02-01.08 – Policy for Clinical Faculty Evaluation, Reappointment, Promotion and Merit

  1. Policy Statement:

    Towson University (“University”) offers selected clinical/professional academic programs leading to degrees in applied fields such as healthcare, human services, teaching, information technology, applied science and business which benefit from the involvement of Clinical Faculty with a high level of clinical/professional expertise and demonstrated teaching skills. This policy establishes procedures for evaluation, reappointment, promotion and merit for Clinical Faculty.

  2. Definitions:

    1. “ART Policy” means the Towson University Policy on Appointment, Rank and Tenure of Faculty, policy 02-01.00, as it may be amended from time to time.

    2. “Appendix 3” means Appendix 3 to the ART Policy.

    3. “Clinical Evaluation Committee” is the committee chosen or created by the appropriate department to evaluate Clinical Faculty for reappointment, and promotion at the department level. It should be the same as existing department committees responsible for evaluating tenured and/or tenure-track faculty with the addition of at least one faculty member at the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor or higher who has a been in a Clinical Faculty position for three or more consecutive years.

    4. “Clinical Faculty” means Clinical Instructors, Clinical Assistant Professors, Clinical Associate Professors, and Clinical Professors, none of whom are eligible for tenure, all as defined in section VI.B.3.c. of the ART Policy.

    5. “Clinical/Professional Excellence” is defined as expertise that reflects currency in evidenced-based and/or theory-based practice and is validated by the professional community, as determined by the college.

    6. “Department Merit Committee” means the department committee that reviews faculty for merit.

    7. “UPTRM Committee” means the University Promotion, Tenure, Reappointment and Merit Committee.

  3. Responsible Executive and Office:

    Responsible Executive:
    Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

    Responsible Office:
    Office of the Provost

  4. Entities Affected by this Policy:

    Clinical Faculty

  5. Procedures:

    1. General Principles

      1. These guidelines pertain to regular Clinical Faculty with an appointment of 50% or more of full-time. 

      2. Clinical Faculty are expected to provide learning experiences and supervision for students in clinical/professional programs and in their specialized practice areas as well as service that meets the goals of their department/University. Clinical Faculty are also expected to sustain a high level of Clinical/Professional Excellence.

      3. Clinical Faculty participate as voting members in department matters relating to the academic programs in which they are involved, excepting matters relating to reappointment, tenure, or promotion of tenured and tenure-track faculty. They may have a role in merit recommendations for other faculty, depending upon college and/or department policies regarding merit committee structure.

      4. Clinical Faculty may serve on college committees in accordance with college procedures, and on selected University committees, based on applicable committee membership policies.

    2. Criteria for Appointment of Clinical Faculty

      1. Minimum qualifications for the ranks of Clinical Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, Clinical Assistant Professor, and Clinical Instructor are set forth in section VI.B.3.c. of the ART Policy.

      2. Search Process for Clinical Faculty. The search process for full-time Clinical Faculty is set forth in Appendix 1 to the ART Policy (the “Hiring Procedures”), as they may be amended from time to time.

      3. Offers of Appointment. Offers of appointment shall be made in accordance with section VI.A.2 of the ART Policy.

    3. Expectations. Clinical Faculty are held to the standards and expectations set forth in section II.B.1. of Appendix 3, with the following exceptions:

      1. Clinical Faculty must maintain or attain licensure and/or certification, as appropriate.

      2. Clinical Faculty will ordinarily be expected to assume the equivalent of an eight course unit teaching load primarily in their area of clinical/professional expertise, a majority of which will be in clinical/professional practice courses in clinical/professional programs. When appropriate, Clinical Faculty may also have advising responsibilities as determined by the department.

      3. Teaching, scholarship and service expectations for Clinical Faculty should incorporate activities that use and build on their Clinical/Professional Excellence. Scholarship should be closely related to the clinical areas of expertise and responsibilities. 

    4. Evaluation of Clinical Faculty (Merit and Reappointment)

      1. Clinical Faculty will have annual workload agreements (using the Annual Review form), which are approved by the department Chairperson and Dean.

      2. Each college with Clinical Faculty will establish general college-level criteria for Clinical Faculty.

      3. Each department with Clinical Faculty will have department-based criteria which are based upon more general college-level criteria for Clinical Faculty. The criteria must be approved by the college PTRM Committee and the UPTRM.

      4. Clinical Faculty will be evaluated annually for reappointment and merit using approved department criteria for Clinical Faculty. In addition, Clinical Faculty must include evidence of Clinical/Professional Excellence in the area(s) in which they are engaging in clinical/professional teaching and/or supervision.

      5. The process and procedures for annual review, merit, and reappointment shall be the same as those set forth in section III.A.1-5 and 8-9, section III.B.1-5, and section III.C.1-2 of Appendix 3, with the following exceptions:

        1. References in section III.A.5. to tenure and/or comprehensive review shall not apply.

        2. The Clinical Evaluation Committee is substituted for the department PTRM committee with respect to decisions on annual review, reappointment, and promotion. The Department Merit Committee is substituted for the department PTRM committee with respect to decisions on merit.

        3. References in section III.A.9 to third-year review, and to section III.D.3, shall not apply.

        4. References in section III.B.1 to third-year review, tenure and comprehensive review shall not apply.

        5. The official file concerning recommendations for reappointment, merit, and promotion shall be maintained by the Provost’s office.

      6. Evaluation procedures for merit shall be the same as the evaluation procedures for merit set forth in section III.D.1.b-k and m-n of Appendix 3, except that the standards adopted by the department pursuant to this policy shall be substituted for the department PTRM document or included within the department PTRM document. Clinical Faculty in their first-year of appointment may be considered for base merit, but not for base plus merit.

      7. Evaluation procedures for reappointment for Clinical Faculty in their first-year of appointment shall be the same as the evaluation procedures for reappointment for first-year tenure-track faculty set forth in section III.D.2.a-h of Appendix 3, except that the Clinical Evaluation Committee shall be substituted for the department PTRM committee.

      8. Evaluation procedures for reappointment for Clinical Faculty after their first-year of appointment shall be the same as the evaluation procedures for reappointment of second-year faculty set forth in section III.D.3.a-e of Appendix 3, except that the Clinical Evaluation Committee shall be substituted for the department PTRM committee.

      9. Reappointment for Clinical Faculty is contingent upon:

        1. Departmental need, which may be influenced by the number of students in the program and area of specialty, and by the strategic direction of the department.

        2. Satisfactory performance in teaching (including advising), service, and scholarship.

        3. Evidence of on-going Clinical/Professional Excellence as reflected in the faculty member’s teaching, scholarship, and/or service.

      10. Notice of non-renewal of appointment shall be as specified in section VI.A.3.l of the ART Policy.

      11. Except as provided in section 12 below, Clinical Faculty may be appointed for one-year contracts only.

      12. Upon request by the Clinical Faculty member, Clinical Faculty at the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor and higher may be considered for a three-year contract as follows:

        1. After three consecutive positive annual reviews by both the appropriate department committee and department chairperson, the Clinical Faculty member may be considered for a three-year contract.

        2. The Clinical Faculty member must request review for consideration of a three-year contract at least by the fourth Friday in September in the year prior to beginning of the three-year contract.

        3. The Clinical Faculty member submits a summative portfolio reflecting accomplishments in teaching, advising, scholarship, service, and evidence of ongoing Clinical/Professional Excellence. The portfolio is organized as set forth in Appendix 3 section I.B.3.e of TU ART policy.

        4. The Clinical Evaluation Committee and the department chairperson may recommend reappointment with a three-year contract. A three-year contract requires a positive recommendation of both the Clinical Evaluation Committee and the Department Chairperson.

        5. The Dean of the College also must support a recommendation of a three-year contract prior to the request being forwarded to the Provost.

        6. Three-year contracts are granted upon approval of the Provost.

        7. To request review for subsequent three-year contracts (after the initial three-year contract), the Clinical Faculty member must submit a summative dossier by the second Friday of January of the second-year, following the format of materials to submit for a comprehensive five-year review for tenured faculty as set forth in Appendix 3 section I.B.3.e of TU ART policy. A subsequent three-year contract requires a positive recommendation of the Department Clinical Evaluation Committee and the Department Chairperson, and the Dean.

        8. All reappointments of Clinical Faculty, including three-year contracts, are made by the Provost.

      13. A Clinical Faculty member’s employment may be terminated (as distinguished from non-renewal of the appointment), as provided in his/her contract or appointment letter.

    5. Promotion

      1. Clinical Faculty at all ranks (except Clinical Professor) are eligible for review for promotion.

      2. The minimum number of years in rank is six years full-time University teaching for Associate Clinical Professors and a minimum of ten years for Clinical Professor. Review will normally occur no earlier than the sixth-year in a Clinical Faculty position.

      3. Evaluation procedures for promotion are the same as those set forth in section III.D.6.a-c, g-o, and q-r of Appendix 3 to the ART Policy, with the following exceptions:

        1. References to tenure shall not apply. 

        2. The Clinical Evaluation Committee shall be substituted for the department PTRM committee.

        3. Departmental standards for Clinical Faculty (as described in Section D.3. above) shall be substituted for department PTRM documents.

      4. As provided in the evaluation procedures referenced in E. 3. above, the Clinical Evaluation Committee and the Department Chairperson both make recommendations regarding the promotion. If the department level recommendation is favorable, the College PTRM Committee and the Dean make recommendations regarding the promotion. If the Dean’s Recommendation is favorable, the President makes the decision regarding the promotion upon the recommendation of the Provost. If either or both the College PTRM Committee and the Dean’s recommendation are favorable, the portfolio is forwarded to the Provost.

    6. Appeals

      1. Clinical Faculty with a three-year contract have the right to appeal department and/or college recommendations regarding promotion, or merit.

      2. Clinical Faculty on a one-year contract have the right to appeal a merit recommendation when this is accompanied by a recommendation for reappointment.

      3. Clinical Faculty will follow the same procedures for appeal as set forth in section V.B of Appendix 3 of the TU ART Policy, with the following exception: The Clinical Evaluation Committee shall be substituted for the department PTRM committee with respect to decisions on promotion, and the Department Merit Committee shall be substituted for the department PTRM committee with respect to decisions on merit.

Related Policies:

TU Policy 02-01.00, Towson University Policy on Appointment, Rank and Tenure of Faculty

Approval Date: 07/10/2012

Effective Date: 07/12/2012

Approved By: President’s Council 07/10/2012

Signed By: President’s Council

How to Request the Policy PDF

This online version of the policy may include updated links and names of departments. To request a PDF of the original, signed version of this policy, email the Office of the General Counsel, .