Academic Rank Criteria

PAGE: 300
TOPIC: Academic Rank Criteria
EFFECTIVE DATE: /85
REVISED: /00
RESPONSIBLE OFFICE:

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The following ranks for full-time faculty are also described by the current UMS-AFUM agreement:
LECTURER
Lecturers are usually individuals whose appointments are temporary because of limited need for their services. Tenure will not be granted to a person holding this rank. Time served as a Lecturer will not be counted toward fulfilling a probationary period.
INSTRUCTOR
An Instructor should hold a master’s degree, and should be actively engaged in graduate or other professional study. An Instructor is not eligible for tenure while holding that rank.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
To be appointed to the rank of Assistant Professor, an individual should have completed thirty or more graduate hours beyond that of the master’s degree in a doctoral program and have the equivalent of three years of college teaching experience. An Assistant Professor must also have demonstrated interest in maintaining and improving his or her professional competence.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
To be appointed to the rank of Associate Professor, an individual should normally have had at least six years of college teaching experience, an earned doctorate degree, or education and experience of an equivalent nature. An individual granted to rank of Associate Professor must have demonstrated thorough professional competence in his or her field, and must have demonstrated creative performance in those areas of instruction required by the mission of the academic unit to which he or she belongs. An Associate Professor must show definite promise for continued development, both as a teacher generally and as a specialist in his or her discipline. An Associate Professor should have the reputation for making contributions, creative and/or scholarly, to his or her field, to the institution, and to the community.
PROFESSOR
To be appointed to the rank of Professor, an individual must normally have a minimum of nine years of college teaching, an earned doctorate, and have demonstrated ability of a high order in the role of university teacher. An individual granted the rank of Professor must have demonstrated thorough professional competence in his or her field, and must have demonstrated creative performance in those areas of instruction required by the mission of the academic unit to which he or she belongs. A Professor must show definite promise for continued development, both as a teacher generally as a specialist in his or her discipline. A Professor should have the reputation for making contributions, creative and/or scholarly, to his or her field, to the institution, and to the community.
Related:  Current UMS-AFUM Agreement