Appointment and Promotion of Instructors and Senior Instructors

Last Updated
Effective Date
Reason for Policy

To describe the terms and conditions of appointment, evaluation, promotion, leave privileges, seniority status, and salary adjustments for faculty members with the rank of Instructor and Senior Instructor in tenure-related and non- tenure related positions.

Policy Statement

The following policies, which apply only to the ranks of Instructor and

Senior Instructor, supplement the policies contained in Oregon Administrative

Rule 580-20-005 and the policies contained in the University of Oregon

Faculty Handbook, Fifth Edition (1983).

Policy on Appointment and Promotion of Instructors in Non-Tenure-Related Positions (Effective July 1, 1984)

For faculty members who are appointed with the rank of Instructor and whose selection was made from a candidate pool of local applicants, rather than as a result of a national search , the following conditions will apply to their appointments:

1. The initial appointment will be for one year and, if service is considered fully satisfactory, subsequent appointments as Instructor may be made until the faculty member has served eighteen terms (counting only those terms in which the appointment has been at 0.5 FTE or above). During the year in which the faculty member will attain eighteen terms of service at .5 FTE or above, a thorough review will be conducted by the department and/or dean to determine if a recommendation to continue the appointment of the faculty member is to be made to the Provost. (The criteria by which the faculty member will be evaluated should be appropriate for the responsibilities of the position and should be clearly defined at the time of first appointment by the department.) If a recommendation to continue is made and approved by the Provost, the faculty member will be promoted to the rank of Senior Instructor without tenure. If a recommendation is made not to continue the appointment of the faculty member, timely notice of termination will be given and no further appointments will be offered the faculty member.

2. Following promotion to Senior Instructor, the faculty member thereafter will be given at least two-year appointments if service is considered fully satisfactory and a suitable position is available (see 3. below).

3. Following promotion to Senior Instructor, the faculty member thereafter will be assigned seniority by cumulative years of service at .5 FTE or above as an Instructor and Senior Instructor in the department.

The department head is responsible for designating positions that are to be offered at the rank of Instructor or Senior Instructor. Those positions designated at the rank of Senior Instructor will be offered at no less than .5 FTE for each appointment period. When an appointment or appointments are offered by the department, school, or college, the seniority ranking of the Senior Instructors who are qualified for the particular position will determine the order in which they are given the opportunity to accept such appointments. The FTE for positions with the rank of Instructor will be determined for each appointment at the discretion of the department head.

4. A faculty member in a non-tenure-related position with the rank of Instructor or Senior Instructor may be a candidate for a tenure-related position for which a national search is conducted.

5. A faculty member in a non-tenure-related position with the rank of Instructor or Senior Instructor will be eligible for consideration for sabbatical leave, and will be eligible for leave without pay. A leave taken without pay will not affect the departmental seniority of the Senior Instructor.

6. A faculty member in a non-tenured-related position with the rank of Instructor or Senior Instructor will be eligible for salary adjustments at the same time all other faculty members are considered for salary adjustments.

Policy on Appointment and Promotion of Instructors and Senior Instructors in Tenure-Related Positions (Effective July 1, 1984)

1. Appointment or Promotion to Rank of Senior Instructor

Oregon Administrative Rule 580-20-005 (2)(c) states:

"Senior Instructor": This rank may be used for the appointment or promotion of staff members who have special skills or experience needed in the instructional programs of the institution, but who would not normally be appointed or promoted to professorial ranks. Promotion to the rank of senior instructor will not be made effective before the end of the third year of service. Appointment or promotion to the rank of senior instructor may be made with or without indefinite tenure. Appointment to this rank does not preclude subsequent advancement in rank under appropriate conditions. Because the University of Oregon is dedicated to maintaining its position as a major research as well as an instructional institution, it is expected that the number of faculty members who will be considered for indefinite tenure at the rank of Senior Instructor will be very limited.

2. Establishing a Tenure-related Position

When an academic department determines that the appointment of a faculty member at the rank of Instructor or Senior Instructor in a tenure- related position would benefit its overall academic program and can be funded within the department's budget, the department head and/or dean should obtain the approval of the Provost to establish such a position. If approval is given, the department must then conduct a national search to establish an applicant pool from which the selection of the faculty member may be made. Under exceptional conditions, a regional search may be conducted with the approval of the Provost.

3. Consideration for Tenure

The appointment to a tenure-related position may be made at either the rank of Instructor or Senior Instructor, and consideration for tenure at the rank of Senior Instructor may be given no earlier than three years following the initial appointment, except with the written approval of the Provost.

Issued By
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Issued By
Revision History
08 February 2010  - Policy number revised from 3.120 to 02.01.01
Original Source
UO Policy Statement