NTTF: UO Document on Policies, Procedures, and Practices - Rank & Title
Printer-friendly version
RANK & TITLE
It is in this area that the greatest changes will occur. Rank will be determined by the definition of the appointment (its expected duties and responsibilities) at the time the search is advertised for all non-pool searches.
Some of these changes may not be effective in Fall 2008 because they may require a change in relevant Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs) under which the UO operates. This section describes current practice and the pending directions rank assignments will take in the near future.
There are two kinds of recommendation the changes here respond to. First, the Senate NTTF Committee had recommended creation of some rank structure in which NTTF who are engaged in graduate education are recognized for this with appropriate appointments. Second, there has been a felt need in some academic settings for a three-level system of appointments for career related NTTF, analogous to the three level professorial ranks. The changes below reflect both of these recommendations.
OFFICERS OF INSTRUCTION. Instructional appointments in current practice involve a single rank series with just two levels: Instructor and Senior Instructor. These appointments did not readily admit of a role in graduate education or more extensive activities than extensive undergraduate course instruction. Consequently, there was widespread, but inconsistent practice, in using modifiers of the rank of assistant professor (Visiting Asst Professor or Adjunct Asst Professor) for these other kinds of assignments. The changes below create two kinds of instructional appointment,
Instructors and Lecturers, each with three levels of appointment. It is not possible to move from the instructor series to the lecturer series without a new and national search.
It is important to note that these changes, in particular the addition of a second level of senior appointment and the proposed use of the rank lecturer, are likely to require changes in Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs).
Instructor Series: Instructor, Senior Instructor I, Senior Instructor II. The instructor series will be used for unclassified instructional appointments whose functions are devoted exclusively or primarily to undergraduate instruction. Such appointments certainly will include advising and mentoring expectations congruent with creative
and engaged undergraduate instruction, including the possibility of involvement in design and development of courses and the curriculum in which they are emplaced. Depending on the particular formulation of the assignment, the appointment will require the MA or its professional equivalent and may or may not require the terminal degree in the field. Appointments in the instructor series will ordinarily require the terminal degree for any instruction of upper division courses (300-level or 400-level courses) though an academic dean and the vice provost may approve limited
exceptions.
It is expected that most NTTF instructional appointments will remain within the rank series of INSTRUCTOR. For example, the large numbers of professional instructors responsible for foreign languages, composition, introductory mathematics, undergraduate music instruction, undergraduate art instruction, undergraduate business or journalism courses will continue to be appointed within the instructor series.
Lecturer Series: Lecturer, Senior Lecturer I, Senior Lecturer II. The lecturer series will be used for unclassified instructional appointments whose functions include significant responsibilities for graduate level instruction. The appointment may also include upper division undergraduate instruction. Such appointments must include significant mentoring and advising responsibilities and a significant measure of responsibility for graduate education. Appointments in the lecturer series will always require the terminal degree (or its professional equivalent for certain adjunct appointments), but the holding of a terminal degree in itself does not constitute an argument for appointment in the lecturer series.
It is expected that relatively few appointments will be made at the rank of lecturer since such appointments depend on engagement in graduate education and most appointments directed at graduate education should include research expectations and the development of a concomitant professorial appointment. Still, it is possible to describe some instances in which an appointment as lecturer will be appropriate. One, the rank of lecturer is appropriate for an appointment of the director of a clinical program, who will supervise graduate students in clinical practice, teach certain graduate level courses in the clinical area, provide leadership and coordination with the external professional setting, and may, if approved separately by the Graduate School, participate in the supervision of graduate student exams, theses, and dissertations. Two, the rank of lecturer is appropriate for an appointment of a specialist in some area where there is a substantial set of courses needed for graduate training but the courses do not constitute an area of departmental research focus.
For each series there are three levels of appointment. In parallel with appointments in the professorial series, the three levels of appointment permit review and evaluation of the incumbent twice during the career with a promotion in rank and an associated salary increase for successful promotions.
Transitions. While for most appointments the changes described here will have no immediate or long-term impact, it is the case that the UO is moving away from the use of professorial rank for NTTF appointments. This will have little effect on career appointments across the university and on adjunct appointments within the College of Arts and Sciences. The greatest impact will be in professional school appointments of temporary or adjunct faculty from the professional world. It would mean that a practicing architect would be appointed as an adjunct instructor if the
duties of that appointment were strictly directed at undergraduate instruction and as an adjunct lecturer if the duties of the appointment were devoted to graduate education. Appointment of an adjunct to a professorial rank would be restricted to those who hold such an appointment at another institution [institutional parity] or in recognition of some unusual standing in the professional world an exception could be proposed by the relevant dean and approved by Academic Affairs.
OFFICERS OF RESEARCH. Research appointments in current practice involve a two rank series [Research Assistant and Research Associate] each with two levels: Research Assistant and Senior Research Assistant and Research Associate and Senior Research Associate. As described elsewhere, and consistent with ongoing practice, it
is not possible to move from the research assistant series to the research associate series without a new and national search.
Research Assistant Series: Research Assistant, Senior Research Assistant I, Senior Research Assistant II. A research NTTF appointed at the rank of research assistant shall have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Research assistants conduct research under the direction of a tenure-related faculty member or a research
associate. Appointment is typically made by principal investigator of a university grant or contract, with the approval of the appropriate dean and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. For appointments to conduct research within a research center or institute, approval is through the Vice President for Research. Otherwise, it is through the administrative structure of the principal investigator's home department.
Research Associate Series: Research Associate, Senior Research Associate I, Senior Research Associate II. A research NTTF appointed at the rank of research associate shall have an earned doctoral degree (or the highest professional degree in the field plus appropriate experience). Research associates conduct research independently. Appointment is made by the principal investigator of a university grant or contract, with approval by the appropriate dean and vice president. In many cases, research associates may serve as principal investigators, with approval from the Vice President for Research, on grants they initiate and pursue within the academic unit or research unit of which they are part.
For each series there are three levels of appointment. In parallel with appointments in the professorial series, the three levels of appointment permit review and evaluation of the incumbent twice during the career with a promotion in rank and an associated salary increase for successful promotions.
RANK MODIFIERS. There are several rank modifiers whose use will now be made more consistent both internally to the UO and with national practice.
ADJUNCT. With one exception, the modifier adjunct will be used for all temporary appointments regardless of FTE. This replaces past practice in which the modifier adjunct was used only for temporary appointments with FTE < .60. The one exception is for appointments of post doctoral research associates for which no modifier will be used.
VISITING. The modifier visiting will be used only for an appointment that is both temporary and replaces the full range of duties of a tenure-related faculty member/career NTTF or has been invited to campus to collaborate with a UO researcher. Visitors will hold employment at an external institution either private or public. A typical use of this modifier occurs when a tenure-related faculty member is away on leave or sabbatical and the department completes a national search (required) for a one-year replacement who will teach courses at all and any level within the department, be actively engaged in the mentoring of graduate students even on this short-term basis, and will be expected to conduct research and engage with colleagues on research matters. Another example in the research arena is a faculty colleague invited to campus for up to a year to collaborate on a research project or work on a
specific technique. A sabbatical replacement appointed only to replace teaching should be appointed as an adjunct. An individual appointed to a visiting position will hold the rank they hold elsewhere.CLINICAL. It is now possible to use the modifier clinical for academic appointments that are devoted to clinical practice and training.
TITLES. While in most cases the assignment of rank has been straightforward, in past practice in some cases, titles were used to confer a kind of de facto rank. This practice will be discontinued. Titles will follow consistent practice across academic appointments, uniting rank with the academic unit (or in some case major sub-unit) and any special assignment. Examples would include: senior instructor of
mathematics, instructor of Spanish, senior instructor of ESL and associate director of the American English Institute, adjunct instructor of art, visiting lecturer in law, adjunct clinical lecturer in communication and speech disorders.Transition. All currently assigned titles will remain in force for the duration of a colleague’s appointment unless he or she agrees to a change.
