The Associated Faculty

The Associated Faculty play varied and important roles in the teaching, research, and professional programs of the University. However, they do not acquire tenure by virtue of their appointment or service in the Associated Faculty. The Associated Faculty in the School of Arts and Sciences is composed of the Research Faculty, the Adjunct Faculty, and the Visiting Faculty.

All Associated Faculty Policies and Procedures

Research Faculty

This group includes persons who are qualified to participate full-time in one or more of the research activities undertaken by the University and whose salaries and benefits are derived principally from external grants or contracts without obligation on the part of the University to continue salary and benefits beyond termination of research funds. Such appointments should not be given to full-time faculty members holding a terminal professional degree and continuously engaged over an extended period in the same academic activities as faculty members having tenure or serving in a tenure probationary appointment. Research faculty do not participate in formal teaching programs, except on an occasional basis. An appointment to the Research Faculty is for a specified term or for the duration of a particular specified project, whichever is shorter. Persons may serve on the Research Faculty through successive reappointments. While the University will seek to find employment elsewhere in the University for a member of the Research Faculty when a project has been terminated, the University does not assure continuity of appointment for any person on the Research Faculty.

If a member of the Research Faculty is recommended for membership in the Standing Faculty, the time spent in the Research Faculty is considered part of the tenure probationary period.

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Adjunct Faculty

This designation is for those faculty members whose primary careers are outside the University faculty, whether self-employed or with other institutions of higher education, with business or non-profit organizations, or with government agencies. Such persons may be appointed to part-time status in the University while continuing their principal associations or careers elsewhere. Appointment to the Adjunct Faculty may also be used for academically-qualified persons employed by the University for non-academic or administrative duties. Persons may serve in the Adjunct Faculty without limit of time through successive reappointments, although the University does not guarantee continuity of appointment for any person in this rank. Appointments are normally for a term of three years or less. Academic ranks in the Adjunct Faculty are Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor, and Adjunct Assistant Professor. Appointments to the Adjunct Faculty may be partially-salaried or unsalaried.

Visiting Faculty

This designation is for persons who are temporarily appointed by the University while they have academic appointments in another institution of higher education or continue associations with business or non-profit organizations or government agencies. A Visiting Faculty member is a full-time member of the University while on leave from the institution, organization, or agency with which he or she is affiliated. Appointments to the Visiting Faculty are limited to three consecutive years, and normally such appointments are for one year or less. A member of the Visiting Faculty may be fully salaried, partially salaried, or unsalaried by the University. Academic ranks in the Visiting Faculty are Visiting Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, and Visiting Assistant Professor. The rank at the University will normally correspond to the rank at the individual's home institution.

Wistar Institute Appointments

Artist-in-Residence

The position of Artist-in-Residence in the Associated Faculty is intended to promote the presence of distinguished creative artists – writers, composers, performing artists, and filmmakers – in the School’s intellectual community. While these individuals will not necessarily possess traditional academic credentials, their record of artistic contributions, as evidenced through an established body of creative work, will be one of great originality and accomplishment that is widely recognized by peers in the field.

These appointments may be made on a full- or part-time basis for a term of at least one semester and up to five years. Reappointments are permitted, provided that performance meets expectations, that the individual maintains the level of his or her creative work, and that the academic need for services exists. The total number of Artists-in-Residence in SAS may not exceed three percent of the total number of Standing Faculty at any one time.

Artist-in-Residence appointments may be proposed by and affiliated with either a department or a program. In the case of programs, proposals for appointment or reappointment must be made by a permanent advisory or governing committee composed of standing faculty members. All Artist-in-Residence appointments require the approval of the Provost’s Staff Conference. The individual is expected to have ongoing contact with students; formal responsibilities (e.g. teaching, performance) will be specified by the department or program.