Faculty Ranks

E22D

E33Z

The following section describes each of the faculty and librarian ranks available at Elon University. Additional information on moving through ranks, may be found in the section on Promotions. For teaching faculty, promotion will not occur prior to a probation or tenure decision. Under normal circumstances there should not be split decisions where a faculty member is tenured but not promoted to Associate Professor.

E22X

In order to be eligible for appointment as an Assistant Professor, the applicant will have a terminal degree and typically some teaching experience, while an applicant without the terminal degree will have significant professional experience.

Assistant Professors are expected to be effective teachers, advisors, and departmental members and to be engaged in serious, continuing scholarly study which will permit them to increase their competence in their fields and/or other fields and which will qualify them for promotion to a higher rank.

Assistant Professors should expect to serve six years in rank, of which at least four are at Elon University, before becoming eligible for promotion. During this time, Assistant Professors, planning to stand for promotion to a higher rank, are expected to continue to develop their skills and record in a manner that will qualify them for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor.

E26A

In order to be eligible for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor, faculty members are expected to have met the following standards by the time the promotional rank is sought:

• Have a terminal degree and at least six years’ experience as an Assistant Professor or, for persons without a terminal degree, at least six years’ experience as an Assistant Professor and significant professional experience
• Be actively engaged in teaching, advising, service, professional activity, and scholarly activities of a high quality

Only in exceptional cases will people who have not met the preceding standards be appointed to this rank.

Associate Professors should expect to serve six years in rank, of which at least four are at Elon University, before becoming eligible for promotion to the rank of Professor. During this time, Associate Professors, planning to stand for promotion to a higher rank, are expected to continue to develop their skills and record in a manner that will qualify them for promotion to the rank of Professor.

E32H

In order to be eligible for promotion to the rank of Professor, faculty members are expected to have met the following standards by the time the promotional rank is sought:

• Have the terminal degree and at least six years of experience as an Associate Professor or, for persons without the terminal degree, at least six years’ experience as an Associate Professor and significant professional experience
• Have established sustained records of teaching, professional activity including scholarship, and institutional service that surpass the high quality standard for faculty at other ranks. They should be exemplary teachers and advisors. They should be currently engaged in scholarly work that extends past achievements. Their contribution to the life of the University should reflect understanding of its mission and goals and demonstrable leadership in serving the University.

Only in exceptional cases will persons who have not met the preceding standards be appointed to this rank

E34M

This appointment is for people who have a degree at the master’s level or higher.

Lecturers are expected to be effective teachers, to be actively engaged in service to the institution, and to participate in professional activities that keep them abreast of current developments in their fields.

Faculty on lecture track may stand for promotion to Senior Lecturer. Lecturers should expect to serve six years in rank, of which at least four are at Elon University, before becoming eligible for promotion to Senior Lecturer. During this time, Lecturers are expected to continue to develop their skills and record in a manner that will qualify them for promotion to the rank of Senior Lecturer.

Lecturers will not be considered for promotion to the ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor.

E23X

In order to be promoted to Senior Lecturer, faculty members are expected to have established ongoing records of excellent teaching and significant service to the institution, as well as other professional activity that promotes professional development.

Only in exceptional cases will people who have not met the preceding standards be appointed to this rank.

Senior Lecturers will not be considered for promotion to the ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor.

E27R

This appointment is for people without the terminal degree serving in a visiting or limited term appointment.

E29J

Most initial full time librarian appointments are made at the Assistant Librarian rank. Assistant Librarians are expected to be effective librarians who are engaged in serious disciplined and continuing study which will permit them to increase their competence in their field. They are in the process of developing professional identities and specialized competences in technical, subject or administrative areas of librarianship. A librarian at this rank participates in the development and implementation of new programs, services, and policies, and contributes to the mission and goals of Belk Library and Elon University.

Appointments for Assistant Librarians prior to the decision on continuance are of a fixed term length, normally one academic year with no guarantee of reemployment.

E35N

Associate Librarians are consistently engaged in high quality librarianship, service, and scholarly/professional activities. They have made creative contributions to the programs and services of Belk Library. They have demonstrated professional achievement through leadership in professional organizations and/or scholarship and have provided sustained service to the University supporting its overall mission and goals.

While at the Associate Librarian rank, librarians have appointments of a fixed term length, normally three academic years with no guarantee of reemployment.

Librarians hired with more than 10 years of professional experience in other academic libraries may be hired at the Associate Librarian rank. These appointments are of a fixed term length, normally three academic years, and with no guarantee of reemployment.

E33C

Senior Librarians have established ongoing records of exceptional librarianship, professional activity, and institutional service that surpass what is expected of librarians at other ranks. They should be recognized as exemplary librarians who uphold high professional and ethical standards. They should be currently involved in professional work that extends past achievements. Their service to the University should reflect understanding of its purposes and demonstrable leadership in fulfilling these purposes.

Senior Librarians:

• demonstrate the highest degree of independent responsibility, judgment, and accountability within all areas of job assignment;
• demonstrate significant and acknowledged expertise in their area of specialization;
• achieve an established reputation as an academic librarian within the library profession and/or an academic discipline through substantial scholarly research, instruction, and/or professional activity; and
• provide long-term leadership and contributions within Belk Library, the University and the library profession.

E35A

Retired faculty members who were members of the faculty at Elon University for at least 10 years and whose service to the institution exceeded the expected norm of performance are eligible for Emeritus Status.

The members of the retired faculty person's department should initiate the procedure by formally recommending the faculty member be granted Emeritus Status. The recommendation is sent to the appropriate Dean, who submits it, along with his or her recommendation to the Provost/Executive Vice President. The Provost/Executive Vice President in turn forwards a recommendation to the President, who makes the final decision.

Perquisites granted to Emeritus faculty are:

• Listing as Emeritus Faculty in the University Catalog
• Eligibility to maintain Web pages on University server
• Eligibility to reserve University flats in London
• Invitation to monthly faculty meetings and lunches
• Continuation of e-mail and internet use
• Phoenix ID Card use
• Continuation of parking permit use
• Use of Belk Library
• Fitness Center use
• Tuition remission for one course per semester
• Free flu shots
• Employee discount program
• Admission to cultural events
• Admission to athletic events
• Invitations to campus events
• Elon Faculty/Staff phone directory availability