Instructional faculty classifications and appointments

The University classifies its instructional faculty as described below. Unless otherwise noted, the appointments described below are appointments not covered under collective bargaining agreements.

1. Tenure track faculty

   The tenure track faculty consists of tenure track assistant professors and instructors, and tenure track and tenured professors and associate professors.

   Note: Tenure track professorial faculty may also hold additional appointment as adjunct instructional faculty as adjunct professor, adjunct associate professor, adjunct assistant professor, adjunct instructor, or adjunct lecturer.

   1. Professor and associate professor

      The title of professor or associate professor is given only to persons of established professional position and demonstrated scholarly or creative ability. The difference between the two ranks is primarily one of achievement. Unless otherwise specified, appointments with these titles are with tenure. An appointment with either title may be made without tenure. Members of the tenured professorial faculty will be appointed by the Board of Regents on recommendation of:

      • the appropriate dean or executive committee, and
      • at the Ann Arbor campus by the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, or
      • at the University of Michigan-Dearborn or University of Michigan-Flint campus by the chancellor, and
      • by the president.

   2. Assistant professor

      The title of assistant professor is given to persons of proven ability who have acceptable experience (a) at the rank of instructor at the University, instructor or higher at another institution, or (b) in professional work. Appointments are without tenure but are tenure-track. They will be appointed by the chancellor (University of Michigan-Dearborn and University of Michigan-Flint campuses) and the president on recommendation of the dean and the executive committee of the appropriate school, college, or division.

   3. Instructor

      The title of instructor is given to persons who hold a doctorate or its equivalent in professional experience, or who have completed a major part of the work toward a doctorate, and have shown evidence of special ability as a teacher or scholar. Appointments are made either for one term or, in the case of persons with proven ability, for not more than four years. Appointments are without tenure but are tenure-track. They will be appointed by the chancellor (University of Michigan-Dearborn and University of Michigan-Flint campuses ) and the president on recommendation of the dean and executive committee of the appropriate school, college, or division.

2. Clinical instructional faculty

   An academic unit may be authorized to appoint clinical instructional staff to support its instructional program only if the school, college, or division has adopted a policy authorizing such appointments in accordance with its bylaws and the policy has been approved by the appropriate provost, chancellor (University of Michigan-Flint and University of Michigan-Dearborn), president and Board of Regents.

   Clinical instructional appointments are at appointment fractions of 50 percent or greater, and are without tenure. The following titles may be used for clinical instructional appointments: clinical professor, clinical associate professor, clinical assistant professor, clinical instructor, or clinical lecturer.

   Appointments to the clinical track are for a fixed term, cannot exceed seven years in duration, and may be renewed. The appropriate school, college, or division will establish appointment and promotion criteria. The school, college, or division bylaws may further define the rights and responsibilities of clinical faculty, consistent with the Regents’ Bylaws.

   Clinical assistant professors, clinical instructors, and clinical lecturers will be appointed by the chancellor (University of Michigan-Dearborn and University of Michigan-Flint) and the president on recommendation of the chair or director of the appropriate academic department or program and the dean of the appropriate school, college, or division.

   Clinical professors and clinical associate professors will be appointed by the chancellor (University of Michigan-Dearborn and University of Michigan-Flint), and the president on recommendation of the chair or director of the appropriate academic department or program; the dean of the appropriate school, college, or division; and the appropriate provost.

3. Lecturers

   Under some circumstances the University appoints lecturers who are not covered by the collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Lecturers’ Employee Organization (LEO). For such appointments, the title of lecturer is given to persons who do not appropriately fall in the other ranks this policy describes. Appointments are made either for one term or, in the case of persons of proven ability, for not more than four years, and are without tenure. They will be appointed by the chancellor (University of Michigan-Dearborn and University of Michigan-Flint campuses) and the president on recommendation of the dean and executive committee of the appropriate school, college, or division.

4. Lecturers covered under a collective bargaining agreement

   This group of instructional faculty are lecturers who are covered by the collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Lecturers’ Employee Organization (LEO).

5. Adjunct instructional faculty covered under a collective bargaining agreement

   Adjunct instructional faculty are covered by the collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Lecturers’ Employee Organization (LEO) unless they also hold a tenure track professorial faculty appointment (see Section I.A).

6. Adjunct clinical instructional faculty

   To supplement the University’s instructional program, any academic unit may appoint professional practitioners in the community or within the University at appointment fractions below 50 percent as adjunct clinical professors, adjunct clinical associate professors, adjunct clinical assistant professors, adjunct clinical instructors, or adjunct clinical lecturers.

   Appointments as adjunct clinical instructional faculty are on an annual or shorter basis and are without tenure. The school, college, or division will establish appointment and/or promotion criteria.

   They will be appointed by the chancellor (University of Michigan-Dearborn and University of Michigan-Flint) and the president on recommendation of the dean and executive committee of the appropriate school, college, or division.

7. Visiting instructional faculty

   To supplement the instructional program at the University, individuals whose ongoing employment responsibilities lie outside the University at another institution of higher education may be appointed as visiting professors, visiting associate professors, visiting assistant professors, visiting instructors, visiting lecturers, visiting clinical professors, visiting clinical associate professors, visiting clinical assistant professors, visiting clinical instructors, or visiting clinical lecturers.

   Appointments as visiting instructional faculty are for one year or less, may be extended only under unusual circumstances, and are without tenure. Visiting instructional appointments may be made at any rank but must be consistent with the individual’s professional stature. The school, college, or division will establish appointment criteria for this set of titles.

   They will be appointed by the chancellor (University of Michigan-Dearborn and University of Michigan-Flint) and the president on recommendation of the dean and executive committee of the appropriate school, college, or division.

Definitions

Regular instructional faculty. For definitional purposes in other Standard Practice Guides, the term “regular instructional faculty” includes tenure track faculty (I.A. above), clinical instructional faculty (I.B. above), lecturers (I.C above), and lecturers (bargained-for) (I.D above).

Supplemental instructional faculty. For definitional purposes in other Standard Practice Guides, the term “supplemental instructional faculty” includes adjunct instructional faculty (bargained-for) (I.E above), adjunct clinical instructional faculty (I.F. above), and visiting instructional faculty (I.G. above).