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ACADEMIC POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Faculty Personnel Policies

Faculty Personnel Policy

It is the policy for the University of Oklahoma, and Rogers State University to recognize and implement the functions assigned to regional institutions by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. These functions are teaching, research, continuing education, and public service. The responsibility for carrying out this policy is shared by the Board of Regents of The University of Oklahoma, and the faculty and staff of the university.

Membership

The faculty is composed of two groups, the regular and the supplemental faculty. In most cases, these individuals have an instructional or research relationship to the university, either direct or supervisory. The faculty includes permanent and temporary, full-time and part-time personnel.

Regular Faculty

The regular faculty includes members of the faculty who are full-time employees of the university and who hold the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, or instructor. Regular faculty may hold one of the following appointments: (1) Tenured; (2) Tenure Track; (3) Non-Tenure Track; (4) Temporary.

Types of Appointments to Faculty

The regular faculty holds one of four types of appointments:

  1. Tenured. A tenured appointment is reserved for those regular faculty members who have been granted tenure by the Board. Tenured faculty members are on continuous appointment and, therefore, are not notified of their appointment status for the following year unless their appointment is being terminated. The procedures for dismissal of tenured faculty are covered in this chapter. Tenured faculty members appointed to administrative positions retain the tenure and rank that was previously granted when they were regular faculty members. An administrator may not hold tenure by virtue of an appointment to an administrative position, unless specifically granted by the Board, but may attain and hold tenure as a member of the regular faculty.
  2. Tenure Track. Tenure track appointments are for one (1) academic year beginning August 1 and ending May 30. The appointments are renewable annually at the option of the university. A person on tenure track will be given written notification of non-reappointment by March 1, prior to the termination of the current appointment.
  3. Non-Tenured Track. A non-tenure track appointment is one in which the faculty member is appointed to the regular faculty but is not eligible to receive tenure. Faculty members below the rank of assistant professor have non-tenure track appointments (instructor is a non-tenure track appointment). Non-tenure track appointments are for one (1) academic year beginning August 1 and ending May 30. Faculty with this type of appointment will be given written notification of non-reappointment by March 1, prior to the termination of the current appointment.
  4. Temporary. A temporary appointment is one in which the faculty member is appointed to the regular faculty for a period of one year or less. Upon termination of the temporary appointment, the position, if continued, will be opened and advertised.

Supplemental Faculty

The supplemental faculty consists of:

  1. Adjunct Faculty. Adjunct faculty hold part-time appointments that may be by semester. The rank of such faculty may be adjunct instructor or lecturer. Adjunct faculty will be limited to teaching 9 (nine) hours or less per semester or session.
  2. Visiting Faculty. Visiting faculty are employed by the university to teach or perform research for a limited time and are on leave of absence from another institution of higher education or professional practice. Visiting faculty may be appointed at any rank.
  3. Volunteer Faculty. A person who has special talents or expertise and whose time and services are donated, may be appointed to the university volunteer faculty. Volunteer faculty who meet the education qualifications may hold academic rank.
  4. Clinical Supervisors. Clinical supervisors are not employees of the university. They are practitioners who are assigned regular and continuing responsibilities in the clinical setting.

Length of Appointments

Because of the budget balancing amendment of the Oklahoma Constitution, the Board may not obligate itself beyond a current fiscal year for salaries or compensation in any amount to its employees. The Board does, however, recognize the intent to reappoint tenured personnel within existing positions that are continued the next academic year subject to sufficient allocations or appropriations of funds.

Initial Appointments to the Regular Faculty

Appointments to the regular faculty are made by the Board. Consideration for appointment by the Board is given after recommendation by the University President.

Appointments to the Supplemental Faculty

The President or his designee makes appointments to the supplemental faculty as required to meet the institution’s needs. Appointments to the supplemental faculty do not require Board approval. These appointments are limited to specific duties and a specific period of time. Supplemental faculty are not entitled to notification of non-reappointment.

Appointments to the Summer Teaching Faculty

An appointment to the summer faculty is limited to the specific summer for which the appointment is made. The university president or his designee makes appointments for the Summer Session and these appointments do not require Board approval.

Full and Part-Time Appointments

  1. Full-Time Appointments. Full-time faculty have instructional and non-instructional duties as assigned by the University. Instructional duties include but are not limited to the teaching of assigned classes, evaluating the students in the classes, and meeting with those students who require assistance in their classes. Non-instructional duties include but are not limited to conducting research and other scholarly activity, advising students, serving on committees, sponsoring organizations, continuing certification and participating in professional organizations. A full-time faculty member should generally carry an instructional load of twelve (12) to fifteen (15) hours per semester and a non-instructional equivalent load of three to six (3-6) hours per semester so the full-time load would be the equivalent of eighteen (18) hours per semester.
  2. Joint Appointments. Appointments between two or more academic units or colleges or universities are encouraged when they are of mutual benefit. However, they (a) must not total more than 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) and (b) must be approved by all the units and colleges or universities involved. Such appointments must have the approval of the appropriate administrative officials of all units involved and one academic unit and college shall have primary responsibility for promotion and tenure consideration. Faculty cannot receive remuneration from two institutions when it will result in an assignment greater than 1.0 FTE.
  3. Adjunct Appointments. Adjunct appointments are temporary appointments made for one semester or summer session only and involve instructional duties for certain course sections only. Compensation is determined at the university level. Adjunct faculty will be limited to 9 hours per semester or session.