Appointments, Promotions and Tenure

Non-Tenure Track

The Non-Tenure Track is for those members of the faculty, including University-salaried and UMMHC-salaried and Voluntary faculty, who contribute a significant proportion (greater than 10% of their professional time to the University of Massachusetts Medical School but whose faculty status or breadth or extent of activities may not meet the definition required for the Tenure Track. Reappointments and promotions in the Non-Tenure Track require evidence of an ongoing record of high quality performance in specific subsets of the three areas of: 1) research/scholarly activity; 2) professional/academic service; 3) education as described in Article 6.

Appointment as, or Promotion to, Assistant Professor.

Normally, appointment or promotion to the rank of Assistant Professor in the Non-Tenure Track shall require evidence that s/he has credentials that would be considered to reflect an ‘entry level’ of achievement, including:

a. Evidence that s/he has completed formal training, and:

i. for those clinically trained in medical disciplines, that s/he is has completed all necessary training to be eligible for board certification;

ii. for those trained in basic science, that s/he has completed 2 years of post-doctoral research;

iii. for those prepared in nursing, that s/he has had 2 years of experience teaching at the university or college level, or relevant experience and achievement other than university or college teaching sufficient to qualify for appointment as an Assistant Professorship in a university school of nursing;

iv. for others not included in i., ii., or iii., equivalent previous professional experience, achievement, responsibility and strength of professional development to merit consideration; and

b. Evidence of prior experience in the areas of education, research/scholarly activity or professional/academic service that would qualify as ‘entry’ level achievement. Examples of relevant experience are included below. It is recognized that junior faculty will vary considerably as to their level of prior experience in each of these categories.

Although normally, a first appointment as Assistant Professor shall be as “Assistant Professor,” the Chair, with appropriate justification, may request an appointment as “Clinical Assistant Professor of (Dept.)” or “Research Assistant Professor.”

Appointment as, or Promotion to, Associate Professor of (Dept.), Clinical Associate Professor of (Dept.), or Research Associate Professor of (Dept).

Appointment at or promotion to the rank of Associate Professor of (Dept.), Clinical Associate Professor of (Dept.) or Research Associate Professor of (Dept.) is dependent on achievement and not length of service, and is an honor within the institution. Normally, it shall require:

a. considerable academic or professional experience beyond the level which would warrant an appointment or reappointment as Assistant Professor as stated in Section 6.4 and 6.5, including:

i. six years of service at the level of Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, or another academic institution; or

ii. equivalent previous professional experience, achievement, responsibility and strength of professional development; and

b. an academic record, beyond that required for the rank of Assistant Professor,

c. promise of continuing professional development and achievement in the above areas as appropriate.

Appointment as, or promotion to Clinical Professor of (Dept.), Professor of (Dept.) or Research Professor of (Dept.).

The rank of Professor of (Dept.), Clinical Professor of Dept.) or Research Professor (of Dept.) is reserved for those faculty who have had exceptional achievement in their profession. Normally it requires:

a. 12 years of professional experience beyond the time the faculty member would have qualified for an initial appointment at the Assistant Professor rank, and

b. evidence of professional maturity, external recognition for his/her academic achievements and sustained high quality performance, well beyond the level required for the rank of Associate Professor, Clinical Associate Professor or Research Associate Professor,

c. Promise of continuing professional development and achievement.