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POLICY 06:02:02

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS

Pellissippi State allows for the following faculty appointments:

  1. Types of Appointments
    1. Adjunct faculty appointments are non-tenurable, part-time appointments to meet immediate teaching needs for a semester. Adjunct faculty contracts are for one semester only. New contracts can be made for each subsequent semester in perpetuity (see PSCC policy 06:01:02 – Adjunct Faculty).
    2. Temporary appointments are non-tenurable, full-time appointments for a specific purpose for a time appropriate to that purpose. Temporary appointments may be terminated according to the terms of the contract of employment or appointment. Temporary appointments should ordinarily only be used to replace regular faculty on leave of absence, to fill full-time faculty needs where a permanent and continued need for the position has not been established provided that such appointments do not exceed three academic years, to employ faculty pursuant to grants, or to support projects funded in whole or in part by non-appropriated funds. Faculty in temporary appointments are appointed in rank but not eligible for promotion in rank. Temporary appointments may not be converted to term, tenure-track, or tenure appointments.
      Appointments of faculty members supported by more than 50% of grant funds or other soft money sources may be approved by the college president for periods in excess of three academic years. Other extensions of temporary appointments for periods in excess of three academic years require a request by the president and approval of the TBR Chancellor.
    3. Term appointments are non-tenurable appointments in a traditional rank (e.g. instructor, assistant professor, etc.) for a fixed period of no more than one (1) year that may be renewed with no maximum number of re-appointments. Faculty in term appointments are eligible for promotion in rank.
      Faculty should be placed on term appointments only when one or more of the following employment conditions is present: (1) as a means for addressing staffing needs when a projected need is more than temporary but does not warrant a tenure track position, (2) to staff programs projected to phase out in a fixed period, or (3) when the size of a staffing cohort is projected to extend beyond the normal period for a temporary appointment but is not of sufficient length to warrant a tenure-track or tenured appointment.
      Since it is not intended that term appointments be used to meet long-term staffing needs, a faculty member should not remain in a term appointment for more than six years. If it is determined that a position is warranted beyond the maximum six-year period, a new tenure track position should be sought to replace it. The holder of the term appointment may apply and be considered for the tenure-track appointment, and the president may award up to three years credit for prior service toward tenure. Other term appointment holders may also apply for the new position and receive service credit. The amount of credit awarded is left to the discretion of the president and determined based upon the recommendation of the chief academic officer.
      Exceptions to the six-year maximum may be granted annually if it is: (1) requested by the affected faculty member and his or her supervisor, (2) recommended by the appropriate academic department dean and chief academic officer, and (3) approved by the college president.
    4. Tenure-track appointments are appointments of full-time faculty in an academic rank (e.g. instructor, assistant professor, etc.) for the academic year. Tenure-track appointments are for faculty who are employed in a probationary period preliminary to being considered for tenure. Tenure-track appointments shall not include any right to permanent or continuous employment; shall not create any manner of legal right, interest, or expectancy of renewal, or any other type of appointment; and shall be subject to annual renewal by the institution.
      A tenure-track appointment may not be converted to a term appointment as a means for continuing employment of tenure-track faculty when a negative tenure decision has been made.
    5. Tenure appointments are appointments of full-time faculty who have been awarded tenure by the Board of Regents pursuant to the provisions of the PSCC tenure policy (see policy 06:02:00). Tenure appointments include the assurance of continued employment for the academic year for an indefinite period, subject to the provisions and requirements of the PSCC tenure policy. Such appointments do not include assurance of continued employment at any specified salary or position or employment during summer sessions or inter-sessions.

Source: Tennessee Board of Regents, Policy No. 5:02:07:00

Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, April 12, 2004
Editorial Changes, July 2008
Reviewed/Recommended: President’s Staff, April 15, 2009
Approved: President Allen G. Edwards, April 15, 2009
Reviewed/Recommended: President’s Council, March 28, 2016
Approved: President L. Anthony Wise Jr., March 28, 2016
Reviewed/Recommended: President’s Council, May 23, 2022
Approved: President L. Anthony Wise, May 23, 2022