OFFICIAL

PURPOSE

1. This policy and procedure statement is intended to define the general responsibilities of faculty and to provide a comprehensive list of faculty titles assigned at Texas State.

 

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES

2. All faculty have the responsibility for the appropriate undertaking of teaching, scholarly/creative activities, and service as expected within their discipline and as appropriate for their title and rank. These responsibilities may vary from year to year and are reflected in the PPS 7.05, Faculty Workload. Faculty responsibilities are specified in other policy statements and the Faculty Handbook, including PPS 4.01, Conduct and Planning of Courses; PPS 4.02, Conduct of Classes; PPS 4.03, Professional Responsibilities Related to but not Included with Teaching; PPS 4.05, Maintenance and Improvement of Quality in Teaching; PPS 8.01, Development/Evaluation of Tenure-Track Faculty; department faculty evaluation policies mandated by PPS 8.09, Performance Evaluation of Faculty and Post-Tenure Review; PPS 8.10, Tenure and Promotion Review; and the department and college tenure and promotion policies mandated by PPS 8.10.



FACULTY DEFINITIONS

3. Tenure-track and tenured faculty are faculty who are eligible for consideration for tenure following a stipulated probationary period, or who have earned tenure.

a. Titles for tenure-track or tenured faculty include:


1). Assistant Professor
2). Associate Professor
3.) Professor
4). Professor – Endowed Chair
5). Regent Professor
6). Chair – Associate Professor
7). Chair – Professor
8). School Director – Associate Professor
9). School Director – Professor


4. Adjunct faculty are faculty who are not eligible for tenure. Emeritus faculty are included because they surrender tenure upon retirement.

a. Titles for adjunct faculty include:


1). Lecturer - teaching faculty are hired for one academic year or semester, either on a per course or Full Time Equivalent (FTE) appointment. Lecturer duties are restricted to teaching functions and limited service activities.
2). Senior Lecturer – teaching faculty are hired on a continuing basis, either on a per course or FTE appointment. Senior lecturer appointments can be made for three year terms, pending successful annual reviews and recommendations to reappoint, renewable annually. Senior lecturers can be reappointed to subsequent three-year terms. Senior lecturer duties will be more expansive than those for lecturers and will include the teaching function and expanded service activities such as academic advising duties. In addition, scholarly/creative activities may be encouraged and allowed but not required.
3). Clinical Lecturer – teaching faculty hired either on a per course or FTE appointment for a specific term, not to exceed three years or, if for a lesser period of time, the time period specified. Specific requirements for appointment at this rank are found in PPS 7.18, Clinical Faculty Appointments.
4). Clinical Assistant Professor – teaching faculty hired either on a per course or FTE appointment for a specific term, not to exceed five years or, if for a lesser period of time, the time period specified. A faculty member may be reappointed in the clinical track for one or more additional terms, contingent upon continuity of funding, the individual's evaluations, and departmental need. Specific requirements for appointment at this rank are found in PPS 7.18, Clinical Faculty Appointments.
5). Clinical Associate Professor - teaching faculty hired either on a per course or FTE appointment for a specific term, not to exceed five years or, if for a lesser period of time, the time period specified. A faculty member may be reappointed in the clinical track for one or more additional terms, contingent upon continuity of funding, the individual's evaluations, and departmental need. Specific requirements for appointment at this rank are found in PPS 7.18, Clinical Faculty Appointments.
6). Clinical Professor - teaching faculty hired either on a per course or FTE appointment for a specific term, not to exceed five years or, if for a lesser period of time, the time period specified. A faculty member may be reappointed in the clinical track for one or more additional terms, contingent upon continuity of funding, the individual's evaluations, and departmental need. Specific requirements for appointment at this rank are found in PPS 7.18, Clinical Faculty Appointments.
7). Research Assistant Professor - appointed for a term not to exceed five years or, if for a lesser period of time, the time period specified. A faculty member may be reappointed in the research track for one or more additional terms, contingent upon continuity of funding, the individual's evaluations, and departmental need. Specific requirements for appointment at this rank are found in PPS 7.19, Research Faculty Appointments.
8). Research Associate Professor - appointed for a term not to exceed five years or, if for a lesser period of time, the time period specified. A faculty member may be reappointed in the research track for one or more additional terms, contingent upon continuity of funding, the individual's evaluations, and departmental need. Specific requirements for appointment at this rank are found in PPS 7.19, Research Faculty Appointments.
9). Research Professor - appointed for a term not to exceed five years or, if for a lesser period of time, the time period specified. A faculty member may be reappointed in the research track for one or more additional terms, contingent upon continuity of funding, the individual's evaluations, and departmental need. Specific requirements for appointment at this rank are found in PPS 7.19, Research Faculty Appointments.
10). Visiting Lecturer – appointment at this rank is reserved for a faculty member from another university serving as a visiting scholar for a predetermined time period for collaboration; for a retired tenured faculty member from another university; or an individual with prominent industry ties. Visiting lecturers may also be appointed to teach, on a paid or unpaid basis. Recommendations for appointments at this rank are submitted via the personnel committee, the chair or director, and the dean to the Provost. Required documents for this appointment are found in PPS 7.02, Faculty Hiring.
11). Visiting Assistant Professor - appointment at this rank is reserved for a faculty member from another university serving as a visiting scholar for a predetermined time period for collaboration; for a retired tenured faculty member from another university; or an individual with prominent industry ties. Visiting assistant professors may also be appointed to teach, on a paid or unpaid basis. Recommendations for appointments at this rank are submitted via the personnel committee, the chair or director, and the dean to the Provost. Required documents for this appointment are found in PPS 7.02, Faculty Hiring.
12). Visiting Associate Professor - appointment at this rank is reserved for a faculty member from another university serving as a visiting scholar for a predetermined time period for collaboration; for a retired tenured faculty member from another university; or an individual with prominent industry ties. Visiting associate professors may also be appointed to teach, on a paid or unpaid basis. Recommendations for appointments at this rank are submitted via the personnel committee, the chair or director, and the dean to the Provost. Required documents for this appointment are found in PPS 7.02, Faculty Hiring.
13). Visiting Professor - appointment at this rank is reserved for a faculty member from another university serving as a visiting scholar for a predetermined time period for collaboration; for a retired tenured faculty member from another university; or an individual with prominent industry ties. Visiting professors may also be appointed to teach, on a paid or unpaid basis. Recommendations for appointments at this rank are submitted via the personnel committee, the chair or director, and the dean to the Provost. Required documents for this appointment are found in PPS 7.02, Faculty Hiring.
14). Assistant Professor Emeritus – retired faculty member who has served the university for a cumulative total of at least fifteen years. The conferring of this title is not automatic upon retirement, but shall be based upon individual distinction and exceptional high quality service and outstanding contributions to the University which clearly demonstrate the individual's worthiness of this honor. Faculty are nominated by their peers for this honor and are approved by the Dean, the Provost, and the President.
15). Associate Professor Emeritus – retired faculty member who has served the university for a cumulative total of at least ten years. The conferring of this title is not automatic upon retirement, but shall be based upon individual distinction and exceptional high quality service and outstanding contributions to the University which clearly demonstrate the individual's worthiness of this honor. Faculty are nominated by their peers for this honor and are approved by the Dean, the Provost, and the President.
16). Professor Emeritus - retired faculty member who has served the university for a cumulative total of at least ten years. The conferring of this title is not automatic upon retirement, but shall be based upon individual distinction and exceptional high quality service and outstanding contributions to the University which clearly demonstrate the individual's worthiness of this honor. Faculty are nominated by their peers for this honor and are approved by the Dean, the Provost, and the President.
17). Distinguished Professor Emeritus – this title is awarded only to extraordinary faculty members who are retiring or who have already retired in recognition of their exemplary service to Texas State. More information on these appointments can be found in PPS 6.01, Nominations for Distinguished Professor Emeritus.


5. Per course faculty are paid a flat rate for teaching a class. Appointment is limited to a maximum of two 3-4 hour classes per semester. The only exception is the addition of a University Seminar class to those two classes per semester.
6. A per course faculty FTE is typically 20% or 40% or can range from 0% to less than 50% depending on the department. Pay may be calculated on a per contact hour basis that can alter an FTE.

a. Titles for per course faculty include:

1). Lecturer
2). Senior Lecturer
3). Clinical Lecturer
4). Clinical Assistant Professor
5). Clinical Associate Professor
6). Clinical Professor
7). Research Assistant Professor
8). Research Associate Professor
9). Research Professor
10). Visiting Lecturer
11). Visiting Assistant Professor
12). Visiting Associate Professor
13). Visiting Professor
14). Assistant Professor Emeritus
15). Associate Professor Emeritus
16). Professor Emeritus
17). Distinguished Professor Emeritus


7. Program faculty are not teacher of record but are assigned duties within a department, center or institute that require faculty credentials. An appointment as program faculty must be approved by Faculty Records in the Provost’s office.
8. Visiting Scholar - appointment is reserved for individuals visiting from an outside institution or organization and sponsored by a faculty host. The appointment of a visiting scholar must be well defined as to the purpose, the length of the appointment, and the benefit to Texas State. A visiting scholar must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree; be financially supported by an outside source; and have proof of medical insurance. If the visiting scholar is a foreign national, the proper visa is required. The faculty host must request prior written approval for the appointment of a visiting scholar from the school director/department chair, dean, and the Associate Provost, and as relevant, seek guidance from the International Office on immigration related matters. Federal Export Control regulations will be followed when hiring foreign nationals as Visiting Scholars.  This title cannot be used for faculty who otherwise qualify for a visiting or research faculty appointment.

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This PPS has been approved by the reviewer listed below and represents Texas State's Division of Academic Affairs policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Texas State University-San Marcos
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Last Updated: November 21, 2011
Send comments and questions to: tg12@txstate.edu