Policy Manual

Effective January 1, 2024, this policy has been revised. For individual changes, see the redlined version.

Preamble. Consistent with the University's need to fulfill its important public educational mission, instructional-track faculty may be appointed and promoted as provided below. This policy sets parameters within which individual colleges can develop specific policies and procedures that permit the hiring of instructional-track faculty (see III-10.11i below). Operationally, any collegiate policy will be consistent with this policy and subject to approval by the Executive Vice President and Provost.

1. Definitions. Instructional faculty contribute predominantly to the teaching mission of the University and may also do some service. Instructional faculty typically occupy full-time positions, but must be 0.5 FTE or greater. They participate in the faculty governance process as described below and as defined by individual colleges and the Faculty Senate. They are not eligible for tenure.
   
   Instructional faculty shall hold rank at Assistant Professor of Instruction, Assistant Professor of Practice, Associate Professor of Instruction, Associate Professor of Practice, Professor of Instruction, or Professor of Practice as defined below in III-10.11d Qualifications for Specific Ranks.
2. Role of instructional faculty. Instructional faculty may be hired to teach courses or to educate and prepare students for their professional roles. Instructional faculty shall devote a substantial amount of their time to providing or overseeing the delivery of instruction to University of Iowa students in the classroom or in other settings appropriate to the discipline. Instructional faculty may also perform administrative and/or service functions; however, instructional faculty shall not be assigned primarily to perform service or administrative functions with few or no educational obligations. Similarly, research, scholarship, or artistic creation shall not be a requirement for appointment, reappointment, or promotion of instructional faculty, but may be considered as evidence of professional productivity if provided for by collegiate policy.
3. Hiring and terms of appointments. Salaried instructional faculty are searched for and appointed through University-wide recruitment processes. (See III-9 Hiring and Appointments.)
   1. Assistant professors shall initially receive a probationary one- to three-year appointment. If an applicant is initially hired as an associate or full professor, the college may choose to provide a probationary one- to three-year appointment.
   2. Terms of appointments subsequent to a probationary period vary, based on rank:
      1. Assistant Professor of Instruction or Assistant Professor of Practice: Upon meeting the qualifications prescribed in III-10.11d, and upon mutual agreement of an applicant and the department and/or college, an applicant may be appointed as an instructional faculty member at the rank of Assistant Professor. Following the initial probationary appointment, Assistant Professors, if renewed,  shall receive one- to three-year appointments.
         
         Instructional faculty may choose to remain at the Assistant Professor rank indefinitely or may pursue promotion as described herein. Upon request of an Assistant Professor, a college may review an Assistant Professor for promotion according to applicable University and collegiate policies. This review ordinarily would occur during the sixth year of service; however, collegiate policy may allow the DEO or dean to choose not to review the Assistant Professor or to review the Assistant Professor at a different time. If the DEO or dean decides not to review the Assistant Professor during or after the sixth year of service and after the Assistant Professor has timely requested review, the DEO or dean shall communicate to the Assistant Professor in writing the reasons for the decision. An Assistant Professor’s choice not to request promotion, or the DEO or dean’s decision not to review or promote an Assistant Professor, does not automatically require termination of employment. (See III-10.11f Promotion.)
      2. Associate Professor of Instruction or Associate Professor of Practice: Upon meeting the qualifications prescribed in III-10.11d, and upon mutual agreement of the faculty member and the department and/or college, an instructional faculty member may be hired or promoted into the Associate Professor of Instruction or Associate Professor of Practice rank. Following the initial appointment, Associate Professors, if renewed,  shall receive three- to five-year appointments. Associate Professors of Instruction and Associate Professors of Practice may choose to remain at this rank indefinitely or may pursue promotion as described herein.
      3. Professor of Instruction or Professor of Practice: Upon meeting the qualifications prescribed in III-10.11d, and upon mutual agreement of the faculty member and the department and/or college, an instructional faculty member may be hired or promoted into the Professor of Instruction or Professor of Practice rank. Following the initial appointment, Professors, if renewed, shall receive three- to seven-year appointments.
      4. A decision to terminate, not to renew, or not to promote an instructional faculty member may occur only as described in III-10.11g.
4. Qualifications for specific ranks. The ranks of instructional faculty shall be assigned according to the qualifications below, and in accordance with collegiate policies.
   1. Assistant Professor of Instruction:
      1. Terminal degree or other educational qualifications appropriate to the position;
      2. Evidence of potential in teaching, which can be demonstrated through experience in classroom teaching (including as a teaching assistant), pedagogically related advising or mentoring, curriculum development, or other means; and
      3. Evidence of potential to contribute to departmental and collegiate service and/or professional productivity, if the appointment will require service and/or professional productivity.
   2. Assistant Professor of Practice: 
      1. Terminal degree or other educational qualifications appropriate to the position;
      2. Experience in a profession relevant to the position; 
      3. Evidence of potential in teaching, which can be demonstrated through experience in classroom teaching (including as a teaching assistant), pedagogically related advising or mentoring, curriculum development, or other means; and
      4. Evidence of potential to contribute to departmental and collegiate service and/or professional productivity, if the appointment will require service and/or professional productivity.
   3. Associate Professor of Instruction:
      1. Terminal degree or other educational qualifications appropriate to the position;
      2. Established record of excellence in teaching; and
      3. Established record of excellence beyond teaching in professional productivity and/or service, if required and as defined by the college.
   4. Associate Professor of Practice:
      1.  Terminal degree or other educational qualifications appropriate to the position;
      2. Experience and achievement in a profession relevant to the position;
      3. Established record of excellence in teaching, advising students, developing curricula, or other pedagogical activities related to expertise, or an established record of success in professional endeavors indicating the potential for such excellence; and
      4. Established record of excellence in professional productivity and/or service, if required and as defined by the college.
   5. Professor of Instruction:
      1. Terminal degree or other educational qualifications appropriate to the position;
      2. Sustained record of excellence across a range of teaching endeavors as recognized by faculty and students within the department, college, and/or University community; and
      3. Sustained record of excellence beyond teaching in professional productivity and/or service, if required and as defined by the college.
   6. Professor of Practice:
      1. Terminal degree or other educational qualifications appropriate to the position;
      2. Substantial experience and outstanding achievement in a profession relevant to the position;
      3. Sustained record of excellence in teaching, advising students, developing curricula, or other pedagogical activities related to expertise, or a sustained record of success in professional endeavors indicating the potential for such excellence; and
      4. Sustained record of excellence in professional productivity and/or service, if required and as defined by the college.
5. Titles. Colleges shall use the title Assistant Professor of Instruction or Assistant Professor of Practice  for the first rank of instructional faculty. Colleges may choose the Associate Professor/Professor of Instruction titles or Associate Professor/Professor of Practice titles, or both, for subsequent ranks. Colleges may use these titles in conjunction with particular subject matters, if desired (e.g., Professor of Practice in Marketing; Professor of Instruction in Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research). Exact titles shall be stipulated in college procedures and approved by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost (Provost).
6. Review and promotion. All reviews of instructional faculty shall be conducted according to written standards of competence and performance defined by the relevant units and in compliance with applicable University policies. Promotion of instructional faculty shall occur during the regular faculty promotion cycle and shall follow both collegiate procedures and Procedures for Instructional Faculty Promotion Decision-Making at The University of Iowa. Given that promotion decisions within instructional faculty ranks do not carry the same “up or out” decision associated with tenure, a negative recommendation on a promotion request need not translate into termination of employment.
7. Decisions to terminate or not to renew.
   1. Termination. Termination of instructional faculty during the term of the appointment shall be for failure to meet written standards of competence and performance established by the unit or violation of any applicable University policy.
   2. Non-renewal.
      1. A decision not to renew an appointment that began in the first six years of service, or a probationary appointment at a higher rank, is within the discretion of the dean or designee and is not subject to dispute procedures.
      2. A decision not to renew any other instructional faculty appointment shall be for failure to meet written standards of competence and performance established by the unit, violation of any applicable University policy, changed economic circumstances, or program or curricular needs. A decision not to renew such an appointment is subject to dispute procedures only as defined herein.
   3. Notice. Notice of non-renewal of appointment, or of intention to recommend non-renewal after a stated period has elapsed, where required, shall be given in writing or by email in accordance with the following standards.
      1. For Assistant Professor appointments beginning in the first six years of service, no notice is required. For Assistant Professor appointments beginning after the completion of six years of service, or for probationary appointments at higher ranks, notice shall be given at least three months in advance of termination.
      2. For all other appointments, notice shall be given at least six months in advance of termination.
8. Instructional faculty disputes.
   1. Scope and applicable review. These procedures provide the exclusive process within the University for review of administrative action or non-action concerning instructional faculty. These procedures do not substitute for or override University processes and procedures reserved for alternative forums or procedures, such as (but not limited to) those pertaining to investigation of research misconduct or sexual harassment.
      1. Instructional faculty members at the rank of Assistant Professor or on probationary appointments at a higher rank may challenge administrative action or non-action concerning their employment through the Administrative Review Procedures in paragraph h(2) below.
      2. Associate Professors of Practice/Instruction and Professors of Practice/Instruction who are not on probationary appointments may challenge administrative action or non-action concerning their employment through the Peer Review Procedures below. The Peer Review Procedures are not available to instructional faculty at any other rank.
      3. In a Title IX case, the applicable review procedures shall be modified with the Title IX Procedures also set forth separately below.
   2. Administrative Review Procedures. These procedures apply to instructional faculty members at the rank of Assistant Professor or on probationary appointments at a higher rank.
      1. Initiation of review. An instructional faculty member initiates a review by completing the Instructional Faculty Administrative Review (IFAR) Form regarding the administrative action or non-action being challenged. To preserve any due process rights, the instructional faculty member shall submit the IFAR Form in hard copy or by email to the appropriate party (see below) no later than 10 University business days after the faculty member’s discovery of the action or non-action giving rise to the challenge.
         1. An instructional faculty member challenging any of the following actions or non-actions shall submit the form to the head administrator (ordinarily the dean) or designee, and the review shall proceed according to the procedures set forth in paragraph h(2)(b)(ii)-(iv) below (the local review step described in paragraph h(2)(b)(i) below is not applicable here):
            1. a decision to terminate the instructional faculty member during the term of appointment;
            2. a decision not to promote the instructional faculty member to a higher rank after a promotion review has been completed;
            3. a decision not to renew the instructional faculty member’s appointment, if the appointment began after completion of six years of service; and/or
            4. a decision not to review the instructional faculty member for promotion, if the decision not to review occurred during or after the sixth year of service and the instructional faculty member timely requested review according to applicable collegiate and University policies.
         2. An instructional faculty member challenging any administrative action or non-action other than those specified in paragraph h(a)(i) above shall submit the IFAR Form to the DEO, associate dean, or other immediate supervisor, and the review shall proceed according to procedures set forth in paragraph h(2)(b)(i)-(iv) below.
      2. Review process.
         1. Local review. The administrator receiving the IFAR Form will conduct a review and engage in discussions as appropriate. This departmental level review may include input from parties with relevant information to resolve the challenge. The participants will agree on a time frame for a response, ordinarily 15 University business days from receipt of the IFAR Form. On completion of the review, the administrator or designee shall complete the IFAR Form with the response and rationale and shall send the IFAR Form to the instructional faculty member, with copies to other appropriate administrators.
         2. College or division review. The instructional faculty member may seek review at the college or division level by submitting the IFAR Form to the head administrator (ordinarily the dean) or designee within 10 University business days of receipt of the departmental response, or within 10 University business days after notice of the event giving rise to the challenge, as appropriate under this policy. Review and discussions at the college/division level may include input from parties with relevant information to resolve the challenge. The participants will agree on a time frame for a response, ordinarily 15 University business days from receipt of the IFAR Form. The collegiate/division administrator or designee shall complete the IFAR Form with the response and rationale and shall send the IFAR Form to the instructional faculty member, with copies to other appropriate administrators.
         3. Provost review. The instructional faculty member may appeal the collegiate/division level response by sending the completed IFAR Form with a written request for review to the Associate Provost for Faculty within 10 University business days after receiving the collegiate/division determination. The Associate Provost for Faculty will review the information provided, consult as appropriate, and issue a written determination within 15 University business days of receiving the request for review.
         4. Final action. The determination of the Associate Provost for Faculty shall constitute final University action, and the instructional faculty member may seek appeal from the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, pursuant to the policies of the Board.
   3. Peer Review Procedures. These procedures apply to non-probationary instructional faculty members at the rank of Associate Professor of Practice/Instruction or Professor of Practice/Instruction.
      1. Initiation of challenge. An instructional faculty member who wishes to challenge the legitimacy of some administrative action or non- action is encouraged to settle the matter through informal discussions with the DEO, dean, or other persons connected with the matter. If the matter is not settled informally to the instructional faculty member's satisfaction, the instructional faculty member may challenge the administrative action or non-action by stating the basis for challenge in writing or by email to the Associate Provost for Faculty no later than 10 University business days following the faculty member’s discovery of the action or non-action giving rise to the challenge. As soon as is practicable, the Provost or designee shall notify the dean of the respective college of the challenge.
      2. Faculty committee. Within 10 University business days of the date of the notice the Provost or designee shall form a faculty committee to review the challenge. The committee shall be comprised of three faculty members, one of whom shall be an instructional faculty member at the same or higher rank as the grievant. If feasible, the three faculty members on the committee shall be from the same college as, but from different departments than, the grievant. The faculty committee shall meet with the grievant within 10 University business days of the committee’s formation. In that meeting, the instructional faculty member shall explain the basis for the challenge and may submit supplemental materials related directly to it. The faculty committee also may obtain relevant information from the dean of the respective college or other appropriate sources.
      3. Committee consideration and recommendation. The faculty committee shall consider the challenge and related submissions and shall submit a concise written report with a recommendation to the Provost or designee within 15 University business days after meeting with the grievant.
      4. Decision and final action. The Provost shall issue a decision within 15 University business days after receiving the committee’s report. The decision of the Provost shall constitute final University action in the matter, and the instructional faculty member may seek appeal to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, pursuant to the policies of the Board.
   4. Title IX modification of the procedures. In a case subject to Title IX, the applicable review procedures shall be modified as follows:
      1. Within 3 University business days receipt of the notice of challenge, the Provost or designee shall provide the alleged victim a copy of the notice of challenge and an opportunity to respond in writing within 10 University business days of the alleged victim’s receipt of the notice of challenge.
      2. Any administrator making a determination shall have completed appropriate Title IX training prior to meeting with the grievant or alleged victim.
      3. The administrator shall provide the alleged victim the same opportunity as the grievant to meet, to submit materials regarding the appeal, and otherwise to participate in the appeal.
      4. Upon final University action, the alleged victim as well as the grievant may seek an appeal to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, pursuant to the Board’s policies.
9. Collegiate policies and guidelines.
   1. Every college that offers salaried, non-tenure-track instructional faculty appointments shall develop its own written policy statement with respect to such appointments consistent with all the terms of this policy. Each policy shall address all of the following items:
      1. Justification for hiring instructional faculty. Each college shall provide a statement describing the justification for hiring instructional faculty, rather than tenure-track or tenured faculty, to fulfill the college’s teaching mission.
      2.  Participation of instructional faculty in faculty governance. Colleges are encouraged to integrate instructional faculty into relevant matters of collegiate and departmental governance, as appropriate. Specifically, colleges and departments are encouraged to allow instructional faculty to participate in the review of other instructional faculty. In addition, collegiate or departmental policy shall not permit instructional-track faculty to vote on the reappointment, tenure, or promotion of any tenured or tenure-track faculty member, but colleges and departments have discretion to decide whether instructional faculty may participate in the review of other faculty tracks.
      3. Evaluation of instructional faculty. Every instructional faculty member shall be evaluated annually, but not every annual evaluation must be equally extensive. Colleges shall define appropriate evaluations, including intervals for extensive and less extensive evaluations. Colleges shall specify the criteria used to evaluate instructional faculty, and those criteria shall be consistent with the instructional faculty member’s workload allocation. See paragraph i(1)(g) below.
      4. Procedures for appointment, reappointment, and promotion of instructional faculty,  including disctinction between Instruction and Practice ranks, if appropriate.
      5. Criteria for appointment, reappointment, and promotion for instructional faculty, including which degree(s) or educational qualifications are required under III-10.11d above.
      6. Service and/or professional productivity. The collegiate policy shall define what type of service and/or professional productivity, if any, is expected of instructional faculty, and this definition shall be applied to the evaluation criteria for appointment, reappointment, and promotion purposes. Research, scholarship, or artistic creation shall not be a requirement for appointment, reappointment, or promotion, but, if present, may be considered as evidence of professional productivity.
      7. Workload. Colleges shall specify the standard expectation for calculation of teaching and service load for its instructional faculty, including for part-time instructional faculty. Additionally, the colleges’ individual employment contracts shall specify expectations for workload allocation (e.g., the percentage of time the faculty member shall devote to teaching, service, administration, or other functions) for each instructional faculty member.
      8. Eligibility to apply for tenure-track positions. Instructional faculty members may apply for open positions on the tenure-track, but they may be appointed to the tenure-track only one time during their career at The University of Iowa. Similarly, tenure-track faculty may apply for open instructional faculty positions, but an instructional faculty appointment shall not be used as an automatic default appointment for accomplished teachers who made an unsuccessful tenure bid. Colleges may further define their own policies related to switching of tracks.
   2. Each college adopting an instructional faculty policy shall monitor the percentage of its total salaried faculty (computed in FTEs) that hold salaried instructional faculty appointments. 
   3. Each collegiate instructional faculty policy, and any subsequent proposals to change the policy, shall obtain the approval of a majority of the voting faculty within the college by a referendum supervised by the Associate Provost for Faculty. Any proposal to adopt or to change a college’s instructional faculty policy shall also be approved by the Provost or designee.
10. Participation by instructional faculty in the University mission. Consistent with the role of instructional faculty and with institutional needs, instructional faculty shall be full participants in the educational mission and intellectual life of the University. The University, as well as individual colleges and departments, shall strive to integrate instructional faculty into faculty governance, to stimulate innovation and collaboration in their teaching and other endeavors, to promote diversity and inclusion among their ranks, and to protect their academic freedom.
11. Representation in Faculty Senate. Instructional faculty are eligible to vote in Faculty Senate elections and to hold Senate positions; however, no more than 20 percent of the senators from any college, or one senator, whichever is greater, may be instructional-track faculty from that college. Instructional faculty may be appointed to any committees of the Senate or to University committees as a faculty representative.