Fixed Term

While the mix of duties performed by fixed term faculty may vary within and across units, academic rank at Michigan State University must be based on standards that result in a progressively stronger faculty. A fixed term faculty member’s level of accomplishment, even if limited to a narrow range of duties, should reflect the same level of accomplishment for that set of duties for a tenure system faculty member being promoted to the same rank.

Quick Links

  • Preparing for Review

    Departments provide criteria for reappointment and promotion to all faculty members at the time of appointment or promotion to current rank. Departments are responsible for initiating the reappointment and promotion processes and providing the specific timelines, procedures and criteria for their faculty.

    Faculty are responsible for familiarizing themselves with their department timelines, procedures and criteria prior to submitting a request for promotion and/or completing the required forms and other documentation.

    Fixed term faculty are evaluated annually and provided feedback on their performance by the applicable unit administrator. Written annual evaluations are conducted as part of regular reviews related to assignment, planning and salary adjustment. Processes and criteria for reappointment and promotion should be a topic at this yearly meeting.

    The CHM criteria used for promotion review are based on the fixed term faculty member's primary area of focus. The primary area is generally the area in which the majority of their effort is allocated. The faculty candidate must identify their primary area of focus, and use those specific criteria in one of the following areas:

    • Instruction
    • Research and Scholarly Activity
    • Clinical Service
    • Administrative Service

    A recommendation for promotion should be based on several years (generally five to seven) of sustained, outstanding achievements in instruction, research and scholarly activity and service, consistent with performance levels expected for promotion at peer universities.
  • Promotion Process

    Faculty candidate completes and submits to department:

    1. CV
    2. Reflective Essay
    3. Sample of Scholarly Work (for external reviewers)
    4. List of recommended external and internal reviewers
    5. Form on Progress and Excellence for Fixed Term Faculty, Section IV
    6. Academic Portfolio

    Department adds:

    1. A description of the candidate’s assignment prepared by the department chair
    2. External and internal reviewer letters
    3. Signed annual review letters for each year in the review period

    A departmental peer review committee provides advice to the department chairperson regarding promotion decisions. Faculty are given an opportunity to confer with the department peer review group before a decision is made. The department chairperson conducts an independent evaluation, taking into consideration the peer review committee’s evaluation, and forwards a recommendation to FAD for College RPT Committee review.

    Chairperson completes and submits to college:

    1. Form on Progress and Excellence for Fixed Term Faculty, Sections I-III
    2. Items 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 above

    Departments submit promotion materials to FAD by January 15.

    The College RPT Committee provides advice to the Dean about department/unit recommendations for promotion. The dean independently reviews each recommendation for promotion and forwards recommendations to the Office of the Provost, where the final decision is made.

  • Designation B
    Fixed term faculty who meet eligibility requirements may apply for Designation B status. Designation B is a policy in the Union of Non-tenure Track Faculty (UNTF) contract that recognizes sustained excellence in teaching. For faculty who are granted Designation B status, the next appointment shall be for at least five years subject to satisfactory completion of a major review. See Designation B for additional details.
  • Resources

    CHM Letters of Reference Policy

    MSU Letters of Reference Policy

    CHM FT Promotion Guidelines

    CHM FT Promotion Criteria:

                Instruction

                Research and Scholarly Activity

                Clinical Service

                Administrative Service

    CHM Guidance on DEI in RPT

    CHM Examples of DEI Activities

    CHM Form on Progress and Excellence for Fixed Term Faculty

    Accessing Grant Applications and Awards in EBS

    CHM Guidance on Developing a Reflective Essay

    MSU Reflective Essay Examples

    AAMC Guidance on Preparing a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

    MSU Guidance for preparing a COVID-19 Impact Statement

    CHM Guidance on Developing an Academic Portfolio

    CHM FT Academic Portfolio Templates (required beginning in Fall 2024):

                Instruction

                Research and Scholarly Activity

                Clinical Service

                Administrative Service

    MSU Faculty Handbook

Promotion and Tenure