The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC-H) designates titles for its faculty positions that conform with those provided by the UT System Board of Regents.a The titles are identified and described as follows:
Except for the title of Regental Professor, these are the only titles in which faculty members may hold tenure. See also Appendix C - Guidelines for Promotion and Appendix C - Guidelines for Tenure.
Denotes a probationary appointment as a faculty member, during which the scholarly competence, teaching performance, and professional promise of the individual will be evaluated. Also qualified as "tenure track." Appointment to Instructor may not exceed one academic year.
Describes teachers whose experience and qualifications are comparable to those of faculty members in non-tenured, tenure-track positions. Appointment to Lecturer may not exceed three academic years.
Applies to special teachers who will augment and complement regular teaching faculty, and whose experience and qualifications are comparable to those of faculty members in tenured positions. Appointment to Senior Lecturer may not exceed three academic years.
May be used interchangeably for (1) certain students who are unconditionally enrolled in graduate study, who teach on a full- or part-time basis, and who are in the last phase of their doctoral program; or (2) individuals whose duties are not academic in nature, and who do not possess the academic training or professional distinction usually required for tenured positions.
Usually applied to graduate students employed as teachers on a part-time basis.
Describes an individual assigned to a research or non-teaching center, institute, or other interdisciplinary program of the UTHSC-H.
Describes professional practitioners in specific areas of instruction, training, or supervision. Upon approval of the president and the executive vice chancellor for health affairs, a prefix may be added to indicate the area of specialty.
Describe both full- and part-time appointments for the primary purpose of research with only incidental teaching duties. Such appointments are for a stated period of time not to exceed one academic year, and shall terminate upon expiration without notification. However, on the written request of the dean, full-time appointment may be made for a term of two or three years for the purpose of recruitment or retention of valued faculty. Reappointments may be offered to individuals holding these titles:
For persons appointed to these titles, all appointment letters, personnel action, budgets and any other official documents shall state in parenthesis, following the name and title of the individual, "(Non-Tenured Research Appointment)."
Describes both full- and part-time appointments for the primary purpose of patient care and other service activity that may also include directly related teaching and/or research duties. The word order of the complete title is important in distinguishing between full- and part-time appointments. Appointments to the faculty with a clinical title shall be for a period of time not to exceed one academic year, and shall terminate upon expiration without notification. However, on the written request of the dean, full-time appointment may be made for a term of two or three years for the purpose of recruitment or retention of valued faculty. Reappointments may be offered to individuals holding these titles.
Part-time appointments are made on the recommendation of the department chair with the approval of the appropriate dean, the president, the executive vice chancellor for health affairs, and the Board of Regents. Without salary part-time appointments only require the approval of the appropriate dean and the president.
Full-time Appointments:
Professor of (title of specialty) Associate Professor of (title of specialty) Assistant Professor of (title of specialty) Instructor in (title of specialty)
For persons appointed to these titles, all appointment letters, personnel action, budgets and any other official documents shall state in parentheses, following the name and title of the individual, "(Non-Tenured Clinical Appointment)."
Part-time Appointments:
Clinical Professor Clinical Associate Professor Clinical Assistant Professor Clinical Instructor
Appointments to positions with titles of Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Assistant Instructor or Teaching Associate, Teaching Assistant, Faculty Associate, or Specialist are for a period of one year and shall terminate at the expiration of the stated period of appointment without notification. If the university determines that it is to the benefit of the institution, it may offer reappointments to these titles.
The rank of Adjunct Research Professor, Adjunct Research Associate Professor, Adjunct Research Assistant Professor, and Adjunct Research Instructor may be conferred upon part-time faculty whose functions do not include patient care. Such appointments are for a stated period of time not to exceed one academic year and shall terminate upon expiration without notification. Reappointments may be offered to individuals holding these titles.
The rank of Adjunct Clinical Professor, Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor, and Adjunct Clinical Instructor may be conferred upon part-time faculty whose functions do not include research. Such appointments are for a stated period of time not to exceed one academic year and shall terminate upon expiration without notification. Reappointments may be offered to individuals holding these titles.
Part-time appointments are made on the recommendation of the department chair with the approval of the appropriate dean, the president, the executive vice chancellor for health affairs, and the Board of Regents, and may be with or without salary.
Visiting Professor, Visiting Associate Professor, and Visiting Assistant Professor titles are used only for individuals whose primary responsibilities are with another institution of higher education, or whose responsibilities with the UTHSC-H will be explicitly temporary. A visiting faculty member will be appointed to a rank that is consistent with the rank held in the home institution. Such appointments are limited to two years and are without tenure. Visitors are assigned office space and access to support services at the discretion of the department chair.
Describes faculty positions funded by endowments set up by the university with money received from a restricted gift or other UT System-designated honorific titles such as Ashbel Smith Professor. Endowed Chairs or Professorships are established or announced only with prior approval from The University of Texas Board of Regents. Subsequent new or continuing appointments to the endowed or honorific chair or professorship are also approved by the Board of Regents.b Other requirements regarding appointment to and administration of endowed chairs and professorships are included in 10.12 Endowment of Academic Positions, Scholarships, and Loan Funds and Appendix C-Guidelines and Procedures.
Any faculty member who is awarded the Nobel Prize or who has in the past been awarded the Nobel Prize may be awarded the title of Regental Professor by the Board of Regents on recommendation of the president and the executive vice chancellor for health affairs. Because of the great honor associated with the award of a Nobel Prize, institutional tenure is awarded to Regental Professors by virtue of appointment to this rank.
Emeritus/Emerita titles imply distinguished and honorable service at the UTHSC-H. The awarding of an Emeritus/Emerita title is without salary and is made by the Board of Regents on recommendation of the president. Candidates for Emeritus/Emerita titles may be recommended by the Faculty Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee (FAPTC) and either the dean or department chair.
The titles "Dean Emeritus/Emerita," "Chair Emeritus/Emerita," "Professor Emeritus/Emerita," and "Associate Professor Emeritus/Emerita" confer lifetime academic appointments and may be conferred on faculty members who held the rank of Professor or Associate Professor during their period of active service at the UTHSC-H. Recommendations for conferring these titles will be based on individual distinction and quality of contribution and service to the university. One of these titles may be given to a retired faculty member or in anticipation of the retirement of a faculty member, effective on retirement. Holders of Emeritus/Emerita titles will be granted the following privileges:
Emeritus/Emerita faculty are expected to remain willing to assist and advise the UTHSC-H as requested, especially in their area of competence. Emeritus/Emerita title status does not obligate the university to provide office or laboratory space; however, space may be assigned if it is available.
Faculty members who have retired from service from the UTHSC-H who hold the title Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, or Instructor at the time of retirement will be granted the following privileges:
a Board of Regents, UT System, Rules and Regulations, Series 31001, Faculty Appointments and Titles. bId.
Updated 11/02; 08/07