Back to Academic Affairs >> Faculty Handbook >>

1.1 CLASSIFICATIONS
All persons hired for a role that specifically requires teaching contact with students or
professional library responsibilities and which does not command an hourly wage will be
classified as regular faculty, contingent faculty, administrative faculty, or emeritus/emerita
faculty.

1.1.1 REGULAR FACULTY
Regular faculty designates those persons whose major assignment is the teaching of regular courses as listed in the university catalog or the performance of professional librarian responsibilities. To qualify for this designation a person must:

1. a. teach on a full-time Track I, II, or III contract with at least twelve credits each
year (or the equivalent) or hold a full-time professional librarian appointment,
or
b. teach on a part-time Track II or III contract (five to nineteen credits including
any non-teaching responsibilities). These individuals are eligible for
promotion but are not eligible for tenure, or
c. teach as a visiting faculty member. These individuals are appointed by the
dean of faculty, in consultation with the department chair, for a one year
appointment, which can be renewed, and
2. be paid according to the published faculty salary schedule.

All such individuals are given an academic rank and are voting members of the
Faculty Assembly and are eligible to serve on faculty committees.

b. teach courses in addition to one's primary employment in other areas of the
university (e.g., student development, chapel, administration);

2. be supportive of the mission and goals of the university and be adjudged by
reasonable process to be academically qualified to function as a collegiate
educator.

Contingent faculty are welcome at faculty meetings, but do not have voting privileges.
These persons are not eligible for rank or tenure.

1.1.3 ADMINISTRATIVE FACULTY
The president, dean of faculty, the associate dean of instruction, the associate dean of
faculty development & scholarship, and the vice president for student life have faculty status
as administrative faculty by virtue of these positions.

Other individuals can be designated as administrative faculty if their assignment involves (a) a mix of teaching, coaching, or professional librarian responsibilities and 50 percent or more administrative duties relating to a major academic area or function, or (b) 100 percent administrative duties with responsibility over a major academic area or function. The decision on whether to assign an individual whose assignment meets these criteria to regular faculty status or administrative faculty status is normally made at the time of appointment by the dean of faculty in consultation with the president and others as appropriate, based on the
following additional factors:
• The percentage of duties considered administrative in nature;
• The best interest, on balance, of both the institution as a whole and the academic
area or function concerned, when considering the rights and responsibilities
attending each type of status;
• The ability and commitment of the individual to satisfy the requirements for
faculty rank, promotions, tenure, etc., alongside the demands of his or her
administrative duties;
• The need to dissociate salary from the faculty compensation system.
An individual who has had regular faculty status within his or her current assignment
shall not be required to relinquish it.

A regular faculty member who moves into a position designated as administrative faculty thereby relinquishes regular faculty status, but does not relinquish any rights secured
by tenure to return to regular faculty status, unless waived as a condition of the administrative
appointment.

Administrative faculty are not awarded rank by virtue of this status or by virtue of their administrative positions. Courtesy rank may be awarded based on previously attained
academic rank. Administrative faculty are not subject to or eligible for the faculty evaluation
processes outlined in Section 7.

Administrative faculty share the following faculty rights, privileges, and
responsibilities:
• Voice and vote in Faculty Assembly
• The right to serve on faculty committees and task forces other than those excluded
below, and any others in which their administrative status is apt to present a
conflict of interest
• The right to apply for faculty development funds as they apply to classroom and
research projects but not to their administrative duties.

Administrative faculty do not share the following rights, privileges, and
responsibilities of regular faculty:
• Faculty ranks (other than courtesy rank as defined above)
• Eligibility for promotion
• Tenure
• Sabbaticals and study leaves (except as may be provided under policies for
administrative personnel that are outside the scope of this Handbook).
• Eligibility to serve on any of these committees: Faculty Promotion and Tenure,
Faculty Review, Faculty Affairs, Faculty Economic Welfare, Faculty Executive.

1.1.4 EMERITI FACULTY
Emeritus or emerita faculty designates faculty members who have retired from fulltime
professional activity and have received this title by action of the Board of Trustees. They are afforded voice and vote in the Faculty Assembly. If such persons elect to continue to teach formal courses, they are remunerated as adjunct or as part-time faculty. In special circumstances the emeriti faculty may return to full-time teaching as a lecturer or as visiting
professor.

1.1.5 SPECIAL FACULTY STATUS
Faculty status may be granted to certain professional employees of the university by
the president of the university upon the recommendation of the dean of faculty. The awarding
of this status shall be noted in the employment contract of the individual and gives the
individual the right to the use of academic titles. It does not confer any other faculty
privileges otherwise defined in this Handbook.

1.2 ASSIGNMENT OF FACULTY RANK
Regular faculty members are assigned to a rank as instructor, assistant professor,
associate professor, or professor. The initial placement is made by the administration at the
time of employment and is based on educational level and previous experience, as defined in
the guidelines set forth in this Faculty Handbook. If the initial appointment is to be to a rank
above assistant professor, or if transferable experience is a component of the appointment, the dean of faculty will review the appointment with the chair of the department or the search
committee, and with the chair of the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee or his/her
designee, who may request that the committee be permitted to submit a recommendation
regarding such an appointment (Section 3.3.3).

Four rank designations apply to regular faculty members at Whitworth University:

Instructor
Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Professor

The following criteria represent the expectations in degrees and experience both for assigning rank at the time of appointment and for determining eligibility to apply for promotion (as in the case of promotion, evaluative factors outlined in Section 7.5 will contribute to decisions about assigned rank at the time of appointment). The doctorate is the most desirable academic qualification for employment. In disciplines where the doctorate is not common, other terminal qualification may be recognized for hiring, promotion, and tenure (See Appendix D for exceptions to the terminal degree requirements for teaching faculty by discipline). In disciplines where professional or vocational experience is highly beneficial to the University, an individual who has achieved certain other attainments may be eligible for employment and/or promotion without terminal degree qualifications. Distinctive professional achievement, experience, or related education other than terminal degree qualification may be evaluated in considering qualifications of faculty members for appointment-such as art works, artistic performances, musical compositions, dramatic productions, scientific research, significant leadership, or similar efforts-when these factors exceed ordinary expectations.

Faculty hired at Whitworth are expected to be capable of meeting the standards for faculty retention specified in Section 7.3.1.

1.2.1 INSTRUCTOR
Minimum qualifications: a Master's degree.

1.2.2 ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Minimum qualifications:
A. An earned doctorate.
OR
B. Doctoral qualification by a specialized accrediting agency or terminal degree appropriate to the discipline (Appendix D).

1.2.3 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Minimum qualifications:
A. An earned doctorate, doctoral qualification by a specialized accrediting agency Appendix D), or a terminal degree appropriate to the discipline.
AND
B.Five years of teaching experience at the rank of assistant professor on a full-time basis at an accredited four-year university or university. The FPTC may choose to recommend outstanding candidates with only four years of teaching experience for promotion to Associate Professor during the Pre-Tenure Review for extraordinary performance. Faculty may not apply for the rank of Associate Professor during the Pre-Tenure review process, but the committee may choose to recommend promotion at its discretion if it finds that the candidate has met the standards from promotion to Associate Professor (Section 7.5.4). Such a recommendation is a mark of special distinction to be granted only in very rare cases with the concomitant approval of the dean of faculty, the President, and the Board of Trustees.

1.2.4 PROFESSOR
Minimum qualifications:
A. An earned doctorate, doctoral qualification by a specialized accrediting agency (Appendix D), or a terminal degree appropriate to the discipline.
AND
B. Five years of teaching experience at the rank of associate professor.

1.2.5 FACULTY EMERITUS STATUS
In recognition of meritorious service to the University, on recommendation of the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee, through the Vice President for Academic Affairs, to the President, and subject to approval of the Board of Trustees, a faculty member upon retirement from active teaching may be designated emeritus. Nominees for emeritus status shall normally have served at least 10 years at Whitworth University and have attained the rank of Associate Professor or Professor.

1.3 TYPES OF REGULAR FACULTY APPOINTMENTS
All appointments are made through contracts or letters of appointment. Each full-time, regular faculty appointment is identified as a tenure track (Track I), a non-tenure track (Track II), or a multiple-year contract assignment (Track III).

1.3.1 TRACK I — TENURE TRACK
Track I is designated for full-time faculty members who by reason of their education and experience anticipate full qualification for tenure consideration and who seek long-term regular appointments. Until tenure has been granted, appointments are made for single academic years. By March 1 of the first year, the faculty member will be notified in writing if a contract will not be offered for the following academic year. During the second year such a notice is provided by December 31, and in subsequent years until tenure is granted, such notice is given by September 1. After two years of service, a Track I faculty member is entitled to twelve months notice of the non-renewal of an appointment. Not later than at the end of the sixth contract year, written notice is given as to whether tenure will be granted. Evaluations are made by the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee as detailed in Section 7.

1.3.2 TRACK II – NON-TENURE TRACK
Track II is designated for the appointment of faculty members whose appointment is not the result of a national search or who have a part-time contract, but unlike lecturers retain the duties of scholarship, advising, and governance, or whose position is not defined as Track I. Track II appointments are made on a yearly basis. Salaries and benefits are as described in Section 4. Track II faculty members receive first, second, and fourth year evaluations as defined in Section 7 and every fourth year thereafter.

1.3.3 TRACK III — MULTIPLE-YEAR CONTRACTS
When an assignment involves both classroom teaching and an activity for which tenure is not appropriate, a candidate may be offered a multiple-year contract either at initial employment or for reemployment. Salaries and benefits are the same as for Track I and II appointments. However, the teaching and non-teaching components may be contracted separately as part-time appointments, with the non-teaching component governed by the appropriate administrative or staff salary grid. These longer-term contracts are designed to provide a smaller measure of the security that is otherwise offered in tenure. Track III faculty members receive first, second, and fourth year evaluations as defined in Section 7.7 and every fourth year thereafter.

1.3.4 TRANSFERRING TO TRACK I FROM TRACK II OR III
If a Track II or Track III position is changed to Track I, it must be filled through a national search, unless the current position holder was appointed as a result of a national search. The requirement of a national search may be waived, by action of the dean of faculty in agreement with Faculty Executive, for a faculty member who has served in a Track II or Track III appointment for a minimum of seven full-time years or equivalent and is deemed to have a record of distinguished service.

Transfer of an appointment to Track I does not ensure tenure, but initiates the process toward tenure review. A faculty member who has been transferred to Track I (whether as the result of a national search or under the waiver provision) may be reviewed for pre-tenure in the first year on Track I if otherwise eligible, and for tenure no sooner than in the third year on Track I.

1.4 TYPES OF CONTINGENT APPOINTMENTS
Occasionally in some departments and frequently in others, the need arises for more teachers than those who are appointed to regular faculty positions. Such departments may meet their teaching need with the appointment of persons to part-time positions. These positions arise because of one or more of the following: inability of departments to fill all of their allotted tenure-track or non-tenure-track positions, reduced-load appointments to tenuretrack or non-tenure-track positions, leaves of absence, illness, specialty courses, unbalanced enrollments in fall versus spring, and the like.

Contingent faculty designates those persons who are appointed to teach specific courses for which they are academically qualified, but who normally bear none of the other responsibilities of regular faculty as specified in Section 6 (advising, scholarship, and governance). Contingent faculty include adjunct instructors, senior adjunct instructors, distinguished adjunct instructors, lecturers, senior lecturers, and emeriti faculty. Contingent faculty do not have any of the rights and privileges associated with regular faculty status.

Within the university there may be adjunct positions in a department for persons from administrative offices or other academic departments. Such positions and appointments to them need the recommendation of the department, the approval of the dean of faculty and the supervising vice president.

1.4.1 ADJUNCT, SENIOR ADJUNCT, AND DISTINGUISHED ADJUNCT APPOINTMENTS
Adjunct instructors, senior adjunct instructors, and distinguished adjunct instructors are contingent faculty appointed on a course-by-course basis, may not teach more than twelve credits per academic year (fall term, Jan term, and spring term) for Whitworth University and are not eligible for benefits. Summer term teaching is excluded from this credit load limitation. Recruitment and appointment procedures for adjuncts are addressed in Sections 3.4 and 3.6. Criteria and process for promotion to senior adjunct and distinguished adjunct are outlined in Section 7.8.1.

1.4.2 LECTURERS AND SENIOR LECTURERS
Lecturers and senior lecturers carry a teaching load of between 13 and 24 credits during the academic year (fall term, Jan term, and spring term), carry no advising, scholarship, or governance responsibilities, and are eligible for salary and some selected benefits on a pro-rated basis (excluding tuition remission). Benefits for lecturers and senior lecturers are described in a document entitled “Benefits for Contingent Faculty” which is available in Academic Affairs or the Human Resources office. Lecturer and senior lecturer appointments may be renewable at the discretion of the university, but they are not continuing appointments.

The classification of lecturer is reserved for individuals who are given a temporary teaching appointment, normally for one year or less, to teach classes or carry out other faculty duties that carry teaching load credit (lab supervision, practicum oversight, etc.). Lecturers may carry a teaching load of between 13 and 24 credits per academic year. This designation is to be used only in cases where neither an adjunct appointment nor a regular faculty appointment can adequately take account of the individual’s qualifications, needs of the university, or special conditions of employment. Recruitment and appointment procedures for lecturers are addressed in Sections 3.4 and 3.6. Compensation is addressed in Section 4.3. Criteria for promotion to senior lecturer are outlined in Section 7.8.2.

1.5 ENDOWED CHAIRS
Occupants of named or endowed chairs have full rights as faculty members and are covered by all provisions of the Faculty Handbook. They shall follow the procedures for the particular track to which they are assigned at hire or creation of the chair position.

Back to Academic Affairs >> Faculty Handbook >>