III. POLICIES GOVERNING THE PROFESSIONAL STATUS AND QUALITY OF FACULTY MEMBERS CONTINUED 2

A. ACADEMIC RANK CONTINUED

The eligibility, length of term, appointment period, and expectations for each of the regular, temporary, and special ranks are described below.

To qualify for this rank a person must hold a master’s degree or the equivalent OR must hold bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three years of successful teaching or other academic or practical experience. Teaching experience below the college level may be taken into consideration for the Instructor rank.

Promotion of an instructor will not be considered until the fourth year of service in this rank, or until completion of a doctoral degree.

Faculty holding the instructor rank, qualify only for an annual appointment

Instructors are expected to show evidence of promise and improving skills in teaching; appropriate scholarly activity by attendance of scholarly meetings/workshops/in-service training sessions; attendance and participation in professional societies; participation in research activities; community involvement; and engagement in further study. After the first year in this rank the faculty member may be assigned committee, advising, or other responsibilities as deemed appropriate by his/her chair, dean, principal, or provost.

Instructors should fulfill the requirements for promotion to the assistant professor rank or should make substantial progress towards such promotion within the minimum years allowed in this rank.

To qualify for this rank a faculty member must hold a doctor of philosophy degree or its equivalent. Candidates may apply who hold a master’s degree or equivalent and have either three years of successful teaching or academic experience as an instructor or supervising instructor, additional graduate study, or practical/clinical experience in the faculty member’s specialty. Teaching experience below the college level may be taken into account.

Promotion from assistant professor will not be considered until the fifth year of service in this rank or later in this rank.

Faculty holding the rank of assistant professor qualify only for an annual appointment.

Assistant professors are expected to show scholarly activity by attendance and participation in professional societies, participation in research, consulting, exhibitions and competitions, or professional artistic performances; community involvement; efforts to improve teaching, and engagement in further study where possible. The faculty member must also fulfill his/her committee, advising, and other responsibilities at the University. An assistant professor should fulfill the requirements for promotion to the associate professor rank. Within the minimum years allowed for this rank, the faculty member should make substantial progress towards such promotion.

The doctor of philosophy degree or equivalent is required for this rank, together with at least four years of successful teaching or other academic experience as an assistant professor, and evidence of continuing scholarship; OR in special cases, a master’s degree or for other justified reasons. The holder of a master’s degree should manifest significant professional attainment with four years of successful teaching and professional experience while at the rank of assistant professor along with evidence of continuing scholarship.

Note: The disciplines and special cases where a doctoral degree is not considered necessary will be designated by the dean of the school and the provost upon the recommendation of the department chair.

Promotion from associate professor will not be considered until the fifth year of service or later in this rank.

Faculty holding the rank of associate professor and who have not attained tenure status shall qualify only for a one-year appointment.

While an associate professor, the faculty member should be in the process of establishing a reputation of significant accomplishment in teaching and scholarly endeavors.

An associate professor who holds graduate faculty membership but who does not progress in scholarly activity may jeopardize promotion, may lose such graduate faculty membership, or even re-employment.

To achieve the rank of professor a faculty member must have four years of successful teaching or other academic experience as an associate professor; and recognition from colleagues, professionals in the field and the university as regards the faculty member’s dedication and achievements in teaching, scholarly activity, service to the university and community, and support of the ideals of the university and higher education. Significant achievement is expected in two of the categories of faculty performance, and excellence in the third category.

A faculty member holding the rank of professor who has not attained the tenure status shall qualify only for a one-year appointment.

The rank of professor is not considered a final plateau. Indeed, the honor of this rank brings new responsibilities as a senior faculty member, a mentor and role model for younger colleagues. There is an obligation to continue the pursuit of excellence in academic matters, to maintain a portfolio of scholarship and professional experiences, and review this periodically with the department chair and the dean of the school.

A professor who holds graduate faculty membership but who does not progress in scholarly activity may jeopardize graduate faculty membership or (as a non-continuous faculty member) re-employment.

Emeritus rank is assigned to Andrews University employees who hold a faculty rank or academic administrative title, are retiring after a minimum of ten (10) years of full-time service to the University and have distinguished themselves in two or more of the following areas: (a) distinguished teaching record, (b) outstanding scholarly publication record; (c) professional achievement in administrative or other duties, (d) acclaimed creative work, (e) recognized advising and mentorship for students, and (f) distinguished volunteerism in service to the community and church. The emeritus status is assigned at the commencement of retirement in the academic rank or academic administative title held by the individual at that time. The recommendation for emeritus rank is made by the relevant department or academic unit to the dean of the school and thence to the provost. In cases where a dean or other administrator meets the criteria for the emeritus rank, then the Office of the Provost initiates the process. The provost makes the recommendation to the president, and the Board of Trustees votes the rank of Emeritus.

However, if the president is eligible for the Emeritus Rank then the Office of the Provost in consultation with Faculty Senate and the Board of Trustees initiates the process, and the Board of Trustees votes the rank of Emeritus. If the provost is eligible for the Emeritus rank, then the Office of the President initiates the process, and the Board of Trustees votes the rank of Emeritus.

Individuals with emeritus rank are listed in the annual bulletins of the University and are granted the following privileges:

• Notification of departmental, school, and General Faculty meetings as well as minutes for the same.
• An academic account on the campus’ computer network.
• Invitations to Board of Trustees/Faculty/Staff banquets and special convocations.
• Invitations from the Grand Marshall to march in the academic procession for graduation.
• An I.D. card with the concomitant privileges of a faculty member.
• The privilege of a faculty member or spouse to take one free class per semester as allowed by policy.
• Inclusion in the Andrews University telephone directory as Emeritus Faculty/Dean Emeritus/Provost Emeritus/President Emeritus.

The provost shall be responsible for ensuring that the above privileges are assigned to emeritus faculty and administrators.

Faculty who are hired on the non-tenure track (see policy #2:135:2), but who fulfill a full range of academic role expectations normally found in a regular faculty position, will be appointed to a regular rank such as instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, or professor. Eligibility and length of term for promotion will be the same as for the parallel ranks on the tenure track (see policy #2:310:1), but tenure status is unavailable. The evaluation for promotion in rank will use the same system as for faculty on tenure (see policy #2:307).

This rank is assigned to teaching faculty hired in the non-tenure track category (see policy #2:135:2) who fill only a limited range of expectations. Lecturers are hired on renewable annual contracts for positions with specific role expectations outlined in the annual hire letter. They are not eligible for promotion or expected to meet the research, service, committee, and advisement expectations which tenure track faculty must meet unless such expectations are part of the annual hiring contract. To be considered for promotion to a regular rank, lecturers must first be appointed to a regular rank position.

Under special circumstances, lecturers may be hired on an emergency basis. Circumstances that may qualify as an emergency include: a faculty member becomes ill during the course of the semester; a faculty member assigned to teach a class unexpectedly becomes unavailable a day or two before the class in scheduled to begin; etc.

Temporary ranks are assigned to part-time or full-time faculty for a specific but relatively short periods of time or until the completion of a certain academic or research task. Temporary ranks are not assigned to tenure track positions.

Such temporary ranks play an important role in the life of a university by infusing fresh academic talent to the University while giving qualified individuals recognition for their scholarship and potential.

Temporary ranks are assigned by the Andrews University Board of Trustees on the recommendation of the president; after consultation with the provost, the dean, and the department chair of the relevant school. A faculty member holding a temporary rank enjoys the same privileges as a faculty member holding a regular rank.

Andrews University awards the temporary faculty ranks of visiting professor, senior research fellow, and research associate.

This rank is for a full-time position, usually lasting no more than two years, provided to one who holds academic rank elsewhere and is temporarily teaching at Andrews University.

This rank is assigned to a post-doctoral researcher affiliated with the University to fulfill a research assignment. The person must have sufficient experience for assuming the role of principal investigator if necessary, and usually will have a doctoral degree.

This rank is given to a full-time person engaged in the planning, implementation, and supervision of independent research as an associate to one or more Andrews University faculty members for the duration of the project. A terminal degree in the field is usually expected. This position could also be filled by a Post-Doctoral Fellow (see policy #2:371).

The status of tenure is recommended by the University Rank and Tenure Committee. The peer review process is similar to that described in policy #2:307. Faculty in the K-12 system are recommended for tenure by the relevant school Operating Board.

A university faculty member is considered for tenure only when he/she:

• is appointed for employment in a tenure track position (see also policy #2:135).
• holds a doctorate or terminal degree in the area of appointment
• holds the associate professor rank
• and has been employed by Andrews University in a faculty position for at least six (6) consecutive years

OR

a faculty member in the K-12 schools is considered for tenure only when he/she:

• has been employed as a faculty member in the Andrews University K-12 system for at least six (6) consecutive years
• holds the master’s degree,
• and has been holding the rank of Supervising Instructor in Education or higher rank for at least three (3) years.

The evaluation of a faculty member for tenure takes place after six (6) years as pointed out above.

The evaluation is made within the greater context of achievement and promise with respect to a faculty member’s: (a) thorough knowledge of a field as well as its related disciplines, (b) positive collegial relationship to peers and administrators, (c) positive mentoring relationship to students; (d) responsible contribution to the needs, reputation and activity of the department, school, and university, and (e) the promise of the teacher’s sustained role and productivity in the department, school, and university. Relevant material for the evaluation shall be collected from the candidate, peers, department chairs, students, and administrators (see also policy #2:135 for criteria and other details).

For tenure arrangements for administrators, see policies #1:712 and #2:135.