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Policy 2111 – Faculty Ranks and Promotions in Rank

Revision Date: 02/09/2023

Last Review: 02/09/2023

Responsible Office: Provost

Reference:  University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors Board Bylaws & Rules Chapter III.XI; Council of Academic Deans

Policy:

Quality academic instruction to its students, enhancement of the body of knowledge through research and service to campus, community, and state are vital to the University’s mission. In support of this mission, each Department must seek to employ the most highly qualified faculty members. The following ranks are used at Louisiana Tech University: Instructor (temporary appointment for a fixed term), Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Distinguished Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. The University also uses adjunct and visiting instructional, research, and service designations in support of its mission. 

Definitions:

Faculty appointments

Promotions in rank (Policy 2113) are considered on the basis of merit from recommendations made by the Unit Head and Dean. Faculty input will be included in the promotion process. Promotions are not automatic but result from considered judgment.

A faculty member who chooses to pursue an advanced degree, which may later be included among credentials submitted with promotion and/or tenure applications, must first receive written agreement from the Unit Head and Dean of the College. The approval will acknowledge that the degree is appropriate to the needs and mission of the Department.

Teaching faculty must be available at scheduled times for consultation with students (Policy 2107). Teaching and research faculty are introduced to professors in their disciplines with whom they are expected to cooperate and from whom they are expected to seek guidance. The online Policies and Procedures Manual and University Bulletin are primary references for all employees. Other orientation information and details concerning employee benefits are provided by the Human Resources Office.

Instructor

Faculty members appointed at the rank of Instructor shall have attained the minimum of the appropriate Master’s degree. Faculty employed at this rank will not be considered for promotion or tenure. Evaluations will be conducted annually with the view of determining reappointment.

Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Distinguished Lecturer

Faculty employed in the position of Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, or Distinguished Lecturer shall be expected to carry full-time teaching loads of 27 hours per year as defined in the University Workload Policy (Policy 2106). Lecturers shall have exceptional teaching ability, thereby providing quality instructional value to the University. Lecturers will be evaluated annually. Lecturers are not eligible for tenure or promotion into a tenure-track position. Evaluations will be conducted annually with the view of determining reappointment.

Lecturer

Faculty appointed as a Lecturer shall have attained the minimum academic qualifications of an appropriate terminal degree in their field of study. Lecturers shall have current knowledge and expertise within their field, an ability to organize materials for a course, develop course projects and assignments, and make effective use of various modes of presentation that demonstrate the potential for excellence in teaching.

Senior Lecturer

Faculty promoted or appointed to Senior Lecturer shall have met the qualifications of a Lecturer and have a documented record of success in teaching within their field for at least six years. Documented excellences in teaching as well as contributions to education that have substantial impact within the College and/or University are prerequisites in the consideration of promotion to this rank.

Distinguished Lecturer

Faculty appointed to Distinguished Lecturer shall have met the qualifications of Senior Lecturer and have a documented record of excellence in teaching for several years as well as evidence of exceptional national or international achievements in education within their field.

Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor

Entry-level, tenure-track appointments are made at the rank of Assistant Professor. Appointees to this rank shall have attained the minimum academic qualification of an appropriate terminal degree in their field of study. Only in special academic fields, or under special circumstances based upon Departmental need, or in the case of particular types of special training, will an individual be employed in this rank with less than this academic training.

Faculty members promoted or appointed to the rank of Associate Professor shall have attained the appropriate terminal degree prior to being promoted to this rank. Only in special academic fields or in the case of particular types of special training will an individual be promoted to this rank with less than this academic training. Documented strengths in the areas of teaching, research, and service are prerequisites in the consideration for promotion to this rank.

Only individuals who have a documented record of growth and outstanding accomplishments in the areas of teaching, research, and service over a period of several years will be considered for promotion to the rank of Professor.

Special care shall be exercised in assigning faculty ranks to new appointees and in making promotions in rank from year to year. The following table provides guidelines and limitations on assignments of ranks within each institution governed by the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System:

Rank Distribution

Academic Rank

Percentage Rank

Range Not to Exceed

Professor

20-35%

35%

Associate Professor

25-35%

35%

 

Adjunct Faculty

Persons whose primary responsibilities lie outside the University or in another capacity with the University may be appointed on a part-time, temporary basis as adjunct professors, adjunct associate professors, adjunct assistant professors, and adjunct instructors as appropriate and needed to supplement the University’s instructional programs. Adjunct personnel are normally compensated on a per course basis. Appointments as adjunct instructional faculty are without tenure with review on an annual or short-term basis dependent on the appointment term. Time spent in a part-time or temporary appointment shall not be counted as tenure-earning service.

Visiting instructional, research, and service appointments

Visiting Faculty

The titles of Visiting Assistant Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, and Visiting Professor are courtesy titles to be given to faculty visiting from another institution of higher education who are on temporary assignment to Louisiana Tech University. Normally, the visitor is given the equivalent professional rank held at the home institution. However, when the visitor qualifies for a higher rank in the unit making the appointment at Louisiana Tech, the higher rank may be recommended.

Visiting faculty are given part-time or full-time term appointments which normally shall not exceed one calendar year in length. Appointments will be made on a regular appointment form. Visiting faculty may receive compensation or serve gratis. Tenure is not awarded to visiting faculty. Individuals appointed at these ranks may be invited to participate in but will not vote on faculty matters.

Professional

Individuals from the various professions (who may not have faculty rank at another University) may be appointed to visiting instruction, research, and service positions at Louisiana Tech. Examples of some illustrative titles would be Architect-in-Residence, Artist-in-Residence, Executive-in-Residence, and Biologist-in-Residence. At the option of the appointing unit, the individual may be appointed with a visiting faculty rank in lieu of Professional-in-Residence.

The professionals may be appointed in-residence on a part-time or full-time basis, and the residence period may be for continuous or irregular intervals which normally shall not exceed one calendar year. Individuals in these positions may receive compensation or serve gratis. Appointments will be made on a regular appointment form. Tenure is not awarded to Professionals-in-Residence. Individuals appointed at these ranks may be invited to participate in but will not vote on faculty matters.

Research Appointments

The following appointments may be used for individuals whose primary responsibility is conducting research or extension education and who often are paid from grant or contract funds. Individuals in these ranks do not acquire tenure.

Research Associate

Research Associates are appointed for a fixed term as consistent with the research assignment and are expected to perform specialized research, instructional, extension, service, or artistic assignments under the supervision of a member of the professorial ranks.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Persons appointed to the rank of Postdoctoral Researcher must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree. They are expected to assist and perform specialized research or extension service assignments under the general supervision of a member of the professorial ranks.

Assistant Professor-Research, Associate Professor-Research, Professor-Research

Academically credentialed individuals employed for the primary role of supporting the University’s research efforts may be employed at the appropriate faculty/research rank. Such a faculty, as qualified, may provide instructional support to supplement the instructional program of the University. Such appointments may be made for rolling terms of up to five years (specified for each individual). The contract for such rolling terms may provide for conditions related to continued funding of the grant supporting the position. Faculty members on such appointments are reviewed annually. At such annual review, a recommendation not to reappoint can be made in keeping with initial terms (as specified for each individual). Faculty members on such appointments may be terminated for cause at any time with due process.

Graduate Faculty

Tenured and tenure-track faculty may be nominated to serve as Graduate Faculty by their Colleges. Graduate Faculty teach graduate courses, design/revise graduate program curricula, and chair or serve on graduate committees. Graduate Faculty introduce students into the current scholarly activities of the various disciplines. Therefore, the members of the Graduate Faculty should be active scholars.

Each Department, School, or College will establish and inform its faculty of the criteria to become a member of the Graduate Faculty. The criteria must be approved by the Dean of the College. Copies of the criteria must be filed with the appropriate Graduate Director and the Dean of the Graduate School.

Graduate Faculty status will be forfeited if employment as a tenured/tenure-track faculty member at the University ends. In such cases, at the discretion of the unit and college, nomination for ad hoc Graduate Faculty status (see below) may be submitted.

Ad Hoc Graduate Faculty Status

Ad hoc (as needed) Graduate Faculty status may be conferred by the Dean of the Graduate School to individuals who are not tenured/tenure-track faculty at the University—such as Lecturers—based on unique qualifications and circumstances, as presented by the appropriate college officials. Individuals who are external to the University may also be nominated for ad hoc Graduate Faculty status. Typically, these appointments are for the purpose of teaching graduate courses (provided the nominee meets SACS-COC credentialing criteria) or serving as graduate committee members. The length of their terms should be determined by the colleges depending on the need for their services but shall not exceed five years. Ad hoc Graduate Faculty may co-chair a graduate committee along with a regular member of the Graduate Faculty.

Ex Officio Graduate Faculty status

Deans of Colleges, Dean of the Graduate School, and the Provost will be ex officio members of the Graduate Faculty with all the privileges and responsibilities of membership.

Procedures:

Tenure and promotion procedures are governed by Policy 2113.

The following procedures govern the nomination and appointment of Graduate Faculty:

By May 31 of each year, each College will make recommendations to the Graduate School regarding the renewal of Graduate Faculty Status for current members whose terms are ending.

A faculty member who meets the criteria as determined by the appropriate Department, School, or College will be accepted on the Graduate Faculty for a term not to exceed five years, on the recommendation of the Unit Head and the College Director of Graduate Studies, with the concurrence of the Dean of the College and the Dean of the Graduate School.

Members of the Graduate Faculty will be reviewed at the end of their term by repeating the selection process to determine if they still meet the criteria for membership. New faculty hires and ad hoc members may be nominated at any time.

 

Policy 2111 – Faculty Ranks and Promotions in Rank

Revision Date: 02/09/2023

Last Review: 02/09/2023

Responsible Office: Provost

Reference:  University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors Board Bylaws & Rules Chapter III.XI; Council of Academic Deans

Policy:

Quality academic instruction to its students, enhancement of the body of knowledge through research and service to campus, community, and state are vital to the University’s mission. In support of this mission, each Department must seek to employ the most highly qualified faculty members. The following ranks are used at Louisiana Tech University: Instructor (temporary appointment for a fixed term), Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Distinguished Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. The University also uses adjunct and visiting instructional, research, and service designations in support of its mission. 

Definitions:

Faculty appointments

Promotions in rank (Policy 2113) are considered on the basis of merit from recommendations made by the Unit Head and Dean. Faculty input will be included in the promotion process. Promotions are not automatic but result from considered judgment.

A faculty member who chooses to pursue an advanced degree, which may later be included among credentials submitted with promotion and/or tenure applications, must first receive written agreement from the Unit Head and Dean of the College. The approval will acknowledge that the degree is appropriate to the needs and mission of the Department.

Teaching faculty must be available at scheduled times for consultation with students (Policy 2107). Teaching and research faculty are introduced to professors in their disciplines with whom they are expected to cooperate and from whom they are expected to seek guidance. The online Policies and Procedures Manual and University Bulletin are primary references for all employees. Other orientation information and details concerning employee benefits are provided by the Human Resources Office.

Instructor

Faculty members appointed at the rank of Instructor shall have attained the minimum of the appropriate Master’s degree. Faculty employed at this rank will not be considered for promotion or tenure. Evaluations will be conducted annually with the view of determining reappointment.

Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Distinguished Lecturer

Faculty employed in the position of Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, or Distinguished Lecturer shall be expected to carry full-time teaching loads of 27 hours per year as defined in the University Workload Policy (Policy 2106). Lecturers shall have exceptional teaching ability, thereby providing quality instructional value to the University. Lecturers will be evaluated annually. Lecturers are not eligible for tenure or promotion into a tenure-track position. Evaluations will be conducted annually with the view of determining reappointment.

Lecturer

Faculty appointed as a Lecturer shall have attained the minimum academic qualifications of an appropriate terminal degree in their field of study. Lecturers shall have current knowledge and expertise within their field, an ability to organize materials for a course, develop course projects and assignments, and make effective use of various modes of presentation that demonstrate the potential for excellence in teaching.

Senior Lecturer

Faculty promoted or appointed to Senior Lecturer shall have met the qualifications of a Lecturer and have a documented record of success in teaching within their field for at least six years. Documented excellences in teaching as well as contributions to education that have substantial impact within the College and/or University are prerequisites in the consideration of promotion to this rank.

Distinguished Lecturer

Faculty appointed to Distinguished Lecturer shall have met the qualifications of Senior Lecturer and have a documented record of excellence in teaching for several years as well as evidence of exceptional national or international achievements in education within their field.

Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor

Entry-level, tenure-track appointments are made at the rank of Assistant Professor. Appointees to this rank shall have attained the minimum academic qualification of an appropriate terminal degree in their field of study. Only in special academic fields, or under special circumstances based upon Departmental need, or in the case of particular types of special training, will an individual be employed in this rank with less than this academic training.

Faculty members promoted or appointed to the rank of Associate Professor shall have attained the appropriate terminal degree prior to being promoted to this rank. Only in special academic fields or in the case of particular types of special training will an individual be promoted to this rank with less than this academic training. Documented strengths in the areas of teaching, research, and service are prerequisites in the consideration for promotion to this rank.

Only individuals who have a documented record of growth and outstanding accomplishments in the areas of teaching, research, and service over a period of several years will be considered for promotion to the rank of Professor.

Special care shall be exercised in assigning faculty ranks to new appointees and in making promotions in rank from year to year. The following table provides guidelines and limitations on assignments of ranks within each institution governed by the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System:

Rank Distribution

Academic Rank

Percentage Rank

Range Not to Exceed

Professor

20-35%

35%

Associate Professor

25-35%

35%

 

Adjunct Faculty

Persons whose primary responsibilities lie outside the University or in another capacity with the University may be appointed on a part-time, temporary basis as adjunct professors, adjunct associate professors, adjunct assistant professors, and adjunct instructors as appropriate and needed to supplement the University’s instructional programs. Adjunct personnel are normally compensated on a per course basis. Appointments as adjunct instructional faculty are without tenure with review on an annual or short-term basis dependent on the appointment term. Time spent in a part-time or temporary appointment shall not be counted as tenure-earning service.

Visiting instructional, research, and service appointments

Visiting Faculty

The titles of Visiting Assistant Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, and Visiting Professor are courtesy titles to be given to faculty visiting from another institution of higher education who are on temporary assignment to Louisiana Tech University. Normally, the visitor is given the equivalent professional rank held at the home institution. However, when the visitor qualifies for a higher rank in the unit making the appointment at Louisiana Tech, the higher rank may be recommended.

Visiting faculty are given part-time or full-time term appointments which normally shall not exceed one calendar year in length. Appointments will be made on a regular appointment form. Visiting faculty may receive compensation or serve gratis. Tenure is not awarded to visiting faculty. Individuals appointed at these ranks may be invited to participate in but will not vote on faculty matters.

Professional

Individuals from the various professions (who may not have faculty rank at another University) may be appointed to visiting instruction, research, and service positions at Louisiana Tech. Examples of some illustrative titles would be Architect-in-Residence, Artist-in-Residence, Executive-in-Residence, and Biologist-in-Residence. At the option of the appointing unit, the individual may be appointed with a visiting faculty rank in lieu of Professional-in-Residence.

The professionals may be appointed in-residence on a part-time or full-time basis, and the residence period may be for continuous or irregular intervals which normally shall not exceed one calendar year. Individuals in these positions may receive compensation or serve gratis. Appointments will be made on a regular appointment form. Tenure is not awarded to Professionals-in-Residence. Individuals appointed at these ranks may be invited to participate in but will not vote on faculty matters.

Research Appointments

The following appointments may be used for individuals whose primary responsibility is conducting research or extension education and who often are paid from grant or contract funds. Individuals in these ranks do not acquire tenure.

Research Associate

Research Associates are appointed for a fixed term as consistent with the research assignment and are expected to perform specialized research, instructional, extension, service, or artistic assignments under the supervision of a member of the professorial ranks.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Persons appointed to the rank of Postdoctoral Researcher must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent terminal degree. They are expected to assist and perform specialized research or extension service assignments under the general supervision of a member of the professorial ranks.

Assistant Professor-Research, Associate Professor-Research, Professor-Research

Academically credentialed individuals employed for the primary role of supporting the University’s research efforts may be employed at the appropriate faculty/research rank. Such a faculty, as qualified, may provide instructional support to supplement the instructional program of the University. Such appointments may be made for rolling terms of up to five years (specified for each individual). The contract for such rolling terms may provide for conditions related to continued funding of the grant supporting the position. Faculty members on such appointments are reviewed annually. At such annual review, a recommendation not to reappoint can be made in keeping with initial terms (as specified for each individual). Faculty members on such appointments may be terminated for cause at any time with due process.

Graduate Faculty

Tenured and tenure-track faculty may be nominated to serve as Graduate Faculty by their Colleges. Graduate Faculty teach graduate courses, design/revise graduate program curricula, and chair or serve on graduate committees. Graduate Faculty introduce students into the current scholarly activities of the various disciplines. Therefore, the members of the Graduate Faculty should be active scholars.

Each Department, School, or College will establish and inform its faculty of the criteria to become a member of the Graduate Faculty. The criteria must be approved by the Dean of the College. Copies of the criteria must be filed with the appropriate Graduate Director and the Dean of the Graduate School.

Graduate Faculty status will be forfeited if employment as a tenured/tenure-track faculty member at the University ends. In such cases, at the discretion of the unit and college, nomination for ad hoc Graduate Faculty status (see below) may be submitted.

Ad Hoc Graduate Faculty Status

Ad hoc (as needed) Graduate Faculty status may be conferred by the Dean of the Graduate School to individuals who are not tenured/tenure-track faculty at the University—such as Lecturers—based on unique qualifications and circumstances, as presented by the appropriate college officials. Individuals who are external to the University may also be nominated for ad hoc Graduate Faculty status. Typically, these appointments are for the purpose of teaching graduate courses (provided the nominee meets SACS-COC credentialing criteria) or serving as graduate committee members. The length of their terms should be determined by the colleges depending on the need for their services but shall not exceed five years. Ad hoc Graduate Faculty may co-chair a graduate committee along with a regular member of the Graduate Faculty.

Ex Officio Graduate Faculty status

Deans of Colleges, Dean of the Graduate School, and the Provost will be ex officio members of the Graduate Faculty with all the privileges and responsibilities of membership.

Procedures:

Tenure and promotion procedures are governed by Policy 2113.

The following procedures govern the nomination and appointment of Graduate Faculty:

By May 31 of each year, each College will make recommendations to the Graduate School regarding the renewal of Graduate Faculty Status for current members whose terms are ending.

A faculty member who meets the criteria as determined by the appropriate Department, School, or College will be accepted on the Graduate Faculty for a term not to exceed five years, on the recommendation of the Unit Head and the College Director of Graduate Studies, with the concurrence of the Dean of the College and the Dean of the Graduate School.

Members of the Graduate Faculty will be reviewed at the end of their term by repeating the selection process to determine if they still meet the criteria for membership. New faculty hires and ad hoc members may be nominated at any time.