2 FACULTY EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
This section contains the approved policies and procedures of Roanoke College concerning the
terms and conditions of employment of the Faculty of the College. These terms are
incorporated into the individual contract of employment of each faculty member. Where the
terms and provisions of an individual contract of a faculty member are inconsistent with the
general policies contained herein, the provisions of the individual contract shall supersede.
Otherwise, the provisions of this Handbook are legally binding on all parties for the specific
period covered by a letter of appointment/contract and will not be changed during that period.
Should there be any misapplication or misinterpretation or violation of the specific provisions of
this section, the faculty member involved in such a situation may refer actions taken by a chair,
program director, Dean or other officer of the College to the Faculty Grievance Committee. It
should be noted that only Sections 1.7 and Part 2 of this Handbook are grievable under the
Grievance Procedures in this Handbook.
2.1 DEFINITION OF FACULTY, FACULTY RANK, AND FACULTY TITLES
AT ROANOKE COLLEGE
The faculty comprises all persons having appointment for the instruction of students. The
faculty of Roanoke College shall consist of four distinct groups: ranked full-time faculty, ranked
pro rata part-time faculty, part-time per course faculty, and special appointment faculty. Specific
contract types (Section 2.2) and other specific contractual rights and responsibilities shall
accrue to each specific group as defined in this Faculty Handbook in appropriate sections of
Part 2. In particular, part-time per course faculty and special appointment faculty have limited
rights and responsibilities; these are fully defined below.
2.1.1 THE RANKED FACULTY
A ranked faculty member is a full-time or pro rata part-time employee of Roanoke College who
has been appointed to one of the four regular academic ranks: Instructor, Assistant Professor,
Associate Professor, or Professor.
2.1.1.1 FULL-TIME FACULTY
A full-time faculty member:
a. has full-time teaching duties or has teaching and other duties (e.g., research, academic administration, or counseling) equivalent to a full-time teaching load (see 2.11.1).
b. fulfills the duties and responsibilities of a faculty member; and
c. holds academic rank as described in 2.1.3.
2.1.1.2 PRO RATA PART-TIME FACULTY
Pro rata part-time faculty members are those who are ranked as defined in Section 2.1.3 and who are given an appointment equivalent to half-time or more, but less than that of a full-time faculty member. They may be employed on probationary or continuous contracts. Such pro rata part-time faculty have pro rata contractual rights to promotion, tenure, sabbatical leave and employee benefits as provided in the Faculty Handbook. They are full voting members of the Faculty and have, on a pro rata basis, responsibilities for advising, service on committees, and all other responsibilities of full-time faculty members as detailed in this Handbook.
2.1.2 CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT TO SPECIFIC RANKED FACULTY STATUS
At the time of initial appointment of a full-time or pro rata part-time faculty member, the Vice
President and Dean of the College in consultation with the department chair, makes a judgment
about rank for the initial contract using the criteria described below. Written copies of the
decision will be provided to the department involved and the individual involved. Thereafter,
rank changes are subject to the provisions found in Section 2.7.
2.1.3 QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT BY RANK
Exceptions to the following policies must have the concurrence of the Faculty Personnel
Committee, the Dean of the College, and the President.
For initial appointment a full-time faculty member must meet the following minimal professional
qualifications:
2.1.3.1 INSTRUCTOR
a. hold at least a Master's degree or the equivalent.
2.1.3.2 ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
a. hold a terminal degree or
b. hold an intermediate degree and have at least three years of full-time teaching experience or other appropriate professional experience
2.1.3.3 ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
a. hold a terminal degree and
b. have served previously at that rank at a comparable accredited institution of higher education.
2.1.3.4 PROFESSOR
a. hold a terminal degree and
b. have served previously at that rank at a comparable accredited institution of higher education.
2.1.4 PART-TIME PER COURSE FACULTY
A part-time per course faculty member is usually a part-time temporary employee of Roanoke
College who has been assigned one of the following temporary academic titles: Lecturer; Senior
Lecturer; or Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor or Adjunct Assistant Professor.
Part-time Per Course Faculty:
a. usually have a half-time or less teaching load;
b. usually have no other faculty duties and responsibilities, except those listed below and in Section 2.9;
c. meet or exceed the criteria of the appropriate academic titles;
d. are selected in the manner set forth below in Section 2.3;
e. always receive a term contract (see Section 2.2.1);
f. receive no employee benefits or tuition remissions; and
g. do not accrue time towards tenure, promotion, or sabbatical.
Part-time per course faculty are expected to be available to meet with students.
2.1.4.1 LECTURER
Lecturers are selected by the department chair and approved by the Dean of the College.
Lecturers are hired to teach specific courses on a term contract basis. The position usually
does not lead to or count toward tenure or lead to promotion to the regular academic ranks.
Selection of Lecturers should be consistent with the academic standards of the College. A
person assigned this title should meet or exceed the minimal requirements set forth for
Instructor. In lieu of these requirements, considerable experience in an appropriate technical,
artistic, or professional field may be substituted.
2.1.4.2 SENIOR LECTURER
This title may be assigned to a part-time per course teaching faculty member in recognition of
distinguished teaching service to Roanoke College by having taught at least ten units.
Assignment of this title is made by the Dean of the College upon the recommendation of the
department chair.
2.1.4.3 ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
A faculty member who teaches on a part-time per course basis at Roanoke College and who is
a full-time ranked faculty member of another institution of post-secondary education will be
assigned this rank by the Dean of the College. Such rank shall be equal to that at the other
institution. Should the institution not use rank, the title Adjunct Professor will be used.
2.1.5 SPECIAL APPOINTMENT FACULTY
2.1.5.1 PROFESSOR EMERITUS
This rank may be assigned to members of the faculty who have limited or terminated their
responsibilities as a ranked faculty member for valid reasons (e.g., retirement, illness) after ten or
more years of distinguished service to the College. A Professor Emeritus is so designated and
appointed by the Board of Trustees after recommendation by the President, Dean of the College,
and the Faculty Personnel Committee.
No compensation accrues by virtue of this rank unless by mutual agreement between the President and the individual. He or she may be offered a part-time term contract by the President to teach or fulfill other duties. In such cases, supplementary benefits, if any, will be set forth in the contract.
2.1.5.1.1 Status and Privileges of Emeritus Faculty Members
a. Emeritus faculty retiring with benefits (i.e., having reached age 60 and having served 15 years
or its full-time equivalent), their spouses, and/or their unmarried dependent children may take
any course(s) at Roanoke College tuition free.
b. The Director of Public Relations, at the request of such a faculty member and provided that
this person keeps his or her current address on file, will insure that notices of major campus
activities are sent to the emeritus faculty member.
c. All such faculty members may participate in the Faculty processions with appropriate academic rank and dress if they so wish.
2.1.5.2 VISITING APPOINTMENTS
All visiting appointments are for a limited period of time with no intent of on-going employment. Such an appointment may not extend more than three consecutive years.
2.1.5.3 ARTIST/WRITER/SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE
Roanoke College may appoint to the Faculty distinguished artists, writers, scholars to the special faculty status of Artist/Writer/Scholar-in-Residence. Such appointments shall be full-time or part-time depending on the needs of the College. The appointments are term contracts.
2.1.5.4 TEACHING ASSOCIATES
In a limited number of cases, departments may, upon approval of the Dean, establish non-tenure-track Teaching Associate positions of a specialized nature with terms of employment that differ from those of the ranked faculty. The precise contractual obligations of each Teaching Associate will be established by the department with the approval of the Dean.
2.1.5.5 RESEARCH ASSOCIATES
Research Associates have no teaching responsibilities, but are pursuing a research program and/or serving as a resource to the Faculty. These are non-tenure-track positions.
2.1.5.6 Full-time administrators may be appointed to faculty status above the rank of instructor under the following conditions:
a. FPC, the appropriate academic chair, the Vice President and Dean of the College, and the President support the appointment with specific faculty rank;
b. the administrator has teaching experience either at Roanoke College or another
accredited post-secondary institution and meets the minimal professional qualifications for
appointment by rank stated in section 2.1.3 of the Handbook.
c. the administrator teaches, as part of the job description, one or two courses each
academic year (for no additional compensation).