Academic employees can be hired on tenure track or non-tenure track lines.
According to the UUP Contract, Academics can receive an appointment letter of up to three years’ duration. Typically, full time faculty will get an appointment letter for one or two years. Part-time faculty typically get an appointment letter each semester.
The appointment letter should include details on what the length of the appointment is, whether it is temporary or term, the salary, and if tenure track – any funding for research, and work expectations. Faculty have a three-prong obligation which covers research, teaching and service. The precise balance among the aspects of each faculty member’s responsibilities in discharging the missions of the University depends on appointment type and will vary by department.
Tenure track titles are: Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor (as well as academic Librarian titles).
Non-tenure track titles are: Lecturer, as well as all the Academic tenure track titles (above) when preceded by a qualifier like “research” or “clinical” or “visiting”. If you are in a “research assistant professor” title, you are NOT eligible for tenure. You can still be appointed to full time, term contracts, of up to three years in duration, but will never be eligible for tenure. Any part-time appointment, including employees referred to as Adjuncts, are not eligible for tenure.
Should you have any questions about your title or appointment, please contact us the chapter office at buffalocenter@uupmail.org.
Last updated: April 2020