Instructional personnel are employed at one of three employment levels: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. In the event of financial exigency, the university administration may either extend or interrupt employment of faculty members at any employment level.
Advancement in employment level is voted by the Board upon recommendation of university administration working with the Faculty Promotions Committee. The Faculty Promotions Committee will make recommendations to university administration after careful examination of the professor’s portfolio. While successful teaching is the primary consideration of advancement in employment level other components that may be considered include commitment to the university, research, service, collegiality, and the long-term employment needs of the university. Promotion in employment level is not automatic and may only be conferred by vote of the Board. Assurances regarding employment level made by any other individual or office are not binding.
As part of their application for advancement in employment level, faculty members must submit teaching portfolios to document their teaching effectiveness and professional activities. The portfolio includes a review of their teaching effectiveness, an explanation of measures they are taking to improve their classroom performance, and an account of professional activities in which they have participated during the previous three academic years. Portfolios are submitted to the vice president for Academic Administration.
The faculty member’s portfolio will be made available to the Faculty Promotions Committee and will become a major part of the basis for a recommendation regarding rank and employment level. Portfolios should be submitted during the year prior to anticipated advancement in category of academic rank or employment level.
LEVEL 1. This level provides an introductory experience for all first-time Southern Adventist University faculty members. Ordinarily, faculty must be employed for three consecutive years at Level 1 before becoming eligible to advance to the next level. Level 1 is not a three-year period of guaranteed employment. Level 1 faculty members are subject to the annual evaluation expected of all instructional faculty. The university administration may extend Level 1 status beyond the three-year period to allow some faculty additional time for professional growth.
Faculty members who are employed at Level 1 may not expect to be offered a new employment agreement after their signed employment agreement expires. If the university chooses not to offer an additional one-year employment agreement, the university must notify the faculty member of this decision no later than
the last day of January.
LEVEL 2. Faculty members ordinarily progress to Level 2 after three years of successful teaching at Level 1, and normally remain at Level 2 for three years before becoming eligible to advance to Level 3. Progression to Level 2 is recommended by the Faculty Promotions Committee after careful examination of the professor’s portfolio, and the recommendation is voted upon by the Board. Faculty at Level 2 are subject to the annual evaluation expected of all instructional faculty. Level 2 is not a three-year period of guaranteed employment. The university administration views faculty at Level 2 as progressing satisfactorily toward full seniority, and plans to offer them annual employment agreements.
The Board, upon recommendation of the university administration in consultation with the Faculty Promotions Committee, may extend Level 2 beyond the three-year period to allow additional time for professional development.
If a faculty member with a Level 2 employment agreement is terminated, or if he/she receives a letter of intent to not renew his/her employment agreement, that member is entitled to invoke the university’s grievance procedure. If the individual’s employment is terminated or the employment agreement is not renewed, he/she will continue at his/her specified salary for three months following the expiration of agreement or until other financially comparable employment begins, whichever comes sooner, subject to the faculty member’s acceptance of the university’s termination severance agreement.
LEVEL 3. Faculty members ordinarily become eligible for Level 3 after three years of successful teaching at Level 1 and three years of successful teaching at Level 2. However, following three years of successful service at Level 1, individuals appointed to the Southern Adventist University faculty who have at least three years of successful teaching and scholarship at another Seventh-day Adventist higher education institution may be considered for direct progression from Level 1 to Level 3. Faculty members at Level 3 are subject to the regular evaluation expected of all instructional faculty.
Level 3 constitutes full seniority for instructional faculty, but does not guarantee continued employment by the university. In awarding Level 3 status to instructional faculty, the university declares its desire to retain them and to renew their agreements annually. Faculty members are not eligible for Level 3 employment until they reach at least the rank of associate professor.
If the employment of a faculty member with a Level 3 employment agreement is terminated, or if he/she receives a letter of intent to not renew his/her employment agreement, that member is entitled to appeal through the university’s grievance procedure. If the individual’s employment is terminated or the employment agreement is not renewed, he/she will continue at his/her specified salary for seven months following the expiration of agreement or until other financially comparable employment begins, whichever comes sooner, subject to the faculty member’s acceptance of the university’s termination severance agreement.
PLAN OF ASSISTANCE. The vice president for Academic Administration, in agreement with the dean of the school or chair of the department, may approve a Plan of Assistance for a faculty member with a Level 3 employment agreement whose professional performance ceases to be satisfactory, or whose conduct, in violation of university policies, rules, or procedures, warrants an action that is less than immediate dismissal or suspension.
A Plan of Assistance must include the following components:
Once the specified remediation has been accomplished to the satisfaction of the vice president for Academic Administration and dean/chair, without significant decay of performance in other areas of responsibility, the faculty member, vice president for Academic Administration, and dean/chair shall jointly sign a statement of completion which removes any onus from the faculty member’s continued employment at Level 3.
Failure to meet the expected performance(s) will result in a non-renewal of the faculty member’s current Teaching Agreement at the time of its expiration.