Applicable Policies:
HR06 – TYPES OF APPOINTMENTS
AC21 - DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC RANKS
Purpose:
In accordance with HR06, Types of Appointments, the purpose of this policy is to provide direction in the appointment and the fair and equitable utilization of individuals who participate in the activities of the college. It is recognized that the college may be enriched by the inclusion of individuals whose special knowledge or expertise complements that of the regular college faculty members.
Definitions:
There are three kinds of appointments which are appropriately used in differing situations.
- An “academic affiliate” appointment (formerly “adjunct”) can only be offered to individuals who are not employed by the University but has an academic affiliation with the University. The procedure described below outlines how these appointments are made. These are unpaid appointments.
- An “affiliate academic” appointment can only be offered to staff (i.e. those on non-academic appointments AC-85) to whom you wish to give titles; it cannot be used for faculty.
- A “courtesy” appointment can be offered to faculty budgeted in other units and is defined as a title unaccompanied by budget assignments. These are unpaid appointments.
Eligibility:
Academic Affiliate faculty status is limited to individuals who are not employed by the University. Appointments may range from one semester to 3 years and may be renewed by mutual consent. If an academic affiliate faculty member assumes a paid Penn State position, he or she cannot serve as an academic affiliate during that time. The qualifications of an academic affiliate faculty member with respect to education, training and experience should therefore be equal to those of the regular faculty members performing similar services.
Title to be Used:
The term ‘academic affiliate’ is to be used only with the academic titles defined in Policy AC21 (see Applicable Policies above). In most cases in our college, that would be an affiliate assistant professor, affiliate associate professor, affiliate professor, or affiliate lecturer.
Procedure for Recommendation and Termination:
- The candidate must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate departmental committee.
- Upon approval, the department head will submit a brief cover letter of support outlining the proposed title, expected contribution to the department along with the committee’s letter and the candidate’s CV to the HR office for the Dean’s review.
- The Dean will make the final decision regarding the appointment of the candidate. If the decision is favorable, the HR office will work with the department to process the appointment.
- Initial academic affiliate appointments may be made for up to three years – adjusted to synchronize with the fiscal year calendar -- and may be renewed with the approval of the department head and the Dean after an annual review.
- By May 15th of each year, the departments will supply a list of individuals on academic affiliate appointments to the HR office for Dean’s review. A brief justification which might include examples of participation in the department or college in the past year, anticipated participation for the coming year, and the department’s intent to extend or terminate the appointment should be included for each individual listed.
- The HR office should be notified of any academic affiliate appointments terminated prior to the end of the fiscal year.
Benefits Available:
Academic affiliate faculty members are not eligible for tenure, nor do they participate in the university’s benefits programs.
Courtesy Appointment Procedures:
A “courtesy” academic title is one that is not accompanied by a budget assignment. With the permission of the dean, the Departments may appoint a faculty member in another department to a “courtesy” title in their department (i.e. Geosciences, Geography, etc.). The procedures below should be followed.
- A proposed courtesy appointment requires a sponsor from the Department. The sponsor should prepare a proposal which will be reviewed by the appropriate committee. Under normal circumstances, this proposal will contain the candidate’s CV, supporting letters from the sponsor and possibly other faculty members, and a description of the actual commitment that the proposed courtesy faculty member will have to the department (e.g. cross-listed courses, student advising, joint seminars, etc.)
- The committee should review the proposal and determine whether it meets appropriate academic standards and whether the appointment will be advantageous to the department. In recommending an appointment the committee shall also recommend the title which should be granted. Note that terms such as “affiliate professor” or “titular professor” cannot be used. We can change someone’s title from, say, “Associate Professor of Physics” to “Associate Professor of Physics and Material Sciences”.
- If the proposal is approved, the department head will contact the candidate, and his/her department head and dean, seeking permission to make the appointment. To become official, the appointment must be processed through Workday by the candidate’s home department and college. Both department heads and their deans must sign off on the appointment.
Effective date: November 18, 2020