Fixed-Term Faculty Ranks

Teaching

The titles Teaching Assistant Professor, Teaching Associate Professor, or Teaching Professor may be used. The following guidelines and policies apply to individuals with teaching appointments:

• the individual primarily will be engaged in teaching activities;
• subsequent appointments may be made in succession or at intervals;
• tenure may not be acquired in the teaching rank;
• the amount of time that an individual contributes to University-related activities may vary from 5% to 100% effort.

Teaching Assistant Professor

Appointment to rank of Teaching Assistant Professor may be made for a fixed term of one to five years.

Teaching Associate Professor

This fixed term rank is appropriate for Teaching faculty who have rendered outstanding service to the University as evidenced by such distinctions as awards for teaching or service. Ordinarily, because of the level of recognition by awarding this rank, an appointment term of three to five years should be considered.

Teaching Professor

This fixed term rank is appropriate for a Teaching Associate Professor who has a minimum of six consecutive years’ full-time (i.e., 1 FTE) service., or, if the candidate is from another institution and identified in a national search, six consecutive years of full-time (1 FTE) service as a Teaching Associate Professor or faculty equivalent is required. A Teaching Assistant Professor is not eligible to be promoted directly to the rank of Teaching Professor. A Teaching Professor candidate must provide demonstrable evidence of distinguished teaching and service to the appointing department, in accordance with standards defined by the unit in which the candidate is being promoted.

Clinical

The titles Clinical Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, Clinical Assistant Professor, or Clinical Instructor may be used. The following guidelines and policies apply to individuals with clinical appointments:

• engaged in providing a practice or service activity in such a way that it serves as a framework for teaching, and/or supervising students in academic, clinical or field settings.
• appointments may be renewed for fixed terms of one to five years
• tenure may not be acquired in the clinical rank.
• appointment to a higher rank is possible within the clinical ranks (based on appropriate criteria).
• the amount of time that an individual contributes to University-related activities may vary from 5% to 100% effort.

Research

The titles Research Professor, Research Associate Professor, Research Assistant Professor, or Research Instructor may be used. The following guidelines and policies apply to individuals with research appointments:

• engaged primarily in research activities; may be invited to teach a course once a year
• appointments may be renewed for fixed terms of one to five years
• tenure may not be acquired in the research ranks
• appointment to a higher rank is possible through the research ranks (based on appropriate criteria).
• the amount of time that an individual contributes to University-related activities may vary from 5% to 100% effort.

Adjunct

The titles Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor, Adjunct Assistant Professor, or Adjunct Instructor may be used. The following guidelines and policies apply to individuals with adjunct appointments:

• employed outside the University, or has a primary appointment in a University unit different from that making the adjunct appointment
• engaged in the following activities: limited responsibilities in the department making the adjunct appointment; may be in involved in teaching, research, practice or service; does not receive regular salary from the appointing department, but may receive compensation for specific services or activities performed; full-time University employment prohibits additional compensation from the department making the adjunct appointment
• appointments may be renewed for fixed terms of one to five years
• appointment to a higher rank is possible through the adjunct ranks (based on appropriate criteria).
• normally, the title “adjunct” connotes a part-time commitment of the individual to the appointing department; however, in some cases, “adjunct” may be used for full time employment

Visiting

“Visiting” appointments are generally made where an individual with a faculty appointment at another academic institution will perform short-term temporary (e.g., typically for one year or less) faculty duties at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Such appointments may also be authorized for individuals who may not presently hold faculty credentials at another institution but who are otherwise qualified for faculty rank.

Maximum Duration Of Visiting Appointments

The following time limits are relevant for visiting appointments:

• Visiting faculty appointments generally may not exceed one-year at a time in duration.
• An additional consecutive appointment for a one-year or less is permissible when the needs of the Department/School justify such continuation.
• Visiting appointments in any circumstance are limited to a maximum of two consecutive appointments (four consecutive semesters) of one year after which a minimum of one semester’s break in service from the University is required before another visiting appointment may be initiated for this same individual.
• If it is necessary to make temporary appointments for less than one year, the prefix “visiting” should be added to the appropriate rank designation.

On the ConnectCarolina Hire ePAR, check “Yes” for Visiting and select a fixed term faculty Job Code. If this is an appointment preceding the approval of a tenure track appointment, you should not indicate the appointment as “Visiting” but should follow the instructions for “Nominated” faculty.

A minimum of one semester’s break in service from University payroll is required before another visiting appointment may be made.

The Tenure Regulations state:

Persons other than regular members of the faculty may be appointed as visiting members of the faculty with rank designations, prefixed by the word “Visiting,” appropriate to their status in their regular employment. Such appointments shall be for a term of not more than one year. One successive appointment for a term of not more than one year may be made. Appointments are made in accordance with the procedures for appointment of an instructor. During such terms of appointment the visiting faculty member may not be suspended, discharged or terminated except upon the grounds and by the procedures provided respectively in Sections 3 and 6 hereof.

Professor of the Practice

This fixed term rank is appropriate for a senior field-specific expert whose contribution to teaching, research, or service upon joining the University community has its foundation in a prior career of distinguished non-academic achievement. It is not appropriate to employ the rank distinctions “associate” or “assistant” with this appointment. However, if the appointing unit internally employs field identifiers in tenure track appointments e.g., professor of management, it is appropriate to employ those identifiers with this rank.