Faculty Handbook - Fairmont State University

Primary consideration will be given to that professional and scholarly achievement accrued
since the attainment of the current rank.
33
EXPERIENCE:
The experience requirement may be waived for persons with an earned doctorate or
terminal degree appropriate to the teaching field.
1) three years college teaching experience or equivalent professional experience. Two years of
teaching experience must be acquired at Fairmont State University prior to promotion.
OR
2) Instructors with Bachelor's degrees who are teaching exclusively in two-year terminal
degree programs may be promoted to the rank of assistant professor after six years of
teaching experience are acquired at Fairmont State University prior to promotion. 13
INSTRUCTOR:
A Master's degree is required for the rank of Instructor.
Criteria and Guidelines for Tenure
The following guidelines apply only to persons whose initial appointment to the University
occurred on or after July 1, 1999. Tenure exists for the experienced faculty member to assure
academic freedom, to provide professional stability, and to protect against capricious dismissal.
Since tenure is awarded at an academic rank, faculty members, in qualifying for tenure, must
demonstrate performance to the same criteria relating to teaching, scholarly activity, possession of
terminal degrees, service to the University Community, and potential for professional growth as are
required for appointment to the appropriate academic rank (see HEPC Series 9, Sec. 9). Tenure
results from action by the President at the conclusion of application process. Tenure is not
automatic: faculty members apply for tenure at the beginning of the sixth year in a tenure-track
appointment.
A faculty member is employed in one of three classifications: tenured, tenure-track, and temporary.
Tenure-track faculty are full-time employees in a position designated by the University as
potentially leading to a tenured appointment; at the end of six years any non-tenured tenure-track
faculty member will be given written notice of tenure, or offered a one-year written terminal
contract of employment. In rare instances (see criteria below), tenure may be granted to a faculty
member before the end of the sixth year. Generally, tenure-track faculty are not granted tenure
appointment by the President before fulfilling six years of service at this University.
Early Tenure
In accordance with Section 10.3 of Series 9, the following criteria are used to determine
qualifications for tenure prior to the end of the sixth year:
(1) Exceptional achievement on a national level,
(2) Outstanding teaching performance in a field for which there is both national demand and
projected long-term demand,
(3) Service which uniquely enables the University to fulfill its mission.
13 Amended by Faculty Senate, October 11, 1988