminal degree but who does not have the equivalent of six years of full-time teaching in a college or university, of which the equivalent of four years must be at the rank of Assistant Professor, OR
2) A Master’s Degree and the equivalent of eight years of full-time teaching in a college or university, of which the equivalent of five years must be at the rank of Assistant Professor.
3) At least 50 percent of an Assistant Professor’s time must be spent in routine academic activity (teaching, advising, professional development, and participation in the work of the Division and/or the college). Specific responsibilities of the individual Faculty member are to be specified in the annual Guidelines for Faculty Performance (Form 3) document in consultation with the Division Chair and approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Individuals holding this appointment have voice and vote at Faculty meetings, and they are eligible for election/appointment to Faculty committees.
4) An Assistant Professor seeking reappointment will be reviewed annually by the Division Chair, the Professional Standards Committee, and Provost. The Division Chair or Faculty member may request formal review by the Professional Standards Committee and VPAA at any time.
5) The review for promotion and tenure will occur in the January timeframe of their sixth year. The review will conclude with either a commitment to tenure or a notice of non-renewal; a negative decision means that the Faculty member will be given one terminal year following the review cycle effective at the end of the sixth year. The promotion will become effective at the beginning of the seventh academic year, while tenure will become effective at the beginning of the eighth year.
6) Advancement from Assistant to Associate Professor requires fulfilling the conditions listed in Sections 1 or 2 above; the basis for positive recommendation for reappointment and additional criteria for advancement are described in Section VII (Evaluation, Promotion, Tenure).
d. Associate Professor
1) An individual who holds the appropriate terminal degree but has less than the equivalent of ten years of full-time teaching in a college or university, of which the equivalent of five years must be at the rank of Assistant Professor.
2) At least 50 percent of an Associate Professor’s time must be spent in routine academic activity (teaching, advising, professional development, and participation in the work of the Division and/or the college). Specific responsibilities of the individual Faculty member are to be specified in the annual Guidelines for Faculty Performance document in consultation with the Division Chair and approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Individuals holding this appointment have voice and vote at Faculty meetings, and they are eligible for election/appointment to Faculty committees.
3) For Faculty at the Associate Professor rank, the review to full profession will occur in the January timeframe in the fifth year following promotion to associate professor. A positive review for promotion will become effective at the beginning of the following academic year. The Division Chair or Faculty member may request formal review by the Professional Standards Committee and VPAA at any time.
4) Advancement from Associate to Full Professor requires fulfilling the conditions listed in Sections 1 or 2 above; additional criteria are described in Section VII (Evaluation, Promotion, Tenure).
e. Professor
1) An individual who holds the appropriate terminal degree and the equivalent of ten years of full-time teaching in a college or university, of which the equivalent of five years must be at the rank of Associate Professor.
2) At least 50 percent of a Full Professor’s time must be spent in routine academic activity (teaching, advising, professional development, and participation in the work of the Division and/or the college). Specific responsibilities of the individual Faculty member are to be determined in consultation with the Division Chair.
2. With the exception of special appointments clearly limited to a brief association with the institution (discussed below in section G) and reappointments of retired Faculty members on special conditions, all appointments to the rank of instructor or higher are: (1) appointments with continuous tenure, (2) tenure-track probationary appointments, (3) lecturer, (4) fixed-term Faculty, or (5) librarians.
a. Appointments with continuous tenure:
Faculty who have been granted tenure can be terminated only for adequate cause, as determined by the Faculty Liaison Committee in consultation with Human Resources, or under extraordinary circumstances, or because of financial exigencies. (AAUP 1995, p.4)
b. Probationary appointments:
1) Probationary appointments may be for one year, or for other stated periods, subject to renewal. The terms and status of a probationary appointment will be stated in the initial contract.
2) For tenure-track probationary appointments, the total period of full-time service prior to the acquisition of continuous tenure will not exceed seven years, including all previous full-time service with the rank of instructor or higher in other institutions of higher learning, provided that in the case of a Faculty member called from another institution it may be required that he/she serve in a probationary status for a period not to exceed four years, even though thereby his/her total probationary period in the academic profession is extended beyond seven years. Time spent on leave of absence will not count toward completing the probationary period.
c. Faculty members will be advised, at the time of initial appointment, of the substantive standards and procedures generally employed in decisions affecting renewal and, as applicable, tenure. Any special standards adopted by the Faculty member’s Division also will be brought to his/her attention. The Faculty member will be advised of the time when decisions affecting renewal or tenure are ordinarily made, and will be given the opportunity to submit material which he/she believes will be helpful to an adequate consideration of his/her circumstances.
d. The College reserves the right to terminate non-tenured Faculty for unsatisfactory performance reviews. The College reserves the right to terminate non- tenured Faculty for cause.
e. All non-tenured Faculty will annually complete the Guidelines for Faculty Performance document articulating the specific expectations and evaluation criteria for the position. All non-tenured Faculty have the right to performance review and evaluation as specified.
f. Pro-Rata Part-Time Faculty
1) Part-time Faculty are scheduled to teach courses required to fulfill existing general education major requirements but for which there isn’t a need for a full-time Faculty person. Part-time Faculty members are responsible for teaching at least six credit hours but fewer than twelve credit hours in a semester for Faculty on ten-month contracts and at least 15 credit hours but fewer than 30 credit hours for faculty on 12- month contracts. In contrast to adjunct Faculty, the duties of part-time Faculty also include advising, professional development, and institutional and community service. The workload for part-time Faculty should be proportional to their percentage of full-time employment. Specific responsibilities should be addressed in the annual Guidelines for Faculty Performance document (Form 3).
2) Pro-rata part-time Faculty members with five years or fewer years of consecutive service are reviewed for reappointment annually by the Division Chair, Professional Standards Committee, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in the same process as full-time Faculty, in the January timeframe. Part-time Faculty members with more than five years of consecutive service may be approved for a three-year term. These Faculty members will then be reviewed annually by the Division Chair. Formal review by the Division Chair, Professional Standards Committee, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will then be conducted every third year until scheduled review for tenure and/or promotion. In the years that a formal review is not conducted, contracts will be granted annually with the approval of the Division Chair and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Division Chair or Faculty member may request formal review by the Professional Standards Committee and VPAA at any time.
a. Teaching shall be evaluated on a prorated workload expectation, but must meet the standards of teaching that are required of full-time faculty.
b. Professional Development/Scholarly Activity shall be evaluated on a prorated productivity expectation, but must meet the standards of quality that are required of full-time faculty.
c. Service shall be evaluated on a prorated workload expectation, but must meet the standards of engagement that are required of full-time faculty.
3) Part-time Faculty will be voting members of the Faculty and eligible for election/appointment to Faculty committees.
4) Part-time Faculty who have been employed consecutively for five or more years, will receive a full year’s notice of non-reappointment except in the case of termination due to financial exigency, termination of or change in the requirements of a program, or in cases of termination because of cause. (AAUP 1995)
5) The initial letter of appointment should specify when the Faculty member is eligible for tenure and promotion, if applicable. If eligible for tenure, the tenure timeline is lengthened by two years. The tenure consideration and evaluation takes place in the eighth year. If promoted, the promotion is effective at the start of the ninth year. If tenure is granted, it is effective at the start of the tenth year.
6) Additionally, the initial letter of appointment should specify whether the part-time Faculty is eligible for advancement to full-time Faculty if the position for which s/he was hired moves from a part-time to a full-time position. If the position becomes full-time, the Faculty member would be eligible to participate in the regular application process and search process.
g. Lecturer
Faculty currently holding Lecturer rank and hired prior to August 2019 will maintain current title, rights, and responsibilities. No new positions will be hired at Lecturer rank as of June 2020.
1. There are instances when the College may have the need for a more permanent relationship with Faculty who have specialized training, extensive practical experience, and/or unique professional skills. These positions do not, however, require a terminal degree. Given the nature of Keuka College and the focused role intended for Faculty appointed as lecturers, the total percentage of instructors across the institution provided by Faculty classified as lecturers should not exceed 10 percent
2. Lecturers will be responsible for teaching at least six credit hours a semester. In contrast to adjunct Faculty, the duties of lecturers also include professional development, or institutional/community service as is appropriate to institutional needs and individual qualifications. The specific expectations for individual lecturers will be articulated in a modified Guidelines for Faculty Performance (Form 3) that includes teaching and no more than one other performance area.
3. Lecturers will be given Faculty rank as appropriate to their qualifications and experience, and will be voting members of the Faculty eligible for election/ appointment to committees of the Faculty.
4. Lecturers who have been employed consecutively for five or more years will receive a full year’s notice of non-reappointment except in the case of termination due to financial exigency, termination of or change in the requirements of a program, or in cases of termination for cause.
3. Librarians
1. The specific status of individual librarians will be determined at the time of employment. The policies regarding eligibility for promotion and tenure will be consistent with other Faculty or staff who hold a similar rank or position.
2. All librarians who hold Faculty rank will be expected to complete the written Guidelines for Librarian Performance in consultation with the Library Director. A copy of the Guidelines for Librarian Performance document can be found in Section IX, Relevant Forms: FORM 7.
3. Librarians are voting members of the Faculty and eligible for election/ appointment to committees of the Faculty
4. Special Appointment Faculty
a. Adjunct Faculty
1) Adjunct Faculty are hired by the semester, as needed, to teach on a per-course basis. Adjunct contracts issued prior to the beginning of a semester are conditional, pending actual need. There is no promise of continuing employment implied in these contracts.
2) Adjunct Faculty cannot be promoted nor granted tenure and are not voting members of the Faculty.
3) The responsibilities of adjunct Faculty are generally limited to classroom teaching and/or other similar responsibilities as stated in their contract and as defined in consultation with their Chair.
4) Division Chairs are responsible for appointing and evaluating adjunct Faculty members within their division, including adjunct Faculty teaching in the Adult and Online Education (AOE) Program.
5) Adjunct faculty are informally evaluated by the Division Chair and/or Program Director at the completion of each course for which they are hired.
6) For initial appointment, the personnel file must be complete prior to issuance of contracts. The file must include a current vita, graduate transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, and two recommendations. For reappointment, official transcripts and two written letters of recommendation must be included in the personnel file.
7) The Professional Standards Committee retains the right to formally review all initial appointments or re- appointments of adjunct Faculty for any reason at any time.
b. Visiting appointments
1) Visiting appointments may be necessary when there is a need to fill a temporary vacancy due to a sabbatical; an unexpected or last-minute vacancy due to retirement, resignation, or illness; an interim position in the absence of a qualified candidate for a vacancy; or similar reasons. Visiting appointments may also be made when the College is initiating a new program, expanding an existing program, or in other circumstances in which there is the need to determine whether a position will be maintained on a permanent basis.
2) Visiting Faculty are not eligible to serve on standing committees of the Faculty. Visiting Faculty appointments are for a maximum of six years. Visiting Faculty will have duties similar to a probationary tenure-track Faculty including teaching, professional development/scholarly activity, and service as articulated in their initial appointment letter and per the Guidelines for Faculty Performance (Form 3) document. The initial appointment letter should clearly spell out the terms of the appointment, including rank, duties, and length of appointment. The contracts for visiting appointments contain no promise of continued appointment.
3) Individuals holding this appointment have voice and vote at Faculty meetings but are not eligible for election/appointment to standing Faculty committees.
4) The initial letter of appointment should specify whether the Visiting Faculty member may be eligible for advancement to full-time tenure-track or clinical-track Faculty. In this case, the Visiting Faculty member would be eligible to apply through the regular application process and search process. If the position becomes tenure-track, the years of credit towards tenure will be determined through consultation between the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Chair of the Division, and the individual. A person whose position becomes a tenure-track position cannot, however, be granted tenure in less than three years.
5) A Visiting Faculty member will be reviewed annually by the Division Chair and every other year by the Division Chair, Professional Standards Committee, and Provost. A Visiting Faculty member or his/her Division Chair may also request formal review by the Division Chair, Professional Standards Committee, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at any time.
5. Administrators with Faculty Rank
Depending on their qualifications, administrators may receive academic rank upon employment. The President shall approve the academic rank awarded after receiving and considering the recommendation of the Professional Standards Committee, which shall first consult with the search committee and the appropriate division chair. Rank awarded will be based upon earned degree(s), prior teaching, and professional experience, and be in a discipline directly related to the individual’s qualifications. Reconsideration of rank may be made upon change of circumstance and qualifications.
a. Administrators with Faculty rank may include, for example, the College President, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Associate Provost, and the Assistant Provost. Administrators with Faculty rank will be considered administrators for purposes of employment; therefore, the conditions of employment for administrators will apply. Administrators with Faculty rank have voice at Faculty meetings.
b. Academic Faculty who accept full-time administrative appointments will maintain the same rank and classification held under Faculty contract. Tenured Faculty may retain tenure; however, tenure-track Faculty who accept administrative appointments cease progress toward tenure and become subject to administrative non-reappointment provisions.
c. Tenured and tenure-track academic Faculty who accept full-time administrative positions are eligible to assume a tenured or tenure-track Faculty position upon cessation of their administrative appointment. This right must be determined and specified in writing prior to acceptance of an administrative position. Faculty members assuming administrative positions will continue to accrue all rights, privileges, and compensation status that they would be otherwise entitled to as a continuing Faculty member. When re-assuming a Faculty role, the Faculty member will retain their Faculty rank. The resumption of Faculty status will not result in a reduction of tenure or tenure-track Faculty in the degree or program area to which that individual is assigned. In all cases, individuals in ranked Faculty positions must demonstrate currency in their discipline areas.
d. Faculty who assume part- or full-time administrative duties within their discipline or program area (as division/department chairs or program directors) maintain their Faculty status.
5. Professionals with Joint Responsibilities.
a. Other individuals whose roles include administrative responsibilities and who also have teaching or related instructional responsibilities may be considered for Faculty contracts. Such appointments will be made by the President in consultation with the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Professional Standards Committee, and the appropriate division chair. These decisions will be based upon individual qualifications as well as professional responsibilities.
b. Individuals classified as professionals with joint responsibilities will meet annually with the appropriate division chair to complete the Guidelines for Faculty Performance document as appropriate to the teaching and instructional expectations associated with that position. The teaching and/or related instructional activities will be evaluated annually by the division chair, Professional Standards Committee, and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who will make recommendations regarding
reappointment. After the first five years of successful service, formal evaluations will be conducted every three years. Individuals classified as professionals with joint responsibilities are not eligible for tenure or promotion.
c. The administrative component of their responsibilities will be evaluated as appropriate to the administrative policies and procedures applicable to that position.
d. Reappointment for administrators with joint responsibilities necessitates satisfactory evaluations in both their administrative and instructional roles. Evaluations that would be cause for non-reappointment or dismissal in either role will apply to the position held by that individual.
6. Distinguished Scholars/Artists in Residence
a. To enhance the academic environment and quality of the College, the President may appoint an outstanding professional as a distinguished scholar or artist in residence. These appointments are for a semester or academic year. The duties of distinguished scholars or artists in residence will be specified in their letter of appointment.
b. Individuals holding this appointment have voice and vote at Faculty meetings but are not eligible for election/appointment to Faculty committees.
C. Professor Emeritus
An individual who has been a member of the Academic Faculty for a minimum of 15 years and who is retiring, upon recommendation of the Division Chair and/or the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Professional Standards Committee, and the President, with the final approval by the Board of Trustees, may be granted status of Professor Emeritus. This position shall be reserved for those members of the Academic Faculty with records of distinguished service to the College.
When the responsible administrator feels that an individual with less than 15 years of service deserves emeritus status, he or she may recommend that an exception be made. Persons holding emerita/emeritus titles are integral members of our College community, and as such are entitled to the following privileges: participation in academic convocations including commencement, Faculty privileges at the library, attendance at all public lectures on campus, and continuation of e-mail. They shall be entitled to receive notices of all major activities and events and to attend and speak at all meetings of the Academic Faculty, but will have no power to vote at Faculty meetings.