Academic Policies and Procedures Related to the Faculty

August 6, 2019 1

Academic Policies and Procedures Related to the Faculty1

This document seeks to accomplish three things: (1) to gather into one document various faculty

policies that have been approved over time; (2) to develop consistency between policy and

practice among faculty, as well as consistency between faculty policy and the Amended and

Restated Bylaws of CTS effective March 17, 2016 (“Bylaws”) and other policies; and (3) to

strengthen the commitment and contribution of faculty to the life and mission of CTS. If there

are conflicts between this document and the Bylaws, the terms of the Bylaws shall govern.

Faculty are also subject to the CTS Employee Handbook. If there are conflicts between this

document and the CTS Employee Handbook, the terms of this document shall govern.

1.0 Composition of the Regular Faculty: General Principles

1.1. The Regular Faculty shall be composed of the President of the seminary

(“President”), Vice-president for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty

(“Dean”), Full Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors. Affiliate

Professors are not considered Regular Faculty.

1.2. In accordance with the Bylaws, the Board of Trustees shall prescribe, from time

to time, the qualifications, duties, rank, and other matters pertaining to Regular

Faculty and Affiliate Faculty. Nominations for appointment to the faculty shall be

made by the President, after consultation with the Regular Faculty. Individuals

shall be appointed to the Regular Faculty upon election by the Board of Trustees.

1.3. In consulting with the President on faculty nominations, the Regular Faculty shall

take into account the mission of the seminary and the curricular needs of its

degree programs and apply the following standards:

1.3.1. While not confined to any particular disciplinary configuration, care shall

be taken that the composition of the Regular Faculty adequately represent

the following areas of theological inquiry, both as scholarly disciplines

and as arts of ministry:

1.3.1.1.Biblical interpretation, including instruction in biblical languages;

1.3.1.2.History of Christianity;

1.3.1.3.Christian theology

1 In this document, “shall” signifies a practice that is required; “should” signifies a practice that is strongly

recommended; and “may” signifies a practice that is permissible, but not required.

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1.3.1.4.Ethics and Society;

1.3.1.5.Pastoral care and spiritually/theologically integrated counseling;

and

1.3.1.6.The arts of ministry broadly defined (theologically informed

preaching, worship, field education, leadership and administration,

spiritual formation and spiritual disciplines, and entrepreneurship).

1.3.2. The composition of the Regular Faculty should also be significantly

inclusive in keeping with the seminary’s long-standing commitment to

diversity. This includes diversity in terms of gender, race/ethnicity, abled-

ness, sexual orientation, and theological worldview. Careful attention shall

be paid to the inclusiveness of the Regular Faculty in long-range planning,

and short-term inclusiveness goals shall be set consistent with the mission

of the seminary in a changing context (ATS General Institutional

Standard 5.1.3).

1.4. Special Faculty shall include all other faculty positions that are not included in the

Regular faculty, such as Affiliate Faculty, Lecturers, Research Faculty,

Administrative Staff with Faculty responsibilities, and Faculty Emeriti/Emerita.

Unless otherwise agreed, they are not responsible to serve on Faculty

Committees. While not tenurable, the same spirit of excellence should be applied

to the recruitment and appointment of Special Faculty.

2.0 Minimum Qualifications for Regular and Special Faculty

2.1 All Regular Faculty shall possess appropriate academic credentials, demonstrated

by an earned research doctorate in a theological discipline (usually a Ph.D.),

another earned doctorate (a D.Min. or D.Mus., for example), or terminal degree in

a discipline directly related to theological education (ATS General Institutional

Standard 5.1.1). Special Faculty may be appointed without a terminal or

theological degree if they possess desirable professional competence and other

qualifications (e.g. clinical licensure).

2.2 All faculty members should normally possess significant experience with and

commitment to faith communities. Examples of such experience include but are

not limited to participation and leadership in congregational, regional, national,

and ecumenical expressions of the church; mission and social justice work;

theologically informed counseling and clinical work; and work in religion and the

arts (ATS General Institutional Standard 5.1.1).

2.3 A significant portion of the Regular Faculty shall be active participants in the life

and thought of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Generally, Regular

Faculty shall be active participants in the worshiping tradition of their own

religious community. In the appointment of Special Faculty, careful attention

should be given to qualified candidates from other ecclesial and religious

traditions.

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2.4 All faculty members shall be committed fully to the mission of the seminary: “to

form disciples of Jesus Christ for church and community leadership to serve

God’s transforming of the world” (ATS General Institutional Standard 5.1.3).

3.0 Categories of the Regular Faculty

3.1 All members of the Regular Faculty shall meet the qualifications listed in Section

2 above. They should be either tenured or tenure-track. Tenure-Track and

Tenured Regular Faculty may also carry administrative responsibilities. Some

Special Faculty may also carry administrative responsibilities.

3.2 Regular Faculty may hold joint appointments at the seminary and another

institution, provided that they meet at least 0.5 FTE of direct instructional activity

at this seminary.

3.3 Professors occupying Endowed Chairs shall normally possess a record of

excellence in teaching courses essential to the seminary’s degree programs,

tenure, and a record of scholarship and service that demonstrates they are

exceptional leaders in theological education and ministry. Occupying an endowed

chair shall be an honor bestowed upon a faculty member and signals the enduring

importance of his or her work. Historically, the endowed chairs at the seminary

are:

3.3.1 Lois and Dale Bright Chair in Christian Ministries (1986), endowed by

Iowa Disciples businessman H. Dale Bright (1910-1996) and his wife Lois

(1911-2013). This chair has been occupied by Nelle Slater (1986-1999),

Brian Grant (1999-2008), and Bernie Lyon (2008-2015).

3.3.2 Herald B. Monroe Chair of Practical Parish Ministries (1986), endowed by

congregations of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to honor long-

time Ohio regional minister Herald B. Monroe (1907-1987). This chair

has been occupied by Keith Watkins (1986-1995), Dan Moseley (1995-

2010), and Bill Kincaid (since 2011). (Renamed Herald B. Monroe Chair

in Leadership and Ministry Studies, effective January 2016.)

3.3.3 Nettie Sweeney and Hugh Th. Miller Chair of New Testament (1986),

endowed by the Christian Foundation to honor Disciples Nettie Sweeney

(1876-1960), the daughter of Disciples minister Z. T. Sweeney (1849-

1926), and her husband Hugh Thomas Miller (1867-1947), a Columbus

businessman, Indiana politician, and philanthropist. This chair was

occupied by Calvin Porter (1986-1999), Ron Allen (1999-2012), and

Frank Thomas (since 2012), when the name was changed to include

“Homiletics.”

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3.3.4 MacAllister-Petticrew Chair of Old Testament (1986), endowed by

Presbyterian businessmen, civic leaders, and long-time CTS board

members P. E. MacAllister (b. 1918) and Richard Petticrew (1915-2008),

both keenly interested in Old Testament studies. This chair was occupied

by Gerry Janzen (1986-2000) and Marti Steussy (2000-2014).

3.3.5 William G. Irwin Chair of Church History (1986), endowed by the

Christian Foundation to honor Columbus banker and Disciples

philanthropist William G. Irwin (1866-1943). This chair was occupied by

Newell Williams (1995-2003) and Ron Sommerville (2010-2014).

3.3.6 Christian Church in Indiana Chair in Biblical Studies (later, “Christian

Thought”) (1986), endowed mostly by Indiana Disciple Esther Million

(1907-1991) and funds raised by her from Indiana congregations of the

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This chair was occupied by Clark

Williamson (1996-2002) and Rufus Burrow, Jr. (2002-2014).

3.3.7 Frederick Doyle Kershner Chair in Religion and the Arts (1994), endowed

by the Christian Foundation to honor the founding dean of Butler School

of Religion, Frederick Doyle Kershner (1875-1953). This chair was

occupied by Frank Burch Brown (1994-2014).

3.3.8 T. J. and Virginia Liggett Chair of Christian Traditions (2010), endowed

by income from existing endowed chairs, this chair honors Disciples

ecumenist, denominational executive, and CTS president Thomas Jackson

Liggett (1919-2012) and his wife, Virginia (1918-2002). This chair was

occupied by Holly Hearon (2010-2014)

3.3.9 Minnie Vautrin Chair of Christian Witness (2010), endowed by income

from existing endowed chairs, this chair honors Disciples missionary to

China and heroine of the Nanking Massacre (1937), Minnie Vautrin

(1886-1941). This chair was occupied by Wilma Bailey (2010-2014).

3.4 Full Professors shall possess a long record of excellence in teaching courses

essential to the seminary’s degree programs, tenure and promotion to Full

Professor, and a record of scholarship and service that demonstrates they are

significant leaders in theological education and ministry.

3.5 Associate Professors shall possess a record of excellence in teaching courses

essential to the seminary’s degree programs, tenure and promotion to Associate

Professor, and a record of scholarship and service that demonstrates they are

developing into leaders in theological education and ministry.

3.6 Assistant Professors shall show significant promise of excellence in teaching

courses essential to the seminary’s degree programs, of eventually earning tenure

and promotion to Associate Professor, and a developing record of scholarship and

service ministry.

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4.0 Rights and Responsibilities of Regular Faculty

4.1 All Regular Faculty shall have full freedom in conducting theological research,

and communicating their findings in public presentations and publications. They

shall have full freedom of academic expression in the classroom. Further, Faculty

are expected to treat respectfully all the members of the seminary community,

honor the integrity of the faculty-student relationship, promote the canons of

intellectual honesty, support the work and the public reputation of the seminary,

and approach the work of the faculty with a collegial intent and a productive

intent.

4.2 All Regular Faculty shall participate with Trustees, President, Vice Presidents,

and Dean in the collegial shared governance of the seminary. While final

authority to govern rests with the Trustees, collegial shared governance

recognizes that each of these persons and groups have specifically delegated,

sometimes overlapping rights and responsibilities. Regular Faculty, Trustees, and

Administration shall exercise their rights and fulfill their responsibilities within a

bond of trust with each other, always keeping in mind the best interests of the

institution and its mission (ATS General Institutional Standards 7.1 and 7.2).

4.3 Regular Faculty should fulfill the following responsibilities collaboratively with

one another, the President, Vice Presidents, and Dean, through assigned

committees, working groups, and task forces. All Regular Faculty shall have

responsibilities in six general areas: (1) teaching; (2) guiding educational mission

by establishing curriculum, academic policies, and procedures; (3) participating in

appointing new faculty members and reviewing current faculty members; (4)

assisting in recruiting and admitting students; (5) advising students (6)

recommending candidates for graduation. (ATS General Institutional Standards

5.1.4 and 7.3.3.1). Specifically these responsibilities shall be defined in the

following way:

4.3.1 Admitting students: Regular Faculty shall set admission criteria for all

degree programs at the seminary, shall help admissions staff interpret and

apply these criteria in the admissions process, and shall participate in

admissions decisions as outlined in 6.4.1. Admissions Committee. All

Regular Faculty should be present for and participate in orientation for

new students in both the fall and spring semesters.

4.3.2 Establishing academic policies and procedures: Regular Faculty shall

review, study, and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees with

respect to the academic affairs of the Seminary such as, but not limited to,

academic planning, admissions requirements, curriculum, tenure, faculty

appointments, faculty performance, and library development. Led by the

President, Dean, and Academic and Faculty Affairs Committee, the

Regular Faculty shall produce, interpret, and enforce policies and

procedures concerning academic and curricular matters. Regular Faculty

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shall be present for and participate fully in faculty meetings and meetings

of assigned committees, task forces, and work groups.

4.3.3 Faculty appointment and review: Led by the President and Dean, the

Regular Faculty shall identify the need for faculty candidates, participate

in recruiting, reviewing, and recommending potential faculty candidates.

They also shall participate in reviewing both Regular and Special Faculty

members, and shall recommend for promotion and tenure those faculty

members who meet established criteria.

4.3.4 Advising students: Regular Faculty shall serve as advisors to students

enrolled in degree programs at the seminary. They should meet with their

assigned advisees regularly to assist students with making course

selections, review their academic progress, and address other academic

difficulties. Regular Faculty should remain in informal contact with their

assigned advisees between formal meetings. In cases where assigned

advisees seem at significant risk academically or otherwise, Regular

Faculty should immediately inform the Dean of Students of the matter.

Members of the Regular Faculty may serve as advisors to student groups.

4.3.5 Teaching: Regular Faculty shall provide instruction to students in their

areas of expertise with passion, intelligence, and fairness. They shall

teach in ways that allow students to integrate their learning from the

various disciplines, their experience in ministry, and their personal

backgrounds (ATS General Institutional Standard 5.2.2 A full-time (1.0

FTE) teaching load shall be 15 credit hours per academic year.2 For all

teaching beyond this load—such as participation in capstone projects,

thesis work, guided research courses—Regular Faculty should be

compensated separately according to terms negotiated with the Dean.

4.3.6 Recommending candidates for graduation: The Regular Faculty shall

recommend candidates for graduation upon successful completion of the

requirements of their respective degree programs. Final authority to

confer their degrees, however, rests with the Trustees (“By-Laws of

Christian Theological Seminary (2014), Article IX, Section 1). All

Regular Faculty shall participate in baccalaureate services and

commencement exercises.

4.4 Beyond these six areas of responsibility, the Regular Faculty should make

reasonable efforts to support the extra-curricular programs of the seminary (e.g.,

attend and lead chapel services, respond to media requests, attend and lead forums

and colloquia, serve as liaisons to groups affiliated with the seminary, etc.).

4.5 Led by the President and Dean, the Regular Faculty shall participate in periodic

accreditation reviews.

2 Consistent with federal regulations, a “credit hour” is defined as 15 hours of direct instruction.

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4.6 Upon the request of the Dean, Regular Faculty may serve as mentors to Affiliate

and Special Faculty members.

4.7 The Regular Faculty shall be entitled to adequate institutional support in their

work, including fair and equitable salaries, suitable working conditions,

administrative support, and ongoing professional development. With specific

reference to their teaching, Regular Faculty shall be entitled to adequate

classroom and office space, up-to-date educational technology and computing

resources, and access to scholarly materials, including library and other

information resources. Support for faculty should focus on the use of educational

technology in course design and implementation. (ATS General Institutional

Standards 5.1.7 and 5.2.3).

5.0 Benefits and Support for Regular Faculty

5.1 The Regular Faculty shall receive an annual stipend for professional development,

the amount of which shall be determined by the President. Professional

development includes, but is not be limited to:

5.1.1 Attending professional meetings, church conventions, or workshops;

5.1.2 Paying dues to professional societies;

5.1.3 Tuition for courses related to the faculty member’s work at the seminary;

5.1.4 Traveling for research, writing, and continuing education or professional

enrichment;

5.1.5 Hiring a copy editor or professional reviewer for a work in progress;

5.1.6 Purchasing books, journal subscriptions, and other materials directly

related to the faculty member’s teaching, scholarship, and service.

Any other use of the stipend must be approved in advance by the Dean. His or

her office also shall administer the accounting and disbursement of professional

development stipends in accordance with the policies and procedures of the

seminary’s Business Office.

5.2 Additional funds to support the teaching, research, and service of the Regular

Faculty may be available from time to time. The Dean, in collaboration with the

Committee on Faculty, shall administer an equitable process by which Regular

Faculty may access these funds.

5.3 The immediate families of Regular Faculty who are approved for admission to the

seminary shall be entitled to tuition-free enrollment up to and including the

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completion of one degree program. “Immediate family” shall be defined as the

faculty member’s spouse or partner; biological children; legally adopted children;

and children related by marriage (“step children”), as well as the faculty person

herself.

5.4 The immediate family members of Regular Faculty may be eligible for tuition

reduction at Butler University subject to the seminary’s agreement with Butler

University. Please consult the CTS Employee Handbook for further details.

6.0 Regular Faculty Committees, Work Groups, and Task Forces

6.1 Regular Faculty shall serve on committees assigned by the Dean. The

administrative load for a regular faculty member is normally two

committees/appointments. But it should not exceed two standing committees and

one additional appointment. From time to time faculty may be asked to serve on

an additional working group to address temporary concerns for the good of the

institution. However extra administrative work should be kept to a minimum to

ensure that the faculty workload can be kept at a reasonable level. Unless

otherwise noted, the terms of service on these committees should coincide with

the seminary’s academic year.

6.2 The standing committees of the Regular Faculty shall establish, periodically

review, and amend when necessary, operating policies and procedures to guide

their work. These policies and procedures shall be subject to approval by the

Regular Faculty, President, and Trustees.

6.3 The President may serve ex officio on all committees of the Regular Faculty. He

or she shall have the right of voice without vote on matters coming before the

committees.

6.4 The standing committees of the Regular Faculty are:

6.4.1 Admissions Committee: The Dean shall appoint Regular Faculty members

of the Committee. The Committee shall include at least one Regular

Faculty member who teaches primarily in the Master of Divinity Program

and one Regular Faculty member who teaches primarily in the counseling

degree programs. The Dean of Students shall also participate as a voting

member, and the Director of Recruiting & Admissions shall participate as

a non-voting member. The responsibilities of this committee shall be to:

6.4.1.1 Evaluate applications and approve admission to all the

seminary’s degree programs;

6.4.1.2 Work collaboratively with the directors of the seminary’s degree

programs on matters of recruitment and admission;

6.4.1.3 Make recommendations to the Scholarship Committee regarding

scholarship awards; and

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6.4.1.4 Encourage the participation of all faculty members in the

recruitment, and admission of students.

6.4.2 Academic Council: This committee shall consist of the Dean, Associate

Dean, the seminary registrar, members of the Regular Faculty (one of

whom shall serve as the committee chair), and one advanced student. The

student representative to the Academic Council shall be recommended by

the Student Council and approved by the Dean. The responsibilities of the

Committee shall be to:

6.4.2.1 Regularly review all degree programs of the seminary and

recommend revisions to them when necessary;

6.4.2.2 Advise the Dean concerning curricular matters, including but not

limited to course offerings, class schedules, and the academic

calendar;

6.4.2.3 Review and approve proposals for new courses prior to their

being presented to the full Regular Faculty for final approval;

6.4.2.4 Work collaboratively with the directors of the seminary’s degree

programs in curricular and academic matters; and

6.4.2.5 Advise the Dean in student disciplinary matters of an academic

nature (student members shall recuse themselves when such

matters are discussed).

6.4.3 Committee on Faculty: This committee shall consist of the Dean (who

shall serve as committee chair), and members of the Regular Faculty. The

responsibilities of this committee shall be to:

6.4.3.1 Review and provide oversight of the development and

nurture of the Regular Faculty (6.4.3 Committee on Faculty);

6.4.3.2 Review and recommend for approval policies and procedures

concerning faculty;

6.4.3.3 Receive and evaluate applications for research leave prior to

their being presented to the full Regular Faculty for approval;

6.4.3.4 Oversee extra-curricular faculty projects, including but not

limited to colloquia and faculty retreats;

6.4.3.5 Review and approve nominations for Affiliate Faculty and all

Special Faculty; and

6.4.3.6 Provide support for faculty research, including review and

approval of grant proposals prior to submission.

6.4.4 Faculty Review Committee: This sub-committee of the Committee on

Faculty shall consist of the Dean (who shall serve as committee chair), and

two members of the Committee on Faculty. The responsibilities of this

committee shall be to:

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6.4.4.1. Conduct annual performance review of all tenure-track Regular

Faculty annually, and all tenured Regular Faculty every three

years;

6.4.4.2 Recommend re-appointment, promotion, and tenure of all

Regular Faculty based upon the findings of these performance

reviews.

Other than the Dean, the other faculty members shall be appointed to two-

year, staggered terms.

6.5 The Dean should call episodic committees into service only when needed. These

committees of the Regular Faculty are:

6.5.1 Committee on Counsel and Discipline: This committee shall consist of

the Dean, the Director of Supervised Ministry, and members of the

Regular Faculty, one of whom teaches primarily in the counseling degree

programs. The responsibilities of this committee shall be to:

6.5.1.1 Assist and advise the Dean of Students in addressing incidents of

plagiarism and cheating;

6.5.1.2 Address behavioral concerns that jeopardize a student’s own or

others’ health or safety; and

6.5.1.3 Address individual and group behavior that disrupts the

educational and social activities of the seminary.

6.5.2 Committee on Harassment and Mediation: This committee shall consist of

the Dean (who shall chair the committee), and two members of the

Regular Faculty, and two staff members appointed by the President. This

committee shall investigate and mediate accusations of harassment that are

not addressed under the seminary’s Title VI and IX policy or as a human

resources matter.

6.6 The work of the seminary may, from time to time, require the appointment of

specific work groups and task forces. The President or Dean may invite but not

require Regular Faculty to serve on such work groups and task forces, and grant

such bodies powers and authority not already assigned to the standing and

episodic committees described above.

6.7 In addition to appointing persons to standing and episodic committees, the Dean

shall appoint from among the Regular Faculty the following positions:

6.7.1 Faculty Marshals: Two members of the Regular Faculty, serving

staggered, two-year terms, shall lead the faculty in events at which they

are expected to wear their academic regalia, such as convocations,

baccalaureate services, commencement exercises, and installations.

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6.7.2 Faculty Representatives to the Board of Trustees: Four members of the

Regular Faculty shall represent the faculty at meetings of the Board of

Trustees and at assigned committee meetings of the Board of Trustees. In

committee meetings the representatives shall have voice and vote; in

meetings of the full board, only voice.

6.8 In making appointments to faculty committees, the Dean should take into

consideration the expertise and passions of the Regular Faculty, their respective

administrative and teaching workload, and the overall distributive equity of the

faculty’s work.

7.0 Recruitment and Appointment of Tenure-Track and Tenured Regular Faculty

7.1 If the Trustees and President determine there is a need to for an additional faculty

member, the President shall declare a faculty position open and initiate the search

and appointment process.

7.2 The search process shall include the following:

7.2.1 A search committee, composed of the President and Dean, and at least two

additional members of the Regular Faculty;

7.2.2 A clearly written position description, identifying the necessary and

preferred characteristics of the successful candidate, developed by the

search committee and approved by the Regular Faculty;

7.2.3 Wide distribution of the position description to appeal to a substantial pool

of potential applicants;

7.2.4 Receipt and review of all applications by the search committee; and

7.2.5 Campus visits of the top candidate(s), involving Regular Faculty, staff,

and students.

7.3 The search committee and Regular Faculty shall consult with the President in

nominating a new faculty member to the Board of Trustees for appointment,

including providing guidance in assigning faculty rank and the possibility of

granting immediate tenure.

7.4 The President shall present the terms and conditions of appointment to the chosen

candidate in a written and signed contract, one copy of which will be maintained

in the faculty member’s personnel file and one will be given to the appointee

(“Recommended Institutional Regulations,” American Association of University

Professors).

7.5 If the initial offer does not result in an appointment, the President in consultation

with the search committee should (1) attempt to re-negotiate the terms of the

original offer; (2) recommend a new candidate to the Board of Trustees choosing

from among any remaining candidates; or (3) discontinue the search.

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7.6 All appointments to the Regular Faculty shall require an affirmative vote of the

seminary Board of Trustees.

7.7 All persons appointed to the Regular Faculty shall receive a copy of this

document from the Dean’s Office.

8.0 Regular Faculty on Probationary, Tenure-Track Appointments

8.1 Unless appointed with immediate tenure, Regular Faculty on tenure-track shall be

appointed on probationary status for three years, and the appointment may be

renewed for an additional three years. The total probationary appointment of

Regular Faculty shall not exceed seven years, including any research leave time

that may have been used.

8.2 At the time of appointment, a tenure-track member of the Regular Faculty shall be

informed in writing of the standards used in faculty performance reviews and the

processes followed per the faculty handbook, including the date of his or her first

review.

8.3 The Dean should appoint a senior member of the Regular Faculty to serve as a

mentor during the appointee’s probationary period.

8.4 In the event that the probationary appointment of tenure-track Regular Faculty

will not be renewed, the appointee shall receive written notice from the Dean,

including the substantive reasons why the appointment will not be renewed. Such

notice shall be provided at least twelve months in advance in the case of

appointments more than one year. Substantive reasons for not renewing a

probationary appointment include, but shall not limited to: (1) declared financial

exigency; (2) discontinuance of a program for educational reasons; (3) sub-

standard performance review(s); and (4) just cause.

8.5 Tenure-track Regular Faculty whose probationary appointment will not be

renewed may appeal the decision to the Academic and Faculty Affairs Committee

of the Trustees. The Committee may choose to hear the appeal or deny it; and

whatever decision it reaches shall be final.

8.6 Tenure-track Regular Faculty may elect not to renew a probationary appointment

at the end of an academic year. In such a case, the faculty member shall inform

the Dean in writing at least six months prior to termination. The faculty member

may request a waiver of this requirement in case of hardship or in a situation

where he or she would otherwise be denied substantial professional advancement

or other opportunity (“Recommended Institutional Regulations,” American

Association of University Professors).

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9.0 Review of Tenure-Track and Tenured Regular Faculty

9.1 In addition to meeting the minimum qualification articulated in Section 2, tenured

and tenure-track Regular Faculty shall become eligible for promotion based upon

demonstrated excellence in the following areas:

9.1.1 Teaching: direct instruction of students in her or his area of expertise and

passion. This should include competence in the use of educational

technology, innovative pedagogical strategies, and creative course

formats;

9.1.2 Scholarship: research, publication, and public presentation of his or her

work, especially work that contributes positively to theological education,

the life of professional organizations, and ministry;

9.1.3 Service to the Seminary: Engaged leadership that sets a positive tone in

significant aspects of community life, including but not limited to the

following: leadership of assigned committees; degree program

administration or leadership in another academic program; participation in

the full range of activities in the life of the seminary, particularly those

including students; and activities that raise the profile of the seminary with

external constituencies; and

9.1.4 Service to the Church and World: active participation and leadership in the

life of his or her community faith, and activities of public witness to his or

her faith such as social justice and philanthropic work.

In preparing materials for their performance reviews, Regular Faculty should

organize those materials according to these four areas.

9.2 Regular Faculty may excel to different degrees in the areas above, and this factor

should be taken into account during their performance reviews. However, the

following shall be necessary criteria for promotion: (1) demonstrable and

consistent excellence in teaching; and (2) perceived excellence in one other area,

adequate performance in the other two areas.

9.3 Tenure-Track Regular Faculty shall be reviewed annually until tenure or

termination; tenured members shall be reviewed every three years until retirement

or termination. All performance reviews of the Regular Faculty shall be

conducted by the Faculty Review Committee (see Section 6.4.4).

9.4 Performance reviews of Regular Faculty shall have two distinct but interrelated

purposes:

9.4.1 To assist Regular Faculty in their professional development by identifying

the strengths and vulnerabilities of their teaching, scholarship, and service;

August 6, 2019 14

and,

9.4.2 To guide the Tenure Committees, President, and Trustees in their

decisions regarding promotion and tenure of Regular Faculty.

9.5 The Faculty Review Committee shall adhere to the following procedure in

conducting performance reviews of Regular Faculty:

9.5.1 On behalf of the Committee, the Dean shall notify the faculty member

about the date and time of his or her upcoming performance review at

least six months beforehand.

9.5.2 The faculty member shall assemble and submit the following materials to

the Committee at least one month prior to the scheduled performance

review:

9.5.2.1 Faculty member’s self evaluation based on the four categories

designated above. This evaluation should include:

9.5.2.2 Evidence of excellence in teaching, including (1) a summary

statement of teaching/pedagogical approach, (2) a summary

statement of teaching evaluations submitted by students and

(3) any other evidence of teaching significance, such as

integration with the practice of ministry;

9.5.2.3 Evidence of scholarship, for example, books and book contracts,

articles (especially those in peer reviewed journals or venues),

public presentations, curriculum, study aids, and

sermons;

9.5.2.4 Evidence of service to the seminary, church, and world;

9.5.2.5 A statement of self-evaluation and a projection of upcoming

teaching, scholarship, and service; and

9.5.2.6 Any other material that the faculty member believes gives

evidence in support of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and

service.

9.5.2.7 An updated curriculum vitae;

9.5.3 Regular Faculty shall be encouraged to engage in regular collaboration in

course design, and in peer reviews of their teaching. The results of any

collaboration and peer review should be included in a faculty member’s

review materials.

9.5.4 In addition to the material submitted by the faculty member being

reviewed, the Committee may solicit relevant information from Trustees,

Administration, other Regular and Special Faculty, staff, students, and

outside constituencies. Such material should be made available in writing

to all members of the Committee.

August 6, 2019 15

9.5.5 The Committee shall treat as confidential all written materials assembled

during the review process.

9.5.6 The Committee shall meet with the faculty member being reviewed on the

date and time assigned at the beginning of the review process. The

meeting shall include the following elements:

9.5.6.1 The Committee’s perceptions of the faculty member’s teaching,

scholarship, and service based upon all available materials;

9.5.6.2 The faculty member’s response to those perceptions;

9.5.6.3 The faculty member’s perceptions of the seminary as a place to

work;

9.5.6.4 Collaborative setting of goals and priorities for the faculty

member’s upcoming work; and

9.5.6.5 Addressing any additional concerns or issues arising during the

review process.

9.5.7 The Committee shall prepare a written summary of the review meeting,

and may recommend remediation. It shall be reviewed, amended, and

signed by all members of the Committee prior to being retained in the

faculty member’s personnel file and given to the faculty member. This

statement shall be available no later than two months after the review

meeting.

9.5.8 The faculty member may submit a statement of response to the review

meeting and written summary no later than two months after receiving the

summary. Copies of the response shall be made available to the members

of the Committee, and a copy shall be retained in the faculty member’s

personnel file.

9.6 If the Faculty Review Committee has suggested remediation of any kind, the

Dean shall work with the faculty member to devise and execute a plan to address

the Committee’s concerns prior to the faculty member’s next performance review.

In doing so, both may seek the continued guidance of the Committee.

9.7 During a regularly scheduled review, the Faculty Review Committee may

recommend to the President that the faculty member be promoted from Assistant

Professor to Associate Professor. In such cases, the President should consult the

full Regular Faculty before making a decision whether to forward the

recommendation to the Board of Trustees for its action. See also Section 10.

9.8 All recommendations for promotion shall be approved or denied by the Board of

Trustees (“By-Laws of Cristian Theological Seminary” (2014), Article VI,

Section 3).

August 6, 2019 16

9.9 There shall be no necessary connection between the promotion and tenure of

Regular Faculty. A faculty member may be promoted without the granting of

tenure. And, a faculty member may be granted tenure without promotion (See

Sections 10 and 11 below).

9.10 Evaluation of MFT Faculty as Aligned with COAMFTE Standards - Faculty will

receive an overall satisfactory evaluation from the Faculty Review Committee

through a narrative document at least once every three years. (Non- tenured

faculty are reviewed annually.) Part-time Faculty and Affiliate Professors of

Marriage and Family Therapy will be evaluated on an annual basis according to

the guidelines for full-time MFT faculty. Equivalencies and exceptions will be

determined by the Dean of the Faculty in consultation with the MFT Program

Director.

9.10.1 Teaching Effectiveness—MFT faculty receive course evaluations

averaging “3” or above from students and satisfactory peer review

through the Faculty Review Committee. (Supporting documents

can be found in the faculty member’s file in the Dean’s Office.)

9.10.2 Scholarship and Publication—Faculty will demonstrate record of

publications, peer review presentations, and grants to the

satisfaction of the Faculty Review Committee. Faculty will publish

a book or have in hand a book contract at the time of propose

promotion for tenure.

9.10.3 Service to CTS—Faculty will participate in community life and serve on

committees as determined by the Dean of the Faculty.

9.10.4 Church and World—MFT faculty are required to maintain state licensure,

complete clinical CEUs necessary to maintain licensure, and attend a MFT

professional conference annually. MFT faculty who supervise MFT

students in practicum are required to be AAMFT Approved Supervisors.

(Supporting documents can be found in the faculty member’s file in the

Dean’s Office.)

10.0 Promotion of Tenure-Track and Tenured Regular Faculty

10.1 Promotion of Regular Faculty shall normally proceed in the following way:

10.1.1 From Assistant Professor to Associate Professor;

10.1.2 From Associate Professor to Full Professor.

August 6, 2019 17

10.2 Regular Faculty may be recommended for promotion after serving five full years

at the previous rank, excluding research leaves. However, promotion may be

considered earlier or delayed until later upon recommendation of the Dean,

because the principal consideration in all promotions is the faculty member’s

developing record for excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.

10.3 Promotion to Associate Professor. The Faculty Review Committee should initiate

the process leading to promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor;

however, a Full Professor, the Dean, or the President may also initiate the process.

In all cases, the decision on promotion should be made with the faculty member’s

regularly scheduled performance review.

10.4 Promotion to Full Professor. A Full Professor, the Faculty Review Committee,

the Dean, the President, or the associate professor him/herself may initiate the

process leading the promotion of Regular Faculty from Associate Professor to

Full Professor. The Faculty Review Committee then shall adhere to the following

process:

10.4.1 The compiled data shall include at least the following:

10.4.1.1 An updated curriculum vitae;

10.4.1.2 Evidence of the faculty member’s excellence in

teaching, scholarship and service dating back to his or her first

appointment to Associate Professor; and may include up to

three external peer reviews, evaluations, and recommendations.

10.4.2 The Committee shall vote for or against the recommendation; at least a

two-thirds majority vote to approve or disapprove promotion shall

constitute the Committee’s decision. The Committee shall then forward its

decision to the President.

10.4.3 The President shall have access to all materials made available to the

Committee in making its decision. Before making a decision about

whether to recommend promotion, he or she shall consult the full Regular

Faculty for conversation and guidance. Upon making a decision, the

President shall forward his or her recommendations to the Board of

Trustees for action.

10.4.4 All recommendations for promotion shall be approved or denied by the

Board of Trustees (“By-Laws of Christian Theological Seminary” (2014),

Article VI, Section 3).

10.5 Appointment to Endowed Chair. The Faculty Review Committee, the Dean, or the

President may recommend the appointment of a regular faculty professor to an

appropriate endowed chair.

August 6, 2019 18

11.0 Tenure of Regular Faculty

11.1 “Tenure” shall refer to an arrangement in which members of the Regular Faculty

remain employed until retirement, resignation, dismissal for just cause, or

renegotiation of contract intiated by the tenured faculty person.

11.2 Tenure may be considered to benefit the seminary in the following ways:

11.2.1 Helping preserve the academic freedom of members, a central feature of

academic democracy (See Section 4.1 above);

11.2.2 Permitting faculty to exercise leadership in the institution with honesty

and personal integrity by reducing fears of retribution for exercising their

academic freedom;

11.2.3 Providing continuity in the seminary’s academic and curricular programs

by promoting stability in the faculty;

11.2.4 Allowing tenured faculty to participate with honesty and personal integrity

in the evaluation of other members of the Regular and Special Faculty;

11.2.5 Attracting higher quality faculty to the seminary when compared to

institutions that do not offer tenure.

11.3 However, tenure should not be used to provide job security to those who fail to

demonstrate excellence in teaching, scholarship, or service; or to shield faculty

from discipline or dismissal as outlined in section 14.

11.4 Members of the Regular Faculty may be recommended for tenure after serving

five full years at the rank of Assistant Professor, excluding research leaves.

However, tenure may be considered earlier or delayed until later, because the

principal consideration in all promotions is the faculty member’s developing

record for excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.

11.5 The Faculty Review Committee should initiate the process leading to the tenure of

an Assistant Professor; however, a Full Professor, the Dean, or the President may

also initiate the process. In any case, the process should coincide with the faculty

member’s regularly scheduled performance review.

11.6 In recommending a member of the Regular faculty for tenure, the Faculty Review

Committee then shall adhere to the following process:

11.6.1 The Committee shall first receive, in writing, a statement from the

President concerning the viability of the faculty position in light of the

principles stated in Section 1.

August 6, 2019 19

11.6.2 The Committee shall receive from the faculty member under review for

tenure all of the expected materials for his or her regularly scheduled

performance review. In addition, the Committee shall solicit all of the

following:

11.6.2.1 At least three evaluations and recommendations from peers

outside the seminary, addressing especially the faculty

member’s scholarship;

11.6.2.2 Evaluations and recommendations from at least two former

students and two current students, suggested by the faculty

member under tenure review; and

11.6.2.3 Voluntary written and signed evaluations and recommendations

from any member of the seminary community.

11.6.3 The Committee shall then appoint an ad hoc Tenure Review Committee

composed of (1) the Dean, (2) a tenured member currently serving on the

Faculty Review Committee, (3) a Trustee representative appointed by the

chairperson of the Board of Trustees, and (4) one additional tenured

member of the faculty, appointed by the Dean from a list of two provided

by the faculty member undergoing tenure review. The President shall

serve as an ex officio member of the Tenure Review Committee.

11.6.4 This Tenure Review Committee shall carefully review all of these

materials and prepare a written recommendation for or against granting

tenure to be presented first to the Committee on Faculty and the President.

11.6.5 The Committee on Faculty shall then present the recommendation of the

Tenure Review Committee to all tenured members of the Regular Faculty.

All tenured members of the Regular Faculty shall have access, upon

request, to all of the materials considered by the Tenure Review

Committee in making its recommendation.

11.6.6 At a specially called meeting, all tenured members of the Regular Faculty

shall discuss the recommendation of the Tenure Review Committee and

vote to approve or disapprove it. Voting shall be done by secret ballot,

and a three-fourths affirmative vote shall be required to approve the

recommendation. Tenured faculty members who are unable to attend the

meeting shall be entitled to vote in absentia prior to the meeting.

11.6.7 In the event that the tenured members of the Regular Faculty vote to

disapprove the Committee’s recommendation for tenure, he or she may

appeal the decision to the President. His or her decision to approve or

disapprove the recommendation is final.

August 6, 2019 20

11.6.8 After approval by the tenured members of the Regular Faculty, the

President shall submit the recommendation for tenure to the Trustees who

shall approve or disapprove it. The decision of the Trustees concerning

tenure recommendations is final.

12.0 Research Leaves for Tenure-Track and Tenured Regular Faculty

12.1 Tenure-Track and Tenured Regular Faculty shall be eligible for periodic research

leaves in order to contribute to (1) the faculty member’s intellectual, professional,

and spiritual growth; and (2) the ongoing educational mission of the seminary.

12.2 During an approved research leave, the faculty member shall be entitled to full

salary and benefits. Faculty may secure grant funding to cover his or her research

leave if possible; but a lack of grant funding shall not be construed as a reason to

deny a faculty member the benefit of a research leave to which he or she is

otherwise entitled.

12.3 Periodic research leaves shall be granted for either six months (including one full

semester) or twelve months (including one full academic year). Eligibility for

research leave shall be determined as follows:

12.3.1 Tenure-Track Regular Faculty shall be eligible for a six-month research

leave after three years (i.e., six semesters) of service; or for a twelve-

month research leave after five years (i.e. ten semesters) of service.

Tenure Track Faculty who are granted a twelve-month research leave shall

be expected to delay making an application for tenure until he or she

returns (i.e. in his or her seventh year or later).

12.3.2 Tenured Regular Faculty shall be eligible for a six-month research leave

after three years (i.e., six semesters) of service; or for a twelve-month

research leave after six (i.e. twelve semesters) of service.

12.3.3 If a faculty member’s employment at the seminary terminates before he or

she uses accumulated leave eligibility, no leave shall be granted.

12.3.4 The Dean may ask a faculty member to delay taking a research leave, or

he or she may elect to do so voluntarily. In both bases, the delay should

normally not exceed one year (i.e. two semesters), and he or she shall be

entitled to carry over that year of service toward future eligibility for

research leave. Any such arrangement shall be documented in writing,

signed by the Dean and the faculty member, and a copy retained by both.

12.4 The Dean shall have responsibility for maintaining accurate account of the

eligibility of Regular Faculty for research leave.

August 6, 2019 21

12.5 Regular Faculty shall apply for research leave in the following way:

12.5.1 The faculty member shall notify the Dean of his or her intention to apply

for a research leave at least eighteen months before the proposed leave is

to begin.

12.5.2 The Dean shall determine whether the proposed leave can be

accommodated within the seminary’s overall academic program,

especially when more than one member of the faculty intends to be on

leave simultaneously. If necessary, the Dean shall negotiate dates for

research leave that are acceptable to all faculty members applying.

12.5.3 If two or more faculty members intend to be on research leave

simultaneously, the Dean should assign priority in the following way:

12.5.3.1 Faculty who have taught the longest since their last leave;

12.5.3.2 Faculty whose leave is to be supported by grant funding;

12.5.3.3 Faculty who request year-long research leave;

12.5.3.4 Faculty who request six-month research leave;

12.5.3.5 Faculty in order of rank.

12.5.4 The faculty member shall prepare a research leave proposal including all

of the following: (1) the basic aim and scope of the work to be

accomplished; (2) a description of how the work will strengthen the

faculty member’s teaching, scholarship, or service; and (3) a description of

how the work will be shared with others (e.g. published work, lectures, a

new course, musical performances, exhibits, etc.).

12.5.5 The faculty member shall state clearly in the proposal any plans that he or

she has to render service to another school, church, clinic, or other

professional institution while he or she is on research leave. Generally,

such service should promote the primary aims of the leave and leave the

faculty member with sufficient time and energy to pursue them.

12.5.6 The faculty member shall submit the proposal to the Committee on

Faculty at least twelve months before the leave is scheduled to begin. The

Committee shall work with the faculty member to amend the proposal and

then shall present it to the full Regular Faculty as soon as possible.

12.5.7 The Regular Faculty shall review the proposal and may recommend it for

approval by an affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority. If the Regular

Faculty disapprove the proposal, the faculty member shall be entitled to

revise and re-present the proposal within one month.

12.5.8 Once approved by the Regular Faculty, the proposal shall be forwarded

first to the Academic and Faculty Affairs Trustee committee and then to

August 6, 2019 22

all Trustees for consideration at their next scheduled meeting. The

Trustees shall have final authority to approve or disapprove the proposal.

12.6 Following a research leave the faculty member shall prepare a brief report of his

or her work while on leave for the Committee on Faculty. The Committee shall

forward this report to the Regular Faculty and the Trustees for their information.

12.7 Following a research leave the faculty member shall return to his or her position

and remain in service for one academic year following a six-month leave, or two

academic years following a twelve-month leave. The faculty member may request

a waiver of this requirement in case of hardship or in a situation where he or she

would otherwise be denied substantial professional advancement or other

opportunity (“Recommended Institutional Regulations,” American Association of

University Professors).

12.8 The Trustees, President, Dean, and Committee on Faculty may consider the

results of a faculty member’s research leave in deliberations about his or her

future leave proposals.

13.0 Retirement of Regular Faculty and Professors Emeritus/a

13.1 The recommended retirement age for Regular Faculty shall be seventy-five years

of age. Retirement shall be on June 30 for faculty whose birthdays fall between

January 1 and July 30, and on December 31 for faculty whose birthdays fall

between July 1 and December 31.

13.2 Regular Faculty may retire voluntarily before age seventy-five. Faculty shall give

notice of their plans to retire in writing to the Dean at least six months beforehand

so that the academic programs of the seminary do not suffer unduly.

13.3 Retirement benefits will be determined in accordance with the CTS Employee

Handbook and any other written agreements with the retiring Regular Faculty

member.

13.4 To encourage voluntary retirement, the Trustees and President may elect to

provide an offer of special assistance to enhance the viability of early retirement

for a member of the Regular Faculty. Such offers shall be formulated in ways

consistent with applicable state and federal law.

13.5 Upon retirement from service, Regular Faculty shall be eligible for appointment

as Emeritus/a Faculty. If such an appointment is made, his or her title shall

remain the same as at retirement with the addition of “Emeritus” (for male

faculty) or “Emerita” (for female faculty).

13.6 At the time a member of the Regular Faculty announces his or her intention to

retire, President shall determine whether to recommend to the Trustees his or her

August 6, 2019 23

appointment to emeritus/a status. The President should consult with the Regular

Faculty in making this decision. All recommendations for appointment to

emeritus/a status shall be approved or denied by the Board of Trustees (“By-Laws

of Christian Theological Seminary” (2014), Article VI, Section 3).

13.7 Emeritus/a Faculty shall be entitled to the following rights:

13.7.1 To teach on a contract basis for the seminary;

13.7.2 To attend meetings of the Regular Faculty and participate fully and freely

in all discussions;

13.7.3 To process with the Regular and Special Faculty on formal occasions;

13.7.4 To serve on committees, task forces, and work groups when invited by the

President or Dean;

13.7.5 To maintain an office on campus, subject to availability and assignment by

the Dean;

13.7.6 To have access to the seminary’s library, with full borrowing and use

privileges of active faculty;

13.7.7 To maintain an e-mail address on the seminary’s system;

13.7.8 To request the assistance of the staff who support the work of the Regular

and Special Faculty, insofar as the demands of active faculty allow it; and

13.7.9 To participate fully in the life of the seminary community.

14.0 Discipline and Dismissal of Regular Faculty

14.1 Adequate cause for discipline or dismissal of Regular Faculty shall be related

directly and substantially to their teaching, scholarship, or service. Discipline or

dismissal shall not be used to restrain Regular Faculty in the exercise of their

academic freedom neither with regards of scholarship nor with regards to a

dissenting voice concerning administrative issues. (“Recommended Institutional

Regulations,” American Association of University Professors).

14.2 Grounds for discipline or dismissal may include incompetence, moral delinquency

(including proven sexual and/or racial harassment), violation of the integrity of

the student-faculty relationship, violation of intellectual honesty, inability or

failure to properly perform one's duties, or violation of provisions included in the

letter of employment.

14.3 Any member of the seminary community may make an allegation of misconduct

against Regular Faculty by presenting it in writing to the Dean and then President.

In cases of alleged discrimination or harassment, the Dean shall follow procedures

defined in the seminary’s Policy Prohibiting Racial and Sexual Harassment and

consistent with Title VI and IX and any other procedures required by law. In all

other cases of alleged misconduct the President and Dean first shall attempt

mediation and settlement between all parties involved. If no mediation or

settlement can be reached, the President and Dean shall rely on information

gathered during the mediation and settlement efforts to determine whether the

August 6, 2019 24

allegations have merit. If the allegations have merit, the accused faculty member

is disciplined as further outlined in this section.

14.4 Tenure shall not be used to shield Regular Faculty from possible discipline or

dismissal for just cause, provided that he or she has been afforded due process

described in this section.

14.5 Discipline of the Regular Faculty shall be of two kinds: (1) administrative

discipline by the Dean and President for a single episode of misconduct; and (2)

collegial discipline by Regular Faculty for misconduct that is either egregious in

itself or made egregious by its repetition.

14.6 In administrative discipline for a single episode of misconduct, the Dean and

President shall rely on information gathered during mediation and settlement

efforts and agree before imposing either of the following:

14.6.1 Verbal warning, without documentation in the faculty member’s personnel

file; or

14.6.2 Written warning in the form of a letter of reprimand, to be included in the

faculty member’s personnel file.

The President should provide written notice of the administrative discipline of a

member of the faculty to all parties alleging misconduct.

14.7 In collegial discipline for misconduct that is not addressed through the seminary’s

Title VI and IX policy or in accordance with applicable law and is either

egregious in itself or made egregious by its repetition, the following steps shall be

taken:

14.7.1 The President, Dean, two tenured Regular Faculty, and seminary counsel

shall comprise a committee to investigate allegations of misconduct. The

President shall serve as chair of this committee;

14.7.2 The committee shall conduct its investigation according to accepted norms

of due process, including the examination of pertinent documents, separate

interviews with the persons alleging misconduct and the faculty member,

and any other relevant information. The committee shall maintain a

confidential written record of their investigation;

14.7.3 Within ninety days, the committee shall prepare a written Summary of

Findings and Recommendations and present it to both the accused faculty

member and the persons alleging misconduct. The President may

determine that circumstances require a longer period of time—not to

exceed an additional sixty days—for the committee to complete its

investigation.

August 6, 2019 25

14.7.4 The Summary shall indicate whether the committee finds credible

evidence to support the allegation, and whether the committee intends to

formalize charges of misconduct leading to discipline. It also shall indicate

what disciplinary measures the committee recommends, including the

possibility of:

14.7.4.1 Formal censure;

14.7.4.2 Temporary suspension from service;

14.7.4.3 Demotion or curtailment of promotion to higher faculty rank;

14.7.4.4 A temporary or permanent reduction in salary; or

14.7.4.5 Dismissal.

This Summary shall be delivered by registered mail to the residences of

both the accused faculty member and those alleging misconduct.

14.7.5 The accused faculty member shall be entitled to make a Response within

fourteen days of receiving it. The Response may be made in writing, in a

conference with the committee, or both. If the Response includes a

written reply from the accused faculty member, it shall become a part of

the permanent record of the committee’s work. If the Response includes a

conference with the committee, the accused faculty member and the

seminary shall be entitled to bring legal representation.

14.7.6 The accused faculty member, persons alleging misconduct, and the

committee should make every effort to reach a settlement prior to

formalizing charges, including agreement on disciplinary measures. If

such an agreement is reached within thirty days, it shall be documented in

a letter from the President; copies shall be retained by the seminary and

given to the faculty member. It shall be the responsibility of the President

to insure that the agreement is enforced.

14.7.7 If an agreement cannot be reached within thirty days, the committee shall

bring formal charges against the accused faculty member before the

Regular Faculty. The President and Dean shall call a special meeting of

the Regular Faculty to be held within fourteen days and shall make

available to them all written material from the committee’s investigation.

In the specially called meeting, the Regular Faculty shall hear from the

committee, the accused faculty member, and the persons alleging

misconduct. They shall deliberate upon the evidence presented in the

written record and the testimony of those involved, and shall vote to

approve or disapprove of the committee’s proposed disciplinary measures.

A three-quarters majority vote shall constitute the decision of the Regular

Faculty.

August 6, 2019 26

14.7.8 If members of the Regular Faculty vote to support the recommendation of

the committee, the accused faculty member and persons alleging

misconduct should accept this determination. However, either party may

appeal the decision to the Executive Committee of the Trustees. The

Committee may choose to hear the appeal or deny it; whatever decision it

reaches shall be final.

14.8 During the process of collegial discipline, the President may place the accused

faculty member on an involuntary leave of absence if he or she determines that

continued service will cause harm to the seminary community. During such an

involuntary leave, the accused faculty member shall be entitled to full salary and

benefits.

15.0 Recruitment, Appointment, and Review of Affiliate Faculty

15.1 Affiliate Professors shall possess a record of excellence in teaching in some field

of theological education, ordinarily by teaching in a graduate seminary or divinity

school. They shall provide direct instruction regularly according to terms laid out

in contracts of one to three years. They shall be subject to performance reviews in

a process designed by the Dean and the Committee on Faculty. Unless otherwise

stipulated in their contracts, they shall be exempt from faculty responsibilities that

are not related to direct instruction, such as faculty committee work, attending

faculty meetings, and student advising.

15.2 In recruiting and appointing Affiliate Faculty, the Trustees, President, and

Regular Faculty shall adhere to the general principles and minimum qualifications

articulated in Sections 1 and 2 above.

15.3 Employees of the seminary in non-teaching roles who meet the minimum

qualifications and may be assigned to provide direct instruction may be appointed

as Affiliate Faculty and reviewed according to the procedure outlined below.

15.4 The following procedure shall apply in the recruitment and appointment of

Affiliate Faculty:

15.4.1 Candidates qualified for appointment as Affiliate Faculty should be

recruited through (1) nomination by Trustees, the President, and Regular

Faculty or (2) advertisement of open positions in professional circles or

(3) nomination by the Dean.

15.4.2 Upon receiving nominations or expressions of interest, the Dean should

contact the nominee and gather relevant application information, including

at least (1) a current curriculum vitae; (2) evidence of teaching excellence;

and (3) at least three professional letters of recommendation attesting to

the applicant’s fitness to serve on the faculty.

August 6, 2019 27

15.4.3 The Committee on Faculty shall review the materials submitted by each

applicant and shall make recommendations to the President and full

Regular Faculty concerning appointment. A two-thirds affirmative vote of

the Committee on Faculty shall constitute a recommendation in favor of

appointment.

15.4.4 The curriculum vitae of each applicant recommended for appointment

shall be made available to all Regular Faculty, and all of the applicants’

additional materials shall be made available upon request. At a regularly

scheduled meeting, the Regular Faculty shall discuss and vote to approve

or disapprove all recommendations for appointment. A three-fourths

affirmative vote of the Regular Faculty shall constitute approval of the

appointment.

15.4.5 The Dean shall have the authority to negotiate contracts for Affiliate

Faculty, with the advice and input the President. Such contracts shall be

for one to three years, and may be renewed indefinitely. The Dean shall

present the terms and conditions of every appointment to the Affiliate

Faculty in a written and signed contract, one copy of which will be

maintained in the faculty member’s personnel file and one will be given to

the faculty member (“Recommended Institutional Regulations,” American

Association of University Professors).

15.5 The Dean may invite a member of the Regular Faculty to serve as a mentor to an

Affiliate Faculty member during his or her first term of appointment. The mentor

should remain in regular contact with the Affiliate Faculty member, provide

advice and guidance, and help integrate him or her into the institutional culture of

the seminary.

15.6 Affiliate Faculty persons shall be reviewed by a regular faculty member teaching

in the program in which the affiliate faculty member teaches in consultation with

the Dean.

15.7 If remediation for the affiliate faculty person is suggested, the Dean and a regular

faculty member shall work with the faculty member to devise and execute a plan

to address the concerns prior to the faculty member’s next performance review.

15.6 If the issues continue through to the next performance review, the dean may refer

the matter to the Committee on Faculty committee for consideration of

termination of the contract of the Affiliate Faculty person.

15.7 The Committee on Faculty may vote by two-third majority vote to terminate the

contract of Affiliate Faculty, and its judgment is final. In cases where the

Committee recommends renewal of the contract, the procedure outlined in 11.3.4

through 11.3.6 shall be followed.

August 6, 2019 28

15.8 The discipline and dismissal of Affiliate Faculty shall be conducted according to

the process laid out in Section 14.

15.9 Affiliate Faculty may terminate their contracts at the end of any semester. The

faculty member shall inform the Dean in writing at least three months prior to

termination. The faculty member may request a waiver of this requirement in

case of hardship or in a situation where he or she would otherwise be denied

substantial professional advancement or other opportunity (“Recommended

Institutional Regulations,” American Association of University Professors).

15.10 Affiliate Faculty should be given full and fair consideration to fill temporary

vacancies resulting from illness, leaves of absence, research leaves, resignation,

dismissal, or retirement of other members of the Regular Faculty.

15.11 Part-time Faculty and Affiliate Professors of Marriage and Family Therapy will

be evaluated on an annual basis according to the guidelines for full-time MFT

faculty. Equivalencies and exceptions will be determined by the Dean of the

Faculty in consultation with the MFT Program Director.

16.0 Special Faculty (Non-tenure-track Faculty)

16.1 All members of the Special Faculty should meet the minimum requirements listed

in Section 2. In the absence of an earned doctorate or other terminal degree,

Special Faculty shall hold other qualifying credentials such as ordination, proven

abilities in the practice of ministry, or clinical licensure. Special Faculty are non-

tenure track positions. Members of the Special Faculty may apply for tenure-track

faculty positions in accordance with Section 7 above.

16.2 Visiting Professors and Instructors may be appointed by the President with

consultation with the Dean and the Faculty on a non-renewable contract of up to

three years. Appointees who possess terminal degrees in their fields shall carry

the title Visiting Professor. Appointees who do not possess a terminal degree in

their fields shall carry the title Visiting Instructor. They should be expected to

teach, lecture, and conduct research according to the terms of their contracts.

They should be exempt from other faculty responsibilities but may participate in

faculty meetings and contribute to deliberations without privilege of vote, unless

the privilege of vote has been extended in the contract. They shall be subject to

performance review.

16.3 Research Professors may be appointed to non-tenure-track positions directly by

the President upon consultation with Regular Faculty. They shall be eligible for

appointment at any rank consistent with their education and experience, except

endowed chairs. They shall devote the majority of their time to research and

administration for the seminary, and should have limited instructional

responsibilities. They should be exempt from other faculty responsibilities but

may participate in faculty meetings and contribute to deliberations without

August 6, 2019 29

privilege of vote. Because their principal work is administrative, the Dean shall

conduct their regular performance reviews.

16.4 Affiliate Professors shall possess a record of excellence in teaching in some field

of theological education, ordinarily by teaching in a graduate seminary or divinity

school. They shall provide direct instruction regularly according to terms laid out

in contracts of one to three years. They shall be subject to performance reviews in

a process designed by the Dean and the Committee on Faculty. Unless otherwise

stipulated in their contracts, they shall be exempt from faculty responsibilities that

are not related to direct instruction, such as faculty committee work, attending

faculty meetings, and student advising.

16.5 Lecturers may be appointed directly by the Dean to teach occasionally as

curricular needs demand, ordinarily no more than one course per semester. The

Dean shall be responsible for reviewing their performance and re-appointment or

termination. They shall be exempt from all other responsibilities of the Regular

Faculty. A lecturer can be re-appointed up to 3 times before he/she will be subject

to review by a process designed by the dean in consultation with the Faculty

Review Committee.

16.6 Clinical Associates shall be nominated by the directors of the counseling

programs and appointed directly by the Dean on contracts up to three years. They

shall possess credentials appropriate to their responsibilities, including clinical

licensure. The directors of the counseling programs and Dean shall be

responsible for their performance reviews and re-appointment or termination.

They shall be exempt from all other responsibilities of the Regular Faculty.

16.7 Administrative Staff with Faculty responsibilities (less than 0.5 FTE in direct

instructional activity) may be appointed part-time directly by the President upon

consultation with Regular Faculty. They shall devote the majority of their time to

their administrative position for the seminary, and shall have limited instructional

responsibilities. They should be exempt from other faculty responsibilities but

may participate in faculty meetings and contribute to deliberations without

privilege of vote. Because their principal work is administrative, the President

shall conduct their regular performance reviews and report the results to the

Regular Faculty.

16.8 Non-tenure-track Faculty with 0.5 to 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) in direct

instructional activity: recruitment and appointment shall follow the same

principles and procedures as outlined in Section 7. These non-tenure-track faculty

may carry administrative responsibilities as outlined in their contract. They shall

be reviewed after the first year and thereafter every three years by the Faculty

Review Committee until retirement or termination. Performance reviews of these

non-tenure-track faculty have the purpose to assist them in their professional

development by identifying the strengths and vulnerabilities of their teaching,

scholarship, and service. In conducting performance reviews of non-tenure-track

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faculty with more than 0.5 FTE direct instructional activity, the Faculty Review

Committee shall adhere to the following procedure outlined also for Regular

Faculty in Section 9.5-9.6.

16.9 The discipline and dismissal of Special Faculty shall be conducted according to

the process laid out in Section 14.

17.0 Faculty Compensation

17.1 The Compensation Committee of the Board of Trustees shall review annually

comparative compensation data with respect to faculty salaries and benefits,

ensure that the Seminary establishes compensation in a manner that is reasonable,

but not excessive, and confirm that compensation and benefits are handled in a

manner that complies with all statutes, regulations, and other authority applicable

to public charities exempt from taxation under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal

Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Academic and Faculty Affairs

Committee of the Board of Trustees may review, study, and make

recommendations to the Seminary’s Compensation Committee with respect to

faculty salaries in general. These Committees are charged to collect and review

comparative compensation data—provided annually by the Association of

Theological Schools—to ensure that the seminary provides reasonable

compensation for its faculty, consistent with applicable laws governing 501(c)(3),

tax-exempt organizations.Individual performance reviews and salary changes are

the responsibility of the President of the Seminary.

17.2 Supplemental compensation for Regular and Special Faculty in excess of their

base salary shall take the form of payment for (1) work clearly beyond the faculty

member’s regular assignment (e.g. overload teaching, major administrative

assignments, or other significant task related to academic programming), (2)

reduction in other responsibilities (e.g. course or committee release) or (3) work

of such exceptional quality that it demands special recognition. The President and

Dean shall have authority to make decisions about supplemental compensation,

contingent upon available funds.

17.3 The Regular Faculty, Dean, President, and Trustees shall remain in regular

conversation about expectations of faculty performance and matters of

compensation.

18.0 Academic Dress and Procession

18.1 The faculty shall appear in academic procession at convocations, installations,

commencement, and on other special occasions. All Regular Faculty shall

participate. Affiliate Faculty and Special Faculty should be invited, but not

required to participate.

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18.2 Faculty members shall be placed in academic procession behind the faculty

marshals according to:

18.2.1 Rank: President, Dean, Professors Emeriti/ae, Full Professors, Associate

Professors, Assistant Professors, Affiliate Professors, and Special Faculty.

18.2.2 Length of Service: Within each of the ranks above, faculty shall be

ordered by length of service to the seminary. This is to be defined in

terms of official appointment to the faculty.

18.3 All faculty participating in the procession shall wear appropriate academic dress,

include robe, hood, and academic headwear. If the event is to be held in Sweeney

Chapel, headwear shall not be required.

18.4 When additional persons are to process with the faculty (e.g., Trustees,

community and church leaders, representatives of other institutions, etc.), their

placement in the procession should be determined by the Faculty Marshal(s) in

consultation with the President.