In accordance with Article 19.1 of the CBA, temporary appointments shall have the prefix “Visiting” and such appointments are usually not for more than one academic year. In addition, visiting faculty can receive appointments for no more than three consecutive academic years (Article 19.2).
Visiting faculty positions may either be recurring in the sense that the Dean has made a multi-year commitment for one or more visiting positions, or they may be based on occasional need, due to planned or unexpected faculty attrition. In any given year, authorization to initiate recruitment for a visiting faculty member outside the tenure stream must be obtained from the Dean, whether the position is recurring or based on occasional need.
If the position involved is recurring and has been previously approved, the request to the Dean should briefly present the circumstances of the appointment(s) to remind the Dean how the need for the position(s) arose. The request should recommend the term(s) of the appointment(s). Any recommended changes in such terms from year-to-year should be justified as fully as possible.
If the position is based on immediate circumstances, the request should explain those circumstances fully. Normally, teaching needs that arise from the temporary absence of T/TS or AS faculty members are provided by part-time instructors.
Only after the Dean's Office authorizes a visiting position may a department submit a requisition through the University’s Talent Center system. Once submitted, the requisition will be routed to the Dean’s Office and the Office of Institutional Engagement and Wellbeing for formal approval. Once approved, the advertisement will be posted on the University’s portal for a minimum of 5 days. All candidates must be reviewed and dispositioned appropriately.
Before making a recommendation concerning the appointment, the unit head must consult with faculty members as appropriate for the curricular needs that will be served by the visiting faculty member.
Appointment Process:
A vote on the hire will need to be taken by all T/TS faculty members in the unit and any appointment stream faculty members of higher rank. Note: the vote can be taken electronically (a meeting to vote is not required).
Once a candidate has been selected and voted on for the visiting position, the unit head must make a request to the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Recruitment to offer the individual an appointment.
The cover letter requesting this approval should:
- Provide a brief explanation of the circumstances involved, as described in the original request to initiate a search to fill the position. If the circumstances involve more than one position, and especially if the authorization is for recurring positions, explain the number of positions of this kind that were authorized, and give an accounting of those filled to date.
- Describe the duties of the position.
- Describe the recommended term of appointment (e.g., one term, two terms, 12 months).
- Describe the qualifications of the candidate.
- Recommend a salary and justify the recommendation.
- Tally of the department vote
Enclosures should include the below list and should be uploaded to Perceptive Content and assigned to the Faculty Actions Manager for review and processing:
- Chairs cover letter
- An electronic draft of the letter offering an appointment. The letter will be reviewed and approved by the Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Recruitment.
- An up-to-date and complete curriculum vita of the candidate being proposed for appointment.
- Two letters of recommendation. If the candidate has previously taught in the department, or if he/she is a distinguished scholar well-known to members of the department, the letters may be internal.
*Please make sure all candidates are dispositioned in Talent Center and add the requisition number in the notes section of Perceptive Content.
**In accordance with Article 16.1 of the CBA, all contracts should be sent to faculty at least 30 days prior to the contracted start date.
After the department receives written authorization from the Dean’s Office and the Chair’s draft offer letter has been approved, the offer may be conveyed by the Chair to the candidate. The Deans Office will release the approved offer letter to the candidate. Upon acceptance of the position by the candidate, the signed letter will be uploaded to the Perceptive Content packet and assigned to the Department Payroll Coordinator for formal processing and onboarding.
In the case of non-U.S. citizens who are not in possession of a "green card", a copy of the letter of appointment should also be sent at that time to the Office of International Services.
Updated: January 2025