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Policy on Conversion from Lecturer Ranks to a Non-Tenure Eligible Clinical Track Position

  1. Purpose
    The purpose of this policy is to establish a uniform procedure, including criteria, for the colleges and departments/schools to follow when addressing the issue of the conversion of current faculty from lecturer ranks to clinical track and appointment to the rank of clinical assistant, clinical associate, or clinical professor. The intent of the policy is to provide guidance for these actions that is consistent with the policy on Academic Rank and Criteria for Ranks. Conversion to a clinical position cannot be used to support recommendation for promotion or salary adjustment.

  2. Criteria
    If a faculty member who is appointed in a lecturer position meets the criteria listed below, he/she may be considered for conversion to the rank of clinical assistant, clinical associate, or clinical professor.

    1. Must have been appointed as a full-time faculty member for at least one academic year.

    2. Must have a terminal degree in the field or its clear equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education that supports the individual's role as a teaching and clinical faculty member.

    3. Must provide evidence of demonstrated success in current teaching and clinical practice and positive evaluation of future potential necessary to meet the criteria for promotion at Old Dominion University, as evaluated by the department and college.

  3. Application, Review, Recommendation, and Approval Procedures
    Faculty who are appointed in a lecturer position who meet the criteria for conversion to a clinical assistant, clinical associate, or clinical professor position should discuss the matter with their department/school chair and dean.
         Prior to moving an application for conversion forward, the dean will confirm that the candidate meets all the qualifications for the requested position and provide the following information in his/her recommendation: (i) demonstrated need for a clinical faculty in the department/school, (ii) justification for conversion, (iii) a statement that the applicant has been informed that if his/her application is successful he/she must remain in rank for at least four years before being considered for another promotion, and (iv) an acknowledgment that approval of the conversion request does not mean that the department/school or college will receive an additional lecturer position as a replacement for the converted position.
         The guidance and procedure outlined below should be followed in the preparation and submission of the application for conversion.
    1. The application for conversion to a clinical faculty position must include the following materials: a current vita, a personal statement, a teaching portfolio that includes courses taught and student course evaluation data, and documented expertise in clinical instruction or professional practice as recognized by peers.

    2. Faculty whose terminal degree is not awarded in their teaching discipline or on the SACS approved list for the discipline must present documentation, as part of their application, that demonstrates that the degree and program of study is the clear equivalent of a terminal degree in the field/discipline.

    3. Faculty undergoing review for conversion do not need to submit annual evaluation materials during that academic year.

    4. The review and approval process for the application to convert a faculty position from a lecturer position to a non-tenure eligible clinical position shall be as follows. Approval is required at each level for the review process to continue.
      1. The department/school promotion and tenure committee reviews the application for conversion to clinical rank and submits its recommendation to the department/school chair.

      2. The department/school chair reviews the complete set of application materials and the department/school promotion and tenure committee recommendation and submits a recommendation along with the application materials to the college promotion and tenure committee.

      3. The college promotion and tenure committee reviews the application materials and prior recommendations and submits the application and its recommendation to the college dean. The representative from the conversion candidate's department/school will participate in deliberations in the candidate's case but will not cast a vote.

      4. The college dean reviews the application materials and all prior recommendations and submits them with a recommendation to the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

      5. The provost and vice president for academic affairs reviews the application materials and all previous recommendations and makes a final decision on the conversion to non-tenure eligible clinical faculty status, informing the candidate, department/school chair, college dean, and the president.

      6. If approved, the conversion shall be effective with the beginning of the next academic year.

      7. Faculty members whose conversion was denied will remain in their current position.

 -Approved by the president
July 9, 2018
Revised March 4, 2019
Revised May 26, 2020
Revised January 12, 2022


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