*This does not constitute an employment contract

Department of Government Standards
for Reappointment and Promotion of Term Faculty

Updated: April 2019
(Approved by Provost July 2019)

The Department follows the general standards, timetables, and procedures for appointments, reappointments, and promotion laid forth in the Faculty Manual and supplemented by instructions from the Dean of the College, the Dean of Faculty, and/or the Committee on Faculty Actions. This document provides the departmental standards and procedures governing appointment, reappointment and promotion of Term Faculty. Those standards and procedures subject to review and approval by the Committee on Faculty Actions (CFA) are specified in sections I-IV below and any subsequent changes to the language in those sections must be approved by the CFA.

I. Qualifications for Term Faculty

Appointment and reappointment of all term faculty are contingent on the relevant qualifications and performance of the faculty member, varying student enrollments, the immediate and long-term needs of the teaching or academic unit, and the instructional resources of the university.

The Department of Government is committed to a faculty with diverse backgrounds and experiences and relies on term faculty for subject matter expertise, program continuity, and to maintain flexibility in allocation of departmental resources. The Department seeks to hire and retain excellent members of its instructional faculty. As such it recognizes the value of term faculty from diverse educational and practical backgrounds, consisting of both academics and practitioners, scholars and experts with terminal degrees and experience in the field of government and associated areas (FM, 43-44).

II. Purpose of Term Faculty Appointments

The Faculty Manual states that the “the university should use term appointments primarily: 

• to retain a cadre of excellent and committed teachers/librarians who can provide instructional continuity, particularly in multisection courses.
• to maintain flexibility in allocating its resources for faculty positions
• to bring in outstanding individuals who will enrich the learning experience through their professional qualifications and experiences from careers outside academia
• to provide additional time for scholarly pursuits of the tenure-line faculty or professional contributions of the continuing-appointment line library faculty
• to deal with exigent circumstances, such as replacing faculty on leave, filling vacancies that occur too late to conduct an appropriate search for a tenure-track faculty appointment, filling a vacancy resulting from an unsuccessful search for a tenure-track or continuing-appointment track faculty member, or staffing an experimental program” (FM, 44).

The Government Department will conduct full and careful national searches for all initial term faculty appointments according to university and unit guidelines for such searches, except in unusually urgent circumstances, as approved by the dean of the school and the dean of faculty. A faculty member on an employment contract of one year or greater requesting reappointment for one or more years will not be required to apply through a full search, unless that faculty member was initially appointed without a national search and subsequent to the approval date of these updated bylaws. A term faculty member whose initial appointment was made without a national search and subsequent to the approval date of these updated bylaws cannot be reappointed without a full and careful national search for the position. A term faculty member initially appointed without a full and careful national search may apply for reappointment as part of the national search.

When base-funded multi-year term lines are available they will be filled based on the strategic needs of the school and department considering budgetary constraints. If all else is equal, service and teaching performance will be considered.

All GOVT term faculty appointments must be consistent with the university’s commitment to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and nondiscrimination.

III. Workload and Expectations for Term Faculty

The Faculty Manual requires that term faculty members have a workload that consists primarily of teaching responsibilities developed at the teaching or academic unit level and recommended to the dean for approval (44). The term faculty member’s workload should also include an appropriate level of service. In some instances, such as for faculty in the term professor ranks, scholarship or professional contributions will be included in the expected workload. The expectations for service and scholarship will differ on an individual basis, depending in large part on sequence and rank, but will be clarified by the chair in discussion with each term faculty member at the beginning of each new contract so that expectations beyond teaching are clear to the Department and the faculty member. Decisions on term faculty reappointments will rely heavily upon objective evidence of high-quality teaching, the significance of service, and other contributions to the teaching mission of the department, school, and university.

a. Teaching

Excellent teaching is the cornerstone of term faculty appointments. The Faculty Manual defines excellent teaching in section 15(a) and requires that Departments utilize additional forms of teaching evaluation beyond student assessments (49). In assessing the quality of teaching, the Department may consider course content and design, engagement with students outside the classroom, student perceptions of classroom teaching, and evidence of growth, development, innovation, or mastery in teaching, balancing these as appropriate.

• Course content and design will be evidenced by a review of syllabi to demonstrate adherence to university and department guidelines, including clear objectives that are informed by the goals of the department or program, considered organization and rigor in substance and assignments that foster student learning and achievement, and inclusion of up-to-date course content as appropriate. Courses should impart, reiterate, and advance knowledge, skills, and abilities that prepare students for subsequent steps in their intellectual, personal, and professional development.
• Engagement with students outside the classroom might include writing letters of recommendation, participation in student-focused or student-organized campus events, advising student-led campus groups, supervision of senior theses, serving as a capstone advisor, advising undergraduate or graduate research projects and independent studies, sponsorship of student research presentations and publications, working with the Office of Merit Awards on student award applications, serving on Ph.D. dissertation committees, developing or evaluating graduate level comprehensive exams, or other forms of mentoring.
• Student perceptions of classroom teaching, as indicated by standardized Student Evaluations of Teaching (SETs) and other forms of student assessment, should not be considered in isolation but rather in the context of the type of course (e.g., required/elective) taught, size and level of the course, response rate, and trends across multiple courses. The Department recognizes that no professor is likely to be able to satisfy all students, biases pervade student assessments, and the professor with the highest teaching evaluations may not be the best teacher. The Department values intellectually rigorous and engaging courses, even if they do not necessarily achieve popularity as measured by SETs.
• Growth, development, innovation, or mastery in teaching may be assessed on the basis of a variety of evidence, including testing new teaching methods, teaching new subjects or courses, incorporating new material (including new scholarship) into existing courses, using technology as appropriate, and participation and leadership in department, school, university, and academic field activities aimed at enhancing teaching such as teaching conferences, seminars, and workshops.

Term faculty members may opt to participate in peer assessment of classroom teaching and may choose to include written evaluations conducted by departmental peers in their files for action.

Most term faculty members teach six courses per academic year; however, this may vary by teaching unit. The actual course assignments per individual faculty member will in some instances vary based upon the teaching or academic unit and mutually agreed upon service and scholarship contributions and substitutions on a case by case basis. When recommending a term faculty member’s workload assignment to the dean for an academic year, merit and course load evaluators may consider, but are not limited to, the following: the scope and intensity of course preparation; supervision of student scholarship and internships; credit hours taught; size of classes; teaching-related activities, such as contact hours, advising, and fieldwork; contributions to internal and external service; major committee assignments; and scholarship where it is specifically applicable (FM, 45).

Final determination of all course loads rests with the dean in consultation with the teaching unit chair, with final approval by the Dean of Faculty. Increases to any course loads beyond the standard load applied across term faculty ranks in SPA or a contractually specified reduced base course load, to meet the needs of the department, must be voluntary and remunerated (FM, 44).  

The Faculty Manual states that all term faculty must demonstrate currency in their field as part of their teaching expectations. Currency typically means remaining up-to-date in one’s professional life [50]. “Achieving currency in the field may include a wide range of activities depending on the academic unit and the individual appointment” [ref: Provost Memo to Deans, 3/26/18]. 

The purpose of demonstrating currency is for term faculty to highlight and be recognized and rewarded for their contributions to the intellectual life of the school. It is not intended to be an undue burden requiring term faculty to complete additional work, but instead to report how they remain engaged in their subjects of expertise. Faculty may demonstrate their currency in a number of ways, including (but not limited to) any of the sample activities listed below. For the purpose of reappointment, there is no hierarchy between the listed sample of activities.

Currency typically consists of professional development in the areas of teaching, research and scholarship, practice, professional engagement, and/or creative activities. The Government Department recognizes that many term faculty members conduct research, publish, contribute to the scholarly profile of the school, innovate pedagogically, and practice professionally. Participation in these activities is evidence of currency.

Other examples of evidence of currency include, but are not limited to, the following categories and activities:

Research and Scholarship Activities:

• Scholarship, research, and publications
• Engagement with the academic field (e.g. manuscript review, editorial work, panel participation, conference participation)
• Grant development

Practice:

• Giving briefings, conducting trainings, and engagement with external organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sector
• Public outreach and education (e.g. talks, lectures, panels, etc)

Professional and Public Engagement:

• Consulting and contract work
• Media publications and appearances (e.g. op-eds, blogs, interviews, podcasts) 

Teaching:

• Up-to-date syllabi, that incorporate new scholarship and/or address new developments in the field as appropriate
• Pedagogical innovation (including, but not limited to, new course development) and new instructional modalities
• Participation in training in the field of teaching, including attendance at teaching-focused conferences
• Publication or presentation of teaching materials and pedagogy

b. Service

As part of their primary responsibilities, full-time term faculty members should maintain a campus presence that reflects a commitment to connecting with students, the department, the school, and the university community. 

The term faculty member’s contractual workload will also include an appropriate level of service, which, in some instances, may be substituted for teaching, scholarship, or contributions outside the university if applicable to the position and approved by the chair, the academic unit, and the dean. In these instances, service will be considered with greater weight in the reappointment and promotion process. While the Department expects term faculty in all ranks and all contract lengths to perform service, and term faculty on multi-year contracts to have greater involvement in service, it recognizes that high quality teaching should be their priority.

Any academic institution flourishes by blending a variety of abilities, interests, and commitments. The Faculty Manual states, “Engagement at American University is an essential component of faculty responsibility. Term faculty members must demonstrate engagement in the university community, including a meaningful level of teaching unit, academic unit, or university service, as well as participation in major campus-wide events, such as commencement” (51). The Department welcomes the participation of term faculty in other academic and professional events and functions. The Department also recognizes the importance of administrative duties involved in directing specialized academic and advising programs.

The Department does not require, but highly values, voluntary service and engagement with the community outside the University. Faculty often provide service to local, national, and/or international communities and governments as well as hold leadership positions in scholarly associations. Such activities demonstrate an individual’s acceptance of the responsibilities that come with being a member of the faculty in a university deeply committed to service to a wider community. Such service must be clearly related to the teaching and scholarly interests of the faculty member and/or advance the academic reputation of the academic unit or university (FM, 38).

c. Research

The criteria for evaluation for appointment or reappointment within the lecturer sequence are primarily based on excellence in teaching and service. However, evaluation for reappointment and promotion within the lecturer sequence should positively account for any scholarly accomplishments, including research and publications, that contribute to “currency in the field” as described in section III.a. above. Only term faculty in the professor sequence are expected to conduct research or have a research agenda, as detailed in section IV.b. below. Candidates’ research records will be evaluated in their entirety, including research productivity while at American University and plans for continued research productivity.  

IV. Rank-specific Reappointment and Promotion Criteria

The designated ranks for full-time faculty members with term appointments fall into two promotion sequences: lecturer and professor. The ranks for the lecturer promotion sequence are: instructor, professorial lecturer, senior professorial lecturer, and Hurst senior professorial lecturer. The ranks for the professor promotion sequence are: assistant professor, associate professor, and professor.

The following subsections detail specific performance expectations for each of the four ranks in the professorial lecturer sequence and the three ranks of the term professor sequence.

a. Lecturer Sequence

Instructor

The rank of instructor is reserved for those term faculty members who have not yet been granted their terminal degree, in which case the rank is normally a temporary one-semester or one-year appointment, or for temporary appointments of faculty in certain skill areas or professional fields where the terminal degree is not deemed necessary (46). Reappointments at the rank of instructor are typically subject to annual review. Instructors will be evaluated primarily on their teaching and secondarily on their service to their department or college, in accordance with the general principles outlined above. 

Candidates for reappointment in the rank of instructor should be successful teachers who have built well-thought-out courses that foster student learning and achievement and that reflect the current state of their academic field(s). Their course materials will state clear objectives that are informed by the goals of the department or program. Their professionalism will be displayed through their syllabi, assignments, evaluation of student work, advising or mentorship, and student evaluation of teaching assessments. Candidates for reappointment as instructor will also provide service to the department, college, and/or university, commensurate with the general expectations listed above. 

The criteria for evaluation for appointment or reappointment within the lecturer sequence are primarily based on excellence in teaching and service. However, evaluation for reappointment to the rank of lecturer sequence should positively account for any scholarly accomplishments, including research and publications, that contribute to “currency in the field” as described in section III.a. above.

All term faculty may be reappointed in the absence of a promotion and should an application for promotion prove unsuccessful may be reappointed and seek promotion at a later date.

Professorial Lecturer

The Faculty Manual states that term faculty members are “customarily awarded the initial rank of professorial lecturer if they hold the terminal degree in the field, or have professional experience and achievement equivalent to a terminal degree” (46). Candidates who were hired as instructors and do not hold the terminal degree in their field may apply for promotion to professorial lecturer, typically after a period of three years. 

Instructors applying for reappointment at the rank of professorial lecturer should be successful teachers who have built well-thought-out courses that foster student learning and achievement and that reflect the current state of their academic field(s). Their course materials will state clear objectives that are informed by the goals of the department or program. Their professionalism will be displayed through their syllabi, assignments, evaluation of student work, advising or mentorship, and student evaluation of teaching assessments. Candidates for professorial lecturer will also provide service to the department, college, and/or university, with the expectation that their service profile will both broaden and deepen over time. 

The criteria for evaluation for appointment or reappointment within the lecturer sequence are primarily based on excellence in teaching and service. However, evaluation for reappointment and promotion to the rank of professorial lecturer should positively account for any scholarly accomplishments, including research and publications, that contribute to “currency in the field” as described in section III.a. above.

All term faculty may be reappointed in the absence of a promotion and should an application for promotion prove unsuccessful may be reappointed and seek promotion at a later date.

Senior Professorial Lecturer

After five years of service, professorial lecturers are customarily eligible for promotion to the rank of senior professorial lecturer. The Faculty Manual describes senior professorial lecturer appointees as demonstrating “excellence as a teacher and strong engagement with the university community” over and beyond the criteria for appointment as a professorial lecturer. Appointments at the senior professorial lecturer rank are also possible for candidates with “extensive professional experience but little direct teaching experience” (46).

Candidates for promotion to senior professorial lecturer should be expert teachers whose courses foster, in challenging and motivating ways, student learning and achievement. Their course materials will promote the goals of the department or program and demonstrate currency in their academic field(s). Their professionalism and expertise will be displayed through their course and curriculum development, syllabi, assignments, evaluation of student work, advising or mentorship, and student evaluation of teaching assessments. They will provide significant service and contribute to professional development, which might include leadership activities such as faculty mentoring, assessment work, and research in their field, in addition to significant service to their department, college, and/or university.

The criteria for evaluation for appointment or reappointment within the lecturer sequence are primarily based on excellence in teaching and service. However, evaluation for reappointment and promotion to the rank of senior professorial lecturer should positively account for any scholarly accomplishments, including research and publications, that contribute to “currency in the field” as described in section III.a. above.

All term faculty, including term assistant professors, may be reappointed in the absence of a promotion and should an application for promotion prove unsuccessful may be reappointed and seek promotion at a later date.

Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer

The Faculty Manual describes appointees at this rank as having demonstrated “meritorious performance through sustained excellence in teaching and in service internally to the university and/or externally in their profession or field of scholarship” (46). 

Senior professorial lecturers who are candidates for promotion to Hurst senior professorial lecturer should be master teachers, demonstrating a consistent record of marked teaching excellence. Their professionalism and expertise will be displayed through their course and curriculum development, syllabi, assignments, evaluation of student work, advising or mentorship, and student evaluation of teaching assessments. Their application portfolios will show that they have significantly refined their teaching, including (but not limited to) broadening the curricular offerings of their academic unit, participating in or developing curricular initiatives at the department, school, and/or university levels [e.g. AUCore, Honors Programs], adapting to new student populations as necessary, and attending to innovations in their field(s). These candidates will also have demonstrated strong service or leadership in their department, school, university, and/or field, including contributing to professional development initiatives, teaching or curriculum assessment, or robust and sustained student engagement outside the classroom.

The criteria for evaluation for appointment or reappointment within the lecturer sequence are primarily based on excellence in teaching and service. However, evaluation for reappointment and promotion to the rank of Hurst senior professorial lecturer should positively account for any scholarly accomplishments, including research and publications, that contribute to “currency in the field” as described in section III.a. above.

All term faculty may be reappointed in the absence of a promotion and should an application for promotion prove unsuccessful may be reappointed and seek promotion at a later date.

b. Term Professor Sequence

The Faculty Manual states that new appointments at the term assistant professor rank will be made “only under extraordinary circumstances and with approval of the provost” (47). Faculty at this rank who meet the criteria for promotion to term associate professor normally may apply for promotion after six years of fulltime service.

Promotion within the term professor ranks will be based in part on scholarly accomplishments, in a manner equivalent to tenure-line professor ranks. The Faculty Manual states that promotion to term Associate Professor will depend, in part, on “significant scholarly accomplishments appropriate to the field; professional recognition and growth; and potential for a career of sustained scholarly distinction and/or prominent accomplishments” (47). Promotion to term Professor will depend, in part, on “continuing excellent scholarship and/or prominent accomplishments in the field… and evidence of the potential to sustain excellence in…these areas” (47).

The standards for promotion to the ranks of term associate professor and term professor in the area of scholarship are functionally similar to those for their tenure-line equivalents, as detailed in the department’s tenure-line faculty by-laws and guidelines. There are, however, several notable differences. There is no “clock” for promotion within the term professor sequence. Term assistant professors are not required to apply for promotion to term associate at the end of six years of service but may instead apply whenever the standards for the rank of associate professor are thought to be met. All term faculty, including term assistant professors, may be reappointed in the absence of a promotion and should an application for promotion prove unsuccessful may be reappointed and seek promotion at a later date.

Candidates’ research records will be evaluated in their entirety, including research productivity while at American University and plans for continued research productivity.