Professional Faculty Criteria

Professional faculty will be individuals with research, advising, clinical or academic responsibilities who possess an advanced, often terminal, degree in their professional field and are hired as a consequence of a national, or certainly a regional, search. They will typically have skills and/or experience in their specific areas of job responsibility that are comparable to those of an instructional faculty member.  Position title – e.g., assistant dean or associate director – does not necessarily convey a professional faculty designation.

An employee may be designated a professional faculty member if his or her position has one or more of the following characteristics:

• Position is directly engaged in supporting of instruction, research, curricular design, or evaluation of academic programs such that the employee substantively serves to enhance the practice and quality of teaching and learning.

• A preponderance of the job responsibilities involve direct interaction with students or faculty in such areas as counseling, support of research, clinical services, or academic services

• There are significant expectations for research activity including participation in peer-reviewed publications, juried exhibitions or performances, or professional presentations; the preparation and oversight of externally funded grants and contracts; and training and oversight of students in laboratories, collections and archives, and studios.

A professional faculty designation is not an academic rank.  It does not relate the position to an academic department or school of instruction; it has no bearing on salary or privileges.

Design of an employee as professional faculty will be made on recommendation of a dean, vice-president, or director to the Provost. The Provost will have final approval of all such designations.