Policies Regarding Faculty

Faculty Classification: Ranks

 The College grants academic rank to faculty members on the assumption they will be retained on the faculty as long as the College's program needs their services, as long as their services prove satisfactory, and they demonstrate capacity for professional growth. It is understood, however, that faculty size remains related to the size of the student body.

The higher academic ranks require that the candidate shall have as a prerequisite a specified number of years of teaching experience. This experience may have been obtained at Benedictine College or at another comparable institution. New faculty members, especially in professional and technical fields, may be given credit for previous relevant experience and recognition achieved outside the teaching field itself. The degree of consideration that will be given in all such cases will be determined by the Provost. Prior experience incurred somewhere other than the College is not automatically applied for purposes of promotion and tenure and the granting of such credit is in the sole discretion of the College. Except in unusual cases, faculty hired at the rank of Assistant Professor given years of credit toward promotion to Associate Professor will be given at least an equal number of years of credit toward tenure. It is expected that a person will not come up for promotion to Associate Professor before they have been evaluated for tenure. New faculty may be hired at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor in a probationary status in regard to tenure: such persons will be evaluated for tenure no later than in their third year at the College, so that actual tenure, if granted, would start no later than their fourth year at the institution.

The faculty is organized administratively in departments and by academic rank. Faculty ranks at the College are as follows: instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor, and professor emeritus/emerita. Lecturers are unranked, generally part-time faculty. It is expected that all faculty, even unranked and part-time faculty, who teach for the college will have at least a Master’s degree in a field relevant to the subject they are teaching. There are some exceptions to this rule. Certain applied activity courses—such as instrumental music lessons and physical education activity courses—may be taught by those without a Master’s degree but with experiential qualifications. Lecturers in foreign language at the introductory level may be accredited through Common European Framework of Reference for Languages at the highest level in lieu of a Master’s degree. The standards for evaluating experiential qualifications are developed by the departments that make use of such faculty members and are approved by the Provost. Nursing clinical instructors may also be experientially qualified in situations specified by, and subject to the standards developed by, the state Board of Nursing. Certain science labs may be overseen by a lecturer without an advanced degree if that person is operating under the direct supervision of the course instructor. Other situations—such as the opportunity to appoint an artist in residence—will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Faculty teaching in the MBA program at the College should have an earned doctorate in their field to qualify them for their assignments; or have exceptional expertise. Exceptional expertise is defined as (1) at least a Master’s degree (or equivalent professional certification such as CPA) in a discipline or field related to the area of teaching responsibility; (2) professional experience at time of hiring that is both consistent with the area of teaching responsibility, and significant in duration and level of responsibility; and (3) continuous development activities/ lifelong learning to maintain intellectual capital (or currency in the teaching field) consistent with teaching responsibility. The appointment of an adjunct faculty member is recommended by the School of Business and made by the Provost of the College on the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee.

The School of Education is responsible for establishing minimum qualifications for adjunct faculty including application/screening procedures and appropriate staff development and expectations for adjunct faculty as well as for providing appropriate supervision, all aimed at ensuring high quality teaching and learning experiences. Adjunct faculty in Education should have earned doctorates in the field they are teaching or advanced degrees with exceptional expertise in that field. Exceptional expertise for adjunct faculty in education includes:

• Doctoral level degree and documentation of P–12 experience
• Master’s level degree and documentation of P–12 experience, and one or more of the following:
  •  Expertise/experience in the education program’s priorities, such as special education, leadership, curriculum, assessment, and/or technology,
  • Demonstrated expertise in a field where few alternative resources exist,
  • A demonstrated national or state-wide reputation in his/her field and extensive experience working in higher education.

All ranks are expected to show acceptance of the educational philosophy and mission of the College as set forth in the Catalog and other official College publications and a commitment to continuing professional development in the fields appropriate to the faculty member’s discipline. Other qualifications for each of these ranks are listed below.

Ranked Faculty

1. Lecturer – All part-time members of the faculty who have not previously held academic rank at Benedictine College are considered unranked and are designated as lecturers. Ordinarily, a part-time member of the faculty teaches fewer than twelve semester hours per semester and is not engaged in major administrative or other special functions in the College.
2. Instructor – Appointment to the rank of instructor ordinarily presupposes the following qualifications:
   1. Possession of at least the Master's degree or the appropriate degree required for teaching in certain technical or professional fields.
   2. Proven or potential teaching ability.
   3. Capacity to progress toward assistant professorship according to established norms.

3. Assistant Professor – Appointment to the rank of assistant professor ordinarily presupposes the qualifications for the rank of instructor and the following additional qualifications:

a. Possession of at least a Master’s degree in academic field or the appropriate degree ordinarily required for teaching in certain technical and professional fields. For faculty members in this rank, the College regards the possession of the Doctorate as highly desirable. In general, the College, in relation to promotion standards, will consider favorably the possession of multiple Master’s degrees.

b.For faculty applying for promotion to Assistant Professor, a minimum of three years of satisfactory service in the rank of instructor must normally be completed before application can be made for promotion; the promotion decision is thus usually made in the faculty member’s fourth year at the rank of instructor. In interpreting this norm, first attention is given to the quality of teaching. In the case of new appointments, account may be taken of various forms of relevant experience and professional recognition. Other factors taken into consideration in applying the minimum three years criterion include possession of the Doctorate or terminal degree, professional research or writing, or other academic activities.

c. Possession of those qualities of character and competence expected in an educator and exemplar to students, as well as the ability to work effectively and collegially within the College academic community.

d. Evidence of interest and competence in scholarly activities. While the College’s primary dedication is to teaching, rather than research, it is expected that to some degree all faculty members holding higher academic ranks will insure their continued professional development through participation in the work of learned societies and through some degree of scholarly productivity.

e. Evidence of a significant level of faculty service (See section on Faculty Service.), and excellence in performance of other College responsibilities, such as service on College committees, moderator of clubs, sponsoring speakers or artists, etc.

4. Associate Professor – Appointment to the rank of associate professor ordinarily presupposes the qualifications for the rank of assistant professor and the following additional qualifications:

a. Consistently high quality of teaching effectiveness.

b. Actual possession of the Doctorate or of a terminal degree normally required for this rank by good academic practice. In exceptional cases, fully demonstrated ability in scholarly research or some other comparable form of professional achievement may replace the requirement of the doctoral degree.

c. A minimum experience of five years of College service at the rank of Assistant Professor, three years of which must be at this institution. These years of service must normally be completed before application for promotion, so the promotion decision would usually be made in the faculty member's sixth year at the rank of Assistant Professor. In the case of new appointments, account may be taken of various forms of relevant experience and professional recognition.

d. Evidence of continuing and increasing achievement in the area of scholarly and professional activities by serving on panels, publishing, presenting papers, professional performances, etc.

e. Evidence of discharge of other College responsibilities, curricular and extracurricular. (See paragraph 3. e. above.)

5.  Professor – Appointment to the rank of professor ordinarily presupposes the qualifications for the rank of associate professor and the following additional qualifications:

a. A minimum experience of five years in the rank of Associate Professor at the College. These years of experience must normally be completed before application for promotion, so eligibility for the promotion would usually not be before the faculty member's sixth year at the rank of Associate Professor.

b. Fulfillment of all the requirements of the lower academic ranks.

c. Exemplary contribution to the purposes of the College through excellence in teaching, continuing achievement in scholarly and professional activities, and sustained accomplishments in administrative assignments.

6.  Professor Emeritus/Emerita – Appointment to the rank of professor emeritus/emerita ordinarily presupposes the following qualifications:

a. Retirement from full-time College teaching.

b. Distinguished teaching service and/or scholarly work at Benedictine College.

c. Demonstration of a career that is congruent with the College mission.

d. This rank is not automatically conferred upon retirement. It requires recommendation of the Rank and Tenure Committee and of the current departmental chair in the department in which the candidate served, followed by approval of the recommendation by the President and Board of Directors.

e. Appointment to this rank carries the following privileges:

i. The right to represent Benedictine College at public functions.
ii. The right to take part in academic, cultural, and social events at the College with whatever financial exemptions other faculty members enjoy.
iii. The right to take part in academic events and processions, such as honors programs, commencement exercises, alumni events.
iv. Listing in the College Catalog.
v. Library privileges.

f. The privileges described in paragraph 6.e. are not contractual rights and are subject to change at the discretion of the College based on evolving circumstances at the College.

Professionally Qualified Track 

Faculty who are hired primarily on the basis of their professional (as opposed to academic) qualifications will be placed on the professionally qualified track rather than the tenure track at the time of their hire. The purpose of the professionally qualified track is to accommodate faculty who may not have terminal degrees but possess significant professional or clinical expertise and/or experience that is particularly suited to the fields in which they teach. 

The decision to place a faculty member either on the tenure track or on the professionally qualified track is made at the discretion of the Provost, taking into account the recommendation of the department chair. It is envisioned that all full-time faculty with a rank higher than Instructor at the College will be placed on either the tenure or the professionally qualified track at the time of hire. Untenured faculty who are not tenure track at the time of the adoption of this policy may request to be placed on the professionally qualified track.

Faculty are evaluated using the same timeline, policies, procedures, and criteria as those on the tenure track, with the following exceptions. Regarding criteria, faculty on the professionally qualified track are not expected to have a terminal degree in their field. Furthermore, the criteria regarding scholarship is to be weighted less in evaluations, with other criteria—especially teaching—suitably weighted more, so that the summary criteria are undiminished in rigor. Regarding procedures, a professionally qualified track faculty member who meets the minimum requirements for this track will be granted, in lieu of tenure, a rolling renewable three-year contract. In addition, faculty on the professionally qualified track are considered eligible for promotion to Associate Professor based upon the criteria discussed above. A professionally qualified track faculty member who fails to meet the minimum requirements for this track will be given a one-year terminal contract at the end of which the faculty member’s appointment ends.

Tenure 

Tenure is the right of a faculty member to hold a teaching position without arbitrary, capricious, or discriminatory reduction from the faculty member’s prior year’s salary and not to suffer loss of such position except for adequate cause in accordance with the College’s policy on Serious Discipline/Termination or due to a financial exigency or academic reorganization. Tenure is a means of assuring continuing academic freedom for individual faculty members and for the College as a whole.

Tenure at Benedictine College represents a commitment on the part of the College and on the part of the tenured faculty member.

The College, having had ample opportunity to assure itself of the performance of a probationary faculty member and having concluded that such performance meets or exceeds its requirements in all respects, commits to the faculty member that, except under specific circumstances, it expects to offer the faculty member annual contracts until the faculty member retires or leaves the College.

The faculty member who accepts tenure commits to Benedictine College that he or she will continue to meet at least the same level of competence in teaching performance that warranted the granting of tenure. The faculty member also commits to Benedictine College that he or she will freely accept and will perform in a professional manner the staff and organizational responsibilities assigned by the College consistent with a faculty appointment and will so act to reflect credibly on the College.

 Beginning with full-time appointment to a tenure-track position with the rank of full-time Instructor or a higher rank, the probationary period for a faculty member whose entire teaching experience is at Benedictine College shall not exceed seven years. When, after a term of probationary service of more than three years in one or more institutions, a faculty appointment is for a probationary period of not more than four years, thereby the person's total probationary period in the academic profession is extended beyond the normal maximum of seven years.

Tenure is a commitment to the full-time teaching faculty, therefore, calculation of the time towards tenure only includes those years that a faculty member has devoted 3/4 or more of his or her time to teaching and the contract clearly indicates that it is a tenure-track appointment.

Policies Regarding Promotions and Tenure 

Tenure Review

The Rank and Tenure Committee, Department Chairs, peers, students, and administrators participate in evaluating faculty performance. Criteria for judgment on satisfactory progress toward tenure shall be those criteria indicated in this Handbook for evaluating faculty performance. If tenure is granted, it will be upon completion of the probationary period of teaching. Tenure is approved by the Board of Directors based on written recommendations from the President, the Provost, and the Rank and Tenure Committee.

In appraising the services of a member of the faculty, competence and professionalism is expected in all major areas of responsibility and consideration is given to the individual's overall contribution. Although excellence in all the major areas listed below represents the ideal goal, it is recognized that the contribution of the individual will generally be greater in some areas than in others. Appraisal information is sought from students, colleagues, and academic administrators.

Criteria

Those making decisions or recommendations for reappointment, advancement in rank, or the granting of tenure or compensation will consider the criteria listed below. The same criteria that apply for reappointment are used to determine a faculty member’s advancement in rank, with the added expectation that the faculty member fulfills the qualifications for the rank sought.

1. Teaching Effectiveness – It is expected that all teaching faculty will hold their classes regularly for the scheduled length of time and arrive punctually. In addition, successful candidates will provide evidence of:
   a. Clearly articulated learning objectives;
   b. Demonstrated progress toward meeting those objectives
   c. Organized presentation of class material;
   d. Efforts to improve teaching skills, as informed by student feedback on course evaluations, feedback based on class visits from the department chair, peers, and the Provost;
   e. Promotion of independent thought and judgment among students;
   f. Ability to stimulate student interest and understanding of the subject and students’ motivation to learn.
2. Scholarship – Successful candidates will provide evidence that:
   a. They continue to develop understanding and skill in their discipline;
   b. They are actively involved in productive research with other colleagues and/or students that contributes to their discipline or education in general;
   c. They actively participate in learned and professional societies.
3. Advising and Counseling Effectiveness – Full-time faculty members, after their first year of service, are normally expected to assume responsibility for advising students. Department chairs are responsible for assuring competent advising of declared majors in their departments. The Director of the Student Success Center, or one to whom the task is delegated, assigns advisees to faculty members as new students are admitted to the College each semester. Successful candidates will provide evidence that:
   a. They have the ability and willingness to assist students in their academic careers;
   b. They are interested in the total development and integration of the students’ abilities;
   c. They cooperate and consult with other faculty and staff concerning student’s aims and progress;
   d. They provide assistance to students in their development of a sound philosophy of life that is in accord with Catholic and Benedictine principles.
4. Effectiveness in Administration – Successful candidates will provide evidence that:
   a. They fulfill their administrative responsibilities in a way that fosters the willing cooperation of colleagues;
   b. They respond to administrative requests for data, reports, recommendations, and services in a prompt and cooperative manner;
   c. They promote the efficient and economical operation of the College.
5.  Engagement in the Life of the College and Community – Successful candidates will provide evidence that:
   a. They accept and carry out committee assignments. Faculty members are expected to contribute to the work of at least one standing College committee;
   b. They regularly participate in faculty meetings and in extracurricular duties as circumstances require;
   c. They actively support the aims and goals of the College both on campus and in the local community;
   d. They accept a high degree of personal responsibility and moral probity consistent with the purpose of Benedictine College;
   e. They exhibit a spirit of collegiality consistent with status as members of the community;
   f. They provide service to external communities and constituencies;
   g. They contribute to the intellectual vitality of the College;
   h. They participate in some College-sponsored activities, even if participation is limited to attendance (e.g., plays, concerts, athletic events, etc.).
   i. Faculty attendance is required at the following College functions:
   • Faculty Workshops (except those indicated as optional),
   • Freshman orientation academic sessions,
   • Opening Mass, in academic attire,
   • Regularly scheduled faculty meetings, department, and committee meetings,
   • Interview for Presidential Scholarship Weekend,
   • Discovery Day,
   • Honors Banquet,
   • Baccalaureate, in academic attire,
   • Commencement, in academic attire.

      If a faculty member cannot be present for an event listed above, he or she must notify the Provost in advance.

Required File Materials

1. Current Curriculum Vitae – The applicant should submit a current curriculum vitae that includes information up through the start of the semester in which the application is made.
2.  Official Transcripts – The applicant should be sure that the College has official transcripts from all institutions from which the applicant has received a degree or academic credit. For most persons these have been part of their file since they were employed at Benedictine.
3. Faculty Annual Review (FAR) – The faculty member’s FARs are automatically put in the faculty member's personnel file in the Provost’s Office but the applicant should be certain that the reports have been submitted and are in his or her file.
4. Syllabi – These will be provided from the Provost’s Office, but the faculty member should check to make sure syllabi from all the courses they have taught in the last two years are present in their file.
5. Peer Classroom Evaluation and Peer Classroom Observation – All tenure-track faculty members must have one class observation per year from another faculty member and make at least one visit per year to a class taught by another member of the faculty. The untenured faculty member will then submit a written reflection of insights gained from those visits, focusing on ways that his or her own teaching might be improved. Candidates are encouraged to consult their department chair for recommendations of appropriate faculty to observe.
6. Peer Course Materials Evaluation  -- All tenure-track faculty members must secure at least one peer evaluation of their course materials (e.g., syllabi, course objectives, exams, assignments, rubrics, etc.) for one course per semester. At least one of these evaluations must be from an evaluator outside the candidate’s department.

Procedures and Recommendations for Applying for Tenure and Promotion

When the minimum qualifications have been obtained, faculty members may request promotion or tenure. All applications for tenure, promotion, and sabbatical leave are due in the office of the Provost by the end of business hours on December 30 of the calendar year prior to desired action. The Rank and Tenure committee will review the qualifications and cumulative records of faculty members seeking advancement and forward its written recommendations and justification to the President.

It is the faculty member’s responsibility to apply for tenure prior to or during the year in which a final decision must be made. The College does not recognize de facto tenure and substantial compliance with these policies precludes any claim of entitlement to tenure by the applicant. A tenure-track faculty member who is not awarded tenure before or during the year in which the decision must be made will be given a one-year terminal contract at the end of which the faculty member’s appointment ends.

1. Probationary Requirements 

All untenured faculty members on tenure-track will be reviewed by the Rank and Tenure Committee (a) during the semester following their first full academic year at Benedictine College, (b) during the midpoint academic year between their first academic year and the academic year during which they are eligible to apply for tenure, and (c) following their application for tenure.

1. a. Student Evaluations – All untenured faculty members must be evaluated in all courses every semester.
   b. Chair Classroom Evaluation and Chair Annual Evaluation – The Department Chair should evaluate all untenured faculty members of the department once each year in the classroom and submit one annual evaluation. The Chair will submit the written evaluation for the member’s Rank and Tenure file. The classroom visit should not be announced to the faculty member in advance, and the evaluations of that visit should be incorporated into the Chair’s annual evaluation of the faculty member. The faculty member and department chair are expected to arrange a suitable time frame during which the visit may take place in order to avoid circumstances, such as observing during an exam day, etc. In addition, the faculty member may request an additional class visit from the department chair if the candidate believes that the first visit was not representative. Finally, if the tenure-track faculty member is the department chair, then a tenured faculty member shall conduct the annual visit.
   c. Provost’s Classroom Evaluations – The Provost should evaluate all untenured faculty members during their first year with the College and, again, during their final year of tenure review. This evaluation should include at least one classroom visit and the Provost will submit a written evaluation for the faculty member’s Rank and Tenure file on the form provided.
   d. Portfolio – For each of the three reviews, each candidate will be required to provide a portfolio documenting progress toward tenure. The portfolios should consist of the following:

• The First-Year Portfolio: Prior to the first year review (usually in the first semester of the candidate’s second academic year), the candidate proposes and justifies goals and measures for success for teaching, research, and service based on the information gathered in the first year and the standards for tenure and promotion outlined in the Handbook. The justification should not only promote the candidate’s perceived strengths, but should also articulate plans for addressing areas of improvement.
• The Mid-Point Portfolio: Prior to the mid-point review the candidate makes a case that significant progress toward his or her goals has been made and that there is reason to believe that a positive decision regarding tenure and promotion is likely. Where there are shortcomings, the candidate articulates a plan to address them.
• The Final Application: As part of the final application for tenure, the candidate makes the case that the goals have been achieved and he or she has satisfied the standards for tenure and promotion outlined in the Handbook.

2. Supporting Documents

​a. Evidence of teaching effectiveness, examples of which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Student feedback, including student course evaluations and department chair classroom visits
• Course syllabi
• Technology applications
• Teaching portfolios (teaching loads, course preparations, sample assessment instruments, etc.)
• Supervision of independent studies, practica, etc.
• Receipt of teaching awards or honors
• Participation in instructional workshops/seminars, etc.
• Development of innovative teaching techniques/methods
• New program/course development
• Department-approved pedagogical activities

b. Evidence of scholarly achievements accomplished while at Benedictine College. This would include copies of books, published papers, programs of meetings where papers were presented, programs of performances or exhibits, etc. Different disciplines will have widely varying material that will fall into this category.
c. Evaluation of the applicant’s professional work by a peer from outside Benedictine College.
d. Copies of innovative teaching tools developed by the faculty member.
e. Copies of grant proposals submitted by the applicant to organizations or financial sources outside the college.
f .Copies of major administrative reports written while at the College, perhaps as part of a person’s committee work.
g. Direct evidence of unusual involvement in the general life of the College.
h. Letters or other evidence of unusual involvement in the community outside the College.
i. Support from faculty colleagues in the form of peer classroom reviews; letters of support are important in the promotion and tenure process.
j. Any other items that document the applicant's accomplishments in the five major areas listed in the Handbook.

3. Required Materials To Be Included With Final Application

a. Faculty Letters of Evaluation – A faculty member applying for tenure or promotion should have at least two faculty members write letters of evaluation. These letters should address the faculty member's performance with respect to the criteria for tenure and promotion given in the Faculty Handbook. Each letter does not have to address all the criteria but between the two letters each of the major criteria should be addressed. It is recommended that at least one of the faculty members writing such letter of evaluation be a person competent in the academic discipline of the faculty member making the application. These two letters must be from persons neither of whom is the department chair of the applicant because this person will submit a letter in his or her official capacity.

b. Department Chair Final Evaluation – In addition to the faculty letters of evaluation mentioned above, the applicant for tenure or promotion must have a written evaluation submitted by the applicant's department chair. If the applicant is the chair of the department, the applicant should have another full-time member of the department submit a letter of evaluation.

Outline of the Decision Process

1.  The faculty member will give his or her application and supporting documents to the Provost by December 30. The Provost will forward the materials to the Rank and Tenure Committee. The entire process will be carried out in accordance with the schedule established in advance by the Provost.

2.  Members of the Rank & Tenure Committee will review the application and supporting documents. Each member will make a written recommendation and a vote will be taken. All materials, written recommendations, and the result of the vote will be given to the Provost.

3.  Based on a review of the materials and the written recommendations and vote of the Rank and Tenure Committee, the Provost will make his or her own written recommendation. All materials will then be forwarded to the President of the College.

4.  The President of the College will review all recommendations and provide his or her own written recommendation. All materials will then be forwarded to the Board of Directors.

5.  In light of its review of the previous recommendations, the Board of Directors will make a final decision at their February meeting. The decision in granting or denying an application for tenure or promotion is in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors.

6.  Notification of the result: The applicant for tenure or promotion will be notified in writing of the result of her/his application within a week of the February meeting of the full Board of Directors. Such notification will come from the Office of the Provost.

At any time prior to completion of the probationary period, the Board of Directors may, upon recommendation of the President, declare that the probationary period of any particular faculty member has been fulfilled.

Procedures for Applying for Promotion to the Rank of Professor

A full-time faculty member with the qualifications listed above (under Ranked Faculty, 4. Professor) may apply for promotion to full professor. Required materials include:

1.  A letter of application that discusses how one has met the five criteria listed above in PROCEDURES & RECOMMENDATIONS FOR APPLYING FOR TENURE & PROMOTION,
2. A current curriculum vitae,
3. Two letters of support from faculty peers, and
4.  A letter of evaluation from the applicant’s department chair (if the applicant is the department chair, a letter from a departmental colleague may be substituted for the chair evaluation).

The application deadline and the outline of the decision process are the same as those listed above in Procedures and Recommendations for Applying for Tenure & Promotion.

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