Chancellor, Provost Approve Senate-Recommended Revisions to Faculty Manual

Chancellor Kent Syverud and Provost Michele Wheatly have approved revisions to Syracuse University’s Faculty Manual regarding titles of full-time, non-tenure-track faculty personnel and the process of making dean emeritus appointments. The revisions were made on the recommendation of the University Senate.

Under the new policy, non-tenure-track titles for full-time faculty have been revised to include teaching professor, associate teaching professor and assistant teaching professor. Faculty appointments will no longer be made with the titles of assistant professor of practice, associate professor of practice or lecturer. All faculty holding any of those titles will be appropriately reclassified at the time of their next reappointment. The title of professor of practice will continue to be applied to those non-tenure-track faculty who are distinguished professional practitioners who bring important expertise to the classroom.

Additionally, appointments with the titles of assistant professor, associate professor and professor will be made only for tenure-track or tenured faculty.

As defined under the new policy, the titles of teaching professor, associate teaching professor and assistant teaching professor apply to appropriately qualified full-time, non-tenure-track faculty who are expected to teach in the classroom or laboratory, have regularly scheduled office hours, prepare and grade assignments and tests, and contribute to the design and planning of courses and syllabi, among other expectations. They are not expected to conduct research, although that may vary based on the policies of the school or college.

“This recommendation came out of the Academic Affairs Committee of the University Senate as a means of better reflecting the current composition of faculty and to create a clear pathway for professional advancement for our full-time, non-tenure-track faculty who are focused primarily on teaching,” says Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs LaVonda Reed. “The University values faculty at all ranks, and this policy will help us to better support and provide career growth and promotion opportunities for those whose primary focus is on teaching.”

While teaching professors will not earn time toward tenure, they may be eligible for professional development leave related to their contractual duties.

According to the Senate’s recommendation, each school and college will create a process for promotion, in accordance with the guidelines contained in the revised Faculty Manual, and have the process approved by the Senate. Once the promotion procedures are approved, the actual cases will be processed within each school and college. Some of that work is currently under way.

In the Faculty Manual revision relating to emeriti, a process was created for making dean emeritus appointments that is separate from the process for making faculty emeritus appointments. The changes are designed to promote a faculty-driven approach to dean emeritus appointments, rather than a top-down approach.

Under the new process, eligible dean emeritus candidates are nominated by faculty and then are approved by the University Senate Committee on Appointments and Promotions. Nominations will then be forwarded to Provost Wheatly and Chancellor Syverud for endorsement and then approval by the full Senate and the Board of Trustees.