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Evaluation of Lecturers, Senior Lecturers, and Master Lecturers and Promotion of Lecturers and Senior Lecturers

The academic ranks of lecturer, senior lecturer, and master lecturer do not carry tenure, and time at Old Dominion University in these ranks is not counted as part of the probationary period for tenure. These ranks are intended to meet the University's need to fill special instructional roles that differ from the traditional university faculty role, preparation, and expectation. All appointments and reappointments are contingent upon available funding.

           Consistent with the Faculty Teaching Load policy, department chairs must provide lecturers, senior lecturers and master lecturers a copy of their workload apportionment each semester that is reviewed and approved by the college dean and forwarded to the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

           All evaluations of lecturers, senior lecturers and master lecturers should be on the basis of their assigned duties.

  1. Lecturer - This is a full-time rank that requires an appropriate master's degree and evidence of teaching ability. Demonstrated expertise in a specific field may also be required. Persons appointed to this rank are expected to assume an instructional role, to include teaching and/or advising, as appropriate, at undergraduate or graduate levels, and participate in other professional service activities normally assigned to or expected of full-time faculty.
    1. Evaluation
      1. Lecturers will undergo an annual in-depth review by their department committee, as defined in the policy on “Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappointment of Faculty,” section III.B.1.a., and department chair and a recommendation will be made to the dean concerning the lecturer's reappointment on an annual basis, according to the policy on “Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappoinment of Faculty.”

      2. If the evaluation is positive and the dean's recommendation on retention is affirmative, the individual will be reappointed according to the policy on “Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappointment of Faculty.”

      3. If the decision by the dean is not to retain the lecturer, he or she will be notified of termination according to the appropriate schedule contained in the policy on "Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappointment of Faculty" and may request a review of the nonreappointment decision by the provost and vice president for academic affairs as provided by the same policy.

      4. Lecturers considered for promotion to senior lecturer in a given year will not undergo a separate annual evaluation in the same year.

    2. Promotion from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer
      Promotion to the rank of senior lecturer from the rank of lecturer shall be initiated by request from the lecturer and conferred upon the recommendation of the department promotion and tenure committee, chair, and college promotion and tenure committee to the dean of the college. A faculty member may apply for early consideration for senior lecturer if the faculty member believes that he or she has met or exceeded the expectations of quantity and quality of achievements for teaching and service needed to qualify for promotion before the end of the normal probationary time period. The criteria for the award of senior lecturer for each faculty will be the same as for those who apply after the normal probationary time period, i.e., the total body of work must be equivalent to that expected after a normal probationary period. Only demonstrably exceptional faculty or faculty with equivalent experience at a commensurate rank at another accredited institution of higher education or national institutions will be awarded early promotion under this clause. Demonstrably exceptional is defined as meeting or exceeding expectations for quantity and quality of achievements for teaching and service needed to qualify for promotion to senior lecturer prior to the conclusion of the normal probationary time period.
      1. The candidate prepares and submits to the department chair his/her professional accomplishments to include at a minimum a curriculum vitae prepared in accordance with the Guidelines from the Provost's Office, a list of teaching assignments with teaching portfolio evaluations, student opinions both quantitative and qualitative, all annual evaluations by the department chair and dean, and other relevant materials. The chair forwards the credentials to the department promotion and tenure committee.

      2. The department promotion and tenure committee and master lecturers review the credentials, votes, and makes a recommendation. The vote should be recorded. The recommendation and votes are submitted to the department chair with a copy to the lecturer seeking promotion.

      3. The department chair makes an independent evaluation and recommendation with copies to the lecturer seeking promotion and forwards all credentials and recommendations to the college promotion and tenure committee.

      4. The college promotion and tenure committee reviews the documents, votes, and makes a recommendation. The materials, votes and other documents are forwarded to the dean.
        1. If the dean decides against the promotion, the candidate may request a review by the provost and vice president for academic affairs. The decision of the provost and vice president for academic affairs is final.

        2. If the dean finds in favor of promotion, the promotion becomes effective at the start of the subsequent academic year.

  2. Senior Lecturer - This is a full-time rank that requires an appropriate master's degree, demonstrated expertise in the field, a sustained record of effective performance in teaching and professional service, evidence of continued development and study in the field, and a minimum of five years' experience at the rank of lecturer or equivalent. Persons appointed to this rank are expected to assume an instructional role, to include teaching and/or advising, as appropriate, at undergraduate or graduate levels, and participate in other professional service activities normally assigned to or expected of full-time faculty.
    1. Evaluation
      1. Senior lecturers will be evaluated by their department chair every year according to the policy on "Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappointment of Faculty." In lieu of this annual review, and if not applying for promotion, every six years senior lecturers will instead undergo an in-depth evaluation that is initially conducted by a committee consisting of tenured members of the department, and then by the chair, following the steps outlined in section A.l. In either case, the evaluation and a recommendation on retention is forwarded to the dean.

      2. If the evaluation is positive and the dean's recommendation on retention is affirmative, the individual will be reappointed according to the policy on “Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappointment of Faculty.”

      3. If the decision by the dean is not to retain the senior lecturer, he or she will be notified of termination according to the appropriate schedule contained in the policy on "Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappointment of Faculty" and may request a review of the nonreappointment decision by the provost and vice president for academic affairs as provided by the same policy.

      4. Senior lecturers considered for promotion to master lecturer in a given year or going through an in-depth sixth-year review (section B.1.a) will not undergo a separate annual evaluation in that same year.

    2. Promotion from Senior Lecturer to Master Lecturer
      Promotion to the rank of master lecturer from the rank of senior lecturer shall be initiated by the senior lecturer and conferred upon the recommendation of the department promotion and tenure committee, chair, and college promotion and tenure committee to the dean of the college. A faculty member may apply for early consideration for master lecturer if the faculty member believes that he or she has met or exceeded the expectations of quantity and quality of achievements for teaching and service needed to qualify for promotion before the end of the normal probationary time period. The criteria for the award of master lecturer for each faculty will be the same as for those who apply after the normal probationary time period, i.e., the total body of work must be equivalent to that expected after a normal probationary period. Only demonstrably exceptional faculty or faculty with equivalent experience at a commensurate rank at another accredited institution of higher education or national institutions will be awarded early promotion under this clause. Demonstrably exceptional is defined as meeting or exceeding expectations for quantity and quality of achievements for teaching and service needed to qualify for promotion to master lecturer prior to the conclusion of the normal probationary time period.
      1. The candidate prepares and submits to the department chair his/her professional accomplishments to include at a minimum a curriculum vitae prepared in accordance with the Guidelines from the Provost's Office, a list of teaching assignments with teaching portfolio evaluations, student opinions both quantitative and qualitative, all annual evaluations by the department chair and dean, and other relevant materials. The chair forwards the credentials to the department promotion and tenure committee.

      2. The department promotion and tenure committee and master lecturers review the credentials, vote, and make a recommendation. The vote should be recorded. The recommendation and votes are submitted to the department chair with a copy to the senior lecturer seeking promotion.

      3. The department chair makes an independent evaluation and recommendation with copies to the senior lecturer seeking promotion and forwards all credentials and recommendations to the college promotion and tenure committee.

      4. The college promotion and tenure committee reviews the documents, votes, and makes a recommendation. The materials, votes and other documents are forwarded to the dean.
        1. If the dean decides against the promotion, the candidate may request a review by the provost and vice president for academic affairs. The decision of the provost and vice president for academic affairs is final.

        2. If the dean finds in favor of promotion, the promotion becomes effective at the start of the subsequent academic year.

  3. Master Lecturer – This is a full-time rank that requires an appropriate master's degree, demonstrated expertise in the field, a sustained record of superior performance in teaching and professional service, evidence of recognition within teaching or professional service, evidence of continued development and study in the field, and a minimum of five years' experience at the rank of senior lecturer or equivalent. Persons appointed to this rank are expected to assume an instructional or leadership role, to include teaching and/or advising, as appropriate, at undergraduate or graduate levels, and participate in other professional service activities normally assigned to or expected of full-time faculty.
    1. Evaluation
      1. Master lecturers will be evaluated by their department chair every year according to the policy on "Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappointment of Faculty." In lieu of this annual review, every six years master lecturers will instead undergo an in-depth evaluation that is initially conducted by a committee consisting of tenured members of the department, and then by the chair, following the steps outlined in section A.1. In either case, the evaluation and a recommendation on retention is forwarded to the dean.

      2. If the evaluation is positive and the dean's recommendation on retention is affirmative, the individual will be reappointed according to the policy on “Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappointment of Faculty.”

      3. If the decision by the dean is not to retain the master lecturer, he or she will be notified of termination according to the appropriate schedule contained in the policy on "Reappointment/Annual Review or Nonreappointment of Faculty" and may request a review of the nonreappointment decision by the provost and vice president for academic affairs as provided by the same policy.

 - Approved by the Board of Visitors
September 26, 2013; Revised June 9, 2016 (eff. 7/1/16); Revised June 14, 2018 (eff. 7/1/18); Revised June 13, 2019 (eff. 7/1/19)
Transitioned to University-Level Policy
December 10, 2021
Revised and Approved by the President
January 12, 2022
Revised December 14, 2022

          


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