Duke University - Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

Appointments/Titles

The faculty in Arts & Sciences comprises regular rank and non-regular rank appointments. The former group is divided into tenured/tenure track faculty and non-tenure track faculty. Regular rank faculty, from both groups, meet the criteria for voting privileges in Academic Council elections. The following table shows which titles belong to which groups. Note that all non-tenure track titles, even if they contain the word "Professor," include a modifier.

Regular rank:

• Tenure track:
  • Professor,[1] including tenured, named chairs

• Non-tenure track:
  
  • Professor of the Practice of ...
  • Research Professor
  • Lecturer
  • Associate (not used in Arts & Sciences)

Non-regular rank:

• (principally instructional)
  
  • Adjunct (may modify any other title; for those holding academic or professional appointments elsewhere or with primary non-academic appointments at Duke)
  • Senior Lecturing Fellow
  • Lecturing Fellow

• (research)
  
  • Senior Research Scientist
  • Research Scientist
  • Senior Research Scholar
  • Research Scholar
  • Research Associate

• (short-term)
  
  • Visiting (may modify any other title)
  • Artist in Residence
  • Instructor

• (courtesy)
  
  • Professor (Honorary; not used in Arts & Sciences)
  • Scholar in Residence

The Dean of the Faculty makes all appointments of regular rank faculty. Department chairs make all non-regular rank appointments, which should never exceed three years for any one appointment. Chairs should send a copy of the signed appointment letter with the appointee's CV to the Dean for his/her information. These appointments are not referred to the Provost nor does the Board of Trustees consider them.

Responsibilities and Privileges

The responsibilities and privileges of regular rank, tenure track faculty are described in the Faculty Handbook.

The responsibilities and privileges of regular rank, non-tenure track faculty are the same as for tenure track faculty in many respects. Please note that regular rank, non-tenure track faculty hold, by virtue of their title, Principal Investigator status. There are some differences, however, including but not limited to the following:

1. Regular rank, non-tenure track faculty are not eligible for tenure.
2. Regular rank, non-tenure track faculty are not eligible for research leaves for junior faculty nor for sabbatical leaves.
3. The voting privileges of regular rank, non-tenure track faculty within their department/program are defined by the by-laws of that unit.

The responsibilities and privileges of non-regular rank faculty are defined by the unit in which they hold their appointment.

Instructional Appointments

Unless an instructor has a primary appointment in another unit and is teaching a course cross listed in both units, he/she must hold a current faculty appointment in the unit where the course is listed. This appointment may be a tenure track appointment, a secondary appointment, a regular rank, non-tenure track appointment, or a non-regular rank appointment. Most non-regular rank instructional appointments fall in two categories: 1) adjunct appointments (intended for individuals holding primary non-academic appointments at Duke or primary appointments at other institutions) and 2) short-term appointments (intended to last one semester or one year).

A sample appointment letter for a visiting or adjunct professor follows. Attach to the offer letter the memorandum concerning appointments that follows the sample offer letter.

It should be noted that among instructional staff only those holding full-time appointments of at least one academic year's length (nine months) are eligible for most fringe benefits, including life and hospitalization insurance. Nonetheless, all salaries are "taxed" for the contribution to the fringe benefit pool. Therefore, if department chairs make appointments for the academic year, they should order the salary to be paid over at least a nine-month period. Check with the Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs if there are questions.

SAMPLE LETTER FOR DEPARTMENTAL APPOINTMENTS

Dear _____________:

I am pleased to offer you an appointment as Visiting/Adjunct _________ Professor in the Department of _____ for a X-year/X-semester term beginning ________ and ending ________. [Note: Never to exceed three years]

Your initial salary rate is $_____. Payment is made in X installments beginning Month 25, XXXX.

                            OR

This appointment carries no stipend.

Your duties will include .... [Note: Though optional, this paragraph is strongly recommended.]

For an up-to-date summary of Duke University benefits, please consult the following web page: http://www.hr.duke.edu/benefits. [Note: If the appointment does not offer benefits, omit this paragraph.]

Please read and comply with the instructions on the attached memorandum concerning employment.

We look forward with pleasure to the prospect that you will join us at Duke. Please indicate your acceptance, if that is your decision, by signing the enclosed copy of this letter and returning it to me by Month XX, XXXX.

Enclosure

I accept the offer described in this letter.

Signed:_______________________ Date:_________________________

cc: Dean of Faculty of A&S
Sandra Connolly
Kevin Moore

[1]Titles containing the word "Professor" assume assistant, associate, and full ranks.