Middlebury Handbook

C.5.a. Categories of Faculty {#categories}

The Regular Faculty of the Middlebury Institute is committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service to the Institute.

A “regular faculty member” is appointed to the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor as a result of a search conducted by a committee comprising current faculty and administrators. During the search process, input from students and alumni may be sought.

A regular faculty member is appointed to a renewable three- or six-year term. A regular faculty member is eligible to apply for sabbaticals and faculty development grants.

A regular faculty member is appointed to either a full- or a part-time schedule each semester, as stipulated in the letter of appointment and performs such additional tasks as are normally expected of faculty at institutions of higher education. In addition to teaching and scholarship/professional engagement, these duties include, but are not limited to, thesis direction and reading; directed study supervision; student advising; attendance at faculty meetings; committee membership and participation in institutional governance.

The regular faculty of the Institute are responsible for teaching, curriculum development, and maintaining professional currency in their fields of expertise.  Faculty are also expected to be available to students and colleagues and to comply with any Institutional requirements governing that availability.

Professors of Professional Practice: Appointments to the rank of Assistant/ Associate/ full Professor of Professional Practice are made only to practitioners who have developed to the satisfaction of the regular faculty the Dean of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development, and VPAA, a high level of expertise in fields of special importance to MIIS academic programs, and who also demonstrate a deep commitment to teaching and professional practice. Professors of Professional Practice shall normally hold at least a Master’s degree. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, teaching and conducting and supervising professional practice and research. Professors of Professional Practice are normally full time, regular faculty members and are appointed, following the procedures prescribed in section C.5.b, at the rank of Assistant, Associate or full Professor, according to relevant experience and qualifications. They are subject to regular evaluation procedures, with quality of teaching and professional practice as the principal criteria, provide service to the Institute, and are eligible to apply for sabbatical leave and development grants.

Affiliated Faculty of the Middlebury Institute are engaged in teaching and research. They are either full- or part-time employees each semester, as stipulated in their contracts, and may perform such additional tasks as are normally expected of university-affiliated faculty. These include, but are not limited to, student advising, directed study supervision, curriculum development; attendance at faculty meetings, and maintaining professional currency in their fields of expertise. Affiliated faculty fall into five categories:

i. Visiting Professors offer expertise that expands the current offerings in the curriculum. For appointment as a visiting professor, a candidate normally must have earned a doctorate, or the highest degree available in the candidate’s field of specialization, or have exceptional experience in a professional field that fits the mission of the Institute. The visiting professor must demonstrate outstanding teaching ability to the satisfaction of the Dean of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development. Visiting professors are recruited by the administration in consultation with current faculty and are evaluated by the administration. Visiting professors are normally appointed for one- to three-year terms, after which they may be considered, through the regular recruitment and appointment process, for a regular faculty position. Continuing single-year appointments of visiting professors are strongly discouraged.

Visiting faculty on single-year contracts are not eligible to apply for sabbatical or faculty development grants, are not required to contribute service, and are not eligible to vote in the Faculty Assembly. Visiting faculty on a multi-year contract will be eligible to apply for faculty development grants. Visiting faculty on multi-year contracts will be eligible to vote in the Faculty Assembly and may serve on APSIC or other ad-hoc governance committees

ii. Adjunct professors are appointed on an ad hoc basis to teach specific course(s) for which they have special expertise. For appointment as an Adjunct professor, a candidate normally must have earned a doctorate, or the highest degree available in the candidate’s field of specialization, or have exceptional experience in a professional field that fits the mission of the Institute. Adjunct professors are recruited and appointed on a semester-to-semester basis by the administration in consultation with the relevant program chair(s). They must demonstrate outstanding teaching ability in order to be re-appointed. Adjunct professors are evaluated by the administration. Adjunct professors are not eligible to apply for sabbatical or faculty development grants, and are not required to contribute service to the Institute.

iii. Research professors are members of the staff, not of the faculty. They are appointed to and employed by a research center because of the distinctive contribution they can make to the research program of the Institute. They should have academic and/or professional qualifications comparable to those of faculty. Research professors enjoy staff status, but not regular faculty prerogatives such as voting privileges in the Faculty Assembly. The allowable or required level of participation in school faculty affairs shall be decided by the administration in consultation with the regular faculty.

iv. Professors emeritae/i are faculty members who have, to the satisfaction of the regular faculty and VPAA, demonstrated excellence in teaching during their employment at MIIS, maintained professional stature in their field, and made significant contributions to the Institute. To be eligible for emerita/us status, a faculty member must normally meet the following additional criteria: (a) a minimum of ten years full-time service (or equivalent) at the Institute; (b) a desire and intent, expressed in person or in writing to the Faculty Senate, to maintain contact with the Institute; and (c) confirmation, again expressed in person or in writing to the Faculty Senate, that the candidate will not take a full-time, long-term teaching position at another university after retiring from MIIS. A retiring faculty member is normally nominated for emerita/us status by one or more current faculty members; this nomination is submitted to the Faculty Senate. Once the Faculty Senate is satisfied that the criteria are met, the nomination is presented to the Faculty Assembly for approval. The recommendation then proceeds to the VPAA for final approval. Professors emeritae/i enjoy certain privileges including, but not limited to, library and parking privileges, access to a computer and free use of the Internet. Professors emeritae/i are not eligible to apply for sabbatical or faculty development grants, do not vote, and are not expected to contribute service to the Institute.

v. Instructors in Non-degree Programs are appointed to teach in specific non-degree programs for which they have relevant qualifications, experience and expertise. For appointment as an Instructor, a candidate must normally hold a Master’s degree and have a minimum of two years experience in the relevant field of specialization. Instructors are appointed to an up to three-year, renewable contract and are evaluated by the program supervisor. Instructors are not eligible to apply for sabbatical leave and are not required to, but have the option to, serve on ad-hoc faculty committees.  Instructors are not eligible to vote in the faculty Assembly.  Instructors in non-degree programs with a multi-year contract may be eligible for competitive faculty professional development funding, if they can demonstrate clearly how the development will benefit the Institute.

C.5.b. Appointment to the Faculty

Appointments to the regular faculty of the Institute are made by the VPAA, after review of the advice of a faculty search committee and of the recommendations of the Dean of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development. No appointment to regular faculty status is made without an open search and a competitive evaluation following best practices of the Institute, including rigorous interviews with multiple candidates.

Faculty appointments are subject to the approval of the Middlebury Board of Trustees through its consent agenda.

When there are vacancies for regular faculty, deans follow the hiring guidelines included in the Employee Handbook, beginning with a discussion with the VPAA to determine whether and how the vacancy is to be filled.

Appointment of other categories of faculty proceeds as described below:

i. The substantive criteria for regular faculty members are also applied to the appointment of lecturers, senior lecturers, research professors, or visiting professors. All such appointments shall be made in consultation with the regular faculty of the relevant program(s), except in the case of emergencies when insufficient time is available to involve faculty in the decision. Nominees are referred to the VPAA for approval and appointment. Notification to the regular faculty of non-reappointment of these positions is not required.

ii. The Institute shall develop files of available faculty who may be hired as adjuncts as needed. All such appointments are made by the Dean of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development , who shall consult the relevant program chair(s).

iii. In consultation with appropriate faculty, any Institute dean may propose that the VPAA bestow the title of research professor on staff members of research centers who meet the criteria set forth in defining this position, above.

In forming a judgment as to the record and the potential of candidates for appointment, primary consideration is given to the following criteria:

a. Teaching ability, as evidenced by appropriate references, student evaluations, and recommendations of peers.

b. Professional competence, as evidenced by the candidate's educational record; scholarly activities such as publications, research, and papers presented at professional meetings; and reputation among peers in the field of specialization.

c. Personal attributes, such as integrity, initiative, breadth and focus of intellectual interest, and willingness to advise and assist students and participate in Institute activities. This includes a judgment of the candidate’s ability to serve as a responsible Institute citizen, a quality colleague to faculty, a quality mentor to students, and a member of the Institute community who fosters its values and complies with its policies.

Appointments to the three ranks are based on review of the various judgments of the members of the committee, the committee, and the administrators, respectively, as to specific qualifications outlined below.

i. For appointment as a Professor, a candidate must have earned a doctorate or other terminal degree in the relevant field of specialization. The candidate must have demonstrated sustained high quality teaching, recognized scholarly and professional achievement (through a record of research, publication, and professional activities) and substantial service to the Institute, and must have at least ten (10) years of full-time teaching in institutions of higher education or equivalent professional service.

ii. For appointment as an Associate Professor, a candidate must have earned a doctorate or other terminal degree in the relevant field of specialization. The candidate must have demonstrated sustained high quality teaching, recognized scholarly and professional achievement (through a record of research, publication, and professional activities), and substantial service to the Institute, and must have at least five (5) years of full-time teaching in institutions of higher education or equivalent professional service.

iii. For appointment as an Assistant Professor, a candidate must have earned a doctorate or other terminal degree in the relevant field of specialization. (Exceptions may be made for ABD candidates who will complete their doctorate by a stipulated date, normally not more than twelve (12) months from the date of appointment). They must demonstrate the potential for excellence in teaching, scholarly activities, professional achievement, and service to the Institute.

iv. Appointments to rank made before July 1, 2011 shall remain unaltered. That is, faculty members who hold an appointment prior to July 1, 2011 at one of the three ranks and do not meet the stipulated criterion in terms of the terminal degree shall retain that rank for the duration of their service at the Institute and may apply for promotion when all other conditions are met.

v. Under special circumstances, based on the recommendation of the deans after consultation with the faculty, the VPAA may approve appointment of faculty at any of the above stages and ranks.

Under the contract system, the first and second regular faculty appointments at the Institute are normally for a period of three (3) years each. The third such appointment and all subsequent appointments are normally for a six-year period.

C.5.c. Faculty Rights and Responsibilities

Quality in teaching is the first and most important responsibility of all Middlebury Institute faculty. Criteria for assessing if there is high teaching quality and other faculty responsibilities are described under Section 6 (Evaluation of the Faculty). Consistent with Institute policies, faculty govern academic programs and curriculum. Faculty have the responsibility to organize themselves for this purpose in a manner appropriate to the needs of the Institute’s professional graduate education.

Faculty have teaching autonomy, including evaluation of student work, selection of teaching methods, selection of material to be presented, and maintenance of a class atmosphere conducive to learning, all subject to the policies of the Institute.

The Institute encourages a close relationship between teacher and student in the learning process. Overall responsibility for academic advising rests with the Assistant Dean of Advising and Career Services and the VPAA, but the academic deans and the faculty are expected to play an important role as collaborators in this vital function. Faculty are expected to advise students in terms of the relevant academic disciplines and the students’ chosen areas of specific focus. Students who require non-academic counseling should be referred to the Associate Dean of Student Services, who is responsible for student welfare in the areas of housing, referral services, international student advisement, and other personal counseling as appropriate.

Regular faculty members are expected to participate meaningfully in events and activities that are essential to the Institute and the degree programs. These include, but are not limited to, orientation, registration, convocation, commencement, program events, Institute events, committee work, and library development, as assigned.

Faculty members shall submit grades and other reports prior to established deadlines.

All faculty members are expected to hold regularly scheduled office hours each week, because these are deemed to be necessary to uphold their instructional and advising obligations. As a courtesy to students and others, faculty members should communicate their office hours each academic term. Faculty are expected to accommodate reasonable requests from students with scheduling conflicts for appointments outside regular office hours.

Regular faculty members with full-time appointments are expected to confine their outside consultancies and non-Institute professional activities to the equivalent of one (1) day a week during the academic year. They also may teach one course or its equivalent per term at another institution. Full-time faculty members who wish to teach for another institution must first obtain the consent of the Dean of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development and the VPAA. They may not teach any course that is, in the judgment of the dean and VPAA, in conflict with the interests of the Institute or in direct competition with the activities of the Institute.

Faculty appointments for the academic year normally do not include commitments to summer teaching. However, with the approval of Dean of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development, a faculty member may teach during the summer term in lieu of equivalent teaching in one of the semesters of the regular academic year. Should a faculty member wish to teach during the summer in addition to teaching during regular terms, she/he may do so at salary and/or under other terms as agreed with the Dean of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development.  Should any faculty member wish to teach or consult elsewhere during the summer, she/he may not teach any course that is, in the judgment of the Dean of Teaching, Learning, and Faculty Development and VPAA, in conflict with the interests of the Institute or in direct competition with the activities of the Institute, and she/he must provide advance notice as outlined above. Regular faculty in the relevant program should be consulted, if possible, before adjunct or visiting faculty are hired for summer teaching.

Faculty are expected to conduct their research with integrity and in line with standards of ethics that are commonly accepted within the academic community for proposing, conducting, or reviewing research, or in reporting research results. For the purpose of this document, we consider the term "research" to encompass both research and scholarship. Research misconduct means falsification, fabrication, plagiarism, retaliation of any kind against a person who in good faith reported or provided information about possible misconduct, or other actions that seriously deviate from commonly accepted standards of ethics. It does not include honest error or honest differences in interpretations or judgments of data. See Middlebury Policy I.G. Misconduct in Research and Other Scholarly Activities for more information regarding research misconduct.

Research involving human and animal subjects must first be reviewed by the Middlebury Institutional Review Board or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. The IRB includes several representatives from MIIS. The committee's procedures and forms are available at https://www.middlebury.edu/academics/resources/irb. Further information may be obtained from the MIIS VPAA.

Faculty make recommendations regarding the awarding of degrees, in accordance with the Institute’s degree requirements. All earned academic degrees are conferred by the VPAA of the Middlebury Institute upon recommendation of the faculty and approval of the Institute Board of Overseers and the Middlebury Board of Trustees.

The honorary degree awarded by the Institute is the Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa. It is awarded to individuals who meet at least one of the following qualifications:

• conspicuous contributions to international affairs;
• conspicuous contributions to education and/or scholarship;
• conspicuous contributions to the Institute.

Faculty members may propose candidates for honorary degrees to the Faculty Senate for recommendation to the VPAA and the president of Middlebury.