Faculty Handbook
DESCRIPTIONS OF FACULTY APPOINTMENTS AND TITLES
Types of Appointments: A standing appointment has a pre-determined starting date, but no ending date is specified; a fixed-term appointment has a pre-determined starting date, and the ending date is specified at the discretion of the work unit.
Standing Appointment designates those appointments that are full-time and for which no ending date is specified. Such appointments are terminable only upon
appropriate notice of termination in accordance with University policy. Standing Appointments are regular and must be backed by permanently budgeted funds. The
position for each Standing Appointment appears as a line item in a departmental budget salary schedule and is assigned a budget-position number on the payroll record. Standing Appointments are made for both academic and nonacademic personnel. If such an appointment is academic, a Memorandum of Personal Service form outlining the terms of the appointment is to be completed and given to the faculty member.
Fixed-Term Multi-Year Appointment designates those appointments that are full-time for a minimum of nine months, but that have an ending date specified. Such
appointments are regular. The position appears as a line item on the departmental budget salary schedule and is assigned a budget-position number on the payroll record. Funding must be committed on a permanent basis from the Non-Standing Fixed-Term Multi-Year Academic budget category before appointments can be made. Such appointments are terminated at the stated ending date, but may be renewed.
Fixed-Term Multi-Year appointments are made for academic personnel. A Memorandum of Personal Service form outlining the terms of the appointment is completed and given to the faculty member.
Fixed-Term Multi-Year appointments may exceed one year in duration, up to a maximum of five years for a single appointment. These appointments are renewable.
Fixed-Term I Appointment designates those appointments that are full-time for at least six calendar months, but that have a specified ending date. Such appointments are regular. The position does not appear as a line item of the departmental budget salary
schedule and is not assigned a budget-position number on a payroll record. The Fixed-Term I position is funded on a temporary basis, although the original source may be either permanent (such as allocation fund) or temporary (such as salary savings from an unfilled position). Such appointments are discontinued at the stated ending date, but may be renewed.
Fixed-Term I appointments are made for both academic and nonacademic personnel (other than technical-service). If such an appointment is academic, a Memorandum of Personal Service form outlining the terms of the appointment is completed and given to the faculty member.
Fixed-Term II Appointment designates those academic or exempt staff appointments that are:
(a) full-time but less than six calendar months, or
(b) less than full-time.
Although the number of individual course assignments varies each semester based on department or campus needs, under no circumstances will Fixed-Term II faculty members be assigned more courses for a year than customarily assigned to Fixed-Term I faculty. The primary role of part-time faculty is teaching, and contracts are awarded each semester based upon college instructional needs.
Such appointments are defined as nonregular. The position does not appear as a line item in the departmental budget salary schedule and is not assigned a budget-position number on the payroll record. The Fixed-Term II position is funded on a temporary basis, although the original source may be either permanent (such as allocation fund) or temporary (such as salary savings from an unfilled position). Such appointments are made to academic or exempt staff personnel only. If such an appointment is academic, a Memorandum of Personal Service form outlining the terms of the appointment is to be completed and given to the faculty member.
To enable part-time faculty to do their job, they should be supplied with office space and have access to a telephone and computer. Every effort should be made to provide notice of a pending assignment at least a month in advance, so that faculty will have time to accommodate their schedule and prepare for any course they will be teaching. At the same time, since part-time faculty are often appointed to meet unexpected demands for courses, this lead-time may not always be possible. There also may be occasions when a course will have to be dropped because of low enrollment.
Fixed-Term II appointments are terminated at the stated ending date, but may be renewed. if an individual receives a second full-time Fixed-Term II appointment immediately following a full-time Fixed-Term II appointment, making the total continuous full-time service equal or exceed six calendar months, that individual will be considered a Fixed-Term I appointment for purposes of classification as regular or nonregular. Individuals who qualify as Fixed-Term I appointments within the preceding definition shall be classified as regular as of the date of the appointment and are considered to have changed from Fixed-Term II to Fixed-Term I. Individuals who continue to be reappointed as full-time Fixed-Term II for consecutive appointments shall retain the classification of regular as long as the employment is consecutive.
Supplementary I Appointment designates those appointments that are supplementary to Standing Appointments and have the effect of providing additional contractual obligation beyond the terms of the Standing Appointment. For example, a Supplementary Appointment will be made so that an individual whose standing contractual obligation is for thirty-six weeks is employed temporarily for one to twelve additional weeks.
Funds are provided on a temporary basis, although the original source may be either permanent (such as allocation fund) or temporary (such as salary savings from
an unfilled position). Normally, Supplementary I appointments are discontinued at the stated ending date, but may be renewed. Supplementary I Appointments are made to both academic and exempt staff personnel. If such an appointment is academic, a Memorandum of Personal Service form outlining the terms of the appointment is to be completed and given to the faculty member.
Supplementary II Appointment designates appointments that are supplementary to Standing or Fixed-Term I Appointments for approved additional services provided during the same weeks of service of these appointments. Funds are allocated on a temporary basis. Supplementary II Appointments are discontinued at the stated ending dates, but may be renewed. Supplementary II Appointments are made for academic personnel, and may be used for exempt staff personnel when performing extra noncontinuing assignments as outlined in University Policy HR90. http://www.ohr.psu.edu/policies
Visiting Appointment is an appointment in which "Visiting" is part of the title. Visiting appointments are made to replace faculty on leave from their assignments for a specific time or when an international visitor from another institution is invited to perform academic duties for a specified time. Such an appointment is nonregular, whether full-time or part-time. All other conditions for either Fixed-Term I or II appointments apply to Visiting Appointments. Visiting Appointments apply to academic personnel only.
Appointment Without Remuneration designates the appointment of an individual who does not receive remuneration for the academic position held in the University.
This includes those designated as Adjunct, Clinical Faculty, or Faculty Associate as outlined in HR07; or those visiting faculty who are not being paid by The Pennsylvania State University. The position does not appear as a line item in the departmental budget salary schedule and is not assigned a budget position number on the payroll record.