Scope

All units and academic appointees on the Bloomington campus.

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Policy Statement

General Provisions
A. The Purpose and Use of Academic Appointment Classifications
The academic work of Indiana University is done by individuals holding academic appointments in different classifications. Each tenured and tenure-probationary faculty member has responsibilities in the areas of teaching, research, and service. Each tenured and tenure-probationary librarian has responsibilities in the parallel areas of performance (of librarianship duties), professional development/research/creative activities, and service. Academic appointees in other classifications have responsibilities in some but not all of the three areas. While all academic appointees make valuable contributions to achieving the mission of the University, the ultimate responsibility for the integrity of the academic programs of the institution and the authority for university faculty governance lies with those who have tenured and tenure-probationary appointments.

It is the policy of Indiana University to staff its regular instructional program with tenure-track faculty to the maximum extent feasible. Accomplishing the University’s academic mission, however, also requires the appointment of non-tenure-track faculty. The faculty of each school shall specify the minimum proportion of tenured and tenure-probationary FTE faculty for that unit, with the base of the proportion derived from the total FTE tenured and tenure-probationary, clinical and lecturer appointees, and the dean of the school shall file this specification with the campus academic officer.

It is critical to the productive use of resources in our efforts to achieve academic excellence and safeguard the basic nature of the University that the purpose and definition of each classification of academic appointment be clearly understood and that academic appointments be used appropriately. The courses and other instructional tasks to which non-tenure-track appointees may be assigned shall be specified within each academic unit by the tenured and tenure probationary faculty. The dean of each academic unit shall report to the chief academic officer of the campus on an annual basis which of its courses and other instructional tasks have been assigned to non-tenure-track faculty, and describe by appointment classification and by FTE and head count its non-tenure-track instructional personnel. The chief academic officer and the faculty governance body on each campus will review each year the use of all academic appointments in the academic units on that campus, to include the information referenced in the preceding sentence and in the final sentence of the preceding paragraph, and each January they will issue a report to the chief academic officer of the University and the University Faculty Council.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: The tenuring process requires that faculty demonstrate their understanding of, competency in, and dedication to the University’s diverse missions in teaching, research, and service, and tenure allows the faculty member to exercise the independent judgment in academic governance that is critical to the well-being of the institution. Tenure-probationary faculty are appointed with the expectation that they will demonstrate the abilities pertaining to all the University’s missions that will qualify them for tenure. Accordingly, it is the tenured and tenure-probationary faculty in whom the University vests the ultimate responsibility for the integrity of its academic programs. The review of the use of academic appointments should include not only the numbers of individuals in each appointment classification in each academic unit and the functions assigned to them, but also other aspects of the use of academic appointments as directed by the campus chancellor/provost and faculty governance body, such as demographic information, trends over time, and the appropriateness of appointment classification assignments. In the course of analyzing the use of appointment classifications, the inappropriate use of academic appointments is likely to be discovered, and it is expected that some transitional period of adjustment in faculty appointments will be necessary.] (University Faculty Council, March 26, 1996)

All campuses of the Indiana University system use classifications for academic appointees uniformly. No regular academic appointment may be made in connection with an administrative appointment unless that appointment is identified with an existing unit and the regular procedures for academic appointments are followed. Appointees to deanships and other administrative positions at Indiana University retain academic appointments held at Indiana University at the time of their appointment to administrative office, unless otherwise specifically stipulated.
(University Faculty Council, April 11, 1978; altered by action of the Board of Trustees, August 7, 1984.)

B. Limitations on Assigned Responsibilities
A University employee’s assigned responsibilities may include offering courses for credit or conducting research as a principal investigator only with an academic appointment in a classification in which those responsibilities are appropriate. Academic credit may be awarded only in courses offered by academic appointees in faculty classifications for which offering courses for credit is an appropriate responsibility.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: Those who teach should inquire into subject matter and pedagogy to maintain and advance the quality of their instruction, and those who conduct research should inform others of the product of their work. Further, inquiry (research) and communication (teaching) are fundamental rights that the University would not and cannot prohibit. Nevertheless, those who are assigned and undertake, on behalf of the University, the academic missions of teaching, research, and service in the full sense should have the status and protections of tenure-track appointments, and the assignments given to those in the various appointment classifications must be appropriately regulated.]

C. Participation in Faculty Governance
Participation in unit faculty governance by those in non-tenure track academic appointment classifications is subject to regulation by faculty governance of a campus or of a school on a campus organized by schools (except for classifications in which voting rights in governance is not permitted).

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: Participation in University level faculty governance is governed by the Constitution of the University Faculty. Participation in faculty governance on the campuses is governed by the faculty constitution of each campus. Participation by those with part-time appointments (both tenure and non-tenure track) is an issue that will need to be addressed at each level. Visiting, and Adjunct appointees do not have the kind of relationship to the academic unit and its programs that justifies voting rights in governance. Individuals who do have that kind of relationship to the unit and its programs should be appointed in another classification.]

D. Part-time
“Part-time” is not an appointment classification, but is a descriptive term indicating that the appointee is employed in an appointment classification at less than 1.0 FTE. Part-time appointments may have, where relevant, adjusted time limits (including for probationary periods) according to regulations approved by faculty governance of a campus or of a school on a campus organized by schools, but the adjusted time limit may not be longer than would be proportionate to those of full-time appointees.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: This provision applies to all appointment classifications that would otherwise be full time. Those who contribute to the academic mission in a continuing relationship to a unit should have a status appropriate to their work and responsibilities. Probationary appointments are relevant to Tenure-track Faculty and Librarian Appointments and to Non-tenure-track Lecturer and Clinical Appointments. This provision implies no policy that there should be part-time appointees in any classification. The most common application of this provision will be to Lecturer Appointments. Part-time tenure-track appointments are resorted to occasionally to facilitate units’ accomplishment of their academic missions. Such appointments will continue to be infrequent, but they should be subject to straight forward regulation where they do occur. Further development of regulation of part-time appointments, for example, with regard to participation in governance and benefits and to transfer between part- and full-time, will be required.]

E. Special Titles
The University awards titles to indicate special distinction within an appointment classification. Further, with the approval of the campus’ academic officer, a unit may use a title that meets the special needs of the unit so long as the appointment classification is made clear. The campus’ published academic regulations shall maintain a list of special titles indicating their appointment classifications.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: It will be the responsibility of the campus Academic Officers to see that special titles are not confusing, to see that the appointment classification is made clear in appointment letters, and to maintain the campus list of approved special titles.]

F. Retired Faculty
Other provisions notwithstanding, retired academic appointees may perform academic functions consistent with the individual’s academic appointment classification prior to retirement.

G. Campus Regulations
Campuses may adopt regulations of academic appointments that are consistent with University regulations in the Academic Handbook.

Classification of Academic Appointments
A. Tenure-Track Appointments
Through their work and through their participation in faculty governance and administration, tenure-track faculty and librarians have primary responsibility for the accomplishment and the integrity of the University’s academic mission.

1. Faculty Appointments
   Tenure-track faculty have responsibility for teaching, research and service. Titles: Professor, Associate Professor, and Assistant Professor
2. Librarian Appointments
   Tenure-track librarians have responsibility for performance of librarianship duties, professional development/research/creative activities, and service. Librarians have a master’s degree from an American Library Association-accredited library school or the equivalent professional credentials or a graduate degree in other professional or scholarly fields were appropriate. Titles: Librarian, Associate Librarian, and Assistant Librarian

B. Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Appointments
1. Clinical Appointments
The prefix “Clinical” is used for appointees whose primary duties are teaching students and residents/fellows and providing professional service in the clinical setting.
Titles: Clinical Professor, Associate Clinical Professor, Assistant Clinical Professor; or Clinical Senior Lecturer and Clinical Lecturer

2. Lecturer/Teaching Professor Appointments
Lecturers and Teaching Professors may be assigned responsibility for teaching, and for research and service that supports teaching, in courses for which such assignments have been approved by the faculty of the academic unit. The Lecturer/Teaching Professor category is the appropriate classification for non-tenure track teaching faculty in instances where the unit has a continuing need for the resource (except for clinical appointees and except in instances where adjunct appointments are appropriate, as specified below). 
Titles: Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and Teaching Professor

3. Professor of Practice Appointments
Professors of Practice may be assigned instructional responsibilities, along with activities in support of student development and placement. This classification is appropriate for individuals who have achieved excellence in a field of practice, and who have attained a position of regional, national and even international prominence.
Title: Professor of Practice

4. Acting, Visiting, and Adjunct Appointments
The terms, “acting,” “visiting,” and “adjunct” may modify titles in any appointment classification, but constitute distinct appointment classifications. These classifications are nonprobationary appointments. Visiting and Adjunct appointees do not have voting rights in faculty governance; Acting appointee’s voting rights in faculty governance within the academic unit is subject to unit regulation.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: Visiting and Adjunct appointees do not have the kind of relationship to the University and its programs that justifies voting participation in faculty governance. Since it is contemplated that Acting appointees will take up regular appointments on the expected fulfillment of conditions, their participation in governance is subject to unit regulation.]

a. Acting Appointments
The qualification “Acting” indicates a temporary appointment with the understanding that when a specified condition (e.g. completion of a terminal degree) is met the appointee will receive a regular appointment in the appointment classification indicated. Acting appointments may not continue for longer than two years, except in special circumstances approved by the campus’ Academic Officer.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: What are here termed “acting” appointments have traditionally been used, with various terminology, for individuals who will take up tenure track appointments on receiving a terminal degree, but acting appointments may be appropriate for clinical and lecturer appointments as well, for example, where a clinical appointment is conditioned on obtaining a license or a board certification. “Special circumstances” may relate to an individual case or to the circumstances of a field and unit, but exceptions should be granted consistently with the limitation of this classification as a temporary appointment.]

b. Visiting Appointments
The qualification “Visiting” indicates a temporary appointment that may continue for no more than two years, except in special circumstances approved by the campus’ Academic Officer. Visiting appointees shall have the qualifications appropriate to the appointment classification indicated.

Visiting appointments are appropriate where there is a temporary need, for example, to fill the place of an appointee on leave, where there is an increased need for academic personnel in circumstances where there is uncertainty the need will continue, or where a position has become available or open with insufficient lead time to conduct an appropriate search.

The University is not obligated to count service as a visiting appointee as credit toward tenure or long-term contract status if the appointment is later changed to a regular appointment, but exceptions may be made in accordance with the procedures used by the University in making regular academic appointments.

c. Adjunct Appointments
The qualification “adjunct” is appropriate for teaching appointments of individuals, whether compensated or volunteer, whose career paths lie primarily in another position or employment.

That is, the appointment is “adjunct” (“auxiliary”) to the career of the appointee as well as to the faculty of the unit. Adjunct appointments, therefore, are necessarily part-time. Adjunct appointments are appropriate for individuals who have expertise useful for the accomplishment of the unit’s mission where that expertise is not available in the unit’s regular faculty. An adjunct appointee does not participate in faculty governance in the unit in which an adjunct appointment is held. Those with adjunct appointments fall within three groups: individuals whose principal employments are outside the university; those whose principal employments are within the University in positions for which teaching is not an appropriate responsibility; and faculty whose work in a second academic unit justifies a courtesy appointment in that unit.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: Faculty who have full rights in more than one unit should have joint appointments. Discipline will be required to avoid appointment as adjuncts those who should be appointed as part-time lecturers.]

5. Research Appointments
Research appointees are those researchers who typically hold the terminal degree and postdoctorate experience (or its equivalent) and who are employed by Indiana University for research and service responsibilities.
Titles: Senior Scientist, Senior Scholar, or Research Professor; Associate Scientist, Associate Scholar, or Associate Research Professor; and Assistant Scientist, Assistant Scholar, or Assistant Research Professor.

C. Specialist and Honorary Appointments
1. Academic Specialist Appointments
Appointees with academic responsibilities who do not themselves offer courses for credit or act as principal investigators in research. The published academic regulations for each campus shall maintain a list of titles that fall within this classification.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: Many of the staff in this classification currently hold job classifications within Human Resources, but should be under Academic Officers’ administration. The Academic Officers Committee will develop proposed regulations to accomplish this change. In addition, Academic Specialist Appointments will include Research Associates and Post Doctoral Fellows.]

2. Honorary Appointments
Honorary appointments are given to those not employed within the University who render service to the University’s mission in a manner that justifies the recognition of an honorary title. Campus’ published academic regulations shall maintain a list of honorary titles, indicated as such.

EMERITUS
The Emeritus title may be conferred upon a retired faculty member or librarian if recommended by the unit and appropriate administrators and approved by the Board of Trustees. The term “Emeritus” follows the designation of academic appointment. The Emeritus faculty member has some of the rights and privileges of regular faculty members. See campus-specific documents for specific procedures.

APPOINTMENT TO GRADUATE SCHOOL FACULTY
The University Graduate School grants graduate research degrees (Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.A.T.) and the Master of Fine Arts degree, whereas various schools award professional degrees such as the M.B.A. and Ed.D. Membership in the Graduate Faculty is relevant for faculty working with students pursuing degrees offered by the University Graduate School and carries with it automatic approval of specific privileges for serving on the dissertation committees of those students. Membership in the Graduate Faculty is not required for teaching graduate courses or serving on Ph.D. qualifying examination or advisory committees.

GRADUATE FACULTY MEMBERSHIP
All tenure-track faculty are granted graduate faculty status at the time of appointment; departments notify the University Graduate School each fall of their new tenure-track appointments so an authoritative master list of graduate faculty members can be maintained. Non-tenure-track faculty or other appointees (such as research scientists) can also be appointed to graduate faculty status for a term not to exceed their employment contract; the nominating department sends a brief memo and a copy of the faculty member’s vita.

An endorsement to chair doctoral dissertation committees is granted separately from graduate faculty status by a vote of a departmental advisory or steering committee, or by a majority vote of the departmental graduate faculty, or by some other review process appropriate for the unit. Faculty who receive this endorsement must hold a regular faculty appointment at Indiana University, but do not necessarily have to hold that appointment within the unit conferring the endorsement. However, if the faculty member holds a regular appointment in a unit other than the one conferring the endorsement, s/he must participate substantially in doctoral education within the department or program authorized to offer the Ph.D. The program director or chair shall notify the Dean of Graduate Studies of the election of the faculty to this status.

In addition, graduate faculty status with or without endorsement to chair Ph.D. dissertation committees may be granted by the Dean of the University Graduate School upon successful petition by the head of the faculty member’s unit. The head sends a brief memo explaining the request with a copy of the vita.
Current associate members of the graduate faculty will automatically become members of the graduate faculty; current full members will become members with endorsement to direct dissertations.

Graduate faculty status can be revoked for egregious behavior or scholarly or scientific misconduct by the Dean of the University Graduate School upon the recommendation of the Graduate School Council.
(UFC: 10/ 4/2004)

STUDENT ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Student appointments must be appropriate to the student’s qualifications and academic programs. Eligibility requires continuing progress towards a degree. Student appointments are necessarily part-time.

Associate Instructors
This title is used for graduate students who are part-time appointees and who engage in activities typical of a teacher. An Associate Instructor is responsible for assigning grades for at least a portion of a course and has direct contact with students. Typical activities include—but are not necessarily limited to—lecturing, tutoring, and laboratory instruction.

Other Student Academic Personnel
Students hold positions as Research Assistants, as Graduate Assistants, as Undergraduate Assistants, and as Faculty Assistants. All student appointments are part time and temporary.
(UFC: 04/11/1978)

REGULATION OF CLINICAL AND LECTURER APPOINTMENTS
[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: The regulation of lecturer and clinical appointments is intended to further the Trustees’ policy regarding “associate faculty.”

Associate faculty have played and will continue to play an important role in the teaching mission of Indiana University. For this reason, all campuses should establish formal policies treating the appointment, evaluation and professional development of such faculty. Standards for appointment for associate faculty should guarantee that courses are taught by qualified individuals. Their teaching should be evaluated on a regular basis by customary measures of classroom effectiveness. Reappointment of associate faculty should be predicated on satisfactory teaching evaluations.

Schools and departments should take steps to integrate associate with full-time faculty and to promote their professional development. Such steps should include formal orientation of associate faculty to the university and to their specific teaching responsibilities. Associate faculty should be provided with resources adequate to promote their success as teachers and the enhancement of their pedagogical skills. Exceptional performance by associate faculty should be recognized by appropriate measures.
(Trustees:09/24/1994)]

Clinical Faculty
Use of Clinical Appointments
Clinical appointments are appropriate for those who work primarily in the clinical setting. Clinical faculty may be involved in research that derives from their primary assignment in clinical teaching and professional service; however, continued appointment and advancement in rank must be based on performance in teaching and service.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: Clinical appointees teach and practice full-time in the clinical professional setting. It follows that clinical appointments will be limited to academic units (and departments within academic units) in the professional-client service disciplines. Clinical faculty may contribute to the research efforts of a unit through their clinical work, but they are not expected to do individual research. Faculty who, in addition to teaching and service, have portions of their time allocated to doing research for which they are a principal or co-principal investigator, who have research laboratories, or who are otherwise expected to do individual research should be in tenured/ tenure-probationary positions. While individual faculty members hired in tenure-probationary appointments may switch to the clinical appointments during the first five years of their probationary period, such a switch must involve giving up the research component of their faculty work, except for their clinical role in collaborative research trials. Clinical appointments are not intended as a means of retaining tenure-probationary faculty members who will not be able to demonstrate the performance levels in teaching, research, and service required for the granting of tenure.]

Rights and Privileges
Clinical faculty are expected to follow and be protected by University policies, including those pertaining to faculty hiring and faculty annual reviews. The faculty salary policies of the University, campus, school, and department shall apply to clinical faculty. Clinical faculty have the right to petition the campus faculty board of review. Clinical faculty are not eligible for University sabbatical leave, but schools may provide sabbatical-like leaves for their clinical faculty to provide opportunities for professional learning and collaboration with colleagues. Participation in University and campus faculty governance is governed by the Constitution of the Faculty of Indiana University and the faculty constitutions on each campus. The role of clinical faculty in governance within the unit shall be determined by vote of the tenured and tenure- probationary faculty of the unit, provided that where non-tenure track appointees have voting privileges, their voting participation must be structured in a way that reserves at least 60% of voting weight to tenure-track faculty. The academic integrity of the school and its programs ultimately is the responsibility of tenured and tenure-probationary faculty.

The rights of clinical faculty and the regulations concerning their roles within each school shall be written and available to the school faculty. A copy of all rights and regulations shall be filed with the campus academic officer and with the campus faculty governance body.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: The University Faculty Constitution defines the voting faculty as “all faculty members on tenure or accumulating credit toward tenure.” The Constitution further states that “the voting members of individual campuses may extend voting privileges to others on matters of individual campus significance.” The rationale for the distributions of rights and privileges is to leave the responsibility for the preservation of the most basic academic interests of the institution in the hands of those with the greatest protection of their academic freedom for the purposes of teaching, research, and service including the service of faculty governance; i.e. those with tenure. Non-tenure track appointees otherwise should have as many faculty privileges as is consistent with their qualifications and responsibilities.]

Clinical faculty are not eligible for academic administrative appointments at and above the department chair level.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: The integrity of the academic programs will be best served by requiring that those individuals holding administrative appointments with direct authority for academic programs have the full range of academic qualifications associated with the tenure track, as well as the fuller protection of academic freedom that tenure provides.]

Appointment and Advancement
The faculty of each unit using clinical appointments shall decide whether those appointments will be with the titles of Clinical Professor, Associate Clinical Professor and Assistant Clinical Professor, or Clinical Senior Lecturer and Clinical Lecturer. Initial clinical appointments should be at the level appropriate to the experience and accomplishments of the individual. The process for appointment with probationary status or appointment with a long-term contract shall go through the ordinary procedures for faculty appointments. Promotion in rank of Assistant and Associate Clinical Professors should go through the normal faculty procedures appropriate to the unit of the university, including peer review by the primary unit, and campus promotion (and tenure) committees. The faculty of each unit using Assistant and Associate Clinical Professor appointments shall adopt criteria for promotion that are appropriate to the duties that may be assigned to clinical appointees. Those criteria must be written, available to unit faculty, and filed with the campus academic officer. Clinical Lecturers shall be promoted to Clinical Senior Lecturers upon their being appointed to long-term contracts following a probationary period.

Protection of Academic Freedom
Clinical appointees are not eligible for tenure; however, in order to protect their academic freedom, individuals appointed as clinical faculty shall be given long-term contracts after a probationary period of not more than seven years. The exact mechanism for this shall be determined by the dean and the faculty governance body within each school using clinical appointments and be approved by the chancellor/provost but the mechanism should be a long- term contract of not less than five years or be some equivalent, such as a rolling three year contract. The criteria for granting long-term contracts after a probationary period shall be analogous to the criteria for granting tenure, except that clinical faculty shall earn the right to a long-term contract on the basis of their excellence only in those responsibilities that may be assigned to them. Each school will establish procedures and specific criteria for review of individuals concerning the renewal of long-term contracts or their equivalent.

Clinical faculty appointments during the probationary period shall be subject to the same policies and procedures with respect to appointment, reappointment, non-reappointment, and dismissal as apply to tenure-probationary faculty during the probationary period. After the probationary period, dismissal of a clinical faculty member holding a longer term contract which has not expired may occur because of closure or permanent downsizing of the program in which the faculty member teaches and serves; otherwise, dismissal of such clinical faculty shall occur only for reasons of professional incompetence, serious misconduct, or financial exigency.

Non-reappointment of clinical faculty to a new contract term may occur for the foregoing reasons or may occur as well for reason of changing staffing needs of the clinical program. Non-reappointment decisions regarding clinical faculty holding a long-term contract after the probationary period must be made with faculty consultation through processes established by the school’s faculty governance institutions. The jurisdiction of campus faculty grievance institutions includes cases of dismissal and non-reappointment of clinical faculty.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: Probationary periods for part-time faculty may be longer than seven years, where regulations adopted by the faculty of the academic unit so provide. University practice requires that probationary periods be served on a continuing basis unless a leave of absence has been applied for and been granted. The University is not obliged to relocate within the institution clinical faculty whose positions are eliminated because of closure, permanent downsizing, or changing staffing needs of their clinical programs. Where an instructional line is converted from non-tenure to tenure track, a clinical faculty member occupying the line may apply for the tenure-track position, but is not guaranteed appointment.]

Lecturers
Use of Lecturer Appointments
Lecturers are academic appointees whose primary responsibility is teaching. Lecturers’ assigned responsibilities may include research and service only in support of teaching.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: Those who teach should inquire into subject matter and pedagogy to maintain and advance the quality of their instruction, and those who conduct research should inform others of the product of their work. Further, inquiry (research) and communication (teaching) are fundamental rights that the University would not and cannot prohibit. Nevertheless, those who are assigned and undertake, on behalf of the University, the academic missions of teaching, research, and service in the full sense should have the status and protections of tenure-track appointments, and the assignments given to those in the various appointment classifications must be appropriately regulated.]

Rights and Privileges
Lecturers are expected to follow and be protected by University policies, including those pertaining to faculty hiring and faculty annual reviews. The faculty salary policies of the University, campus, school, and department shall apply to lecturers. Lecturers have the right to petition the campus faculty board of review. Lecturers are not eligible for University sabbatical leave, but schools may provide sabbatical-like leaves for their lecturers to provide opportunities for professional learning and collaboration with colleagues.

Participation in University and campus faculty governance is governed by the Constitution of the Faculty of Indiana University and the faculty constitutions on each campus. The role of lecturers in governance within the unit shall be determined by vote of the tenured and tenure-probationary faculty of the unit, provided that where non-tenure track faculty have voting privileges, their voting participation must be structured in a way that reserves at least 60% of voting weight to tenure-track faculty. The academic integrity of the school and its programs ultimately is the responsibility of tenured and tenure-probationary faculty.

The rights of lecturers and the regulations concerning their roles within each school shall be written and available to the school faculty. A copy of all rights and regulations shall be filed with the campus academic officer and with the campus faculty governance body.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: The University Faculty Constitution defines the voting faculty as “all faculty members on tenure or accumulating credit toward tenure.” The Constitution further states that “the voting members of individual campuses may extend voting privileges to others on matters of individual campus significance.” The rationale for the distributions of rights and privileges is to leave the responsibility for the preservation of the most basic academic interests of the institution in the hands of those with the greatest protection of their academic freedom for the purposes of teaching, research, and service including the service of faculty governance; i.e. those with tenure. Non-tenure track faculty otherwise should have as many faculty privileges as is consistent with their qualifications and responsibilities.]

Lecturers are not eligible for academic administrative appointments at and above the department chair level.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: The integrity of the academic programs will be best served by requiring that those individuals holding administrative appointments with direct authority for academic programs have the full range of academic qualifications associated with the tenure track, as well as the fuller protection of academic freedom that tenure provides.]

Appointment and Advancement
Initial lecturer appointments should be at the level appropriate to the experience and accomplishments of the individual. The process for appointment with probationary status or appointment with a long-term contract shall go through the ordinary procedures for faculty appointments. Promotion in rank of lecturers and senior lecturers should go through the normal faculty procedures appropriate to the unit of the university. The faculty of each unit using Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and Teaching Professor appointments shall adopt criteria for promotion that are appropriate to the duties that may be assigned to lecturer/teaching professor appointees. Those criteria must be written, available to unit faculty, and filed with the campus academic officer. Lecturers shall be promoted to Senior Lecturers upon their being appointed to long-term contracts following a probationary period.

Protection of Academic Freedom
Lecturers are not eligible for tenure; however, in order to protect their academic freedom, individuals appointed as lecturers shall be given long-term contracts after a probationary period of not more than seven years. The exact mechanism for this shall be determined by the dean and the faculty governance body within each school using lecturer appointments and be approved by the chancellor/provost, but the mechanism should be a long-term contract of not less than five years or be some equivalent, such as a rolling three year contract. The criteria for granting long-term contracts after a probationary period shall be analogous to the criteria for granting tenure, except that lecturers shall earn the right to a long-term contract on the basis of their excellence only in those responsibilities that may be assigned to them. Each school will establish procedures and specific criteria for review of individuals concerning the renewal of long-term contracts or their equivalent.

Lecturer appointments during the probationary period shall be subject to the same policies and procedures with respect to appointment, reappointment, non-reappointment, and dismissal as apply to tenure-probationary faculty during the probationary period. After the probationary period, dismissal of a lecturer holding a longer term contract which has not expired may occur because of closure or permanent downsizing of the program in which the faculty member teaches and serves; otherwise, dismissal of such lecturer shall occur only for reasons of professional incompetence, serious misconduct, or financial exigency. Non-reappointment of lecturers to a new contract term may occur for the foregoing reasons or may occur as well for reason of changing staffing needs of the academic unit’s program. Non-reappointment decisions regarding lecturers holding a longer term contract after the probationary period must be made with faculty consultation through processes established by the school’s faculty governance institutions. The jurisdiction of campus faculty grievance institutions includes cases of dismissal and nonreappointment of lecturers.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: Probationary periods for part-time faculty may be longer than seven years, where regulations adopted by the faculty of the academic unit so provide. University practice requires that probationary periods be served on a continuing basis unless a leave of absence has been applied for and been granted. The University is not obliged to relocate within the institution lecturers whose positions are eliminated because of closure, permanent downsizing, or changing staffing needs of their academic programs. Where an instructional line is converted from non-tenure to tenure track, a lecturer occupying the line may apply for the tenure-track position, but is not guaranteed appointment.]

REGULATION OF PROFESSOR OF PRACTICE APPOINTMENTS
Use of Professor of Practice Appointment
The primary responsibility of Professors of Practice is teaching. Appointees may be assigned research and service responsibilities, but these activities must be in support of teaching, student development and placement. Appointments of Professors of Practice are restricted to those who have achieved distinction in their chosen field of practice, and who bring to the University unique practical experiences and talents that will benefit our students. Appointees shall hold the terminal professional degree in the field or give evidence of equivalent capabilities by virtue of experience. Academic units who use this rank must develop policies that define expectations for “excellence” in instruction. The Professor of Practice title may be preceded by Visiting or Adjunct.

Rights and Privileges
Professors of Practice are expected to follow and be protected by University policies, including those pertaining to faculty hiring and faculty annual reviews. The faculty salary policies of the University, campus, school, and department shall apply to this rank. Professors of Practice have the right to petition the campus faculty board of review. They are not eligible for University sabbatical leave, but schools may provide sabbatical-like leaves for Professors of Practice to provide opportunities for professional learning and collaboration with colleagues.

Participation in University and campus faculty governance is governed by the Constitution of the Faculty of Indiana University and the faculty constitutions on each campus. The role of Professors of Practice in governance within the unit shall be determined by vote of the tenured and tenure-probationary faculty of the unit, provided that where non-tenure track appointees have voting privileges, their voting participation must be structured in a way that reserves at least 60% of voting weight to tenure track faculty. The academic integrity of the school and its programs ultimately is the responsibility of tenured and tenure-probationary faculty.

The rights of Professors of Practice and the regulations concerning their roles within each school shall be written and available to the school faculty. A copy of all rights and regulations shall be filed with the campus academic officer and with the campus faculty governance body.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: The University Faculty Constitution defines the voting faculty as “all faculty members on tenure or accumulating credit toward tenure.” The Constitution further states that “the voting members of individual campuses may extend voting privileges to others on matters of individual campus significance.” The rationale for the distributions of rights and privileges is to leave the responsibility for the preservation of the most basic academic interests of the institution in the hands of those with the greatest protection of their academic freedom for the purposes of teaching, research, and service including the service of faculty governance; i.e. those with tenure. Non-tenure track appointees otherwise should have as many faculty privileges as is consistent with their qualifications and responsibilities.] Professors of Practice are not eligible for academic administrative appointments at and above the department chair level. Appointment

Candidates for initial appointments as Professor of Practice shall be reviewed by faculty in the appointing academic unit; a majority vote in favor among eligible faculty is required for appointment. Candidates will have their credentials reviewed by the Provost/Chancellor or designee, who must approve the offer. Initial appointment shall be for three years. A major performance review shall take place before the end of the seven-year probationary period, and if performance is judged excellent, appointees shall be given long-term contracts (either three years rolling or five years term). The Professor of Practice appointment may not be converted to a tenure-track position.

Protection of Academic Freedom
Professors of Practice are not eligible for tenure; however, in order to protect their academic freedom, individuals appointed to this rank shall be given long-term contracts after a probationary period of not more than seven years. The criteria for granting long-term contracts shall be analogous to the criteria for granting tenure, except that Professors of Practice shall earn the right to a long-term contract on the basis of excellence only in those responsibilities that may be assigned to them. Each school will establish procedures and specific criteria for review of individuals concerning the renewal of long-term contracts.

Professors of Practice during the probationary period shall be subject to the same policies and procedures with respect to appointment, reappointment, non-reappointment and dismissal as apply to tenure-probationary faculty during the probationary period. After the probationary period, dismissal of a Professor of Practice holding a longer term contract which has not expired may occur because of closure or permanent downsizing of the academic unit in which the faculty member teaches and serves; otherwise, dismissal shall occur only for reasons of professional incompetence, serious misconduct or financial exigency. Non-reappointment of Professors of Practice to a new contract may occur for the foregoing reasons or may occur as well for reasons of changing staffing needs of the academic unit’s program. Non-reappointment decisions regarding Professors of Practice holding a longer-term contract after the probationary period must be made with faculty consultation through processes established by the school’s faculty governance institutions. The jurisdiction of campus faculty grievance institutions includes dismissal and non-reappointment of Professors of Practice.

[EXPLANATION AND COMMENT: University practice requires that probationary periods be served on a continuing basis unless a leave of absence has been applied for and been granted. The University is not obliged to relocate within the institution Professors of Practice whose positions are eliminated because of closure, permanent downsizing, of changing staffing needs of their academic programs.]
(University Faculty Council May 6, 2011)

REGULATION OF RESEARCH APPOINTMENTS
Research Ranks
A three-rank system exists for research faculty who are employed by Indiana University for research responsibilities (see BL-ACA-A5 and B16-2024). It is suggested that the research ranks be given the following rank codes and titles:

Assistant Scientist, Assistant Research Professor, or Assistant Scholar (RS1)*
Associate Scientist, Associate Research Professor, or Associate Scholar (RS2)*
Senior Scientist, Research Professor, or Senior Scholar (RS3)*

*The choice of title would be determined by discipline and responsibilities (see BL-ACA-A5).

It is also suggested that two other research ranks (also defined in BL-ACA-A5) be given the following rank codes and titles:

Postdoctoral Fellow (RSP)

Research Associate (RSS)

A separate rank code and title should be used for those individuals with lesser qualifications who are assigned to research jobs which are routine and supervised but call for qualifications and responsibilities greater than those of technicians (rank code TE).

The three-rank system is regarded as a career ladder framework, with appropriate policies and procedures for appointment, annual review, and promotion. The creation of positions within the three-rank system, advertising for qualified candidates, selection and appointment procedures, annual review, promotion, and termination would be under well-defined policies, rules, and procedures administered through Administration academic units by the Vice Chancellor/Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs or equivalent. Postdoctoral Fellows are eligible to apply for a position in one of the research ranks under certain conditions upon satisfactory completion of the terms of the postdoctorate. Qualified research appointees are eligible to apply for openings in the three-rank system but are not considered automatically for promotion to the beginning rank.

Qualifications for Rank. The qualifications for the research ranks are defined by BL-ACA-A5. 

Part-Time
The following additional title is used for part-time research appointees. Where ranks are included in the title, appointment should be at the rank that would be given were that individual being appointed as a research scientist. Changes from these appointments to regular research scientists should follow the customary University procedures. Where the individual is employed in these positions on a continuing or recurrent basis, reappointment and promotion in rank must go through normal University procedures.

The term “part-time” follows the designation of rank (e.g., Assistant Scientist—Part Time). These appointees devote only part of their time to the duties of a research scientist. They may also be gainfully employed in other activities, either with the University or elsewhere.
(UFC: 10/13/1992; Trustees: 02/2/1993)

Research Associates and Postdoctoral Fellows
The qualifications for the job titles Research Associate and Postdoctoral Fellow are defined by BL-ACA-A5. 

Additional Academic Appointments
Resident
The title “Resident” is used for individuals who have completed the academic requirements for the M.D. or D.D.S. degree and wish to further develop the knowledge and skills acquired as a medical or dental student. This period of graduate education extends between one and seven years, depending on the specialty chosen. This training is usually obtained in the University-owned or affiliated hospitals.

Clinical Fellow
The title “Clinical Fellow” is to be used only by the Medical Center for those individuals with doctoral degrees pursuing additional training in a specialized area. No degree is sought or given. Compensation is made in recognition of services performed or the achievement of prescribed objectives during a specified period.

Physician
The title “Physician” is used only for medical doctors employed in the Student Health Center.
(UFC: 04/11/1978)

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History

Approved: UFC 4/11/78; Trustees 2/7/81, 8/7/84.

Amended: UFC 2/10/87; Trustees 3/7/87; UFC 3/26/96; UFC 2/13/2001; Trustees 5/4/2001; UFC 4/28/2009; Trustees 6/12/2009; BFC 1/18/11; BFC adopted amendments to this policy on March 27, 2018, pending action and approval of the Faculty Council and the Board of Trustees. The UFC and Trustees amended the corresponding university policies on ACA-14 and ACA-18 on June 14, 2019, allowing these amendments to go into effect.

Previous versions of this policy:

06/14/19 - 04/02/2024

01/18/11 - 06/14/19

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