Policy

Visiting Faculty (Visiting Assistant Professor, Associate or Full Visiting Professor)

A Visiting Faculty member must:

1. hold a PhD or terminal degree in the discipline from an accredited college or university or the equivalent thereof,
2. have evident ability or promise as a teacher

Title is assigned at time of appointment. Visiting Faculty are eligible to receive, but not entitled to expect, annual reappointment not to exceed five (5) academic years.

Instructor

An Instructor must: 

1. hold a master's degree from an accredited college or university or the equivalent thereof, or a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with specialized training or experience beyond the bachelor's degree sufficient to qualify for a specialized teaching assignment; and 
2. have evident ability or promise as a teacher.

Instructors are eligible to receive, but not entitled to expect, annual reappointment not to exceed five (5) years.

Miscellaneous Non-Promotable Instructional Staff Titles

Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Adjunct Instructor 

Those professionals who volunteer to provide instructional staff services without pay on a part-time basis may be appointed with the rank of Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor, Adjunct Assistant Professor or Adjunct Instructor. The person must:

1. bring professional distinction to the department and to the division of appointment;
2. must have demonstrated specialized competence which would enrich both students and faculty in the department or program of appointment; and
3. be available to share his or her research, teaching, and consultative competence with the University community.

A person with an adjunct rank may occasionally be paid for teaching a course, but such a role is neither expected nor ordinary. An adjunct rank will be granted only on request of departmental faculty and approved by the chair, the program director (when appropriate), the dean, and the Provost. Appointments may be terminated at the will of the professor or the University.

In upgrading the adjunct rank of a person, the regular promotion process is not applicable. Upon request of the department or program (when appropriate), and with the approval of the chair, the program director (when appropriate), the dean, and the Provost, an adjunct rank may be upgraded.

Affiliate

Faculty holding rank in one department may be considered for appointment to the additional title of Affiliate in another department or interdepartmental program. The Affiliate title is ordinarily used to recognize specific contributions on the part of the faculty member in teaching, and/or research, and/or service to a second department or interdepartmental program. The nomination for an Affiliate title can be initiated only by the appropriate department or interdepartmental program, and it will be granted only on the approval of the appropriate chairs, the program director(s), the dean(s), and the Provost.

The Affiliate title is intended to recognize the linkage of appropriate cognate faculty to academic departments and programs. Guidelines for administering this title are as follows:

1. Nomination for an Affiliate title must be initiated by an academic department or interdepartmental program.
2. An Affiliate title may be initiated at any time. The title continues until such time as a department or interdepartmental program or the person wishes it to be removed.
3. There is no limit to the number of Affiliate titles a faculty member may hold.
4. The Affiliate rank (i.e., assistant, associate, full) shall be at the same rank as that held in the home department.
5. The department chair or program director (when appropriate) initiating the Affiliate rank will prepare a letter outlining the expected contributions (e.g., teaching a course or courses in the program, serving as an adviser to students working on a collaborative research project, etc.) the person will make to the unit.
6. Since the expectation is that an Affiliate is making a significant contribution to the second unit, the chair or director of the home department or program will endorse the letter requesting Affiliate rank and will indicate how the Affiliate’s responsibilities to the home unit have been adjusted to accommodate the person’s new activities. These letters are then forwarded to the appropriate dean(s) and then to the Provost for approval.

Related Form(s)

Not applicable.

Additional Resources and Procedures

Not applicable.

FAQ

Not applicable.

Policy Administration

Next Review Date

7/1/2024

Responsible Officers

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

Legal Authority

Not Applicable.

Compliance Policy

No

Recent Revision History

 Amended July 2018; Amended July 2019

Reference ID(s)

• MUPIM 7.12  
• OAC 3339-7-11

Reviewing Bodies

• Miami University Senate
• Miami University Board of Trustees
• Administrative