Clinical Faculty

Clinical faculty are generally individuals whose primary focus on instructional responsibilities precludes the research and scholarship required to obtain tenure. The clinical faculty appointment track is not intended, nor will it be permitted inadvertently, to circumvent the special obligations and rights associated with the tenure-track faculty ranks. There are three ranks in clinical track appointments: assistant, associate, and full professors.  

The purpose of the clinical track appointment sequence is to secure the highest quality professional instruction program, which is an important component of our commitment to education. Clinical faculty will receive the same benefits as tenure-track instructional staff, except for tenure and sabbatical leave. All clinical appointments are without tenure.  The search process will parallel that used for tenure track appointments.

An appointment as a clinical faculty member may be extended to traditional academic professionals as well as professionals with expertise in business and service industries. These individuals will possess qualifications and experiences ideally suited for specific instructional needs that fall outside the area of interest or expertise of the current faculty. Such qualifications and experience include service in professional organizations, teaching experience, business experience, or other related skills.

Full-time, university year, clinical faculty are expected to teach a minimum of six course sections per year (18 credit hours), plus engage in administrative service and scholarship activities, unless they administer unique Kinesiology programs. Full-time, twelve-month, clinical faculty are expected to teach a minimum of 8 course sections per year (24 credit hours), plus engage in administrative service and scholarship activities, unless they administer unique Kinesiology programs.  All clinical faculty are expected to advise and counsel Kinesiology students, attend and participate in faculty meetings, participate in curricular developmental committees and other Kinesiology committees. Additionally, clinical faculty are encouraged to publish in professional and peer-reviewed journals and to serve on any school or university standing committees unless excluded by specific by-laws or rules.

Appointments

• Clinical assistant professor: Clinical assistant professors will be given one- to three-year contracts. Appointments and reappointments for assistant professors are made by the Dean of the school.

• Clinical associate professor and full professor:  Clinical associate professors and full professors will typically be given one- to five-year contracts. New appointments for clinical associate and full professors require higher level university approval per the Office of the Provost faculty handbook. Re-appointments for clinical associate and full professors are made by the Dean of the school.

Reappointment Process

Overview 

Appointments to clinical-track faculty positions at the University of Michigan are limited by time, and as a result, clinical faculty are required to undergo reviews of their performance as a condition of reappointment. In this section, reappointment refers to a continued appointment and contract for a clinical faculty position at the same rank as the clinical faculty member's current contract. It may include changes in the terms and structure of the appointment from the initial appointment letter. It does not address the separate review process required for clinical faculty seeking promotion to a higher rank.

The process for reviewing the reappointment of clinical faculty to the same rank is described below. Generally, the review takes into account the following: 

1. the clinical faculty member’s accomplishments, sustained performance and progress in teaching, service, administration, and scholarship, weighed in line with one’s appointment, as outlined in their specific offer or reappointment letter, and annual confirmation letter from the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs (ADFA) outlining the clinical faculty member’s assigned administrative responsibilities and

2. the School’s financial ability and need for the continuation of the position. 

If the reappointment review is successful, the clinical faculty member will be eligible for reappointment for another time-limited term at the same rank. Decisions about the length of the reappointment term are made by the Dean in consultation with the ADFA and the relevant program chair(s), taking into account School's needs and available funding. Faculty are typically reappointed for a term ranging from two to five years. In determining the length of the reappointment term, initial or recent appointment or promotion, rank, years of experience, performance review, funding source(s), and/or other special considerations will also be considered.  

If the reappointment review is unsuccessful, the clinical faculty member will be provided with notice of non-reappointment in accordance with SPG 201.88. Questions about this policy should be directed to the SoK academic HR team.

Timing

The reappointment review process for clinical faculty will be undertaken during the final year of the clinical faculty member’s current contract. See the Reappointment Review Timeline table below for additional details.

Reappointment Review Committee

The reappointment review committee will consist of the following members: the clinical faculty member’s program chair(s), ADFA, Associate Dean for Graduate Affairs (ADGA), and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education (ADUE). If any committee member has a conflict of interest, or is not able to participate, the Dean, in consultation with the ADFA and the program chair(s), will appoint an alternative reviewer to serve on the committee. Consideration of the clinical faculty member’s rank and program will be taken into account when identifying an appropriate alternative reviewer. After completing its review, the committee will submit a recommendation to the Dean, who will make the final decision regarding reappointment.

Review Considerations

The reappointment review committee will determine if the clinical faculty member’s position for reappointment remains warranted in relation to one’s continued contribution and value to their program(s) and the School.  The committee will assess the clinical faculty member based on expectations in-rank related to teaching, service, administration and scholarship, weighed in line with one’s appointment, as outlined in their specific offer or reappointment letter, and annual confirmation letter from the ADFA outlining the clinical faculty member’s assigned administrative responsibilities.  The review committee will consider the criteria outlined in the Clinical Track Reappointment Review Criteria Table. The committee will take into account program priorities and one’s assigned duties relative to the needs of the school. In addition, the Dean will determine if the School has the financial means to support the reappointment. 

Required Materials 

The following materials are to be prepared and submitted by clinical faculty members undergoing a reappointment review*: 

• A curriculum vitae

• Faculty Annual Reviews (FARs), including teaching evaluation scores from the current appointment period 

• A separate summary document, up to 3 pages, describing key highlights and contributions focused on the current appointment period, based on the particular appointment and responsibilities, as outlined in the clinical faculty member’s specific offer or reappointment letter.

• Course syllabi and most recent term’s teaching evaluations (if not included in FAR documentation).

In addition, other supplementary materials (recommended max of 3 pages) may be submitted that support the impact of the faculty member’s teaching, service and administration, and / or scholarly accomplishments, for the current appointment period. This may include documents such as student testimonials (with relevant comments and high impact / substantive statements), publications, media, presentations, solicited letters of support (max of 2), and any other relevant materials based on the clinical faculty member's specific appointment and responsibilities. Submittal of supplementary materials is voluntary.

*If a clinical faculty member has been recently promoted, a reappointment review is still required as reappointment of contract is not tied to promotion. However, in the case of a successful promotion, if the reappointment review is scheduled to occur within one year of the promotion effective date, the faculty member may re-submit their previously submitted promotion materials (letters, statements, etc.), along with any additional or supplementary materials they wish to include, in place of the standard reappointment materials.

Review Process

The ADFA will provide the review committee with the materials submitted by the clinical faculty member. The ADFA will also provide any relevant information about the clinical faculty member’s assigned administrative responsibilities to the committee. These materials, in conjunction with the above review considerations, will serve as the basis for the evaluation. 

Process 

1. The clinical faculty member submits the required materials to the ADFA in accordance with the timeline outlined below. The clinical faculty member may wish to have their mentor review the documents prior to submission, though this is not required.

2. The ADFA will distribute the required materials to the committee members for review.

3. The program chair will lead the review committee. If the clinical faculty member is affiliated with more than one program, the ADFA will discuss with the relevant program chairs to determine which would be most appropriate to lead the review committee.

4. Based on the discussion at this review, the lead program chair will submit a letter to the Dean, providing a recommendation for or against reappointment, including justification, with the review committee members copied.  

Decision by the Dean 

1. The Dean will make a decision on the reappointment based on the recommendation by the review committee and evaluating the school's financial standing. The Dean will meet with the clinical faculty member to discuss the outcome of the reappointment review. The Dean’s Office will then compose and send a letter to the clinical faculty member with the reappointment decision.