Policies and Procedures
Visiting Faculty Policy

Overview

1. Definition of qualified academic rank (per SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees 
   1. Academic Staff having titles preceded with the designation of "Visiting" such as:
      1. Visiting Instructor, Visiting Assistant Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, Visiting Professor,
      2. Visiting Assistant Librarian, Visiting Senior Assistant Librarian, Visiting Associate Librarian, Visiting Librarian.
   2. Academic Staff having the title “Lecturer.”
2. Terms of Employment for faculty having qualified academic rank.
   1. Faculty members with qualified academic rank will provide academic services (instruction, scholarship and/or outreach) to the institution.
   2. Faculty members with qualified academic rank will be compensated for their services.
   3. Faculty members with qualified academic rank may be part-time or full-time, but they are not eligible for Continuing Appointment (Tenure).  They receive temporary appointments for a period up to a year or term appointments for periods up to three years. 
3. Appointment.
   1. Standards for Rank.
      1. The standards for appointment of faculty in qualified titles are the same as for faculty in non-qualified titles.  Thus, the qualifications for appointment to the title of Visiting Instructor are the same as those for appointment as Instructor.  Similarly, the qualifications for appointment to the title of Visiting Assistant Professor are the same as for appointment as Assistant Professor, and so on.  The qualifications for appointment as Lecturer are the same as those for Instructor.
   2. Process.
      1. Approval to initiate a search for a faculty member with qualified academic rank is granted by the Provost following a recommendation from the academic unit head.
      2. Academic unit heads are responsible for identifying and recommending competent individuals for appointment to positions having qualified titles.
         In doing so, unit heads must comply with all legal regulations governing fair hiring practices. 
         Unit heads are encouraged to consult with faculty members in their units, as well as with others who may assist in or be affected by the selection, especially if it is anticipated that there will be a continuing need for the services of the faculty member to be hired.
      3. Approval to employ a faculty member with qualified academic rank is granted by the College President following recommendations from the unit head and the Provost. 
         A current Curriculum Vitae and other documentation supporting the prospective faculty member’s competence to deliver the prescribed services must accompany the unit head’s recommendation.
   3. Assignment
      1. The duties of a faculty member with academic rank are determined at the time the search for the position is approved.  Changes in assignment may be granted by the Provost following a recommendation from the unit head.  The faculty member’s qualifications must be appropriate to the new assignment.
      2. Generally, a 3-semester-hour lecture course will carry a 12.5% FTE appointment.  Additional sections of the same course will generally carry 9% FTE appointments for each. The FTE appointment can be adjusted for course contact hours, class size and other factors that affect effort by approval of the Provost.
4. Supervision
   1. The unit head serves as the supervisor for all faculty members in the unit, including those with qualified academic rank.
   2. In some circumstances, supervisory responsibilities may be delegated by the unit head to another member of the unit faculty. 
      1. The Director of the Ranger School (reporting to the Chair of the Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management), the Director of the Writing Program (reporting to the Chair of the Department of Environmental Studies), and the Director of the Mathematics Program (reporting to the Chair of the Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management) are the first-line supervisors for faculty members employed in the service of their programs.
      2. Unit heads may delegate supervisory responsibility in other cases, provided the arrangement is described in writing and conveyed to the supervisor, the supervisee, and the College Office of Human Resources.
5. Review.
   1. To assure quality performance, the work of faculty having qualified academic rank should be reviewed regularly.
   2. Review is the responsibility of the faculty member’s supervisor (unit head or delegated authority as described in section 4).
   3. For faculty members employed for instructional purposes:
      1. Mid-term student course evaluations are strongly suggested for faculty members with teaching assignments, especially when the faculty member is new to the assignment.
      2. End-of-course student evaluations are required for faculty members with teaching assignments.
      3. Other evaluative materials may be requested by the supervisor or provided by the faculty member to assess teaching performance.
   4. Faculty members having assignments other than course instruction should submit to their supervisor a report of their activities at the end of each academic year, or at the end of their appointment if it is less than one year.