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Part-Time Tenure-Eligible Faculty (Policy 4215)

University Policy 4215

Download a Printable Version of Policy 4215

Effective Date

February 2017

Responsible Party

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, (208) 426-1202

Scope and Audience

This policy applies to Tenure-Eligible faculty. This policy does not apply to faculty members who for a limited time period have reduced responsibilities solely as a result of participating in the University’s phased retirement program, or faculty on a full-year sabbatical.

Additional Authority

  • University Policy 8140 (Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Disability)
  • University Policy 7000 (Position and Title Definitions)
  • University Policy 4340 (Faculty Tenure and Promotion Guidelines)
  • University Policy 4380 (Periodic Review of Tenured Faculty)
  • University Policy 4400 (Faculty Sabbatical Leave)
  • Idaho State Board Policy II.G. Policies Regarding Faculty

1. Policy Purpose

To describe the part-time appointment arrangements for Tenure-Eligible faculty.

2. Policy Statement

The University permits Tenure-Eligible faculty positions to be less than full-time in those specific circumstances for which part-time Appointment will benefit the individual faculty member, as well as the University, its students, research, or service to the greater community.

Part-Time Faculty Appointments will be granted only under exceptional circumstances.

3. Definitions

3.1 Permanent Part-Time Appointment

An arrangement for a Tenure-Eligible faculty member where the workload is a fraction of the normal possible workload of a full-time Tenure-Eligible faculty member with a similar appointment in the same academic unit. This reduction in workload includes a proportionate reduction in pay and benefits. Faculty members in this position are expected to remain in part-time Appointment for their entire remaining career at the University. Although faculty members may change the percentage of appointment at any time with written approval of the Dean, they must apply and compete for open positions in order to increase that percentage.

3.2 Temporary Part-Time Appointment

An arrangement in which the Tenure-Eligible faculty member is otherwise permanently full-time, but reduces to a part-time FTE for a period not to exceed two years in duration.

3.3 Tenure-Eligible Faculty

A faculty position assigned to an academic department or the University library wherein the incumbent holds academic rank and is eligible for tenure or is tenured.

4. Responsibilities and Procedures

4.1 Principles

a. Full-time positions will continue to be the norm for Tenure-Eligible Faculty at the University.

b. When applicable and before faculty apply for a part-time Appointment, college deans, department chairs, and unit heads will help faculty explore the provisions of Policy #4340 (Promotion and Tenure) and Policy #7230 (Family Medical Leave Act) that allow for an extended pre-tenured period and job-protected leave.

c. For faculty already tenured, part-time Appointment may be established as either Temporary Part-Time or Permanent Part-Time.

d. For pre-tenured faculty, Permanent Part-Time Appointment is ordinarily not permitted, only the Temporary Part-Time Appointment. Exceptions may be permitted to allow Permanent Part-Time Appointment for pre-tenured faculty members:

e. Considerations for part-time Appointment:

(i.) For faculty already tenured, part-time Appointments (permanent or temporary) may be determined to be appropriate when the needs of the faculty are not sufficiently met by the provisions of Policy #4400 (Faculty Sabbatical Leave) or Policy #7230 (Family Medical Leave Act) that allow for job-protected leave. These needs may include non-University professional or public service activities, as well as family care responsibilities.

(ii.) For pre-tenured faculty, part-time Appointments (temporary) may be determined to be appropriate when the needs of the faculty are not sufficiently met by the provisions of Policy #4340 (Promotion and Tenure) and Policy #7230 (Family Medical Leave Act) that allow for an extended pre-tenured period and job-protected leave. In order to protect the integrity and fairness of the University’s processes for assessing candidates for tenure, non-University professional or public service activities are not considered sufficient cause for pre-tenured faculty seeking part-time Appointments.

f. Requests and Responsibilities

(i.) A request for part-time Appointment should originate with the faculty member (or candidate) rather than from chairs, deans, or directors, and structuring of positions as part-time rather than full-time should not be motivated primarily by institutional budgetary considerations. These principles apply both to positions initially established as Part-Time upon a faculty member’s initial appointment, and to existing faculty members’ moves to Temporary Part-Time or Permanent Part-Time.

(ii.) For each request for a part-time Appointment, the academic unit, dean, and provost should ensure that the Part-Time Appointment also adequately serves the needs of the department, college and University. Part-time Appointments are not an entitlement, and requests may be turned down when there are non-discriminatory institutional reasons for declining the faculty member’s proposed plan.

(iii.) To ensure fair and consistent treatment of both full and part-time faculty within an academic unit, the allocation of responsibilities and resources for each part-time position shall be proportional relative to otherwise equivalent full-time positions within the academic unit, and relative to other part-time positions. In accordance with Policy #4560 (Workload for Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty), part-time faculty should contribute satisfactorily to teaching, research, and service as do full-time faculty, but with expectations of accomplishment in each area reduced proportionally according to percentage of FTE.

g. Appendix A describes the process for request, approvals, and the final Memorandum of Terms for the appointment.

h. This policy shall be implemented consistently with the University’s commitment to nondiscrimination in all employment-related practices and decisions.

4.2 Temporary Part-Time Appointment

a. At the request of a faculty member a Temporary Part-Time Appointment may be granted for a period not to exceed two years in duration. The length of the period (including calendar dates of beginning and end) shall be specified in a memorandum of terms at the time of initial granting.

b. Before the conclusion of the temporary part-time appointment and in accordance with Appendix A, a faculty member may submit a request letter and memorandum of terms seeking a second consecutive Temporary Part-Time Appointment. In the event that a faculty member does not seek a consecutive appointment or the request is turned down, the faculty member must either resume full-time status as of the previously agreed end-date of the temporary appointment or, if requested and approved, move to permanent part-time status.

4.3 Permanent Part-Time Appointment

a. Permanent Part-Time Appointments are normally permitted only for a faculty member who is already tenured. A faculty member may be initially appointed, with tenure, to a Permanent Part-Time position, or an existing tenured faculty member in a full-time position may request to reduce an appointment to Permanently Part-Time.

b. In the case of conversion of an existing full-time position to a Permanent Part-Time Appointment, a faculty member by the change of appointment should be aware that the memorandum of terms will include an explicit statement permanently releasing the University from any future obligation to provide the faculty member with more than a stipulated fraction of regular full-time compensation and employee benefits.

c. The recruitment and initial appointment of a newly hired faculty member to a Part-Time appointment shall follow all other ordinary processes for faculty appointments, disciplinary procedures, and appeals.

4.4 Modifications of Promotion, Tenure, and Post-Tenure Reviews

In accordance with Policy #4560 (Workload for Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty), all faculty members are assessed based on the same quality and accomplishments in the areas of teaching, research, and service. The annual rate of productivity expected for each faculty member will be in proportion to their appointment.

a. Modified promotion and tenure terms during the pre-tenure probationary period.

(i.) The normal pre-tenure probationary periods established in University Policy #4340 are based on an assumption that faculty members will be in full-time Appointment (1.0 FTE) for each academic year throughout their probationary periods. The review for tenure occurs during the final year of the probationary period.

(ii.) The effect of a Temporary Part-Time Appointment on pre-tenured status will be negotiated with the college dean and department chair/ unit head. The terms negotiated will be included in the final memorandum of terms.

(iii.) Any Part-Time Appointment that starts in the final tenure review year may be approved, but it shall not increase the pre-tenured period.

b. Modified terms of post-tenure reviews and promotion

(i.) The University requirement of periodic reviews of tenured faculty at least every five years (University Policy #4380) applies to faculty members serving some or all of that time in a part-time Appointment.

(ii.) The criteria and standards for promotion in rank for Part-Time Appointments will be the same as for full-time faculty, except the time required in rank shall be increased in proportion to the appointment.

4.5 Shared Governance

a. Each faculty member serving in a part-time Appointment shall:

(i.) Have the same participation and voting rights as a Full-Time faculty member in the shared governance structure of the appointing academic department and college (or library equivalent), including advisory committees regarding appointments, promotion, or tenure of faculty, and committees regarding curricular or other policy; and

(ii.) Have the same eligibility as a full-time faculty member to be elected or appointed to representative roles within a department, college, and the University (including Faculty Senate or other University committees), unless otherwise specified in another University Policy or in the charge of a specified University committee.

b. Faculty members in a Part-Time Appointments under this Policy are expected to attend the general faculty meetings of their appointing unit unless the memorandum of terms specifies otherwise. Other committee service and shared governance responsibilities of Part-Time Faculty shall be proportional to the Part-Time Appointment.

4.6 Academic Benefits and Privileges

a. Grants and awards. Part-time faculty members are eligible for any internal University grants and awards available to full-time faculty (unless otherwise specified in another governing University Policy or in the official announcement of a particular such grant or award opportunity, with good cause stated for limiting eligibility to full-time faculty).

b. Leaves of absence. Part-time faculty members are eligible for leaves of absence on the same terms as full-time faculty, except where the reduction of appointment reduces the faculty member’s eligibility for FMLA.

c. Sabbaticals. As Policy 4400 (Faculty Sabbatical Leave) specifies a requirement of full-time service, faculty members on a Part-Time Appointment will not accrue sabbatical eligibility. Part-time faculty members will retain any previously accrued years of eligibility and may resume accrual if or when they return to full-time status.

4.7 Retirement, Insurance, and Other Employee Benefits

a. Part-Time faculty members participate in benefits programs as other employees who serve in a full-time capacity. However, the premiums and benefits often differ due to the reduction of the employee’s appointment.

b. Faculty members should consult with Human Resources for further information about the particular terms and extent of such benefits.

c. Part-time faculty members will accrue sick leave as outlined in Policy 7260 (Sick Leave – Faculty).

d. Part-time faculty members will accrue or be ineligible to accrue annual leave as outlined in Policy 4410 (Annual Leave-Faculty).

5. Appendix A

5.1 Approval Procedures

a. Request letter. An existing Tenure-Eligible faculty member who wishes to request Temporary Part-Time or Permanent Part-Time Appointment must consult the department chairperson as soon as possible. To initiate a request, the faculty member will submit a request letter to the department chairperson (or equivalent). The request letter shall describe the reasons for the change to a Part-Time Appointment and specify the desired calendar dates for starting and/or ending the Part-Time Appointment as appropriate to the request.

b. Memorandum, recommendations, and approval. In conjunction with the request, there shall be a proposed memorandum of terms for the arrangement, describing the planned workload, FTE percentage, and compensation for the faculty member, if granted. If the appointment change would occur during the faculty member’s pre-tenured period, the memorandum should describe any effect the Part-Time Appointment will have on the pre-tenured period (specifically timing of reviews).

Workload expectations for part-time appointees shall be guided by Policy #4560 (Workload for Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty). The workload of Part-Time Appointments shall be reviewed annually, and if warranted, updated to reflect any changes in research and teaching that may have occurred. The chairperson shall forward to the cognizant dean the request and proposed memorandum of terms, with a written recommendation as to disposition of the request (copied to the faculty member).

The dean shall make a recommendation for disposition of the request (copied to the chairperson and faculty member), and forward all materials to the Provost’s Office for consideration. If the Temporary Part-Time or Permanent Part-Time Appointment is approved by the Provost with a modification of the pre-tenure period, the department chairperson shall add to the candidate’s file a notice of that modification.