College of Health Science Faculty Appointments¹

1. Types

All faculty appointments must fall within the categories for faculty appointments established by the University.

The term "faculty" is defined broadly at the University to include a variety of persons engaged in some aspect of one or more of the basic purposes of the University: teaching, research and/or creative activity, and service. Within this broad definition of faculty there are two major types of appointments: tenure-line faculty appointments, which are appointments with tenure or eligibility for tenure, and non-tenure-line faculty appointments, which are appointments without eligibility for tenure. Awards of tenure may be made only within the Tenure-Line Professorial Series.

Non-tenure-line faculty appointments are further categorized as either renewable or term-limited appointments.

1.1 Full-time

Full-time appointments comprise a full assignment of duties and ordinarily range over the academic year. Full-time appointments may be either tenure-line or non-tenure-line. Tenure-line appointments are renewable and non-tenure-line appointments may be either renewable or term-limited. Additionally, annual full-time appointments may be either 9-month or 12-month appointments.

1.2 Part-time

Part-time appointments are those that have less than a full-time teaching, research and/or creative activity, and service load. Part-time appointments may be either renewable or term-limited appointments.

1.3 Renewable

Renewable appointments are those that are made with the intent that the appointment may (but need not) be renewed as the appointee engages in satisfactory service to the University. A renewable appointment implies neither tenure nor eligibility for tenure. A renewable position is intended to fulfill an on-going academic need. Appointments in the Tenure-Line Professorial Series, Teaching Professorial Series and the Clinical Professorial Series are all renewable appointments. Tenured faculty members have appointments that are continuing rather than annually renewed.

1.4 Term-Limited

Term-limited appointments are made for a finite term, typically of one to three years or less, and are not intended to be renewed. The nonrenewal of a term-limited appointment shall not be considered as a discharge. A clear end date for a term-limited appointment should be stated in the appointment agreement. Appointments in the Visiting Professorial Series are term-limited appointments.

1.5 Joint

Joint appointments may be made between and/or among academic units of the University. Such appointments must be negotiated and approved by all academic units involved with the appointment. At the time of initial appointment, academic units shall specify, with the approval of the appropriate deans and the Provost, how responsibilities, including service contributions, shall be divided among units. How personnel actions affecting the faculty member (including, if applicable, decisions about reappointment, promotion, and tenure) will be shared among academic units shall also be specified at the time of appointment, with the approval of the appropriate deans and the Provost.

1.6 Administrative

Administrators having earned faculty rank and/or tenure in an academic unit may maintain their faculty rank and tenure while serving as administrators. Newly appointed administrators desiring faculty rank and/or tenure must receive the approval of the CHS Dean and Provost.

2. Series

Faculty appointments fall into the following series: Tenure-Line Professorial Series, Teaching Professorial Series, Clinical Professorial Series, and the Emeritus Professorial Series. These categories of faculty appointments and their associated titles are described below. Appointments that use categories other than those specified herein are not to be considered "faculty" appointments. Other persons engaged in various forms of research, instruction, or service, such as, without limitation, Post-Doctoral Fellows, Graduate Teaching Assistants, and Interns, are designated "other instructional personnel," and are not regarded as faculty members.

All appointments in the categories described in Sections 2.2 through 2.5 are without tenure or eligibility for tenure.

A faculty member in any Faculty Series is eligible to apply and be considered for an opening in any other Faculty Series. If a faculty member is appointed to a position in a different Faculty Series, the terms of appointment shall be adjusted accordingly.

2.1 Tenure-Line - Tenured or Tenure-Track

Although it is the intent of the University to define rather broadly the general category "faculty," appointment to the Tenure-Line Professorial Series is a privilege granted only to those faculty members who meet the qualifications stated for each rank, and who are either tenured or deemed likely one day to become eligible for tenured appointments.

Faculty members in the Tenure-Line Professorial Series are normally appointed on a full-time basis. The Tenure-Line Professorial Series includes the ranks of University Professor, Distinguished Professor, Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, and Instructor.

Tenured faculty members have the right to continuous reappointments under the terms and provisions of the University Tenure Policy.

Appointment, annual review, reappointment, promotion, pre-tenure review, step advancement, tenure, and five-year review of faculty members in the Tenure-Line Professorial Series shall be made in accord with the terms and provisions of the College of Health Science Rank, Tenure, and Promotion Handbook and the University Tenure Policy.

A University Professor appointment is reserved for scholar teachers whose extraordinary professional accomplishments merit special commendation. The policies governing a University Professor appointment are found on the Provost's website.

2.2 Clinical

The Clinical Professorial Series is appropriate where appointments involve primary responsibilities in specialized professional healthcare practice including teaching, supervising student internships or preceptorships, training, and participating in other practice components of degree programs. Responsibilities of clinical faculty members may encompass any area of healthcare practice and/or technical expertise and may include professional development. The primary function of faculty members in the Clinical Professorial Series is to educate and train students to become practicing clinicians. Faculty members in the Clinical Professorial Series have the academic credentials appropriate to their rank and have largely acquired the skill set they need to fulfill the responsibilities of their appointments from their academic training and professional experience. This series includes the ranks of Clinical Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, Clinical Assistant Professor, and Clinical Instructor.

Appointment, annual review, reappointment, promotion, step advancement, and five-year review of faculty members in the Clinical Professorial Series shall be made in accord with the terms and provisions of the College of Health Science Rank and Promotion Handbook.

2.3 Teaching

The Teaching Professorial Series is appropriate for appointments where special factors, such as experience or stature, may qualify the appointee as an excellent teacher in a particular field. This Series includes the ranks of Teaching Professor, Teaching Associate Professor, Teaching Assistant Professor, and Teaching Instructor.

2.4 Visiting

Appointments in the Visiting Professorial Series are term-limited appointments. The Visiting Professorial Series includes the ranks of Visiting Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, and Visiting Assistant Professor. In addition, "Visiting" may be added to the title of faculty members in other Faculty Series where appropriate. For example, faculty members may have the title of Visiting Teaching Professor or Visiting Clinical Professor, and so on. However, the designation "Visiting" is not used as a designation for an adjunct appointment.

The length of appointment for faculty members in the Visiting Professorial Series is usually one to three years or less. An appointment in the Visiting Professorial Series does not necessarily imply a remunerative relationship with the University.

2.5 Adjunct

Adjunct faculty members are term-limited faculty members who are hired and paid in a non-benefited capacity to teach on a per-course basis. An Adjunct faculty member may be a person with special competence or expertise not readily available from faculty members in the academic unit. Such persons may be professionals in the community, staff or management employees of the University, other scholars and scientists, or Emeritus Professors.

2.6 Emeritus

Any professor or associate professor with ten or more years of full-time experience may, at the time of retirement, apply for and be granted the honorary rank of the Emeritus Professor. The policy describing the conditions and process for granting Faculty Emeritus status is found on the Provost's website.

¹ Development of this section of the CHS Faculty handbook was greatly informed by the University of Denver Policies and Procedures Relating to Faculty Appointment, Promotion, & Tenure document.

College of Health Science Faculty Appointments1