Affiliate Faculty Appointments

Policy number: 2.6

Policy section: Academic Affairs

Revised Date: December 16, 2019

1.  Policy Statement

It is the policy of the University to recognize and acknowledge, through the use of affiliate appointments, the diverse interdisciplinary backgrounds of many SMU faculty and persons from other institutions that participate regularly in department or school activities by attending or giving seminars, serving on dissertation committees, collaborating with faculty and students, etc.

2.  Purpose

The purpose of this policy on Affiliate Faculty Appointments is to define the process and the conditions for non-compensated appointments of faculty members (or others in the field which qualifies them for the designated professorial rank) to a department, school, or program. There are three types of appointments discussed here: (1) courtesy appointment of an SMU faculty member in one department or school to another department or school, (2) appointment of an SMU faculty member as an affiliate of an SMU program, and (3) appointment of a faculty member not employed by the University or person in the field as an affiliate faculty member of a department or school. This policy does not apply to Centers and Institutes, which are covered by University Policy 2.24, Establishment of Centers.

The Provost’s Office will maintain a record of affiliate faculty appointments.

3.  Remarks

In schools with departments, the department chair initiates courtesy or affiliate appointments as discussed in Sections 4 and 6 below, the faculty of the department approves the appointment, and the department chair forwards his or her endorsement to the Dean or Associate Dean and Associate Provost as discussed below. In schools without departments, the Dean initiates courtesy or affiliate appointments, the faculty of the school approves the appointment, and the Dean forwards his or her endorsement to the Associate Provost.

4.  Courtesy Appointment within SMU

1. Definition – A courtesy appointment is defined as one in which a tenured or tenure track faculty member makes a substantial contribution to a department or departments other than his or her own department, but in ways less formal than would justify a joint appointment. Courtesy appointments may be made across departments and schools. It is permissible for a faculty member to hold more than one courtesy appointment.
   
   

   The purpose of these appointments is to facilitate intellectual collaboration and exchange between faculty across departments and/or schools.

2. Approval Process
   1. If the department chair determines that a courtesy appointment is appropriate, the chair of the department offering the courtesy appointment ensures that the department chair of the faculty member’s primary department is also supportive of the courtesy appointment.
   2. The chair of the department offering the courtesy appointment confirms, by faculty vote, that the other faculty in his or her department view such an appointment as appropriate.
   3. If the faculty favors the courtesy appointment, the department chair sends his or her endorsement of the courtesy appointment to the Dean or Associate Dean with a summary of the rationale for the appointment including the result of the faculty vote and a draft of the offer letter to be sent to the intended courtesy appointee.
   4. Once the Dean approves the courtesy appointment, the offer letter from the Dean should be sent to the Associate Provost for final approval.

   Once the courtesy appointee sends an affirmative reply to the offer letter, the Dean’s office will forward the reply to the department chair and provost’s office.

3. Resources – All resources for courtesy appointees (e.g. salary, benefits, and/or research support) are provided by the faculty member’s primary department.
4. Titles – Formally (that is, in all appointment documents), the title should read, for example, Professor of (subject of primary appointment) and Professor of (subject of secondary appointment) (by courtesy). In everyday usage, the “by courtesy” designation may be dropped. The professorial rank in the secondary department should match the rank in the primary department.
5. Terms – Courtesy appointments for tenured faculty members are made for a three year term. For faculty members with term appointments, the courtesy appointment is made for the duration of the current appointment.
   
   

   The documentation required to renew a courtesy appointment is similar to the original appointment. The department chair’s letter should include a summary of the rationale for the reappointment including the faculty vote for renewal.

   Faculty with courtesy appointments may discontinue the appointment by requesting in writing to the chair of the department offering the courtesy appointment. This chair will notify the faculty member’s department chair, Dean, and Associate Provost of the change in status.

6. Responsibilities and/or Privileges – A courtesy appointee may serve on thesis/dissertation committees and should be invited to all department seminars and events. The appointee is included in printed or web-based departmental faculty rosters. All appointments must be listed in faculty publications. The appointee has no voting rights on promotion and tenure, hiring, etc. within the secondary department.

5.  Affiliate Status with a Program

1. Definition – Several programs on campus are interdisciplinary in nature and therefore involve contributions from faculty in different departments and schools. These educational programs typically involve a coherent set of courses leading to a credential (degree, diploma, or certificate) awarded by the institution. To reflect the contributions from these faculty, and so that programs can demonstrate the breadth and depth of their reach to the SMU campus as well as to the larger community, faculty members may formally affiliate with the programs that they serve. Faculty affiliates must have an active commitment to the program with which they want to affiliate, must apply to the program for affiliate status, and must have the support of their home department chair.
   
   

   The purpose of designating faculty with affiliate status is to create a diverse community of teachers and scholars who provide a robust curriculum and other learning experiences for the programs’ constituencies, participate in decision-making about the program, and bring awareness of the program’s activities and scholarship to the wider campus and community.

2. Approval Process
   1. The applicant sends a cover letter to the program director expressing interest in affiliating with the program, and outlining the applicant’s interest area, how it relates to the program, and how the applicant will contribute to the program’s mission and activities. Copies of syllabi or narrative descriptions of courses may be included if the applicant believes them to be useful in illustrating the nature of the contribution to the program. A curriculum vitae should also be included.
   2. The applicant should include a statement that the faculty member’s home department chair and academic Dean have signed indicating their support for the application. For tenure track faculty, the home department chair shall indicate whether the faculty member’s program activities will be evaluated as part of the tenure case.
   3. The program’s committee on affiliations reviews the application for affiliate status and makes a recommendation regarding an applicant’s appointment to the academic Dean of the applicant’s college or school.
   4. Once the Dean approves the affiliate appointment, the offer letter from the Dean should be sent to the Associate Provost for final approval.
   5. Those approved for affiliate status will receive a letter of appointment from the Dean’s office.
3. Resources – The salary and benefits of the faculty member are funded by the home department.
4. Titles – The title should read “Affiliate, (name of the program)”.
5. Terms – Affiliate appointments are made for a three year term. At the conclusion of the appointment, affiliate status may be renewed upon request of the faculty member and approval by the program’s committee on affiliations and chair of the faculty member’s home department.
   
   

   The renewal letter submitted by the applicant shall include a summary of the contributions the affiliate has made to the program in the previous appointment and an outline of proposed contributions for the subsequent appointment. The program’s committee on affiliations will review the renewal request and notify the applicant in writing of the decision. Recommendations for re-appointment will be submitted to the faculty member’s Dean and Associate Provost for final approval.

   Affiliates may discontinue their affiliate status by requesting to do so in writing to the program director. The program will notify the department chair, Dean, and Associate Provost of the change in status.

6. Responsibilities and/or Privileges – The primary responsibility of the faculty member with affiliate status is that he or she be substantially involved in academic endeavors that further the mission of the program and program activities. Such activities may include, but are not limited to, teaching cross-listed courses relevant to the program, engaging in outside the classroom learning experiences for students, supervising student independent study projects, overseeing internship experiences, engaging in research or creative activity appropriate to the program’s content area and mission, participating in invited lectures or panels hosted by the program, and serving on program committees or advisory bodies.

6.  Affiliate Appointment from Outside SMU

1. Definition – An Affiliate Professor is typically an individual from another institution whose scholarly or professional activities enrich and complement SMU programs and interests. Faculty appointed to the title Affiliate Professor must hold the rank of Professor at their home institution or have research experience in the field that qualifies them for the professorial rank.
   
   

   The purpose of these affiliate appointments is to recognize persons from other institutions that interact with department faculty on a regular basis by attending or giving seminars, serving on thesis/dissertation committees, collaborating with faculty and student, etc. The affiliate appointment should be mutually beneficial to the appointee and SMU.

2. Approval Process –
   1. If the department chair determines that an affiliate appointment is appropriate, the chair shall confirm, by faculty vote, that the other faculty in his or her department view such an appointment as appropriate.
   2. If the faculty favors the affiliate appointment, the department chair sends his or her endorsement of the affiliate appointment to the Dean or Associate Dean with a summary of the rationale for the appointment including the faculty vote, the curriculum vitae of appointee, and a draft of the offer letter to be sent to the intended affiliate appointee.
   3. Once the Dean approves the affiliate appointment, the offer letter from the Dean should be sent to the Associate Provost for final approval before it is sent to the affiliate appointee.
   4. Once the affiliate appointee sends an affirmative reply to the offer letter, the Dean’s office will notify the department chair and Associate Provost.
3. Resources – Affiliate faculty appointments are honorific only. In the role of an affiliate, the affiliate has no employee status and does not receive salary and/or benefits.
4. Titles – The title should read, for example, Affiliate Professor of (subject of appointment), Southern Methodist University. The title should match the rank of the appointee at his or her home institution; thus, Affiliate Assistant Professor and Affiliate Associate Professor of (subject of appointment) are also appropriate titles.
   
   

   Persons not affiliated with another academic institution should have research experience in the field that qualifies them for the appropriate rank. Examples of titles are Affiliate Research Professor of (subject of appointment), Southern Methodist University or Affiliate Clinical Assistant Professor of (subject of appointment), Southern Methodist University.

5. Terms – Affiliate Professors are appointed for three year terms. The documentation required to reappoint an Affiliate Professor is similar to the original appointment. The department chair’s letter shall include a summary of the rationale for the reappointment including the faculty vote for renewal. The letter shall also include a summary of the Affiliate Professor’s activities with the department during the previous appointment.
   
   

   If an affiliate appointee decides to resign his or her appointment, a resignation letter should be sent to the department chair. The letter should be forwarded to the Associate Dean and Associate Provost. If a department decides to terminate an affiliate appointment, the termination letter should be sent to the appointee and a copy sent to the Associate Dean and Associate Provost. There is no emeritus eligibility associated with this position.

6. Responsibilities and/or Privileges – An Affiliate Professor may serve on thesis/dissertation committees as an outside member and should be invited to all department seminars and events. The appointee is included in printed or web-based departmental faculty rosters. The appointee has no voting rights on promotion and tenure, hiring, etc.

7.  Questions

Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Office of the Provost.

Revised: December 16, 2019

Adopted: September 5, 2017