Faculty Titles Policies
1. COLA Professional-Track Faculty Titles Policy
Purpose: To establish guidelines for the use and classification of professional-track faculty titles within the College of Liberal Arts, ensuring consistency with Regent’s Rule 31001 and alignment with university standards while supporting transparency and consistency in faculty appointments.
Updated: July 2021
Effective: Current
Click the link to download a PDF of the 2021 COLA Professional-Track Faculty Titles Policy
Background
In fall 2018, UT Austin began using new titles for Professional Track (Non-Tenure Track) Faculty in accordance with Regent’s Rule 31001, Faculty Appointments and Titles. Specifically, this made available the following titles:
Assistant Professor of Instruction
Assistant Professor of Practice
Associate Professor of Instruction
Associate Professor of Practice
Professor of Instruction
Professor of Practice
Under the new Regent’s Rule, professional track faculty may be reclassified from one title series to another in accordance with established college and department criteria. These
reclassifications may only be within the faculty member’s current rank level. Any
advancement in rank may only be the result of a review for promotion during the normal
university promotion schedule.
Rank Level | Lecturer Series | Clinical Series | Instruction Series | Practice Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Entry | Lecturer | Clinical Assistant Professor | Assistant Professor of Instruction | Assistant Professor of Practice |
Mid | Senior Lecturer | Clinical Associate Professor | Associate Professor of Instruction | Associate Professor of Practice |
Highest | Distinguished Senior Lecturer | Clinical Professor | Professor of Instruction | Professor of Practice |
At the time, the College of Liberal Arts determined that the Instruction Series, in particular, might be of interest to professional track faculty currently in the Lecturer Series. The college piloted the use of the Instruction Series titles with a small number of departments, to general satisfaction of both chairs and professional track faculty. Based on the success of that pilot program, the College of Liberal Arts is now making the Instruction Series titles available to other professional track faculty.
Reclassification Policy
Professional track (non-tenure track) faculty who are employed in the College of Liberal Arts may choose to have their job title reclassified. Title reclassification will occur when a faculty member is making a lateral move into a similar position: for example, a Lecturer being reclassified as an Assistant Professor of Instruction. Reclassifications can only be within the faculty member’s current rank, and should not be used to bypass the promotion process: for example, faculty cannot be reclassified from a Lecturer or Assistant Professor of Instruction to an Associate Professor of Instruction.
If a professional track faculty member holds multiple faculty appointments in multiple units, all of the appointments will need to be reclassified, since faculty cannot hold two different faculty titles simultaneously. All units must be consulted prior to reclassification. Reclassification of titles does not entail a salary increase. That is achieved through the merit review process and with the advancement of rank through promotion.
Guidelines and Eligibility
It is preferred that all current professional track faculty in the Lecturer Series who are
eligible for reclassification move to the Instruction Series titles; academic units should
remain consistent in assigning titles based on these guidelines.Professional track instructional faculty with continuing assignments of 50% time (or
more) are eligible for reclassification into the Instruction Series titles.Professional track faculty with part-time assignments of less than 50%, or short-term
assignments intended to last one year or less [without possibility of continuation], will
continue to be assigned in the Lecturer Series titles, unless they hold an active faculty
assignment in one or more UT units that, in combination, qualify the faculty member for reclassification under these guidelines and eligibility criteria. All units must be consulted prior to reclassification and coordinate simultaneous reclassification requests.University staff employed in a classified or A&P position but working as professional
track faculty on a regular or sporadic basis [as part of, or in addition to, their regular job duties] will remain in Lecturer Series titles.
Current Professional-Track Faculty (academic year 2021-22)
For faculty who choose reclassification effective September 1, 2021: academic units must submit required materials by August 1, 2021.
Faculty who would like more time to consider these title changes may do so; these faculty will be eligible for reclassification effective September 1, 2022: academic units must submit required materials by August 1, 2022.
New Professional Track Faculty
Beginning in AY 2022-2023, new professional track instructional faculty will be hired in the Instruction Series titles consistent with these guidelines.
Multi-Year Contracts
For eligible professional-track faculty, multi-year contracts may be extended concurrent with reclassification.
Per Provost’s Office guidelines, professional track faculty are eligible for multi-year contracts after six semesters or more in rank at UT Austin. Multi-year contracts must align with departmental budgets and instructional planning. Units are encouraged to develop internal guidelines for appointing faculty to 2- or 3-year fixed contracts, considering factors such as longevity. Multi-year contracts should continue to include language noting that the continuing appointment is conditional upon continuation of sufficient student demand for enrollments in the specified area of instruction.
Professional-track faculty should consult with their chair/director if interested in a 2- or 3-year fixed contract.
Contact
For questions, contact Jennifer Nailos at la-academic@austin.utexas.edu