Academic Policies

AC61 Faculty Contracts (Formerly HR61)

Policy Status: 

Under Review

Policy Steward: 

Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

 

POLICY'S INITIAL DATE: September 7, 1982

THIS VERSION EFFECTIVE: November 9, 1987

PURPOSE:

To establish the terms and conditions for making standing appointment offers to, and contracting the services of, individuals classified as academic or academic administrator.

CONTRACT LENGTH:

All standing appointment faculty members will be employed on a 36-week(academic year) or a 48-week (extended year) contract. No standing appointment faculty member of The Pennsylvania State University shall have a contract commitment through the University in excess of 48 weeks in any fiscal year.

LENGTH OF OFFER:

The letter offering a standing appointment to a candidate should include, as a minimum, the following:

  1. The specific rank being offered;

     
  2. An explicit statement that the Memorandum of Personal Service is included and that it must be signed and returned;

     
  3. Explicit reference to inclusion of the pamphlet "Conditions of Employment;"

     
  4. A general statement that the faculty member will be expected to participate in instruction, research, scholarly activity and continuing education or cooperative extension as assigned;

     
  5. A statement that the precise nature of the duties of the individual will be determined by the appropriate academic administrative person in whose division or department the appointment will be made;

     
  6. A statement that provisional appointments and appointments with tenure are subject to the terms and conditions of University tenure policies;

     
  7. Signature by the dean, or by an academic administrator specifically authorized by the dean to make standing appointment offers to candidates.

MEMORANDUM OF PERSONAL SERVICE:

A Memorandum of Personal Service is included with each letter offering a standing appointment to a faculty candidate. The approved Memorandum of Personal Service forms, one for the 36-week appointment and another for the 48-week appointment, can be obtained from the Office of Human Resources.

VACATION LEAVE:

While standing appointment faculty members do not earn vacation leave as such, some academic units have established systems for defining days not on duty between the 48-week contract and the 52-week calendar year.

HOLIDAYS:

Standing appointment faculty members are entitled to the official University holidays. A listing of University holidays may be found in Policy HR34.

OTHER POLICIES:

This policy statement is concerned only with the specific of the contractual commitment. Other personnel policies of the University are also pertinent to the hiring of standing appointment faculty and should be consulted.