College of MedicineCollege of MedicineAboutCollege of Medicine PoliciesFaculty Appointment Policy

Faculty Appointment Policy

Policy Number: EC.04.01.180102

Applies to: All Candidates for Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Faculty

Date: 06/06/2023

1.0 Policy Statement

It is the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine policy to follow an approved procedure to appoint qualified individual(s) to fill open faculty position(s) in a timeframe that meets the needs of the department/WSU College of Medicine. Faculty positions are appointed in conformance with the WSU Human Resource Services’ policies, the WSU Faculty Manual, and/or this policy.

2.0 Definitions

FRPT: Faculty Rank, Promotion and Tenure Committee

Appointing Authority: Person(s) having the authority to hire or terminate employment faculty appointments

Qualified Individuals: Persons holding the appropriate terminal or professional degree and, where applicable, credentials, certifications, and licenses as is required to perform the educational, clinical, research/scholarly work delineated in the position description or assigned scope of work. In some instances, professional work experience and/or other evidence of mastery in the relevant areas, and evidence of engagement in sustained, substantive academic and/or professional activities have sufficient support their currency and relevancy in their field as is required to competently deliver instruction and other assigned scope of work may be considered in addition to or in lieu of those qualifications explicitly delineated above

HRS: Human Resource Services

PI: Principal Investigator

3.0 Responsibility

  • Office of Faculty Affairs and Continuing Professional Development
  • Department of Medical Education and Clinical Sciences
  • Department of Community and Behavioral Health
  • Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology
  • Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
  • Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences

4.0 Procedures

Full-Time (0.50 FTE or greater) Paid Tenured/Tenure Track and Career Track Faculty

  1. The Department Chair, or other appropriate administrator, identifies an open faculty position, develops position description, preferred/desired (open) faculty rank, source of support, funds availability and timing, and submits the Academic Position Request (to track commitments) to the Dean for review.
  2. The Dean submits proposed position to Vice President for Health Sciences and Provost for approval.
  3. Once approved, the Department Chair works with the faculty of the department to design search-related materials, including notice of vacancy, advertisement copy, search timeline, and candidate comparison form.
  4. The Department Chair (subject to the Dean’s approval) appoints a search committee.
  5. The Department Chair works with appropriate offices (e.g., Dean’s Office, Office of Research, etc.) to identify hiring package options, to include funding, office and lab space/construction, staff, equipment and other necessary support, and relocation support.
  6. The Department Chair or delegated authority works with the college HRS to complete a background check of the finalist, including the sexual misconduct statement and verification process, prior to making a verbal offer. If applicable, the Department Chair or delegated authority will also complete a verification of the candidate’s education, certification, licensure and/or credentials (e.g., MD faculty).
  7. Findings during background check, sexual misconduct verification, and/or verification of the candidate’s education, certification, licensure and/or credentials may result in disqualification for a position offer and appointment, as determined by the Department Chair and the Dean.
  8. If the expected/requested faculty rank is above assistant professor, the Department Chair sends the candidate’s documentation to the college FRPT committee for review and recommendation regarding the appropriate faculty rank. Departments are encouraged to implement departmental process(es) for rank determination prior to sending candidates for review by the college FRPT.
  9. Rank for tenure track faculty is determined by the Department Chair, College of Medicine Dean, and ultimately, the Provost. For non-tenure track faculty, rank is recommended by the Department Chair, with additional recommendation from the college FRPT, and ultimately by the Dean.
  10. Upon faculty rank determination, the Department Chair provides the appointment information to the college Business Services Office which drafts the offer letter for review by the Department Chair.
  11. Each offer letter must be reviewed and approved by HRS, college Business Services Office, Department Chair and the Dean. Tenure track/tenure offer letters must also be approved by the Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Affairs (and possibly the Attorney General’s Office as determined by the Vice Provost). All offers for tenure and tenure track positions are signed by the Department Chair, the Dean, the Vice President for Health Sciences, and the Provost. If applicable, the offer letter must be reviewed by the respective PI as well.
  12. The offer letter, at a minimum, should contain the following information:
    • Effective date(s).
    • Position number (if applicable).
    • Basis of service (Appointment period (e.g., 12-month, 9-month), percentage appointment, and for non-tenure track offers also include overtime eligibility status.
    • Period of appointment (term of contract, renewable contract, rolling horizon, etc).
    • Title (including administrative title, if applicable).
    • Faculty rank (e.g., assistant professor, associate professor, professor).
    • Track: Tenure track or Career track (i.e., clinical, research, scholar, teaching).
    • Location (i.e., campus).
    • Salary
      • To include F&A and salary recapture, as applicable.
      • To include conditions related to source of position funding and timing/longevity of financial and other support.
    • Scope of work/workload (nature of the work expected, and approximate expected/recommended percentage of time dedicated to one or more of the following areas and, if applicable, expected/recommended outcomes):
      • Research and scholarship (appointments with primary duties in research with grant funding must additionally include statements/conditions related to changes in grant funding resources and dates).
      • Teaching and instruction/precepting.
      • Academically related service.
      • Clinical service/outreach.
    • Reporting relationship (who is the position’s supervisor).
    • Supervisory expectations (employees supervised).
    • Any special understandings, promises or conditions (e.g., expected tenure review date, start-up package, track/rank change on completion of a doctoral degree, etc.).
    • Relocation expenses eligibility.
    • Statement about lawfully authorized employment.
    • Statement about intellectual property.
    • Statement about use of University/college affiliation for private purposes.
    • Statement about faculty voting and access to University/college resources.
    • URL location for pertinent policies and procedures (e.g., Faculty Manual, WSU Intellectual Property policy, College of Medicine Bylaws, College of Medicine Faculty and Staff Guide).
    • Required training language and links (e.g., prevention of discrimination and sexual harassment, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, etc.).
  13. Upon return by the candidate of the signed offer letter, HRS and Business Services Office complete the procedures for faculty hiring, and when a WSU number and network ID/email are assigned, notify the Department Chair who might choose to send a welcome letter/email to the new hire.

Part-Time (less than 0.50 FTE) Paid Tenured/Tenure Track and Career Track
Faculty; excludes hourly temporary appointments)

  1. The Department Chair, or other appropriate administrator, identifies an open faculty position, including position description, preferred/desired (open) faculty title and rank, source of support, funds availability and timing, and submits the Academic Position Request (to track commitments) to Business Services.
  2. The Dean submits proposed position to Vice President for Health Sciences and Provost for approval.
  3. Once approved, the Department Chair works with the faculty of the department to design search-related materials, including notice of vacancy, advertisement copy, search timeline, and candidate comparison form.
  4. The Department Chair (subject to the Dean’s approval) works with the college Business Services Office to develop the search process. For faculty appointments below 0.50 FTE, appointment of a search committee is not mandatory, unless the position is tenure track or an administrative faculty position (e.g., assistant/associate dean, unit lead, etc.).
  5. The Department Chair or delegated authority works with HRS to complete a background check of the finalist, including the sexual misconduct statement and verification process, prior to making a verbal offer. If applicable, the Department Chair or delegated authority will also complete a verification of the candidate’s education, certification, licensure and/or credentials (e.g., MD faculty).
  6. Findings during background check, sexual misconduct verification, and/or verification of the candidate’s education, certification, licensure and/or credentials may result in disqualification for a position offer and appointment, as determined by the Department Chair and Dean.
  7. If appointed to a track with rank and the expected/requested faculty rank is above assistant professor, the Department Chair sends the candidate’s documentation to the college FRPT committee for review and recommendation regarding the appropriate faculty rank. Departments are encouraged to implement departmental process(es) for rank determination prior to sending candidates for review by the college FRPT.
  8. Rank for tenure track faculty is determined by the Department Chair, College of Medicine Dean, and ultimately, the Provost. For non-tenure track faculty, rank is recommended by the Department Chair, with additional recommendation from the college FRPT, and ultimately by the Dean.
  9. Upon faculty rank determination, the Department Chair provides the appointment information to the college Business Services Office which drafts the offer letter for review by the Department Chair.
  10. Each offer letter must be reviewed and approved by HRS, college Business Services Office, Department Chair and Dean. Tenure track/tenure offer letters must also be approved by the Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Affairs (and possibly the Attorney General’s Office as determined by the Vice Provost). All offers for tenure and tenure track positions are signed by the Department Chair, the College of Medicine Dean, the Vice President for Health Sciences, and the Provost. If applicable, the offer letter must be reviewed by the respective PI as well.
  11. The offer letter, at a minimum, should contain the following information:
    • Effective date(s).
    • Position number (if applicable).
    • Basis of service.
    • Appointment period (e.g., 12-month, 9-month), percentage appointment, and overtime eligibility status for non-tenure track offers.
    • Period of appointment (term of contract, renewable contract, rolling horizon, etc).
    • Title (including administrative title, if applicable).
    • Faculty rank (e.g., assistant professor, associate professor, professor).
    • Track: Tenure track or Career sub-track (i.e., clinical, research, scholar, teaching).
    • Location (i.e., campus).
    • Salary
      • To include F&A and salary recapture, as applicable.
      • To include conditions related to source of position funding and timing/longevity of financial and other support.
    • Scope of work/workload (nature of the work expected, and approximate expected/recommended percentage of time dedicated to one or more of the following areas and, if applicable, expected/recommended outcomes).
      • Research and scholarship (appointments with primary duties in research with grant funding must additionally include statements/conditions related to changes in grant funding resources and dates).
      • Teaching and instruction/precepting.
      • Academically related service.
      • Clinical service/outreach.
    • Reporting relationship (who is the position’s supervisor).
    • Supervisory expectations (employees supervised).
    • Any special understandings, promises or conditions (e.g., expected tenure review date, start-up package, track/rank change on completion of a doctoral degree, etc.).
    • Relocation expenses eligibility.
    • Statement about lawfully authorized employment.
    • Statement about intellectual property.
    • Statement about use of University/college affiliation for private purposes.
    • Statement about faculty voting and access to University/college resources.
    • URL location for pertinent policies and procedures (e.g., Faculty Manual, WSU Intellectual Property policy, College of Medicine Bylaws, College of Medicine Faculty and Staff Guide)
    • Required training language and links (e.g., prevention of discrimination and sexual harassment, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, etc.)
  12. Upon return by the candidate of the signed offer letter, HRS and Business Services Office complete the procedures for faculty hiring, and when a WSU number and network ID/email are assigned, notify the Department Chair who might choose to send a welcome letter/email to the new hire.

Short-Term Paid Faculty

  1. The Department Chair, Associate Chair, PI, or other cognizant administrator identifies individuals in the community with a skill set that meets the needs of the department.
  2. If appointed with rank and the expected/requested faculty rank is above Assistant Professor, the Department Chair sends the candidate’s documentation to the college FRPT committee for review and recommendation regarding the appropriate faculty rank. Departments are encouraged to implement departmental process(es) for rank determination prior to sending candidates for review by the college FRPT.
  3. Final faculty rank/working title is determined by the Department Chair and the Dean.
  4. Upon faculty rank determination, the Department Chair or delegated authority provides the appointment information to the college Business Services Office which drafts the offer letter for review by the administrator.
  5. The Department Chair or delegated authority works with HRS to complete a background check of the finalist, including the sexual misconduct statement and verification process, prior to making a verbal offer. If applicable, the Department Chair or delegated authority will also complete a verification of the candidate’s education, certification, licensure and/or credentials (e.g., MD faculty).
  6. Findings during background check, sexual misconduct verification, and/or verification of the candidate’s education, certification, licensure and/or credentials may result in disqualification for a position offer and appointment, as determined by the Department Chair and Dean. Each offer letter must be reviewed and approved by HRS, college Business Services Office, administrator, and the Dean. All offers are signed by the administrator and the Dean.
  7. The offer letter, as a minimum, contains the following information:
    • Effective date(s).
    • Position number (if applicable).
    • Periods of appointment (term of contract, renewable contract).
    • Title (including administrative title, if applicable).
    • Faculty rank, if appropriate (e.g., assistant professor, associate professor, professor).
    • Location/Campus.
    • Statement about nature of appointment.
    • Scope of work.
    • Reporting relationship (who is the position’s immediate supervisor,).
    • Statement about intellectual property.
    • Statement about use of University/college affiliation for private purposes.
    • Statement about faculty voting, access to University/college resources and any mandatory training.
    • URL location for pertinent policies and procedures (e.g., WSU Faculty Manual, WSU Intellectual Property policy, College of Medicine Bylaws, College of Medicine Faculty and Staff Guide).
    • Required training language and links (prevention of discrimination and sexual harassment, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).
    • Request to voluntarily participate in the WSU Employee Demographic Information Survey.
  8. Offer letters must be signed by both the Department Chair or other cognizant administrator and the College of Medicine Dean.
  9. Upon return by the candidate of the signed offer letter, Business Services Office completes the procedures for faculty hiring, and when a WSU number is assigned, notifies the Department Chair or cognizant administrator to send a welcome letter to the new hire.

Non-Paid Faculty

  1. The Department Chair or designee identifies clinicians/scholars in the community who have an interest in teaching, precepting or serving in other ways to meet the needs of the department.
  2. Departments that appoint non-paid faculty are encouraged to develop internal guidelines and process(es) for candidate rank (or working title) review prior to the college FRPT review for final determination.
  3. If appointed to a track with rank (or working title) and the expected/requested faculty rank/working title is above the Assistant Professor level, department recommendation and documentation is sent to the college FRPT (or FRPT chair as designee) for review and recommendation regarding the appropriate faculty rank/working title.
  4. Final faculty rank/working title is determined by the Department Chair and the Dean.
  5. Upon the faculty rank/working title determination, the Department Chair or delegated authority works with HRS to complete a background check of the finalist, prior to making a verbal/written offer. If applicable, the Department Chair or delegated authority will also complete a verification of the candidate’s education, certification, licensure and/or credentials (e.g., MD faculty).
  6. Findings during background check and/or verification of the candidate’s education, certification, licensure and/or credentials may result in disqualification for a position offer and appointment, as determined by the Department Chair and Dean.
  7. The Department Chair provides the appointment information to HRS who draft the offer letter for review by the Department Chair.
  8. Each offer letter must be reviewed and approved by HRS, college Business Services Office, Department Chair and Dean. All non-paid offers are signed by the Department Chair and the Dean.
  9. The offer letter, as a minimum, contains the following information:
    • Effective date(s).
    • Position number (if applicable).
    • Periods of appointment (term of contract, renewable contract).
    • Title (including administrative title, if applicable).
    • Faculty rank, if appropriate (e.g., assistant professor, associate professor, professor).
    • Track (e.g., clinical non-paid (NP)).
    • Location/Campus.
    • Statement about non-paid nature of appointment.
    • Scope of work related to
      • Research and scholarship.
      • Teaching and instruction/precepting.
      • Department/college/University service.
    • Reporting relationship (who is the position’s immediate supervisor,).
    • Statement about intellectual property.
    • Statement about use of University/college affiliation for private purposes.
    • Statement about faculty voting, access to University/college resources and any mandatory training.
    • URL location for pertinent policies and procedures (e.g., WSU Faculty Manual, WSU Intellectual Property policy, College of Medicine Bylaws, College of Medicine Faculty and Staff Guide).
    • Required training language and links (prevention of discrimination and sexual harassment, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).
    • Request to voluntarily participate in the WSU Employee Demographic Information Survey.
  10. Offer letters must be signed by both the Department Chair, Associate Chair (if applicable) and the College of Medicine Dean.
  11. Upon return by the candidate of the signed offer letter, Business Services Office completes the procedures for faculty hiring, and when a WSU number is assigned, notifies the Department Chair to send a welcome letter to the new hire.

5.0 Related Policies

WSU Faculty Manual
Business Policies and Procedures Manual, 60.11 Recruitment and Selection of Faculty Personnel

6.0 Key Search Words

Faculty appointment.

7.0 Revision/Review History

Original Approval: 1/2/2018
Policy number: EC.04.01.180102
Review/Revision: 04/28/2020, 02/08/2021, 03/16/2021, 6/06/23