D R A F T #5                              D R A F T #5                      D R A F T #5

 

Policy for Hiring, Evaluating and Retaining of Non‑Tenure Track Faculty

at The University of Tennessee

 

In hiring instructors, lecturers, clinical and research faculty the University of Tennessee has established the following standards as recommended by the American Association of University Professors. 

 

1.           All appointments to regular, non‑tenure track teaching positions, including part‑time appointments, will be made in accord with departmental and college bylaws.  Departmental faculty should participate in hiring decisions.  How this is accomplished will vary from department to department.  Departments should initiate the hiring process as soon as possible and contact the Office of Equity and Diversity to participate in the national search process.  The search process should begin by March 1.  Non-tenure track faculty who hold appointments should complete a reapplication process by March 1.  As soon as possible, but no later than May 1, the departmentally designated group of faculty must review applications and make recommendations to the Department Head.  The Department Head then makes appointment with College and Provost approval.

 

2.           A department may create, with appropriate approvals, a senior lecturer position which would involve a contract renewable for at least five years. Contract continuation is based on available funds and acceptable job performance as determined by annual review.  The annual review should be based on the best practices guidelines for evaluating instruction which are outlined in the manual for Faculty Evaluation (probationary faculty section).  This group would be the last group of non-tenure track teaching faculty to be released from employment in cases of financial restrictions.

 

3.           Research faculty appointments are subject to the same departmental review as teaching non-tenure track appointments.  However, non-tenure track research faculty appointments may be made for more than nine-month appointments and may occur at anytime in the year.  The appointment period will not exceed the length of grant funding.

 

4.     The performance of all non-tenure track faculty members will be evaluated annually, with a written record of the evaluation maintained in departmental and Human Resources files.   The criteria for evaluating non-tenure track faculty for purposes of hiring and retaining must be adopted by a vote based on departmental bylaws and made available to all faculty.

 

5.     Conditions necessary to perform assigned duties in a professional manner, including such things as appropriate office space, necessary supplies, support services, and equipment will be provided. Departments should consider the views of non-tenure track faculty in setting schedules and other issues which impact quality of teaching and working conditions.  Where possible, travel to at least one scholarly meeting should be provided.

 

6.     All appointments to regular non-tenure track faculty teaching positions will be for the academic year, with timely notice of non-reappointment preferably by May 1.  Departments will have a plan for covering expected teaching assignments and that plan will be shared with non-tenure track faculty.  Departments should have consistent criteria for deciding teaching assignments. 

 

7.     Non‑tenure track teaching and research faculty re-appointed to regular positions may appeal subsequent non‑reappointment or reductions in appointment to below 75% time (that is below the benefit eligible status) through the following process: appeals should be made in the first instance through the Department Head and the Dean.  If satisfactory resolution is not reached, the appeal may be carried to the Chief Academic Officer. At each step the consideration will be whether or not the standards outlined in this document were followed.   [The Faculty Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate will hear unresolved issues carried through this process to determine if appropriate processes were followed.]

 

8.     Non-tenure track faculty should have an opportunity to participate as appropriate in the governance of the department, college and university.  Departmental bylaws must address the role of non-tenure track faculty in the governance of the department.  Departments should specify which types of decisions will or will not involve non-tenure track faculty participation. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(HR 10/23/02)