Forum Post
Career track faculty in my unit recently received fixed-term contract renewals. These appointments are designated as “12 months annual, fixed-term, non-tenure track, Faculty rank” in the appointment letter but with a duration of 6 months (Sept 1 – Feb 28). When I asked for clarification from Human Resources about this apparent discrepancy, I was informed the “12 month” designation is a type of appointment (versus, for example, a 9-month appointment that aligns with the academic year) not a duration. I am still confused though because the Faculty Manual indicates in Section I.B.3 that fixed term Career Track appointments take the form of “Fixed one (1) to five (5) year term appointments with specific end dates”. These seems to indicate that the minimum appointment duration should be one year. While I recognize the current financial challenges faced by the university, it is untenable for faculty members to have only 6 months of job security. It would be helpful if the Faculty Senate could seek clarity on this issue.
Response
Thank you for raising this issue. It is not unusual for fixed term Career Track appointments to be less than full year increments in length. The length of these appointments is often tied to the funding source supporting the position. A common example is an appointment that is supported by extramural grant funding. These appointments often end when the funding ends. As you point out, the faculty manual language does not address this detail. We have asked the Faculty Affairs committee to review the current language in the Faculty Manual and consider new language that addresses this issue.
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