F99-6 Appointment and Evaluation Policy for Temporary Faculty

Legislative History:

At its meeting of December 6, 1999, the Academic Senate passed the following Policy Recommendation presented by Annette Nellen for the Professional Standards Committee.

Replaces: S88-4 and F89-6

Action by the University President: "Approved," signed Robert Caret, December 17, 1999

POLICY RECOMMENDATION

APPOINTMENT AND EVALUATION POLICY FOR
TEMPORARY FACULTY

APPOINTMENT AND EVALUATION POLICY FOR
TEMPORARY FACULTY

A copy of this policy shall be provided to all temporary faculty employees at the time of their initial appointment. Letters of reappointment should include the Senate URL where the policy can be obtained.

I. Preamble

A. Purpose

This policy covers the procedures for appointment, reappointment, and evaluation (including range elevation) of Unit 3 faculty members serving in a temporary appointment (full-time or part-time). This policy also specifies and defines appropriate titles to be assigned to temporary faculty. The procedures provided in this policy are based on the terms of the Agreement between the California State University (CSU) and the California Faculty Association (CFA), July 1, 1998 through June 30, 2001.

B. Additional Guidance

1. Agreement: For information on appointment terms, salary schedules, benefits, workload, and other working condition matters, the Agreement between the CSU and the CFA should be reviewed.

2. Affirmative Action: SJSU's affirmative action guidelines and procedures must be followed in carrying out the procedures described in this policy regarding initial and subsequent appointments. For purposes of this policy on temporary faculty, use of the term "search" implies that affirmative action procedures will be followed as appropriate to the type of search.

3. Evaluation: SJSU's policies on evaluation of teaching and use of SOTEs are to be followed in carrying out the procedures described in this policy.

4. FMIs/SSIs: Guidance on eligibility and awarding of Faculty Merit Increases (FMIs) and Service Salary Increases (SSIs) can be found in the CSU/CFA Agreement and the current University Policy on FMIs and SSIs.

5. Professional Responsibilities: The University Policy on academic freedom and professional responsibility should be reviewed for guidance on faculty responsibilities to the university and the rules on conflicts of interest.

6. Voting Rights: Departmental voting rights for temporary faculty members are covered by the Agreement and University Policy.

7. Faculty Handbook: A copy of the Handbook for Faculty Members at San Jose State University provides helpful information on SJSU resources of interest to faculty and students. A copy may be obtained from a department chair (or equivalent person for the unit) or the Office of Faculty Affairs.

8. Work Assignment: Temporary faculty are strongly encouraged to seek guidance from their chair (or equivalent person for their unit) for clarification of items covered by this policy, as well as department practices with respect to grading, testing, textbooks, office hours, curriculum goals, etc. Department chairs (and equivalent persons for their unit) are strongly encouraged to schedule a meeting with temporary faculty each semester and/or make available to them a written summary of department operations.

C. Authorization of Temporary Appointments

1. Full-time: Generally, full-time temporary appointments are used either to replace a temporarily absent regular faculty within a department or to meet a temporary instructional need. Temporary appointments to replace faculty members on leave, or to provide instruction while a search continues for a person to fill a probationary position are generally available only for a semester or a year. Temporary appointments designed to meet the instructional needs of departments when circumstances in the department, college, or University make it unwise to establish at that time a probationary position, but in which a full-time appointment is desirable, are generally available for no more than three years.

Full-time temporary appointments within a single department are not to be used as a substitute for probationary appointments.

Authorization to search for a full-time temporary position must be requested from the Office of Faculty Affairs following procedures established. Any full-time temporary position will be approved only for a specified time period.

2. Part-time: Part-time temporary appointments are designed to meet a variety of instructional needs within the University. These needs may include to enrich the curriculum, to provide instruction in specialized areas not otherwise available to the University, to provide flexibility in staffing to meet unanticipated student demand or shifts in enrollment, or to replace regular faculty members on leave or on temporary assignments elsewhere.

D. Temporary as Distinct from Probationary

All types of temporary appointments are distinct from probationary (tenure-track) appointments and do not guarantee or imply the right to tenure or the eventuality of a tenure-track appointment.

Eligible persons initially appointed to temporary positions may apply for probationary appointment if available. Persons appointed to probationary positions may be granted one or two years of credit toward tenure for previous service.

II. Terminology

A. The Agreement

1. Faculty Unit Employee—A bargaining unit member who is employed either full-time or part-time and includes probationary, tenured, and temporary faculty; coaches; counselors; and library faculty.

2. Temporary Faculty Unit Employee—A bargaining unit employee serving in a temporary appointment for a specified period of time.

3. Lecturer—A temporary instructional faculty unit employee. The term lecturer is used in the salary schedule.

B. Usage of Terminology with respect to Temporary Faculty at SJSU: Per the Agreement and past practices at SJSU, the following terminology should be used in letters of appointment and other documents describing temporary faculty employed at SJSU.

In contrast to the designation of professor (including assistant professor and associate professor), which by tradition is reserved for persons selected to tenure track positions or awarded an honorary professorial title, the designation of temporary faculty members is frequently established by contract and by campus usage. The term "adjunct faculty" is not restricted to volunteer faculty members, but may be used synonymously with temporary faculty. However, the term "adjunct professor" is restricted as described in 6.a. below.

1. Lecturer—Describes all part-time and full-time temporary instructional faculty.

2. Temporary Faculty with Assignments in Athletics, Library and Student Services Professional Academic-Related (SSPAR)—Employees in these areas will have designations appropriate to their field. These employees are covered by the provisions of this policy on temporary faculty.

3. Visiting Lecturer—A part-time or full-time temporary instructional faculty member who is not a professor at any other institution, will be at SJSU for just one or two semesters, and does not plan to request subsequent appointment.

4. Visiting Professor—A part-time or full-time temporary instructional faculty member who has achieved the title of professor at another institution, will be at SJSU for just one or two semesters, and does not plan to request subsequent appointment.

5. Distinguished Visiting Lecturer or Distinguished Visiting Professor—A person described in (3) or (4) above for whom the appropriate college dean has received approval for use of this title from the Provost after submitting a request that describes the person's qualifications and contributions that warrant this title.

6. Volunteer Employees:

a. Adjunct Professor—Under CSU guidelines, this title designates a "volunteer employee" who has demonstrated scholarly, creative, or professional achievement and who has a continuing relationship with at least one department at SJSU through lecturing, supervision of students, directing of research, or advising on academic matters.

Normally, the level of achievement demonstrated shall be comparable to standards required for appointment to the rank of associate or full professor, and the responsibilities assumed shall represent some or all of those normally performed by faculty. Exceptions may be made if an individual possesses specific skills or expertise of value to a given department that may not be reflected in a typical appointment process.

When a department wishes to request the status of "adjunct professor" for an individual, the chair (or equivalent person for the unit) shall forward the request, with a description of the person's qualifications and contributions, to the dean for review. The dean's recommendation and that of the department shall then be submitted to the Provost, who, upon determining that the appropriate level of professional distinction has been demonstrated, and that actual and potential contributions to the University warrant special recognition, shall formally issue appointment to the status of "adjunct professor" for a maximum of three years.

b. Other—A volunteer instructional employee who is not designated as an adjunct professor, shall be designated as a lecturer, visiting lecturer, or visiting professor, within the guidelines stated above.

C. Other Terminology

1. GA and TA—Graduate Assistants and Teaching Associates are not considered faculty unit employees under the Agreement. The guidelines for employing GAs and TAs are contained in Senate Policy S98-10, The Employment of Teaching Associates and Graduate Assistants.

2. Visiting Scholar—A full-time or part-time lecturer hired or volunteering for academic work other than teaching and without the expectation of seeking subsequent appointment shall generally be referred to as a visiting scholar. Such designation shall be granted by the dean of the appropriate college. The term distinguished visiting scholar may only be used when the appropriate college dean has received approval from the Provost after submitting a request that describes the person's qualifications and contributions that warrant the title.

3. Part-time: A part-time appointment refers to a timebase of less than 1.0 per semester.

III. Initial and Subsequent Appointments

A. Appointment Letters and Timing

Offers of appointment are to be made in writing by the dean, the Associate Academic Vice President for Faculty Affairs, the Provost, or the President. Oral offers or offers made by persons other than those listed in the previous sentence are neither valid nor binding upon the University. Official notification of appointment should include the start and termination date of the appointment, classification, timebase, rank when appropriate, employee status, assigned department or equivalent unit, and other conditions of employment. The notification shall also state that the appointment automatically expires at the end of the stated period and does not establish an entitlement or any special consideration for subsequent appointments or any further appointment rights.

Generally, temporary appointments (both full- and part-time) should be made sufficiently in advance of the beginning of instruction to allow adequate time for course preparation and the acquisition of appropriate texts and instructional materials.

B. Nature of Part-Time Work Assignments

Normally, part-time temporary appointments are made for teaching assignments only. Part-time faculty shall be paid on a pro rata basis if they are assigned duties such as, committee assignments or general advising, in addition to those normally associated with course instruction. Part-time temporary faculty are generally welcome to attend department and college meetings and attend campus forums and workshops on a volunteer basis.

C. Salary

1. In general: The placement of an appointee on the salary schedule is a function of an individual's qualifications and not whether the appointment is on a full-time or part-time basis.

Appointment of a temporary employee in consecutive academic years to a similar assignment in the same department or equivalent unit shall require the same or higher salary placement as in the prior appointment.

A temporary employee with assignments in more than one more department may have different salary placements in each department.

2. Range: The salary schedule for lecturers includes five ranges—LL, LA, LB, LC, and LD. For guidelines on these ranges, see Section V, Range Elevation.

D. Length of Appointment

1. In general: Temporary appointments are normally for a period of one semester or one academic year.

2. Special provisions of the July 1, 1998 - June 30, 2001 Agreement:

i. Following two semesters of consecutive employment within an academic year, a part-time temporary employee offered appointment to a similar assignment in the same department or equivalent unit at SJSU will receive a one-year appointment.

ii. Temporary faculty (other than coaches) employed during the 1998/1999 [or 1999/2000] academic year and having six or more years of service at SJSU in a single department since July 1, 1993 [July 1, 1994], shall be offered a two-year temporary appointment commencing with the 1999/2000 [2000/2001] academic year.

3. SJSU Policy: Beyond the two situations identified in 2.i. and 2.ii. above, in cases where department needs and resources make it appropriate, appointments of up to three academic years may be made to temporary faculty.

4. Conditional nature: The offering of a part-time temporary appointment for a period longer than one semester does not remove the conditional nature of such appointments which may be reduced or canceled if necessary due to budgetary or enrollment factors.

Generally, full-time temporary appointments (other than Coaching Faculty Unit Employees) are not conditional, except in the case of layoff.

E. Subsequent Appointment

1. Careful consideration: Every department or equivalent unit is to maintain a list of temporary employees who have been evaluated. If the employee applies for a position in that department or equivalent unit or for the applicant pool for that department or equivalent unit, the faculty unit employee's previous periodic evaluations and application shall receive careful consideration.

2. Renewal Possibility: Renewal of a full-time temporary appointment for a second or third year shall be contingent upon the availability of work and satisfactory performance, as well as timely application for the position. Part-time temporary appointments may be renewed indefinitely, if needed.

3. Searches: National searches need not be conducted for full-time appointments extended through three years. In those cases in which positions are to be maintained as temporary beyond three years, new national searches are required in accordance with the SJSU affirmative action policies and procedures.

A new search need not be conducted each time a part-time appointment is to be renewed, but persons receiving successive part-time appointments must be evaluated in comparison with candidates recruited through an appropriate regional search at least once every three years.

Departments and divisions are encouraged to maintain a list of eligible part-time faculty.

IV. Evaluation

A. Timing of Notification of Criteria and Procedures

Within 14 days after the start of the semester, department chairs (or equivalent persons for their unit) are to provide temporary faculty unit employees with written notification of the evaluation criteria and procedures in effect at the time of their appointment. Employees are to be advised of any changes to evaluation criteria and procedures prior to the commencement of the evaluation process.

B. Process

1. Purpose: The performance of temporary faculty should be carefully evaluated in order to provide students with the best instruction possible, and to assist in the careful consideration of temporary faculty for any future temporary or probationary positions for which they may be candidates.

2. Multiple Assignments: Temporary faculty are to be evaluated separately within each department for which they have an assignment.

3. Periodic Evaluation: The Agreement calls for periodic evaluation of temporary faculty that results in written statements to be placed in the employee's Personnel Action File. The specifics of the periodic evaluation are explained below.

a. Full-time: Full-time temporary faculty appointed within a single department for two or more semesters, regardless of a break in service, shall be evaluated in terms of their particular assignment and the criteria appropriate to that assignment. At a minimum, a department committee of tenured faculty shall consider: a) student evaluations done in conformity with university policy, b) peer review of teaching or performance in other academic assignment including review of course materials, and c) information provided by the faculty member on an "Annual Summary of Achievements" form, which must be submitted to the department chair (or equivalent person for the unit) by March 15. The department chair may make a separate recommendation as part of the evaluation process. During the period of review, additional documentation provided by the faculty member or gathered by the department committee or chair shall be considered an extension of the Personnel Action File. Copies of material not provided by the faculty member and not previously a part of the Personnel Action File must be given to the faculty member before the review is done.

The employee's documentation and the evaluations of the committee and chair (if a separate evaluation was performed) shall be forwarded to the dean. Following his/her review, the dean shall forward copies of the completed evaluation and Summary of Achievements to the official Personnel Action File and to the faculty member and the department. Normally documentation will be returned to the department or faculty member, as appropriate.

The evaluation process must be completed by April 15. Careful consideration of evaluations is required before appointments may be made (addenda or revisions may be submitted later if necessary).

b. Part-time: Part-time temporary faculty appointed for two or more semesters, regardless of a break in service, shall be evaluated in terms of their particular assignment and the criteria appropriate to that assignment. At a minimum, the department chair, alone or with the assistance of other tenured faculty in the department, shall in conformity with university policy review student evaluations of teaching performance and course materials for those with teaching duties and, if provided by the part-time faculty member, a Summary of Achievements form. The employee shall also be given an opportunity for peer input from the department or equivalent unit. Each department may decide whether evaluation of part-time temporary faculty will be completed by the chair alone, the personnel committee, or another committee of full-time tenured faculty.

The chair shall forward copies of the evaluation and documentation to the dean, who shall in turn forward copies of the completed review to the official Personnel Action File and to the faculty member and the department. Normally documentation will be returned to the department or faculty member, as appropriate.

The evaluation process must be completed by May 15. Careful consideration of evaluations is required before appointments may be made (addenda or revisions may be submitted later if necessary).

Part-time temporary faculty appointed for one semester or less shall be evaluated at the discretion of the department chair, appropriate administrator, or the department. In addition, the employee may request that an evaluation be performed.

c. Coaching Faculty: In addition to the above guidelines for full-time and part-time temporary faculty, evaluations of Coaching Faculty Unit Employees shall include an opportunity for peer input and evaluation by appropriate administrators.

d. Volunteer and Visiting Temporary Faculty: Volunteer and visiting temporary faculty with an appointment of one academic year or less need only be evaluated if the appropriate chair or the employee requests such evaluation.

e. Rebuttal: At all levels of review and before recommendations are forwarded to the next level of review, the employee shall be given a copy of the recommendation and may submit a rebuttal statement or response in writing and/or request a meeting be held to discuss the recommendation within seven days of receiving it. A copy of any response or rebuttal statement is to accompany the Working Personnel Action File and be sent to all previous levels of review.

f. Confidentiality: All deliberations in the evaluation process are to be confidential. Recommendations are to be kept confidential except that the reviewee, appropriate administrators, President and peer review committee members are to have access to written recommendations.

V. Range Elevation

A. Definition and Principles

1. Definition: Range elevation refers to movement on the salary schedule for lecturers to the next range (LA, LB, LC, or LD).

2. Eligibility: Lecturers who have no more SSI (Service Salary Increase) eligibility in their current range and who have served five years in their current range are eligible for range elevation. Accumulated teaching experience alone is not an eligibility factor for range elevation.

3. Advancement versus Meritorious Performance: Range elevation represents a form of advancement—that is, moving from one classification to another. An eligible lecturer must show evidence that he or she has reached a level of performance consistent with the requirements for appointment at the next higher range. Thus, more than continued satisfactory or excellent performance at one's current classification is necessary for range elevation. Alternative forms of recognition are provided for demonstrated performance at one's current rank, such as the Faculty Merit Increase (FMI) program provided by the Agreement.

4. Criteria: Criteria for range elevation shall be appropriate to lecturer work assignments. The relevant types of criteria to be applied are contained in this policy. In addition, some departments or equivalent units may have established guidelines (within the parameters of this policy and the Agreement) with more specific criteria, including terminal degree requirements, for lecturers employed in that particular department or equivalent unit. Departmental guidelines are only applicable if approved by the Office of Faculty Affairs in consultation with the Professional Standards Committee.

5. No Impact on Temporary Status of the Appointment: Range elevation does not imply any guarantee of future employment nor does it affect the conditional nature of the temporary appointment.

B. Overview to Ranges

The following explanations of each range (LL, LA, LB, LC, and LD) are meant to be general. Some departments and equivalent units may have established more specific descriptions and guidelines. Such departmental guidelines/descriptions are only effective if approved by the Office of Faculty Affairs in consultation with the Professional Standards Committee.

1. LL: This range is generally used for a position where a traditional academic degree is not typically the norm.

2. LA: This range is an entry-level lecturer rank. A candidate for this range would typically possess at least a master's degree.

3. LB: This range is for a person with a terminal degree or specialized professional expertise or experience.

4. LC: This is an advanced range. A candidate for this range would have the appropriate terminal degree or specialized professional expertise or experience, teaching experience, and an assignment that generally includes advanced upper division and/or graduate courses.

5. LD: This advanced range would be for a candidate that has the equivalent degree, experience and expertise of a senior academic scholar and teacher.

C. Process

1. In General: Lecturers seeking range elevation must notify the chair of their department or equivalent unit, verify eligibility, and request the appropriate reporting documents. The procedures for requesting range elevation and the documentation to be submitted by the lecturer are explained below.

At the beginning of each academic year, the Office of Faculty Affairs will establish a timeline for applications for range elevation and provide this information to chairs and deans who will make it available to lecturers who request it.

Temporary faculty who are eligible for range elevation in more than one department or unit must apply separately in each department or unit in which they are eligible.

2. Application Process: Temporary faculty seeking range elevation must submit their application form with the appropriate documentation to their department chair (or equivalent person for their unit).

3. Documentation: Material supporting a lecturer's request for range elevation should include:

i. Copies of all periodic evaluations, including SOTEs received during all years of the assignment and periodic peer reviews, if available.

ii. A current vita.

iii. Documentation of committee work or other service contributions, if any.

iv. Documentation of scholarly and professional achievements, if any.

v. An explanation of why range elevation is warranted. Such explanation must relate to the lecturer's work assignment. Depending on the justification for range elevation, such narrative may describe new teaching or advising responsibilities, attainment of an advanced degree or specialized training, course design, professional expertise as related to the assignment, new pedagogy, demonstrated continuous improvement of course materials and approach, new breadth to the teaching assignment, significant contributions to the department, etc.

4. Review Process—Department or Equivalent Unit: The lecturer's application and documentation requesting range elevation shall be evaluated by the personnel (RTP) committee within the department or equivalent unit. The chair may provide a separate review if he or she did not serve on the RTP committee. The committee shall write an evaluation and make a recommendation in memo format to the dean. The chair, if performing a separate review, shall do the same. The recommendations will be forwarded to the candidate and the dean at the same time and the applicant will have a seven-day period to submit a written rebuttal to the dean, if desired.

5. Review Process—Dean: The dean will review the recommendations of the department and make a recommendation. A copy of the recommendation will be sent to the candidate who will have seven days to respond in writing. The recommendations and candidate responses (if any) will then be forwarded to the Office of Faculty Affairs for final review and action.

6. Role of President: The result of the reviews by the department and dean is to make a recommendation to the President who shall make the final decision with respect to the request for range elevation.

7. Effective date of range elevation: Range elevation is effective with the temporary employee's next appointment, unless he or she is in the middle of a two-year (or longer) appointment, in which case it will be effective beginning with the next semester.

8. Peer Review Process: Denial of a range elevation is subject to the peer review process of Section 10.11 of the Agreement, except that the Peer Panel's decision is final. The pool for funding successful lecturer range elevation appeals is limited to 4 steps per each 50 lecturer faculty eligible for range elevation. [See Section 12.18 and 12.19 of the Agreement.] Relevant dates and steps in the peer review process are explained below.

i. A temporary faculty member who wishes to request peer review for denial of range elevation shall request peer review no later than 45 days after the receipt of the denial.

ii. The Peer Panel shall begin to review the denial within 21 days of its selection by lot (such selection to be performed by the Office of Faculty Affairs and per the guidelines of Section 10.11a of the Agreement).

iii. No later than 40 days after its selection, the Peer Panel shall notify the candidate and president of its findings and decision. The Peer Panel shall forward to the President, all written materials it considered.

iv. The President is to consider the Peer Panel's recommendation and written materials within 14 days of their receipt and notify the candidate and Peer Panel of his or her final decision, including the reasons. This decision is not reviewable in any forum.

D. Range Elevation Amount

Range elevation for lecturers shall be accompanied by advancement of at least two steps (5%) on the salary schedule. The funds dedicated to Faculty Merit Increases (FMI) pursuant to sections 31.7 through 31.35 of the Agreement may also be used to provide range elevation increases of more than two steps (5%) on the salary schedule.

In their reviews, if the department and/or dean recommend an increase greater than two steps, the reasons shall be stated in the recommendation sent to the President. The decision to award a range elevation greater than 5% is at the final discretion of the President.

History

This policy replaces S88-4, Appointment and Evaluation Policy for Temporary Teaching Faculty. It also replaces F89-6, Appointment of Adjunct Professors, which was a replacement for F84-3.

[ SJSU Academic Senate Main Page | Organization Chart of the Senate | Senate Officers ]
[ Senate Handbook | University Policies | Sense-of-the-Senate Resolutions | Minutes of Senate Meeting ]

Back to the SJSU Home Page

Send comments or questions regarding this Senate Web site to
The Office of the Academic Senate
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0024
voice: (408) 924-2440
fax: (408) 924-2410
email: senate@email.sjsu.edu