Faculty Handbook

Part III: Policies Governing Employment of Faculty

Section A. Appointment to the Faculty

APPOINTMENT TO AND PROMOTION OF ACADEMIC STAFF

In policies, practices, and procedures related to faculty appointments, the University shall not engage in unlawful discrimination in employment against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. The University shall take affirmative action to employ protected class applicants and to treat all employees during employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status, in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Louisiana.

Participation of the faculty in recruitment of their colleagues is a serious obligation. Careful consideration must be given to the nature, role, and mission of the University in order to provide programs of instruction, research, and service of the highest order for the people of the community and state. Under the guidelines established by the University of Louisiana System, every appointment, promotion, and special salary increase for a member of the academic staff shall be upon the basis of qualifications and the special fitness of the individual for the work demanded by the position.

Each full-time and part-time faculty member teaching credit courses leading toward a baccalaureate degree, other than physical education activities courses, must have completed at least 18 graduate semester hours in the teaching discipline and hold at least a master’s degree, or hold a minimum of a master's degree with a major in the teaching discipline. In exceptional cases, outstanding professional experience and demonstrated contributions to the teaching discipline may be presented in lieu of formal academic preparation. Exceptions must be approved by the Provost on an individual basis.

PROCEDURES

When there is a vacancy in a department or an addition to be made, the department head, in consultation with appropriate departmental faculty, makes recommendation to the dean of the college and to the Provost, who transmits the recommendations to the President of the University. The President makes recommendation of appointment to the University of Louisiana System. No appointment is valid until the System has given its formal approval of the person, the rank, the salary, and the period of employment.

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TYPES OF APPOINTMENTS

There are four types of appointments to the faculty at Southeastern: special (temporary) appointments; instructor appointments; tenure-track appointments; and tenure appointments.

1. Special (Temporary) Appointments

These include Scholar/Artist in Residence, Researcher, Lecturer, Adjunct, and Visiting Positions, and may be full-time or part-time. Conditions of employment must be fully detailed in the appointment letter. Faculty with these appointments are not eligible for tenure, nor does service in these ranks normally count toward fulfilling the tenure probationary period of other tenure-track ranks. Special appointments do not carry voting privileges except as may be provided in relevant faculty bylaws.

Scholar/Artist in Residence

Distinguished scholars or artists who have attained recognition for exceptional achievement may be appointed to the University faculty to teach, research, perform, create, and/or supervise research. These individuals are designated as "Scholar in Residence" or "Artist in Residence." Their presence on the campus enriches the University community and the community-at-large. They may hold regular assignments with the University and receive appropriate benefits. Names will be listed in the General Catalogue.

Lecturer

The title of "Lecturer" shall be given to a person who teaches a limited number of courses not to exceed 11 credit hours (i.e., not a full-time assignment) in a specific area of expertise. Remuneration is based on the workload (per course). Lecturer appointments normally are for one semester.

Adjunct Faculty

The term "Adjunct" (e.g., Adjunct Assistant Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor, Adjunct Professor) denotes an advisory appointment or recognizes those whose principal employer is other than Southeastern, but who make a substantial, regular contribution to the academic activities of the University. An Adjunct appointment need not be salaried. The qualifications for Adjunct rank shall be comparable to those of the corresponding regular faculty ranks. Adjunct appointments are for one year or less, are individually negotiated as to terms, and may be renewed. Names will be listed in the General Catalogue.

Visiting Faculty

The term "Visiting" denotes a temporary appointment for one year or less, subject to limited renewals. Visiting appointments are appropriate only in cases in which association with the University is temporary and brief. "Visiting" usually denotes a faculty member who has a temporary or permanent association with another university. The qualifications for Visiting Faculty rank shall be comparable to those for appointment at the corresponding, regular faculty ranks. Names will not be listed in the General Catalogue.

Research Faculty

Full-time faculty whose primary responsibility is conducting research and who are paid from grant or contract funds are to be appointed as Assistant Professor-Research, Associate Professor-Research, or Professor-Research. The faculty in these ranks do not acquire tenure. As an alternative, and upon the individual recommendation of the institution president and approval by the Board, such persons at the rank of Associate Professor-Research and Professor-Research may be appointed for rolling terms of up

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to five years (to be specified). Faculty on such appointments are reviewed annually. At such annual review, a recommendation not to reappoint the associate professor or professor is with a terminal appointment of up to five years. The faculty member is notified of a decision not to renew the appointment up to five years (specified for each individual) before the end of the appointment. Faculty members on such appointments may be terminated for cause at any time with due process.

2. Instructor Appointments

Appointments to Instructor are for regular full-time faculty who do not meet the qualifications for tenure-track or tenure appointments. Instructors are not eligible for tenure, nor does service in this rank normally count toward the tenure probationary period upon promotion to a tenure-track rank. Instructor appointments shall not include any right to permanent or continuous employment, shall not create any manner of legal right, interest, or expectancy of renewal or any other type of appointment, and shall be subject to annual renewal by the University.

3. Tenure-Track Appointments

Appointments that are tenure track are for regular full-time faculty with academic rank of Assistant Professor or higher. These appointments require faculty members to serve a probationary period of employment before a consideration for tenure is made. Tenure-track appointments shall not include any right to permanent or continuous employment, shall not create any manner of legal right, interest, or expectancy of renewal or any other type of appointment, and shall be subject to annual renewal by the University.

4. Tenure Appointments

Appointments with tenure are for regular full-time faculty with academic rank of Assistant Professor or higher who have been awarded tenure by the Board of Trustees. Tenure appointments include the assurance of continued employment for the academic year for an indeterminate period, subject to termination for cause or as a result of financial exigency.

APPOINTMENT BY RANK

In making initial appointments to any academic rank, the University applies requirements similar to those used for promotion to that rank. Normally, faculty members are appointed to the rank of Instructor or Assistant Professor. Individuals are seldom appointed to the rank of Associate Professor, and appointments to the rank of Professor are extremely rare. The following are minimum standards for initial faculty appointments to the various ranks.

APPOINTMENT AT THE RANK OF INSTRUCTOR

1. The applicant must have earned at least the master's degree from an accredited college or university in the subject field in which he/she teaches.

2. When unique circumstances prevail, evidence of professional competency may be considered in lieu of credit requirements in accordance with the standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This competence may be based upon appropriate specialized training or successful experience as a practitioner in the occupational field.

3.       He/she must give evidence of competency for teaching.

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4. He/she must give evidence of competency in research, applied skills, or creative activities in the creative or performing arts.

APPOINTMENT AT THE RANK OF ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

1. The applicant must have earned 24 hours beyond the master's degree in the subject field in which he/she teaches, or he/she must have been formally accepted into a doctoral program in an accredited university. In those areas in which the doctorate is not offered, or when unique circumstances prevail, evidence of professional competency may be considered in lieu of credit requirements in accordance with the standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This competence may be based upon appropriate specialized training or successful experience as a practitioner in the occupational field.

2. He/she must give evidence of competency for teaching.

3. He/she must give evidence of competency in research, applied skills, or creative activities in the creative or performing arts.

4. He/she must have had at least three years' full-time collegiate experience in the instructional discipline or related area, or experience deemed equivalent by University appointing authorities.

APPOINTMENT AT THE RANK OF ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

         1. The applicant must have earned the appropriate doctorate or other terminal degree from an accredited university. In most teaching fields at the University, the "appropriate doctorate" refers to a doctorate in the subject field in which the applicant will teach. In those subject areas in which the doctorate is not offered, or when unique circumstances prevail, evidence of professional competency may be considered in lieu of credit requirements in accordance with the standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This competency may be based upon appropriate specialized training or successful experience as a practitioner in the occupational field.

         2. He/she must give evidence of a high degree of competency in teaching, research, and publication, or creative activities in the creative or performing arts.

         3. He/she must have seven years' appropriate total experience, as determined by the University appointing authorities. Except in cases where other experience is deemed more appropriate, the applicant's experience should include five years of full-time collegiate experience in the teaching field or related area as assistant professor or associate professor.  

APPOINTMENT AT THE RANK OF PROFESSOR

         1. The applicant must have earned the appropriate doctorate or other terminal degree from an accredited university. In most teaching fields at the University, the "appropriate doctorate" refers to a doctorate in the subject field in which the applicant will teach. In those subject areas in which the doctorate is not offered, or when unique circumstances prevail, evidence of professional competency may be considered in lieu of credit requirements in accordance with standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and