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: 09/01/2026

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 accordance 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 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 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

Responsible Office(s)

• 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
• Business Services, Personnel and Payroll

4.0 Procedure

Benefit’s Eligible (0.50 FTE or greater) Paid Tenured/Tenure Track and Career Track Faculty

1. The Department Chair, hiring manager
2. Or other appropriate administrator, identifies an open faculty position, develops the position description, identifies the preferred faculty rank(s), salary range, source of support, funding availability, and timing, and submits to the Dean for review.
3. The Dean submits the proposed position to the Office of the Provost for approval.
4. Once approved, the Department Chair works with Business Services and the faculty of the department to develop search materials, including the notice of vacancy, advertisement copy, search timeline, and candidate qualification matrix form.
5. The Department Chair or Hiring Manager (subject to the Dean’s approval) appoints a search committee.
6. The Department Chair works with appropriate offices (e.g., the Dean’s Office, the Office of Research, etc.) to identify hiring package options, including funding, office and lab space/construction, staff, equipment, start-up package, other necessary support, and relocation support.
7. The Department Chair or delegated authority works with Business Services to complete a background check of the finalist, including the sexual misconduct statement and verification process, prior to making a verbal and/or written offer. Once the verbal offer has been made, the criminal history background check is initiated. 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). These processes are initiated through HRS who communicates results to Business Services.
8. Findings during background check, sexual misconduct statement (SMS) process, 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 Dean as the appointing authority.
9. If the expected/requested faculty rank is above assistant professor, the department uses its standardized rubrics to determine the rank. The Department Chair submits 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.
10. To allow for processing of pre-employment requirements, the initial offer to candidate may include a rank that is contingent upon approval. Rank for all faculty is determined by the department, the Department Chair, the College of Medicine Dean, and ultimately, the Office of the Provost.
11. Upon faculty rank determination, the Department Chair provides the appointment information to the college Business Services Office, which drafts the offer letter for the Department Chair’s and (if applicable) hiring manager review.
12. Offer letters must be reviewed by the department chair, hiring manager (if applicable) and the Dean.. Career and Tenure track/tenure offer letters must also be approved by the Office of the Provost. All offers for career track and tenure/tenure-track positions are signed by the Department Chair, the Dean, and the Provost.
13. The offer letter, at a minimum, should contain the following information:
    • Effective date(s).
    • Position number
    • Appointment term(e.g., 12-month, 9-month), Full time equivalent (FTE) percentage appointment;  overtime eligibility status.
    • Period of appointment (e.g. fixed-term, short-term, continuous).
    • Title (including working/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
    • Scope of 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):
      • Scholarship (appointments with primary duties in research supported by grant funding must include statements/conditions regarding the source(s), duration, and any contingencies associated with changes in grant funding).
      • Teaching
      • Service
      • Administration
      • Clinical Practice
      • Other
    • Reporting relationship (direct supervisor and any additional reporting lines).
    • Any special understandings, promises or conditions (e.g., negotiated F & A and salary recapture, 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 promotion progress evaluation and guidelines. 
    • 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.).
    • Statement regarding Compliance and Civil Rights.
    • Statement regarding allowance to work one day per week for private consulting activities.
    • Statement regarding benefits eligibility and enrollment windows.
14. Upon return of the signed offer letter by the candidate, the Business Services Office completes 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.

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 the position description, the preferred faculty title and rank, source of support, funding availability, and timing,) to Business Services.
2. The Dean submits the proposed position to the Office of the Provost for approval.
3. Once approved, the Department Chair works with the faculty of the department to design search-related materials, including the notice of vacancy, advertisement copy, search timeline, and candidate qualification matrix form.
4. The Department Chair (subject to the Dean’s approval) works with the college’s 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.).Appointments less than 50% FTE are not posted for recruitment via WSU Jobs and applicants are solicited in other manners.
5. The Department Chair or delegated authority works with Business Services to complete the sexual misconduct statement and verification process, prior to making a verbal and/or written offer. Once the verbal offer has been made, the criminal history background check is initiated. 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). These processes are initiated through HRS who communicates results to Business Services.
6. Findings during background check, sexual misconduct statement (SMS) process, 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 Dean as the appointing authority.
7. If appointed to a track with rank and the expected/requested faculty rank is above assistant professor, the department uses its standardized rubrics to determine the rank. The Department Chair submits the candidate’s documentation to the college FRPT committee for review and a recommendation on 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. To allow for processing of pre-employment requirements, the initial offer to candidates may include a rank that is contingent upon approval. Rank for all faculty is determined by the department, the Department Chair, the College of Medicine Dean, and ultimately, the Office of the Provost.
9. Upon faculty rank determination, the Department Chair and/or hiring manager provides the appointment information to the college Business Services Office which drafts the offer letter for review by the Department Chair.
10. Offer letters must be reviewed by the Department Chair, hiring manager (if applicable), and the Dean. Career and Tenure track/tenure offer letters must also be approved by the Office of the Provost. All offers for career track and tenure and tenure-track positions are signed by the Department Chair, the Dean, and the Provost.
11. The offer letter, at a minimum, should contain the following information:
    • Effective date(s).
    • Position number
    • Basis of service.
    • Appointment term (e.g., 12-month, 9-month), full time equivalent (FTE) percentage appointment, and overtime eligibility status.
    • Period of appointment (e.g. fixed term, short term, continuous)
    • Title (including working/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
    • 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).
      • 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
      • Service
      • Administration
      • Clinical Practice
      • Other
    • Reporting relationship (direct supervisor and any additional reporting lines).
    • 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 promotion progress evaluation and guidelines.
    • Statement regarding Compliance and Civil Rights
    • 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 of the signed offer letter by the candidate, the Business Services Office completes 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. 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.
3. The Department Chair or delegated authority works with Business Services to complete the sexual misconduct statement and verification process, prior to making a verbal and/or written offer. Once the verbal offer has been made, the criminal history background check is initiated. 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). These processes are initiated through HRS who communicates results to Business Services.
4. 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 Dean as the appointing authority.
5. Offer letters must be reviewed by the Department Chair, hiring manager (if applicable) and the Dean.. All offers are signed by the Department Chair and the Dean.
6. The offer letter, as a minimum, contains the following information:
   • Effective date(s).
   • Position number
   • Appointment term (e.g. 12-month, 9-month), Full time equivalent (FTE) percentage appointment; overtime eligibility status.
   • Periods of appointment (e.g. fixed term, short term, continuous) ).
   • Title (including working title, if applicable).
   • Location/Campus.
   • Scope of workload
     • 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
     • Service
     • Administration
     • Clinical Practice
     • Other
   • Reporting relationship (direct supervisor and any additional reporting lines).
   • Statement about intellectual property.
   • 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).
   • Statement regarding Compliance and Civil Rights
   • Statement regarding benefits eligibility and enrollment windows (if eligible)
7. Offer letters must be signed by both the Department Chair, other cognizant administrator if applicable and the College of Medicine Dean.
8. Upon return of the signed offer letter by the candidate, the Business Services Office completes the procedures for faculty hiring, and when a WSU number is assigned, it notifies the Department Chair or cognizant administrator to send a welcome letter to the new hire.

Community Faculty

1. The Department Chair or designee identifies clinicians/scholars in the community who are interested in teaching, precepting learners in a clinical setting, or serving in other ways to meet the needs of the department.
2. Departments that appoint community faculty are encouraged to develop internal guidelines and processes for candidate rank above assistant professor and 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 submitted 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 Business Services to complete a background check of the finalist, prior to making a 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). These processes are initiated through HRS who communicates results to Business Services.
6. Findings during background check and/or verification of the candidate’s education, certification, licensure and/or credentials may result in disqualification for an appointment, as determined by the Department Chair and/or Dean.
7. The Department Chair provides the appointment information to Business Services, who drafts the appointment letter for review by the Department Chair. Processes to generate pre-approved, automated appointment letters may be developed by each department and operationalized upon approval.
8. Each appointment letter must be reviewed and approved by, college Business Services Office, Department Chair and Dean. All community faculty appointments are signed by the Department Chair and the Dean.
9. The appointment letter, as a minimum, contains the following information:
   • Effective date(s).
   • Periods of appointment (fixed term)
   • Title
   • Faculty rank, if appropriate (e.g., lecturer, instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor).
   • Track
   • Location/Campus.
   • Statement about the non-paid nature of the appointment.
   • Scope of work related to:
     • Scholarship
     • Teaching
     • Service
     • Administration
     • Clinical Practice
   • Reporting relationship (direct supervisor and any additional reporting lines).
   • Statement about intellectual property.
   • Statement about the use of University/college affiliation for private purposes.
   • Statement about 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).
   • Statement regarding advancement progress and guidelines.
   • Statement regarding Compliance and Civil Rights.
10. Offer letters must be signed by both the Department Chair and the Associate Chair (if applicable) and the College of Medicine Dean.
11. Upon the candidate’s return of the signed offer letter, Business Services Office completes the procedures for Community faculty onboarding, and when a WSU number is assigned, notifies the Department Chair to send a welcome letter to the new hire. Processes and access to complete onboarding within departments may be granted on a department specific basis.

5.0 Related Policies

• WSU Faculty Manual
• University Policies and Procedures Manual, UPPM 60.11 Recruitment and Selection of Faculty Personnel

6.0 Key Search Words

Faculty appointment.

7.0 Revision/Review History

Original Approval: 01/02/2018
Policy number: EC.04.01.180102
Review/Revision: 04/28/2020, 02/08/2021, 03/16/2021, 06/06/23, 09/01/26