2015-53

Arizona State University
University Senate
Spring 2015

Senate Motion #2015-53

Motion Introduced by: Personnel Committee, Shari Collins Chair

Date of First Reading: January 26, 2015

Date of Second Reading: February 23, 2015

Title of Motion: Non-Tenure-Eligible Promotion Policy

Action Requested: The Senate Personnel Committee and the University Academic Council recommend approval of this motion.

Rationale: An administrative directive has been enacted regarding Non-Tenure-Eligible Faculty (NTEF) that requires a NTEF (specifically Lecturers) to have a MY contract to be eligible for promotion. This disqualifies many NTEF from the promotion process because their MY contracts were reduced to one-year contracts during the recession or because they were hired on AY contracts after the recession. It is important to note that a number of NTEF now on one-year contracts hold Senior and Principal Lecturer positions and, per ACD 506-5 (“Individuals with fixed-term faculty appointments as lecturer, clinical faculty, and research faculty are eligible for promotion in rank”), were promoted while on annual contracts. Consequently, some NTEF that had previously been promoted to Senior Lecturer are no longer eligible to apply for further promotion. The directive also proposes that Lecturers (including Senior and Principal Lecturers) must undergo a national search to be eligible for a multi-year contract (MY). This would amount to a second national search for many NTEF.

The University Senate Personnel Committee asserts that NTEF at ASU provide vital and essential services to the university, including generating significant SCH. Historically, NTEF have been able to request promotions and transitions from annual to multi-year, or multi-year to rolling multi-year appointments by filing a Request for Academic Personnel Action (click here to see this form) and providing the necessary supporting documentation.  Multiple parties from the Unit Committee, through the University Provost reviewed the applications and judged the merits of each request to determine approval or denial. Nothing in the ACD or ABOR policy denies the right of any NTEF to submit such requests and expect a thorough review. In fact, portions of the ACD (including 506-5) explicitly give NTEF the right to make such personnel requests.

With an understanding that ACD 501/ABOR 6-201 explicitly state that lecturers “shall have no expectation of continued employment beyond the end of the current appointment period,” and cognizant of the 15% MY limitation, and further acknowledgment that requiring a national search is a discretionary decision of ASU, we nonetheless urge that NTEF currently under contract have a pathway toward MY contracts that conveys recognition of the service, excellence, and dedication NTEF provide ASU. 

A link to the ASU Faculty Headcounts from F2006-F2014 can be found here:  [Click here]

A link to the full Senate Personnel Committee report can be found here: [Click here]

Motion Request:

1. Recommend reaffirming ACD 506–05: Faculty Promotion which states “Individuals with fixed-term faculty appointments as lecturer, clinical faculty, and research faculty are eligible for promotion in rank,” and further that any lecturer, clinical faculty, and research faculty may file a Request for Academic Personnel Action for promotion and/or appointment to be reviewed according to personnel processes and procedures and judged on the individual merits of each request whether that individual is on an AY or MY contract.
2. Recommend that current NTEF be considered for MY contracts without the requirement of engaging in a nationally competitive search.
3. Recommend intensifying efforts to increase the number of tenure-track faculty across the university through recruitment and retention. This would strengthen ASU as an institution and also allow more NTEF to be eligible for MY contracts per the 15% ABOR rule.

Administrative Action Clarifying Promotion Pathways for Lecturers, Implemented February 24, 2015