This policy is under active review for revisions by Faculty Affairs.
Handbook of Operating Procedures 2-2010
Academic Titles and Tenure
The University of Texas at Austin
Executive Sponsor: Executive Vice President and Provost
Policy Owner: Associate Vice President - Provost Office
November 1, 1982
Academic titles in The University of Texas System are listed and defined in the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, Rule 31001.
Regulations concerning academic tenure are provided in the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, Rule 31001. Particular attention should be given to the mandatory notification requirement detailed in the regulations. The following interpretation and expansion of these regulations apply to The University of Texas at Austin.
Tenure denotes a status of continuing appointment as a member of the faculty at a component institution. Only members of the faculty with academic titles of Professor and Associate Professor may be granted tenure after September 1, 1980. Tenure may not be granted to any individual holding a professorial rank carrying the description "visiting," "clinical," or "adjunct." Tenure may be granted at the time of appointment or withheld pending satisfactory completion of a probationary period of faculty service. Appointments to the title Professor or Associate Professor shall be with tenure.
No nontenured member of the faculty should expect continuing appointment beyond the term of his or her current appointment. Any commitment to employ a nontenured member of the faculty beyond the term of his or her current appointment shall have no force and effect until approved by the Board of Regents.
Only full-time service in the academic rank of Instructor or Assistant Professor, or any combination thereof, shall be counted toward fulfillment of a required probationary period related to the acquisition of tenure. Full-time service is defined as holding a 100% time appointment in the University for both the fall and spring semesters of an academic year on faculty salaries and/or on any other funds administered by the University, and being in full compliance with Regental standards pertaining to the minimum faculty teaching requirements. Periods during which a faculty member is on leave of absence without salary from the University or is serving in the rank of Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Specialist or any rank carrying the description "visiting," "clinical," or "adjunct," or periods of prior academic service at any institution other than The University of Texas at Austin shall not be counted toward fulfillment of a required probationary period related to the acquisition of tenure. The title Visiting Assistant Professor is not used at UT Austin.
- Instructors
The maximum probationary period that may be served in the rank of Instructor is four years. Not later than an instructor's third year of full-time service, the budget council and chairman of his or her department shall recommend to the administration: (a) that he or she be promoted to assistant professor; or (b) that he or she be placed on terminal appointment for the next (i.e., fourth) year. The instructor should be informed not later than August 31 of his or her third year of full-time service of the final decision regarding his or her status. Nothing, however, shall preclude a review of a decision to place an instructor on terminal appointment during the year in which the individual is serving under terminal appointment.