EHRA Faculty Classification

Two types of faculty positions exist at NCSU – those with tenure considerations and those without tenure considerations.

Faculty positions with tenure considerations are also known as tenure-track or tenured faculty appointments. Faculty on tenure-track appointments are appointed for an established time frame during which a review for tenure consideration takes place. Actions taken at the time of review may be to not reappoint, to reappoint, or to confer permanent tenure. Permanent tenure means an individual holds one’s position on a permanent basis without periodic contract renewals.

Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty Appointments include (rank):

  • Instructor
    • Not used for Non-Tenure Track appointments. Appointment to the rank of Instructor is appropriate for an individual who has been selected for a tenure-track appointment at NC State but has not yet completed the required terminal degree. An Instructor shall be appointed for an initial probationary term of one (1) year and may be reappointed to one (1) additional probationary one (1) year term.
  • Assistant Professor
    • Appointment to the rank of Assistant Professor is the entry-level professorial appointment. An Assistant Professor shall be appointed for an initial probationary term of four (4) years.
  • Associate Professor
    • An Associate Professor promoted to that rank by the university shall have tenure. An Associate Professor coming to that rank from outside the university may either be appointed with tenure or for one (1) probationary appointment not to exceed five (5) years.
  • Professor
    • A professor shall have tenure, whether promoted to that rank by the university or hired from outside the university

The university may designate professional faculty appointments, which are appropriate for individuals who possess unusual qualifications for teaching, research, academic administration, or public service from an academic base, but for whom none of the regular faculty ranks is appropriate. These appointments are fixed term appointments and are not eligible for tenure consideration or conferral of tenure.  A professional faculty appointment has the protection of academic tenure only during the fixed term of appointment.  Professional faculty appointments prefix modifiers include adjunct, research, clinical, teaching, or extension.  Appointment to the rank of librarian, lecturer, or field faculty is a non-tenure track faculty appointment.

Appointments to a professional professorial rank of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor must have a prefix modifier:

  • Clinical: An appointment with a principal responsibility in clinical practice or clinical research.
  • Extension: An appointment with a principal responsibility in extension and engagement.
  • Practicum: An appointment with a principal responsibility in design practice or design research.
  • Research: An appointment with a principal responsibility in research.
  • Teaching: An appointment with a principal responsibility in teaching.
  • Of the Practice: An appointment with a practitioner with significant experience in his or her field.
  • Adjunct: Adjunct appointments are unpaid part-time (<0.75 FTE) appointments generally held by:
    • NC State University employee whose primary appointment is as EHRA or SHRA non-faculty who has the qualifications for rank.
    • A person employed primarily outside the university who provides academic service to the university (such as teaching, service on doctoral committees, or an advisory role). Faculty from other universities will generally be given adjunct titles at the same rank they hold at their home institutions; adjunct appointments may be made to others whose degrees or professional credentials qualify them for appointment at an appropriate non-tenure track professorial rank.
  • Visiting: Visiting appointments are limited to faculty who are in residence at NC State and who retain their status in a position at another institution of higher education, research organization, or other entity with a significant research or educational mission. Visiting faculty from other higher education institutions will generally be appointed at the rank held at their home institution.