Roane State Community College

1. Purpose
   The purpose of this policy is to establish the criteria and process regarding faculty appointments and salaries. Within the guidelines established by the Tennessee Board of Regents and the compensation plan for Roane State Community College, faculty members are appointed at a salary consistent with academic preparation and number of years' experience. Recommendations for salary increases are made on an annual basis and are a function of the TBR and legislative funding determinations.
2. Faculty Appointments
   The following faculty appointments may be made:
   1. Temporary
      1. Temporary appointments cannot carry tenure. Temporary appointments are appointments for a specific purpose for a time appropriate to that purpose or for an unspecified period.
      2. Temporary appointments may be terminated according to the terms of the contract for employment or appointment.
      3. Temporary appointments should ordinarily only be used to replace faculty on leave of absence, to employ faculty pursuant to grants, or for projects funded in whole or in part by non-appropriated funds.
      4. In addition, temporary appointments may be used for faculty employed on the basis of state appropriated funds in departments, divisions, or other academic units where a permanent and continued need for the position has not been established, provided that such appointments normally should not exceed three academic years.
      5. Faculty in temporary appointments are appointed in rank but are not eligible for promotion in rank.
      6. Temporary appointments may not be converted to term, tenure-track, or tenure appointments.
      7. Temporary instructional faculty at instructor rank may be appointed to a three-year contract. Such a contract may be renewed after satisfactory performance review.
      8. All extensions of temporary appointments for periods in excess of three academic years require the approval of the Chancellor. Appointments of faculty members supported more than fifty percent (50%) by grant funds, or other soft money sources, may be approved by the president for periods of excess of three academic years.

   2. Term

      1. Term appointments cannot carry tenure. Term appointments are appointments made in a traditional rank (e.g., instructor, assistant professor) for a fixed period of no more than one year that may be renewed with no presumed maximum number of re-appointments.
      2. Faculty in term appointments are eligible for promotion.
      3. The conversion of a term appointment to a tenure-track appointment is allowed. The holder of the term appointment converted to a tenure-track appointment may be awarded up to three years credit for prior service.

      4. Faculty should be placed on term appointments only when one or more of the following employment conditions is present:

         1. As a means for addressing staffing needs when a projected need is more than temporary but less than long-term;
         2. To staff programs projected to phase out in a fixed period; or
         3. When the size of a staffing cohort is projected to extend beyond the normal period for a temporary appointment but is not of sufficient length to warrant a tenure-track or tenured appointment.

      5. Since it is not intended that term appointments be used to meet long-term staffing needs, a faculty member should not remain in a term appointment for more than six years.

         1. If it is determined that a position is warranted beyond the maximum six-year period, a new tenure-track position should be sought to replace it.
         2. The holder of the term appointment may apply and be considered for the tenure-track appointment, and the institution may award up to three years’ credit for prior service.
         3. Other term appointment holders may also apply for the new position and receive service credit.
         4. The amount of credit awarded is left to the discretion of the President and is determined based upon the recommendation of the Vice President for Student Learning.
         5. Exceptions to the six-year maximum may be granted annually if it is requested by the affected faculty member and their supervisor, recommended by the appropriate dean and Vice President for Student Learning, and approved by the president.

   3. Tenure-track

      1. Tenure-track appointments are for full-time faculty with academic rank and may be for the academic or fiscal year.
      2. Tenure-track appointments are for faculty who are employed in a probationary period of employment preliminary to consideration for tenure.
      3. Tenure-track appointments shall not include any right to permanent or continuous employment, shall not create any manner of legal right, interest, or expectancy of renewal or any other type of appointment and shall be subject to annual renewal by RSCC.
      4. A tenure-track appointment may not be converted to a term appointment as a means for continuing employment of tenure-track faculty when a negative tenure decision has been made.

   4. Tenure appointments

      1. Tenure appointments are appointments of full-time faculty who have been awarded tenure by the Board.
      2. Tenure appointments include the assurance of continued employment for the academic or fiscal year for an indefinite period, subject to expiration, relinquishment, or termination of tenure as provided in TBR and RSCC policy.
      3. Tenure appointments do not include assurance of continued employment at a specified salary or position or employment during summer sessions or inter-sessions.
      4. If a faculty member on an academic year contract is granted leave without pay or if employment is voluntarily terminated during the academic year contract period, the salary adjustment will be made as follows:
3. Employment
   Faculty members are usually employed on an academic year basis beginning with the notification from the Vice President for Student Learning for the fall term and continuing through graduation day without obligation for, or guarantee of, summer school employment. Salaries for the academic year are paid in twelve separate checks, beginning August 31 and ending July 31.
4. Salary Adjustment
   If a faculty member on an academic year contract is granted leave without pay or if employment is voluntarily terminated during the academic year contract period, the salary adjustment will be made as follows: The academic term salary is determined by dividing the annual salary for the academic year by the number of terms in that academic year. The calculated academic term salary is then adjusted to account for any days the employee is absent from work. This adjustment is made by subtracting an amount proportional to the number of days absent divided by the total number of workdays in a specific term, multiplied by the term salary.
5. Conditions for Salary Determination
   Initial rank is negotiable based upon experience and education.
6. Credit for Prior Experience
   Credit for prior experience as listed here is allowed only for salary considerations, not for tenure purposes.

Any exceptions to this salary guide must be approved by the president in advance.

7. Credit Courses
   Faculty compensation for teaching credit courses as an overload will be made in accordance with TBR Guideline P-055. Access the detailed TBR Guideline P-055 at https://policies.tbr.edu/.