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Kogod School of Business Guidelines for Term Faculty Appointment and Reappointment, Continuing Appointment, and Promotion 

Approved by the Office of the Provost, January 15, 2024 

Introduction and Overview 

Kogod School of Business (KSB) term faculty members generally come from an academic or a practice background. Academic candidates hold terminal degrees (Ph.D., DBA), are committed teachers, and are trained in research. Practice candidates often hold professional qualifications and bring rich experiences from successful business careers outside academia.  

All initial term faculty appointments in KSB will be in the Professorial Lecturer promotion sequence. Promotions in the Professorial Lecturer promotion sequence will be governed by the guidelines articulated in this document. 

In Fall 2019, term faculty ranks were revised and updated in the American University (AU) Faculty Manual allowing two tracks: term Professorial Lecturer track and term Professor track. The term Professorial Lecturer track includes Instructor, Professorial Lecturer, Senior Professorial Lecturer, and Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer. The term Professor track includes Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor. The Executive-in-residence rank was retired. Most KSB faculty transitioned to the Professorial Lecturer rank while some transitioned to or maintained the Assistant Professor rank. The Faculty Manual also permits term faculty to move between the Professorial Lecturer and term Professor ranks if they meet the criteria for the relevant rank. 

Term faculty at the Assistant Professor or Professorial Lecturer rank can apply for promotion to Associate Professor (term) at any time after six years of continuous service at AU. For promotion to Associate Professor (term), a candidate must meet the same criteria on scholarship as a tenure-line Associate Professor. Term faculty seeking promotion in the term Professor track must follow the process outlined in the KSB Guidelines for Promotion and Tenure for tenure-line faculty. If promotion is denied, the faculty member remains at the term Assistant or Professorial Lecturer rank and may reapply for promotion at a later date. 

A move from term Assistant Professor to Professorial Lecturer or vice versa is considered a lateral move and can be approved by Dean of KSB in consultation with the Dean of Faculty. Any move between the Professorial Lecturer and term Professor ranks that constitutes a promotion must proceed according to the promotion review criteria and procedures outlined for that rank.  

Movements from the Professorial Lecturer sequence to term Associate Professor or above must follow the process outlined in the KSB Guidelines for Promotion and Tenure for tenure-line faculty. Faculty contemplating such actions should explore its viability with their department chair and the Dean. 

The rest of this document is organized as follows. The Guidelines section describes the various criteria used to assess Teaching, Service, and Maintaining Academic or Professional Qualifications (Currency) in the Professorial Lecturer promotion sequence. Faculty seeking promotion in the term Professor sequences follow the process outlined in the KSB Guidelines for Promotion and Tenure for tenure-line faculty as previously noted.  

The last section covers the expectations and requirements for candidates who are seeking Term Faculty Appointments, Reappointments, and Continuing Appointment. These apply to all term and continuing appointments, both in the term Professorial lecturer track and the term Professor track. 

Guidelines 

KSB guidelines reflect a high level of performance in two required components: teaching and service.  

Additionally, the AU Faculty Manual specifies, “Scholarly or professional engagement that enhances teaching is strongly encouraged. All continuing appointment and term faculty are expected to remain current in their field and/or across fields.” (Section 16a) This is consistent with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation standards that require that all faculty collectively and individually demonstrate significant academic and professional engagement. A term faculty member who is not current in their field based on the criteria outlined in KSB Academic and Professional Qualifications for Kogod School of Business Faculty policy (revision adopted October 11, 2022) will not be appointed or promoted. Similarly, a term faculty member will not be customarily reappointed if they are not current in their field unless there are exceptional circumstances. 

While evaluations in the Professorial Lecturer promotion sequence prioritize teaching and service, continuing participation in scholarship will also be noted when applicable for maintaining currency in the field. 

It is not necessary for all elements within the different components listed to be included in each candidate’s application for promotion, however some elements are necessary as indicated. These guidelines are intended for use by those involved in the promotion evaluative process, i.e., department faculty, department chairs, KSB Term Faculty Review Committee, and the Dean. 

We start with a preamble explaining KSB’s commitment to inclusive excellence. We then discuss teaching, service, and currency. 

Inclusive Excellence 

At AU, we envision a thriving community where individuals with a broad range of identities and experiences are understood, appreciated, and fully included, and where equitable treatment and support prevail. As an academic institution, we view the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as catalysts for achieving the highest standards for academic excellence in scholarship, teaching, and service. 

At KSB, diversity means recognizing and appreciating individual differences in demographic areas such as race, ethnicity, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental abilities, and sex (including gender, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, and gender identity) and other differences such as discipline, function, areas of expertise, and political orientation. 

Equity relates to fairness in affording access and opportunities while recognizing the systemic and structural barriers that stand in the way. 

Inclusion relates to fostering a sense where every member of the community feels supported, respected, valued, and included. 

Inclusive Excellence relates to pursuing excellence in teaching and service, while fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.  

Through diversity, equity, and inclusion, we ensure that everyone in our community has equal access and opportunity and feels supported, respected, and valued. We believe that a commitment to DEI can lead to variety of thought, contributions, feedback, and ultimately, creativity and innovation. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are embraced as vital elements that are necessary in the pursuit of educational excellence. Our performance standards for faculty in teaching and service reflect our commitment to inclusive excellence.  

Our operationalization of inclusive excellence in teaching and service is given below. 

We emphasize that faculty members have the freedom to define their own paths to achieving inclusive excellence.  

Term and continuing appointment faculty at American University are expected to “demonstrate excellent teaching/primary responsibilities, currency in the field and/or across fields, and evidence of a willingness to provide appropriate levels of service to the university and the professional community” (Faculty Manual, section 16). In addition, the university expects all faculty members, as “members of the learned profession responsible for educating the community … to exhibit civility, collegiality, and respect for different points of view in the academic community” (Faculty Manual, sections 10 and 16). Failure to model these core values is considered unsatisfactory performance and grounds for denying term reappointment, continuing appointment, or promotion. 

Teaching and Student Engagement 

Through teaching and student engagement, faculty members equip their students with knowledge and skills necessary to attain academic and personal growth and career success to prepare them for lifelong learning.  

Inclusivity in teaching requires two considerations. First, an awareness, acknowledgement, and respect for the diverse backgrounds, identities, and intellectual needs of students. This consideration is universally applicable to all courses taught. It is intended to provide equal opportunities for participation and academic success to a diverse student body, by seeking to identify and mitigate barriers to the participation and academic success of all students.  

Second, a recognition that inclusive teaching warrants inclusive approaches to curriculum and pedagogy using multiple perspectives. This consideration can vary by course and discipline. 

Inclusivity in teaching is reflected in a commitment to student-centered pedagogies, experiential learning, and the proactive use of best practices for course design, instruction and assessment, and interactions with students inside and outside the classroom.  

Achieving Excellence in Teaching and Student Engagement 

KSB values inclusive excellence in the entire portfolio of learning-related activities including classroom performance; organization, development, and articulate presentation of subject matter; an ability to motivate and involve students in the learning process; an appropriate respect for and adaptation to the diverse intellectual needs of students; evidence of engagement with students through a range of activities outside of the classroom; and the invisible work involved in mentoring students. 

Teaching is evaluated based on the following criteria: 

Currency. Course content reflects currency in research and practice. The learning objectives meet curricular and program goals.  

Meeting Learning Objectives. The course content and methodologies (e.g., readings, activities, assignments, lesson organization) help meet the learning objectives. 

Rigor. Content coverage and assessments are academically and intellectually challenging for the level of the course; grade distributions benchmarked to departmental policy. 

Engagement. The instructor motivates and involves students in the learning process; fosters active learning, experiential learning; and provides personalized teaching.  

Assessment. The instructor provides timely, fair, and objective assessment of student performance.  

Inclusivity. The instructor respects the diverse intellectual needs of students by fostering an inclusive student learning environment.  

Meeting program needs. The instructor has the ability and willingness to adapt teaching and develop innovative curriculum and courses needed to meet program needs. 

Adaptability. Versatility in number and variety of course preparations, including residential and online courses, subject to departmental and school needs. 

Teaching is assessed using both quantitative and qualitative indicators of effectiveness of teaching and engagement and its trend.  

Evidence of Excellence in Teaching and Student Engagement 

The following provides evidence of excellence in teaching and student engagement. 

Pedagogy, Curriculum, and Classroom Activities 

Development of new curriculum and programs to meet student demand; developing new courses; updating and revising courses; introduction of new technologies and techniques; development of instructional materials such as cases, problems, workbooks; participating in course, program, and curricular review; publication and presentation of teaching materials and methodologies; development activities, such as improving teaching skills or expanding areas of expertise; garnering grants for developing and implementing teaching and curricular initiatives; engaging with media outlets to disseminate teaching insights; developing manuals and audio-visual materials; use of inclusive teaching practices such as universal design for learning and antiracist pedagogy; use of content and resources from diverse perspectives, especially those of marginalized or underrepresented groups, and, where relevant, resources that address issues of power, privilege, inclusion, and exclusion; multiple representations of content through videos, articles, podcasts, etc. to ensure all students can access and use the information; consideration of teaching practices with respect to international students and students from historically underrepresented groups, adopting and creating open education resources; organization, development, articulate presentation of subject matter; innovation in the classroom. 

Non-classroom Activities 

Classroom activities alone do not suffice for the teaching and student engagement portion of the teaching portfolio. Non-classroom activities include, but are not limited to: mentoring students; collaborating with students in research activities; developing new programs or program emphases; coordinating courses across all sections; mentoring of faculty peers; finding innovative ways to engage students; receiving awards, honors, or recognition related to teaching and student engagement; advising students on professional development, networking, and placement; assisting participants in academic competitions; supervising student work such as internships, independent studies, and group field projects; and assisting with the career development of students. 

Excellence in teaching is evaluated from the faculty member’s teaching portfolio which includes but is not limited to the faculty member’s narrative of teaching, scores in the student evaluation of teaching (SET), student narrative comments (if reported by the faculty member), peer evaluations by other faculty members or the department chair and awards and recognitions at the school or university level. A link is included to the Dean of Faculty’s website (https://www.american.edu/provost/academicaffairs/) that provides resources on teaching portfolios to ensure access to the most accurate and up-to-date instructions. 

For promotion, a faculty member’s portfolio must demonstrate outstanding teaching and active student engagement. 

Service 

Service activities demonstrate commitment and engagement to KSB and AU, the profession, and the broader community. Service provides a sense of the faculty member’s contribution and leadership, and it serves as a measure of peer recognition. Service activities draw on a faculty member’s knowledge and skills to elevate the university, the profession, and the broader community. There are two categories of service activities. Internal service relates to service contributions to KSB and to AU. External service relates to service contributions beyond the university, i.e., to the profession, and broader community. Both forms of service are expected. As noted in the Faculty Manual (Section 10iv), “Service beyond the university cannot substitute for a service contribution to the university but may count toward faculty members’ fulfilling their workload obligation.” Likewise, service contributions to the university cannot substitute for service contributions beyond the university. In both types of service, the importance and duration of the assignment together with the extent and effectiveness of participation are considered. Leadership such as chairing committees or leading important initiatives will be favorably considered. Receiving service awards or honors in recognition of service is another indicator of service contributions.  

Many forms of service are ‘visible labor’ that are readily identifiable, documented and valued (e.g., work on standing committees or editorial roles). Faculty members often also engage in ‘invisible labor’ that may not be as easily identifiable or documented. These include mentoring colleagues and students or proactively reaching out to students and faculty members. Such engagement typically falls outside the usual committee work and is not always acknowledged or credited yet is critical in recruitment, retention, and engagement of talented students, faculty, and staff, and fostering a welcoming and nurturing campus environment that can enhance diversity and inclusion. The purpose of identifying invisible labor is not to add service requirements or penalize faculty not engaged in such service but to be inclusive in providing an opportunity to acknowledge such service when applicable. 

We list below some examples of service, including potentially less visible service roles. This list is not intended to be exhaustive. It is intended to be illustrative to help faculty identify potential service contributions. It is up to the faculty member to make the case for their service contribution. 

Internal service to KSB and AU includes serving on and making substantive contributions to the work of department, school, and university-wide committees, task forces, and programs; mentoring and advising students and student organizations; engaging in outreach activities with potential students, employers, donors, media; developing and participating in special programs and workshops; facilitating and participating in seminar series; grants for developing and implementing university service initiatives; engaging with media outlets to promote the university. 

External service includes reviewing for journals, publishers, grant-providing institutions, and other professional organizations, and serving on editorial boards; providing service to scholarly or professional societies; conducting workshops; appearing in the media; entrepreneurial endeavors or other business-related activities that help faculty maintain currency in their disciplines; organizing and participating (e.g., chairing, reviewing, presenting) in academic, professional, and business conferences; memberships, active participation, leadership in professional, business, and academic associations; scholarly or professional engagement that enhances teaching, educational research, case writing; serving on boards of corporate and nonprofit organizations; professional development and continuing professional education; maintaining professional licenses and certifications; grants for developing and implementing external initiatives, e.g., community initiatives; engaging with media outlets to promote external entities, e.g., journal or community. 

Service related to diversity, equity, and inclusion includes efforts to be inclusive in eliciting diverse perspectives and involvement in processes, policies, and committees that promote equitable and inclusive practices in internal and external service roles. 

Maintaining Academic or Professional Qualifications (Currency) 

A candidate for reappointment, continuing appointment, or promotion must also demonstrate significant academic and professional engagement that sustains the intellectual capital necessary to support high-quality outcomes consistent with the school’s mission and strategies. Academic or professional qualifications can be demonstrated by the criteria outlined in KSB Academic and Professional Qualifications for Kogod School of Business Faculty policy (revision adopted October 11, 2022). 

Rank Criteria and Professorial Lecturer Promotion Sequence 

The following section details specific performance expectations for each of the four ranks in the Professional Lecturer promotion sequence. 

All initial appointments are preceded by a formal search following American University guidelines. For candidates from backgrounds in academia, a candidate’s academic training (educational qualifications), teaching experience, and service will be considered. Scholarship and intellectual contributions to establish and maintain academic qualifications will also be evaluated. 

For candidates from practice, professional backgrounds and experience will be considered. The nature, level, duration of leadership and management position (s) in the practice of business and/or other types of organizational work will be assessed. The candidate’s professional experience should be current, substantial in terms of duration (usually a minimum of ten years) and level of responsibility, and clearly linked to the field in which the person is expected to teach. Candidates with special or unique experience that align with KSB’s mission or serve new emerging areas/programs will be given additional consideration. A master’s degree in business or a related field is required. 

New term faculty with the requisite academic background and/or professional experience are normally assigned to this track at the time of an initial appointment. Ranks in this promotion sequence include Instructor, Professorial Lecturer, Senior Professorial Lecturer, and Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer. The initial appointment may be to any of these ranks, depending on qualifications. 

Instructor 

Minimum qualifications: For candidates from academia, the instructor position is a temporary position for new term faculty who are in the process of completing their doctoral degrees (generally A.B.D.). For candidates from practice, the position is reserved for candidates with strong professional background but limited teaching experience. 

Professorial Lecturer 

Minimum qualifications for initial appointment at this rank include evidence of successful teaching elsewhere and either a terminal degree in the relevant field or professional experience in the relevant field that provides content knowledge equivalent to that inherent in a terminal degree. For candidates with an academic background, a record or potential for impactful research and qualification for the “Scholarly Academics” status under the KSB Academic and Professional Qualifications for Kogod School of Business Faculty policy is highly encouraged. 

To apply for promotion to the rank of Professorial Lecturer, a term faculty member must either have completed at least three years of successful teaching at the rank of Instructor or attained a terminal degree in the relevant field. Evidence of successful teaching, important service contributions, and if applicable intellectual contributions as outlined in the general guidelines above will be considered at the time of promotion. 

Senior Professorial Lecturer 
 

Minimum qualifications for initial appointment at this rank include evidence of superior performance as a teacher and either a terminal degree in the relevant field or professional experience in the relevant field that provides content knowledge equivalent to that inherent in a terminal degree. 

For candidates with a background in academia, appointment as a Senior Professorial Lecturer will be reserved for candidates who have held a terminal degree in business or a related discipline for a period exceeding 5 years, have a demonstrated record of achievement, including outstanding teaching and a sustained level of engagement in the academic and/or professional communities. An active research record and qualification for the “Scholarly Academics” status based on the KSB Academic and Professional Qualifications for Kogod School of Business Faculty policy is highly encouraged. 

For candidates with a practice background, appointment as a Senior Professorial Lecturer will be reserved for candidates, who have significant professional experience (e.g., 10 years minimum, unless their work experience supports a unique strategic area for KSB) and have held important management and leadership positions in complex organizations. 

To apply for promotion to the rank of Senior Professorial Lecturer, a term faculty member must have completed five years at the rank of Professorial Lecturer (or as Executive‐in-Residence). A candidate for promotion to Senior Professorial Lecturer should provide clear and convincing evidence of outstanding teaching, active student engagement, and a sustained and continuing record of contribution and leadership service to their department, school, and/or University. Service contributions to the profession and continuing participation in scholarship will also be positively considered. An active research record and continuous maintenance of “Scholarly Academic” status will be positively considered. 

Besides standard metrics of teaching (e.g., SETs, grade distributions, syllabus), innovation in the classroom such as developing new courses, undertaking major revisions of courses, introducing new technologies and pedagogical techniques, teaching on different platforms (hybrid, online, etc.) and/or developing new instructional materials are also important aspects of teaching effectiveness. 

The service profile of a candidate for promotion to Senior Professorial Lecturer should be both broad and deep with clear evidence of notable service. 

Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer 

Minimum qualifications for an initial appointment at this rank include those for initial appointment as a Senior Professorial Lecturer and a distinguished career in academia and/or practice. A candidate for this position should enjoy wide visibility and be broadly recognized as an established leader in their discipline, academic and/or professional communities.  

Additionally, a candidate for appointment at the Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer rank must qualify as either a “Scholarly Academic,” “Practice Academic,” or “Scholarly Practitioner” under the KSB Academic and Professional Qualifications for Kogod School of Business Faculty policy. 

For candidates with a background in academia, an appointment as a Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer will be reserved for candidates, who have held a terminal degree in business or related discipline for a period exceeding 10 years, have a demonstrated record of achievement, including outstanding teaching, and have a sustained level of engagement in the academic and/or professional communities. An active research record and qualification for the “Scholarly Academics” status based on Kogod policy is highly encouraged. 

For candidates with a practice background, an appointment as a Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer will be reserved for candidates who had distinguished professional careers and have held top management and leadership positions (e.g., partner, principal, CEO, COO, CIO, CISO, CFO, CMO) in complex organizations. 

To apply for promotion to the rank of Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, a term faculty member must have completed five years at the rank of Senior Professorial Lecturer. In exceptional cases, promotion to Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer may be pursued after three years as a senior professorial lecturer. A candidate for promotion to Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer should provide clear and convincing evidence of sustained excellence in teaching and in service internally to the University and externally in their profession or field of scholarship. Additionally, the candidate must qualify as either a “Scholarly Academic,” “Practice Academic,” or “Scholarly Practitioner” under the KSB Academic and Professional Qualifications for Kogod School of Business Faculty policy to be considered for promotion to the Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer rank. 

In addition to the criteria outlined for the Senior Professorial Lecturer rank, promotion to the Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer rank carries expanded expectations about the amount and quality of internal and external service relative to earlier promotion decisions. Leadership activities such as significant administrative responsibilities, chairing school and university wide committees or task forces and significant external service to the profession and the broader community are important indicators of service leadership. 

Other Term Faculty Positions 

The AU Faculty Manual provides additional types of appointments for term faculty. For example, a candidate who has completed doctoral studies may be hired as a postdoctoral fellow to pursue additional research, training, or teaching. Postdoctoral fellow appointments are made on an annual basis and are normally renewable, as long as funding is available, for no more than five years. Postdoctoral fellows will be assessed primarily on the basis of their research productivity during the term of their appointment, although assessment of teaching is expected in the case of fellows whose letters of appointment specify teaching duties. In all cases, postdoctoral fellows need only submit an up-to-date CV, a brief summary of their annual accomplishments in areas of research and (if applicable) teaching, and appropriate teaching documentation such as syllabi, SET results, and grade distributions. 

Additionally, a term faculty member temporarily on leave from another institution may be appointed as a visiting assistant, associate, or full professor. One whose obligations are solely scholarly and whose salary and benefits are financed through sources outside the university may be appointed as a research assistant, associate, or full professor. All such term faculty reappointments will be evaluated in the different dimensions (teaching, service, and research) based on the responsibilities outlined in the candidate’s initial appointment letter. 

Term Faculty Appointments, Reappointments, and Continuing Appointment 

Term faculty fundamentally enhance Kogod’s teaching, service, and intellectual climate. Kogod is committed to providing term faculty with stable employment and a viable promotion path, subject to meeting performance expectations and to the enrollments and service needs in the Kogod School. 

Customarily, term faculty members will initially be appointed for a one-year term. Exceptions may be granted for experienced candidates simultaneously appointed for administrative positions or for candidates appointed at the Sr. Professorial Lecturer rank or above with significant teaching and academic experience. Term faculty on one-year appointments who meet the criteria for excellence in teaching and service outlined in these Guidelines, will be considered for one-year reappointments. Assuming that enrollments remain strong, and that the faculty member fulfills a continuing teaching need, the Kogod School will endeavor to reappoint high-performing term faculty members. Typically, the initial three years for a term faculty member are a sequence of one-year term reappointments. 

Reappointments after the first three years of service are usually for a three-year term. As a general rule, Kogod only considers a term faculty member for a three-year reappointment when the faculty member has taught at AU on a full-time basis for at least three years at the time of formal reappointment and there is a sustained course need based on enrollment and demand projections and budget provisions. 

Under the normal progression of three one-year appointments/reappointments followed by a three-year reappointment, eligible term faculty members shall apply for a continuing appointment in their sixth year of full-time service at AU. As specified in the AU Faculty Manual (Section 15f), “If eligible term faculty members choose not to apply for continuing appointment in their sixth year of service, then the term faculty member’s employment will end effective the expiration date of their current term contract.”  

Criteria for Term Reappointment and Continuing Appointment 

Appointment and reappointment decisions are contingent on sufficient budgets and enrollments.  

A candidate for reappointment or continuing appointment needs to: 

• Demonstrate high quality teaching and student engagement. 

• Demonstrate a high level of engagement and commitment with respect to service to KSB, AU, the profession, and the broader community. 

• Maintain academic and/or professional qualification through sustained academic and professional engagement based on KSB Academic and Professional Qualifications for Kogod School of Business Faculty Policy (revision adopted October 11, 2022). 

• Exhibit leadership in addition to excelling in teaching and service. Leadership can be demonstrated by different engagements including but not limited to chairing important committees, leading important initiatives, and serving as a program director or in other important administrative positions. 

• Maintain a campus presence that reflects a commitment to connecting with students and to the university community, and a demonstrated ability to work with faculty, staff, and students in a collaborative and collegial manner. 

• Demonstrate civility, community, equity-mindedness, and respect for diverse perspectives and voices in all areas of their work.