6.51 – Qualification for Faculty Appointment, Generally

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Scope: NMSU System

Source: ARP Chapter 6 | HR - Hiring, Work Rules and Assignments

Responsible Executive: Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Responsible Administrator:

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See also:

ARP 6.50 – Faculty Credentials Required of NMSU Instructors of Record



Revision History:

08/31/2023 Title change from "provost and senior vice president for academic affairs" to "provost and chief academic affairs" 
2017 Recompilation, formerly Rule 5.15.60

PART 1: GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT (MAIN CAMPUS)


Common elements to be considered in appointment, differing only in degree in all ranks, are as follows:

  1. Teaching: This element is difficult to define precisely, but is commonly considered to include the teacher’s knowledge of the field; awareness of development in the field; skill in arousing interest and evoking responses in students; skill in stimulating students to think critically, to understand the interrelationship of fields of knowledge and the application of knowledge to human problems; skills in integrating domestic and international knowledge and insights into class content; and skill in raising students’ awareness about the domestic and international social, political, economic, and ethical implications of their courses of study.
  2. Research: This element is composed, in part, of the person’s research or other creative work that indicates professional merit and interest.  The results of this activity will find expression normally through accepted channels or media in the respective professional fields or in the person’s teaching.  Teaching and research are ordinarily closely related; it is difficult to comprehend how a person can teach well without having firsthand understanding of how the knowledge of the field is discovered.  The research performance of faculty will be based on domestic and/or international scholarly activity.  Annual performance evaluation of any faculty member will recognize that success in research may require long-term efforts.  Promotion and tenure and annual performance raises will give equivalent consideration to research effort and success, whether domestic or international.
  3. Service: This element includes the person’s general contributions to the organization and development of the university, and services to any local, state, national, or international agency or institution needing the specific benefits to be derived from the person’s professional knowledge and skills.

 

PART 2: SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT (MAIN CAMPUS)


In the following statements of required time in each rank, IT SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED THAT THE PERIODS STATED ARE TO BE CONSIDERED AS MINIMUM AND NOT AS MAXIMUM, UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. It is recognized that the time served in a rank at another institution should be taken into consideration. It is also recognized that the evidence of competence differs for various fields, to some extent, and standards of judgment cannot be rigidly uniform.

A. JUNIOR RANKS

  1. Instructor: This rank should be given to persons with advanced training who have demonstrated scholarly/creative ability.  Usually, the individual will not yet have demonstrated ability to do both teaching and research independently.  An instructor must have knowledge of the particular course materials and should have some intellectual vision; but need not be expected to have acquired a significant understanding and original point of view or philosophy of the general subject.  In addition to such general considerations, as stated above, the specific degree requirements for this rank will normally be the master’s degree or the equivalent, and except under unusual circumstances the instructor will be encouraged to be studying toward a terminal degree.
  2. Assistant Professor: To be considered for this rank, a person must have demonstrated ability in the field.  It is strongly believed that a relationship exists between teaching and research, and that a good teacher or researcher must constantly remold the materials of the courses or projects in the light of new knowledge derived from the person’s own creative scholarship as well as that of others.  An assistant professor may be expected to have a thorough command of the subject matter of some segment of the general field of the discipline, in addition to a comprehension of the whole.  In addition to such general considerations as stated above, specific degree requirements for advancement or promotion to the rank of assistant professor and, of course, applicable to the senior ranks as well, NORMALLY will be the doctor’s degree.  Outstanding experience and recognition in the profession outside the academic field may be considered as the equivalent of the degree requirement.

B. SENIOR RANKS

Appointment or promotion to either senior rank should represent an implicit prediction on the part of the department, college, and the university that the individual so appointed will make sound contributions to teaching and learning during the remainder of the individual’s life.  Senior rank status should occur only after careful investigation of the candidate’s promise in scholarship, teaching, research, leadership, and learning. By this statement it is meant that serious attention must be given to the caliber of the candidate’s professional stature, for this will probably be the key factor in determining the extent to which past performance in teaching and creative work may be expected to carry on through continuing and enlarged contributions. Services rendered to communities and agencies or organizations in the person’s professional capacity shall be considered in assessing qualifications for advancement to senior ranks.

  1. Associate Professor: This person’s views contribute to departmental policy.  An associate professor should have competence and mature outlook over a fairly large part of the whole field.  To be considered for this rank a person should expect to serve for at least 4 years as an assistant professor under normal circumstances.  A candidate for an associate professorship is expected to have demonstrated capacities in the lower ranks and should offer evidence that teaching and research have kept abreast of times in method and subject matter; that a greater degree of maturity has been attained and that there has been a retention of interest in competent teaching and research.  Furthermore, the candidate must have shown evidence of productivity and competent scholarship beyond that completed for the degree of the doctorate.
  2. Professor: Appointment of individuals to professorships is obviously the most critical step in determining the future of the academic caliber of the university.  There should, therefore, be clear understanding of the functions and qualifications of individuals in this rank.  A professor through teaching, creative activity, and service should have demonstrated substantial command of the whole field, sound scholarship, and a mature view of the discipline.  Appointment or promotion to professor should not be considered to be forthcoming merely because of years of service to the university (it should not be expected based on any number of years as an associate professor) or because a continuous contract is achieved.  Rather, a person being considered for a professorship is expected to have maintained all of the qualities and conditions required for tenure and the associate professor rank.  In addition, a professor should exhibit special stature in the discipline, leadership and substantial strength in all areas-teaching, creative activity, and professional service.  In the recommending procedures the department head and the faculty member shall submit information as follows:
    1. Special Stature in the Discipline:
      1. Teaching Performance: Data indicating performance, including innovation, enthusiasm, and contributions to activities designed for the improvement of instruction. Peer and student evaluation may be useful ingredients in determining teaching performance.
      2. Creative Activity: Lists of publications, exhibits, recitals, etc.  Peer evaluation both on and off campus.  The direction of graduate students where appropriate to the individual’s discipline.
      3. Professional Service: Information showing involvement in state, regional, national, and international groups within the field and contributions to the university.  Objective data showing prestige and recognition among the practitioners of the discipline.
      4. Leadership: Information showing initiative, perseverance, and originality and skills in human relations.

Initial appointments for faculty employed with the rank of professor may also include continuous contract.

 

PART 3: GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT (COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM)


The following qualifications are listed in the order of their relative importance:  teaching is more important than professional service; professional service is more important than other service; other service is more important than research. referendum

  1. Teaching: This element is commonly considered to include the teacher’s knowledge of the field; awareness of and the application of developments in the field; skill in arousing interest and evoking responses in students; skill in stimulating students to think critically, to understand the interrelationship of fields of knowledge and the application of knowledge to human problems; and skill in awakening students to a realization of the social, political, economic, and ethical implications of their study.
  2. Professional Service: This element includes, above all, the faculty member’s service with respect to the organization, development, and welfare of the community college and the university.  This element also includes service to any individual or group needing the specific benefits of the faculty member’s professional knowledge and skills.
  3. Other Service: This element allows a faculty member to be recognized for service to the general welfare of the community which is interrelated with the welfare of the community college.
  4. Research: Research or other creative work is not required at the community colleges.  However, those faculty members who produce research and/or creative work should be encouraged, and such work should be considered for appointment, promotion, and tenure considerations.
    The academic credentials of all community college instructors will be reviewed by the community college program coordinators (when appropriate), division heads, and the chief instructional officer to meet the guidelines established by the main campus departments.  Instructors must also be approved by the campus executive officer and the provost and chief academic officer.

 

PART 4: SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT (COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM)


In the following statements of required time in each rank, it should be emphasized that the periods stated are to be considered as minimum and not as maximum, under normal circumstances.  It is recognized that the time served in a rank at another institution should be taken into consideration.  It is also recognized that the evidence for various fields, to some extent, and standards of judgment cannot be rigidly uniform.

A. JUNIOR RANKS

  1. Instructor: This rank should be given to persons with the necessary education and/or experience to teach within the community college concept.
  2. Assistant Professor: To be considered for this rank, a person must have demonstrated the ability to teach effectively in the person’s field.  It is strongly believed that a good teacher must constantly remold the course or project materials in light of new knowledge derived from the teacher’s own creative scholarship, as well as that of others.  To be considered for this rank, a person should expect to serve at least 3 years as an instructor under normal circumstances.  An assistant professor may be expected to have a thorough command of the subject matter of some segment of the general field of the discipline, in addition to a comprehension of the whole.

B. SENIOR RANKS

Appointment or promotion to either senior rank should represent an implicit prediction on the part of the community college that the individual so appointed will make sound contributions to teaching and learning during the remainder of the individual’s life.  It should be made only after careful investigation of the candidate’s promise in teaching, professional service, other service, and, if applicable, research and/or creative service.  By this statement, it is meant that serious attention must be given to the caliber of the candidate’s professional stature, for this will probably be the key factor in determining the extent to which past performance in teaching and service may be expected to carry on through continuing and enlarged contributions.

  1. Associate Professor: An associate professor occupies a position adjunct to that of the professor.  This person’s views contribute to community college policy.  An associate professor should have competence and mature outlook over a fairly large part of the professor’s whole field.  A candidate for an associate professorship is expected to have demonstrated capacities in the lower ranks and should offer evidence  that the candidate’s teaching has kept abreast of times in method and subject matter, that a greater degree of maturity has been attained, and that there has been a retention of interest in competent teaching and service. To be considered for this rank, a person should expect to serve for at least 4 years as an assistant professor under normal circumstances.
  2. Professor: Appointment or promotion of individuals to professorships is obviously the most critical step in determining the future of the community college system and the university. There should, therefore, be a clear understanding of the functions and qualifications of individuals in this rank.  A professor through teaching and service should have demonstrated substantial command of the professor’s whole field, sound scholarship, and a mature view of the discipline.  Promotion to professor should not be considered to be forthcoming merely because of years of service to the community college and the university (it should not be expected based on any number of years as an associate professor) or because a continuous contract is achieved.  Rather, a person being considered for a professorship is expected to have maintained all the qualities and conditions required for tenure and for the rank of associate professor.  Additionally, a professor should exhibit special stature in the professor’s discipline, in leadership, and in both teaching and service.