1.     PROMOTIONS IN RANK AND MERIT ADVANCES IN SALARY WITHIN RANK
 

1.01     The academic rank system is designed to serve as a guide for the  placement in the  faculty of newly appointed personnel and to provide a framework for annual promotion and merit advances in salary within rank guidelines.

1.02     Promotions in rank and salary advances in rank shall be awarded on the basis of merit except on those occasions when the legislature mandates periodic salary adjustments for all faculty.  (See Academic Policy Statement 820317, “The Faculty Evaluation System.”)

2.      THE ACADEMIC RANKS
 

2.01     Sam Houston State University shall utilize the following academic ranks for tenure-track and tenured faculty: instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor, and distinguished professor.

2.02     Sam Houston State University shall utilize the following academic rank designations for interim faculty:  lecturer, special faculty, research faulty, visiting assistant professor, visiting associate professor, and visiting professor.  These academic rank designations shall not be assigned to faculty in tenure-track positions.

2.03     It is expected that an individual appointed to a tenure-track position shall demonstrate potential of being able to perform effectively in relation to the evaluative criteria established in Section 5.02 and in Academic Policy Statement 820317.  Also, it is expected that an individual appointed to a rank above instructor shall be able to demonstrate a record of proven effectiveness and productivity in relation to the evaluative criteria and shall be expected to demonstrate an increasing degree of superior performance in relation to the criteria with each advance in rank.

2.04     The minimum academic requirement for appointment to the rank of instructor is the master's degree or its equivalent in advanced study (at least thirty graduate hours), or professional experience and/or special credentials, directly applicable to the subject matter to be taught.

2.05     The minimum academic requirement for appointment to the rank of assistant professor shall normally be the master's degree plus forty-five (45) semester hours of graduate study in the individual's field of study and/or area of responsibility, or the terminal degree when such is different from the doctorate, or special credentials.
 

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2.06     The minimum academic requirement for appointment to the rank of associate professor shall normally be the terminal degree or special credentials in the individual's field of study and/or area of responsibility.  Only in cases of exceptionally meritorious service, demonstrated consistently over a period of years, as determined under the criteria and procedures established in this policy, shall individuals without the terminal degree or special credentials qualify for appointment to this rank.

2.07     The minimum academic requirement for appointment to the rank of professor shall normally be the terminal degree or special credentials in the individ-ual's field of study and/or area of responsibility.  Only in cases of exceptionally meritorious service, demonstrated consistently over a period of years, as determined under the criteria and procedures established in this policy, shall individuals without the terminal degree or special credentials qualify for appointment to this rank.
 

3.01  Terminology

a.     The term "special credentials" as used in this policy shall be defined to include the Master of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Laws, Doctor of Jurisprudence, and Master of Social Work degrees and the Certified Public Accountant credential, insofar as these credentials signify generally recognized levels of training, achievement, competence, and experience specifically applicable to particular academic fields.

b.     For those professional librarians who occupy faculty-status positions, the term "special credentials" shall be defined to mean an accredited Master of Library Science degree and an additional graduate degree.

c.     The term "terminal degree" as used in this document shall be defined as the highest academic degree customarily awarded in the field of study.
 

3.02    Once a faculty member is appointed to a rank, progress through the academic ranks shall be determined on a merit basis in keeping with the criteria established in this policy and in Academic Policy Statement 820317.

3.03     A minimum of fifty (50) percent of the total full-time faculty positions within a college should be occupied by persons possessing the terminal and/or special degree credentials.
 
 

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3.04     Although a quota system that establishes maximum limits cannot be considered appropriate for the building of a quality faculty, the university shall strive to attain in each college and department a faculty profile which has no more than fifty (50) percent in the ranks of associate professor and professor with a distribution of approximately twenty-five (25) percent in each of the four (4) major tenurable academic ranks, i.e., instructor, assistant professor, associate professor and professor.  These distribution-within-the-ranks figures are to be regarded as the guidelines toward achievement of generally desirable ratios.  Variations from these guidelines within departments/colleges, and the Newton Gresham Library should suggest the rank at which new faculty members ought to be employed to replace others or to meet expansion needs.  Maintenance of these guidelines is not to be so rigid as to inhibit the promotion or advancement of meritorious faculty members.

4.01     Merit salary increases shall be awarded in accordance with the criteria and procedures established in this policy and in Academic Policy Statement 820317.

5.     EVALUATIVE CRITERIA FOR PROMOTION IN RANK OR MERIT ADVANCES WITHIN RANK
 

5.01     A promotion from one academic rank to another or a merit advance in salary within a rank shall be based upon a determination of merit in relation to stated criteria.

5.02     Evaluation in the following categories will be considered in determining whether or not a promotion in rank or a merit advance in salary within rank will be recommended.  (See Academic Policy Statement 820317 for specific evaluative criteria for each of the categories.)

  a.     Teaching Effectiveness

  b.     Scholarly and Artistic Endeavor

  c.     Professional Growth and Professional Activities

  d.     Non-Teaching Activities Supportive of Departmental, College, and University Programs

  e.     (For special evaluative criteria pertaining to faculty members who are librarians, see Academic Policy Statement 810814, “Tenets for Academic Status for Professional Librarians.”)

 5.03     Assignment of Relative Weights for Evaluative Criteria
 

a.     To help ensure equity in the overall faculty evaluation system, each of the main evaluative criteria relied upon during the annual faculty evaluation process (see Academic Policy Statement 820317, "The Faculty Evaluation System") is differentially weighted depending upon the proportion of time spent teaching and/or reassigned to some other function and the number of credit hours taught during the fall and spring semesters of each year.  In accordance with this policy statement, actual weights for each criterion are determined though a linear formula which maximizes each faculty member's annual evaluation score.

b.     To be considered eligible for a promotion in rank, a faculty member must meet the minimum academic credential requirements for the rank and shall have demonstrated merit in a combination of the evaluative categories used during annual faculty evaluations.

c.     A faculty member normally establishes eligibility for consideration for promotion upon the completion at SHSU of five and one-half years in either the rank of assistant professor or associate professor.  On occasion, truly outstanding faculty may be considered prior to this time.  Other exceptions to the above norms must be addressed at the point of initial employment.  It is anticipated that promotions from rank of instructor to assistant professor may occur on a shorter timeline.

 
d.     To be considered eligible for a merit advance in salary within rank, a faculty member shall have demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the chair of the academic unit involved, or Director of the Newton Gresham Library, and the dean/Vice President for Academic Affairs, merit in a combination of evaluative categories used during annual faculty evaluations.

a.    Each member of the regular faculty shall complete and submit to the chair of his/her academic unit or Director of the Newton Gresham Library, an annual report designed to update the professional profile of the faculty member and to provide an opportunity for self-evaluation.  (FES Form 3, "Report on Scholarly and Artistic Endeavor"; FES Form 4, "Report on Professional Growth and Professional Activities"; FES Form 5, "Report on Non-Teaching Activities.")  These reports, together with any additional materials the faculty member may wish to submit, and the student rating forms will become a part of the faculty member's promotion file and dossier.

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b.     Each chair and the Director of the Newton Gresham Library shall conduct ongoing evaluations and shall each year complete and file an evaluation report for each faculty member within their academic areas.  (FES Form 1, "Chair Rating of Faculty Teaching Effectiveness"; and FES Form 6, "Summary Rating Form.")  These reports, once completed, shall be reviewed by the responsible chair or Director of the Newton Gresham Library with the individual faculty member and shall form a part of the faculty member's promotion file and dossier.

c.     Each chair shall complete on each faculty member recommended for promotion a Recommendation for Academic Promotion in Rank form (Academic Affairs Form 7), or, on each faculty member recommended for a merit salary increase a Recommendation for Merit Salary Adjustment form (Academic Affairs Form 8), together with FES Form 6, for transmittal to the office of the appropriate dean.

d.     The dean of each college and the Director of the Newton Gresham Library shall add to Academic Affairs Form 7 (Recommendation for Academic Promotion in Rank) and Academic Affairs Form 8 (Recommendation for Merit Salary Adjustment) and FES Form 6 appropriate comment and recommendation and shall forward same to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

e.     On these same forms, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall make any comment which he/she deems appropriate and shall forward same, along with his/her recommendations, to the President of the university for final approval.

f.     Each of the above report forms shall include a section wherein the person responsible for the particular report shall make a professional judgment of the faculty member's performance with respect to each of the four (4) major categories of evaluative criteria and in summary.
 

6.01 Nominations for promotions in rank or advances in salary within rank shall originate in any of three ways:  (1) the faculty member may nominate himself/herself through administrative channels; (2) he/she may be recommended by the chair of the appropriate academic unit; or (3) he/she may be nominated by the dean of the college, or the Director of the Newton Gresham Library.

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6.02     a.    All nominations for promotion in rank will be forwarded for review at each administrative level as outlined in Section 6.03 whether the nomination is or is not favorably endorsed.
 

 b.     A faculty member who has nominated himself/herself for promotion in rank and has not received a favorable endorsement from the department chair and/or academic dean may elect, in writing, to have that nomination withdrawn without prejudice.

 c.     A faculty member who has nominated himself/herself for a merit advance in salary within rank may request that the nomination be forwarded for review at each administrative level whether the nomination is or is not favorably endorsed.  This can be accomplished by placing a check mark in the box beside the sentence on FES Form 6 which reads:  “ô®  I request that the nomination for merit advance in salary within rank which I am submitting on myself be forwarded for procedural review only at each administrative level whether the nomination is or is not favorably endorsed.  Initials   “
 

  a.     By no later than February 15

(1)     All nominations shall be filed with the chair of the appropriate academic unit or the Director of the Newton Gresham Library.

 (2)     Each member of the regular faculty shall have completed and filed FES Forms 3, 4, and 5 with the chair of the appropriate academic unit or the Director of the Newton Gresham Library.

  b.     By no later than March 1

Each chair shall have completed each faculty member's promotion file and arrived at his/her judgment with respect to those faculty being considered for promotions, and shall have forwarded the promotion dossiers and his/her recommendations to the dean of the college (See Section 5.04.c.).

  c.     By no later than March 15

After reviewing the dossiers and the reports, and after seeking such counsel as he/she may deem helpful, the dean of each college, and the Director of the Newton Gresham Library shall be prepared to present his/her recommendations along with all supporting materials to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  (See Section 5.04.d.)
 

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  d.     By no later than April 1

The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall transmit to the President the recommendations of the academic deans and all supporting materials.  (See Section 5.04.e.)  The review and report of the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall indicate to the President either an endorsement of the recommendations of the academic deans or alternate recommendations.

  e.     By no later than April 15

The President of the university shall have developed the recommendations, which he will present to the Board of Regents, The Texas State University System, and shall have informed the Vice President for Academic Affairs regarding his recommendations.  It shall be the responsibility of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to report these decisions to the appropriate academic deans and the Director of the Newton Gresham Library in accord with the timeline established by the President.  The deans shall then inform the department chair, which shall, in turn, inform their faculty members.  The Director of the Newton Gresham Library shall inform his/her faculty members.

 6.04     The schedule for processing recommendations for merit advances in salary within rank shall be as follows:

  a.     By no later than May 1

(1)     All nominations shall be filed with the chair of the appropriate academic unit or the Director of the Newton Gresham Library.

(2)     Each member of the regular faculty shall have completed and filed FES Forms 3, 4, and 5 with the chair of the appropriate academic unit or the Director of the Newton Gresham Library.

  b.     By no later than May 7

The Student Rating Form (FES Form 2) shall be filed with the chair of the department.

  c.     By no later than May 31

The appropriate chair and the Director of the Newton Gresham Library shall have completed and reviewed with each faculty member his/her Summary Rating Report (FES Form 6).

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  d.     By no later than June 7
 

The appropriate chair and the Director of the Newton Gresham Library shall have completed each faculty member’s personnel file and arrived at his/her judgment with respect to those faculty members being considered for salary advances, and shall have forwarded the dossiers and his/her recommendations to the dean of the college or to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  (See Section 5.04.c.)

  e.     By no later than June 14
 

After reviewing the dossiers and the reports, and after seeking such counsel as he/she may deem helpful, the dean of each college or the equivalent administrator shall present his/her recommendations along with all supporting materials to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.  (See Section 5.04.d.)

  f.     By no later than June 21
 

The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall transmit to the President the recommendations of the academic deans and the Director of the Newton Gresham Library and all supporting materials.  (See Section 5.04.e.)  The review and report of the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall indicate to the President either an endorsement of the recommendations of the academic deans/director or alternate recommendations.

  g.     By no later than June 30
 

The President of the university shall have developed the recommendations, which he will present to the Board of Regents, The Texas State University System, and shall have informed the Vice President for Academic Affairs regarding his recommendations.  It shall be the responsibility of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to report these decisions to the deans/director in accord with the timeline established by the President.  The deans shall then inform the department chairs, who shall, in turn, inform his/her faculty members.  The Director of the Newton Gresham Library shall inform his/her faculty members.

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7.     REVIEW AND REVISION OF POLICY
 

7.01     All features and components of this policy shall be subject to periodic review and revision.  It shall be the responsibility of the Vice President for Academic Affairs to see that the policy is reviewed at least every three years.  Substantive revisions to the policy shall be submitted to the University Faculty Senate and the Academic Policy Council for review and comment prior to action by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

8.     POLICY EXCEPTIONS
 

8.01     Exceptions to the policies and procedures set forth above may be authorized only by the President of the university as authorized by the Board of Regents, The Texas State University System, or by action of the Board of Regents.

8.02     a.     A faculty member may be granted a leave of absence when it can be clearly demonstrated to provide great benefit to the university and to the professional status of the individual.
 

b.     A faculty member on approved leave of absence from the university for a period of one or more academic years cannot accrue credit that year or those years for the purposes of promotion in rank.

c.     The activities of that year or those years may be considered for merit in salary within rank, if such advances are warranted using the existing faculty evaluation system.  In such cases, the faculty member may petition, in writing, the President of the university through the appropriate program coordinator/chair, dean, Director of the Newton Gresham Library, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs to have the approved leave of absence count as service time for the purposes of merit advances in salary within rank. The petition must be approved prior to the faculty member's departure on the leave of absence.  If the faculty member's request to have an approved leave of absence count towards service is approved by the President, such approval will be in writing and will be limited to a period of one academic year.
 
 

APPROVED:                   /signed/                 
                           Bobby K.Marks, President

DATE:                     February 2, 2000