II.G. – Policies Regarding Faculty (Institutional Faculty Only) – 12-2025

1. Purpose

Pursuant to its constitutional and statutory authority, the Board establishes this policy to set clear and consistent standards for the appointment, evaluation, development, and support of faculty across the institutions. Faculty are central to the academic mission, and their expertise in teaching, research, creative activity, and service is essential to student success, institutional integrity, and the advancement of knowledge. This policy provides a framework to ensure that tenure, promotion, and evaluation processes are transparent, fair, and aligned with both institutional goals and the public interest. It applies to all faculty, including tenure- eligible and non-tenure- eligible, unless otherwise noted.

2. Definitions

1. Faculty: Faculty are employees of the institutions whose primary responsibilities include teaching, research, creative activity, and/or academic leadership, often in combination with service expectations. Faculty may hold positions that are tenure- eligible or non- tenure- eligible, and they may be full- time or part-time employees. Career-Technical Education faculty are employees whose primary responsibilities include instruction that is specific to technical education.
   1. Tenure- eligible faculty are hired into a position that allows them to apply for tenure after undergoing review and meeting specific requirements.
   2. Non-tenure-eligible faculty include position types such as, but not limited to, the following:
      1. Full-time, non- tenure eligible faculty (clinical faculty, lecturers, and so on) who may be eligible for promotion.
      2. Adjunct faculty who are part-time, non- tenure- eligible academic faculty. They are often professionals or experts in their field who bring practical experience to the classroom. Adjunct faculty are not typically required to engage in research or service activities and are generally compensated per course or credit hour. Their appointments are often per-term.
      3. Affiliate faculty have a formal affiliation with a department without a traditional faculty appointment.
2. Promotion: Promotion represents and rewards a faculty member’s performance in teaching, research or creative activity, service, and/or academic leadership. Promotion is available for tenure- eligible faculty and may be available for non- tenure- eligible faculty.
3. Tenure: Tenure is an ongoing faculty appointment earned after an extensive multi- year review process that demonstrates a faculty member’s continued excellence in teaching, research or creative work, and service.

3. Faculty Contracts

1. Faculty Contracts and Acknowledgment: All faculty serve pursuant to employment contracts. The employment contract must include the period of the appointment, faculty classification, salary, pay periods, position title, employment status , and such other information as the institution may elect to include in order to define the contract of employment. Non-tenured faculty employees have no continued expectation of employment beyond their current contract of employment.

   Each faculty employee must acknowledge receipt and acceptance of the terms of the employment contract by signing and returning a copy to the institution initiating the offer of appointment. Failure or refusal of the faculty employee to sign and return a copy of the employment contract within the time specified in the contract is deemed to be a rejection of the offer of employment unless the parties have mutually agreed in writing to extend the time for a faculty employee to sign and return a copy of the employment contract to the institution. Nothing in this paragraph prohibits the institution from extending another offer to the employee in the event the initial offer was not signed and returned in a timely manner. Any alteration by the employee of the offer of employment is deemed a counteroffer and constitutes a rejection of the offer of employment and requires an affirmative act of acceptance by an officer authorized to enter into contracts of employment binding the institution. Each contract of employment must include a statement to the following effect and intent: “The terms of employment set forth in this contract are also subject to the Governing Policies and Procedures of the State Board of Education (or the Board of Regents of the University of Idaho, in the case of the University of Idaho), and the policies and procedures of (the institution).”

2. Term of Appointment: All non-tenured faculty employees have fixed terms of employment. Except as provided herein, no contract of employment with such an employee may exceed one (1) year. The institutions may implement policies allowing for multi-year contracts for certain classifications of non- tenure track faculty members. Such policies must include, at a minimum, the following requirements: (1) no contract of appointment may exceed three (3) years during the employee’s first six (6) years of service; and (2) the designation of the classifications eligible for multi- year contracts must be approved in writing by the institution’s Chief Executive Officer or designee. Employment is subject to satisfactory annual performance reviews.

   A multi- year contract must state that it may be terminated at any time for adequate cause, as defined in Section II.L. of Board policy, or when the Board declares a state of financial exigency, as defined in Section II.N. of Board policy. The contract must also state that it may be non-renewed pursuant to Section II.G.3., II.B.2.b, and II.B.2.c of Board policy.

3. Employment beyond the contract period may not be legally presumed. Reappointment of a faculty employment contract is subject solely to the discretion of the chief executive officer of the institution, and, where applicable, of the Board. Faculty who serve pursuant to contracts of employment or notices (letters) of appointment containing a stated salary are not guaranteed such salary in subsequent contracts or appointments, and such salary is subject to adjustment during the contract period due to financial exigency (as provided for in Section II.N of Board Policy) or through furlough or work hour adjustments (as provided for in section II.G.7 and Board Policy II.B.2.d ).

4. Faculty Rank and Promotion Pathways

1. Faculty Ranks: There are three (3) primary tenure- eligible faculty ranks at each institution: (a) professor, (b) associate professor, and (c) assistant professor. Each institution may establish additional faculty ranks for non- tenure eligible faculty, specify the title of each rank, and delineate the requirements for each faculty rank so established.
2. Tenure- Eligible Faculty Location: Tenure- eligible faculty, including initial appointment to faculty rank and any promotion to a higher rank at an institution, are generally located in a department or equivalent unit.
3. Rank and Promotion: Each institution must establish criteria for initial appointment to tenure- eligible faculty rank and for promotion in rank at the institution. Each institution may establish criteria for non- tenure eligible rank and promotion. Such criteria must be submitted to the Board for approval and, upon approval, must be published and made available to the faculty.
4. Special Cases: Employees who have made substantial contributions to their fields of specialization or who have demonstrated exceptional scholarship and competence or appropriate creative accomplishment of recognized outstanding quality may be appointed to faculty rank without satisfying established institutional criteria for initial appointment or promotion, provided that the qualifications of such individuals have been reviewed in accordance with institutional procedures and the appointment is recommended by the chief executive officer.
5. Appointment of Non- Tenure- Eligible Faculty: Institutions must establish written policies that define the roles, responsibilities, and expectations as specified in the employment contract for non- tenured faculty.

5. Compensation

1. Salary: All initial salaries for faculty employees are established by the chief executive officer, subject to approval by the Board where applicable. Any p ayment in addition to regular salaries must be authorized by the chief executive officer. The Board may make subsequent changes for faculty employee positions or may set annual salary guidelines and delegate to its executive director the authority to review compliance with its annual guidelines. Any annual salary increase outside Board guidelines requires specific and prior Board approval before such increase may be effective and paid to the employee. With the exception of the chief executive officers and other positions whose appointment is a reserved Board Authority, approval of salaries must be effective concurrently with Board approval of annual operating budgets for that fiscal year.
2. Salaries, Increases, and Other Compensation- Related Items
   1. Categorizing for Reporting: To c ategorize faculty employees for salary and reporting purposes, faculty includes all persons whose specific assignments customarily are made for the purpose of conducting instruction, research, creative activity, or public service as a principal activity (or activities), and who hold the following academic rank or titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, clinical faculty, instructor, lecturer, adjunct faculty, or the equivalent of any of these academic ranks. Faculty report to deans, directors, or the equivalents, as well as associate deans, assistant deans, and executive officers of academic departments (chairpersons, heads, or the equivalent) if their principal activity is instructional. Faculty do not include student teachers, research assistants, or medical interns or residents. For reporting purposes, deans, associate deans, and assistant deans are included in the executive/administrative category.
   2. Credited State Service/Full Time Status: A faculty member employed for an academic year and paid over a twelve- month period will be credited with twelve (12) months of state service. For all benefit status determinations and calculations, faculty members must be considered full-time, year-round employees of the employing institution as long as the employee’s teaching; research and service duties are commensurate with the full- time faculty workload assignment as defined by the employing institution.
   3. Pay Periods: All faculty employees, including those on academic year appointments, are paid in accordance with a schedule established by the state controller.
   4. Automobile Exclusion – Unless expressly authorized by Board policy, no faculty employee will receive an automobile or automobile allowance as part of his/her compensation.

6. Annual Leave

1. Only faculty members serving twelve (12) month appointments earn annual leave. Such annual leave must be earned in the same manner as for non- classified employees.

   Pursuant to section 59- 1606(3), Idaho Code, when a faculty member has accrued annual leave for service on a 12- month appointment, and subsequently such faculty member returns to a faculty position of less than 12 months where annual leave does not accrue, then the institution may pay the faculty member, as supplemental pay, the accrued annual leave balance.

7. Sabbatical Leave

1. Eligibility: A sabbatical leave may be granted at the discretion of the chief executive officer to a faculty member who has completed at least six (6) years of full-time service at an institution. A sabbatical leave may not be awarded to the same faculty member more than once in any six (6) academic years and sabbatical leave time is not cumulative. Sabbatical leave proposals must be submitted, reviewed, and processed according to policies and procedures established at each institution. A sabbatical leave may be used for the purpose of acquiring and/or updating professional skills and knowledge, innovation in teaching, or for conducting research or creative activity. Sabbatical leave awards are fully dependent on the availability of appropriate funding.
2. Term: The term of sabbatical leave is either one (1) academic semester at full pay or two (2) semesters at half pay.
3. Condition: Each faculty member who is granted sabbatical leave must serve at the institution for at least one (1) academic year after completion of the sabbatical unless the chief executive officer approves a waiver of the requirement.
4. Report on Sabbatical Leave: By the end of the first semester following return to the institution from a sabbatical leave, or in the faculty member’s subsequent annual evaluation report, the faculty member must submit a written account of sabbatical activities and accomplishments to the academic vice president.

8. Annual Performance Evaluation for Faculty

1. Evaluation Criteria: Each institution must establish a policy for annual performance evaluations, publish the criteria, and ensure that all faculty members have advance access to the criteria. Institutions must apply performance standards consistently and fairly across appointment types. Faculty must have the opportunity to respond in writing to their evaluation. Each institution must develop policies, procedures, and measurement instruments to solicit feedback from students about their learning experiences to inform ongoing faculty efforts to improve course design and pedagogy.
2. Process: Each year, the dean or their designee must submit an evaluation of each faculty member in the department. This evaluation, together with the input of higher administrators, will be used as one aspect of the final recommendation relative to reappointment, non- reappointment, or other personnel action, whichever is appropriate. The dean or designee must communicate an assessment of strengths and weaknesses to each faculty member evaluated.
3. Record Retention: Any written recommendations that result from the evaluation of a faculty employee will be given to the employee, and a copy will be placed in the employee’s file.

9. Non-renewal of Non-tenure Faculty Members

1. Notice: Notice of non- renewal for full-time non- tenure faculty (including but not limited to positions such as clinical faculty, lecturers, or instructors) must be given in writing (see Board Policy II.F).
   1. First Year of Service – A least 90 days in advance of the contract termination.
   2. Two (2) or More Years of Service – At least 180 days in advance of the contract termination.
   3. More Than Three (3) Years of Service – Institutions may establish policies to grant up to 365 days’ notice of nonrenewal for full -time non- tenure faculty who have completed three (3) or more years of service.

      Failure to provide timely notice of non- renewal because of a mechanical, clerical, or mailing error does not extend or renew the letter or contract of employment for another term, but the existing term of employment will be extended to provide the employee with a timely notice of non- renewal.

2. General Exception to Notice Timeline: Notice of non- renewal is not required when the Board has authorized a reduction in force resulting from a declaration of financial exigency, and a non- tenured faculty member is to be laid off. In that event, notice of layoff must be given as provided under the policies for reduction in force.
3. Exception for Grant-Funded Non-Tenure Faculty: The employment of a non- tenured faculty member whose continued employment is contingent upon the availability of external or grant funding, or the ability to secure external or grant funding, may be subject to termination when the funding supporting the position has been terminated by the external funding source. Notice of termination may match the notice period provided by the external funding source.
4. Request For Review: Non-renewal is not subject to investigation or review except that the employee may request an investigation or review to establish that the institution did not comply with the requirements of Section 8.a. above. In such cases, the investigation or review will only concern the manner and date of notification of non- renewal. The employee must request such investigation or review in writing to the chief executive officer within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the written notice of non- renewal.

   Provided, however, that if the non- tenured faculty member presents bona fide allegations and evidence in writing to the chief executive officer of the institution that the non- renewal was the result of discrimination prohibited by applicable law, the non- tenured faculty member is entitled to use the internal discrimination grievance procedure to test the allegation. In such cases, the same procedures, burden of proof, time limits, etc., as set forth for the grievance of non- renewal by non- classified employees must be used.

9. Tenure

1. Purpose of Tenure: Tenure helps Idaho’s colleges and universities attract and retain high-quality faculty who are dedicated to student success and the advancement of knowledge through teaching, research, and creative activity. It provides a stable foundation for long- term contributions to education and scholarship, while holding faculty accountable through structured peer review and institutional oversight. Tenure supports academic freedom by protecting the ability of faculty to explore complex topics, share diverse perspectives, and contribute to public understanding without fear of censorship or retaliation. As outlined in Board Policy III.B Academic Freedom and Academic Responsibility, this freedom is not a exclusively a personal privilege but a professional obligation to serve the public by fostering open inquiry, critical thinking, and informed civic discourse. Tenure is the presumption of continual employment conferred to faculty members after a rigorous, multi-year peer review of the extent to which their contributions to their disciplines and institutions are distinctive and indicative of continuing success. Tenure status is available only to eligible, full-time institutional faculty members, as defined by the institution. All faculty appointments are subject to the approvals as required in Board policy. See II.G.3.c for general contract terms applicable to all faculty. The following applies to tenure- eligible faculty during the probationary period.
2. Acquisition of Tenure
   1. Career-Technical Faculty hired under the division of professional- technical education prior to July 1, 1993, who were granted tenure may retain tenure in accordance with these policies. Individuals hired as career -technical faculty subsequent to July 1, 1993, are hired and employed as non- tenure- track faculty. They are granted an employment contract in accordance with these policies and are subject to continued acceptable performance and/or the needs of the institution; they may also be afforded the right to pursue promotion and to serve on institutional committees.
   2. Each institution must develop policies for the acquisition of tenure by tenure – eligible faculty that are consistent with this general philosophy and policy statement of the Board.Acquisition of tenure is not automatic, by default or defacto, but requires a rigorous, comprehensive review based on disciplinary and institutional standards by colleagues within the faculty member’s academic unit and/or institution. This review may include input from members of the academic community external to the institution.
   3. A faculty member is eligible to be evaluated for the acquisition of tenure after having completed four (4) full years of academic employment at the institution, although tenure may be awarded prior to completion of this initial eligibility period in certain exceptional cases as provided in Board Policy II.G.8.). In addition, an academic faculty member must be evaluated for the acquisition of tenure not later than the faculty member’s sixth (6th) full academic year of employment at the institution.
3. Standards of Eligibility for Tenure
   1. Annual Appointments: Until the acquisition of tenure, all appointments are made for a period not to exceed one (1) year. Prior to the award of tenure, employment beyond the annual term of appointment may not be legally presumed.
   2. Service in Professional P ositions: All satisfactory service in any other professorial rank, whether tenure- eligible or non- tenure- eligible, may be used to fulfill the time requirement for acquiring tenure. Each institution must develop criteria and rules by which prior service may be evaluated for inclusion as part of the experience necessary for acquiring tenure.Before a non- tenured faculty member holding academic rank is moved from one position in the institution to another, the member must be informed in writing by the academic vice president, after consultation with the receiving department, as to the extent to which prior service may count toward eligibility for tenure status.
   3. Lapse in Service: Effect of lapse in service, transfer, reassignment, reorganization, and administrative responsibilities: A non- tenured faculty member who has left the institution and is subsequently reappointed after a lapse of not more than three (3) years may have his or her prior service counted toward eligibility for the award of tenure. Eligibility for the award of tenure must be clarified in writing before reappointment.A tenured faculty member who has left the institution and is subsequently reappointed after a lapse of not more than three (3) years must have tenure status clarified in writing by the president or his designee before appointment. The faculty member may be reappointed with tenure or may be required to serve additional years before being reviewed for tenure status.
   4. Tenure for Academic Administrators: Academic administrators include roles, for example, such as the chief executive officer/presidents, chief academic officers/provosts, vice provosts, vice presidents, or equivalent of the institutions, deans, associate/assistant deans, department chairs of the academic units of the institutions, and academic program directors or equivalents.
      1. An employee with tenure in an academic department or equivalent unit who is appointed to an academic administrator position retains tenure in that department or equivalent unit.
      2. An employee hired for or promoted to an academic administrator may be considered for a tenured faculty rank in the appropriate department or equivalent unit. Such consideration is contingent upon approval by the institution’s president.
      3. Upon termination of employment as an academic administrator, an employee with tenure may return to employment in the department or equivalent unit in which he or she holds tenure unless such employee resigns, retires, or is terminated for adequate cause.
      4. Non-academic Administrators: An individual hired for a non- academic administrator position from outside the institution will not be considered for a tenured faculty rank in conjunction with such appointment. However, he or she may be granted a faculty appointment, upon the recommendation of the appropriate department and dean and with the approval of the provost or chief academic officer and president, if the individual will teach and otherwise contribute to that department.
4. Exceptional Cases: Tenure may be awarded prior to completion of the usual eligibility period in certain exceptional cases. In such cases, the burden of proof rests with the individual. Extension of the tenure review period may be granted in certain exceptional cases. In such cases, the faculty member must formally request such an extension and indicate the reason for the request. An institution that permits an extension of the tenure review period must include in its policies the procedure a faculty member must follow to request such an extension, and the basis for determining the modified timeline for review.
5. Evaluation for Tenure: It is expected that the chief executive officer, in granting tenure, will have sought and considered evaluations of each candidate by a committee appointed for the purpose of making recommendations related to tenure status. Such a committee must include tenured faculty as a majority. It may also include non- tenured faculty, students, and one (1) or more representatives from outside the faculty member’s department. To the extent possible, some of the committee members must have knowledge and understanding of the candidate faculty member’s discipline. Each member of the committee has an equal vote on all matters. The committee must use multiple sources of data and evidence to make a recommendation for tenure. Tenure recommendations may consider, but must not rely solely on, student evaluations of faculty teaching. The recommendation of the committee will be forwarded in writing through appropriate channels, along with written recommendations of the department chairperson or unit head, dean, and appropriate vice president, to the chief executive officer, who is responsible for making the final decision.
6. Award of Tenure: The awarding of tenure to an eligible faculty member is made only by a positive action of the chief executive officer of the institution. The president must give notice in writing to the faculty member of the approval or denial of tenure. Notwithstanding any provisions in these policies to the contrary, no person will be deemed to have been awarded tenure because notice is not given.
7. Notice: An individual eligible for tenure must be informed, by proffered written contract, of appointment or nonappointment to tenure not later than June 30 after the academic year during which the decision is made. In case of denial of tenure, the faculty member must be given written notice that tenure was denied.
8. Reorganization: Faculty impacted by the reorganization of an administrative structure retain tenure, subject to exceptions outlined elsewhere in II.G .

10. Periodic Performance Review of Tenured Faculty Members:

It is the policy of the Board that at intervals not to exceed five (5) years following the award of tenure or achieving the rank of professor, whichever is later in time, the performance of tenured faculty must be reviewed by members of the department or unit and the department chairperson or unit head. The periodic performance review of tenured faculty is intended to support continued professional growth, recognize achievement, and ensure accountability to the institution’s mission. The review process must respect academic freedom and be used to affirm contributions, guide improvement, and support faculty excellence.

1. Scope: The review must be conducted in terms of the tenured faculty member’s continuing performance in the following general categories: teaching effectiveness, research or creative activities, service, other assigned responsibilities, and overall contributions to the department, institution, and/or discipline.
2. Procedures for P eriodic Review: Each institution must establish procedures for the performance review of tenured faculty members at the institution, including provisions for performance improvement, subject to approval by the Board. Each year the academic vice president or designee is responsible for designating in writing those tenured faculty members whose performance is subject to review during the year.
3. Review Standards and Reporting: Each institution must submit an annual report to the Board related to post-tenure review outcomes that includes the number of reviews conducted, the number of performance improvement plans resulting from the post- tenure review process, and the justification for not dismissing faculty who fail to meet the requirements of a post-tenure performance improvement plan.
4. Exception for Associate Professors in the Promotion Process: In cases where a candidate submits an application for promotion from associate professor to professor rank in the same year that a post-tenure review would otherwise be scheduled, the promotion review will fulfill the requirement for the periodic post-tenure review.
5. Periodic Review for Administrators: Each administrative employee who has been granted tenure must be evaluated in accordance with the policies established at each institution for the evaluation of an academic administrator. Annual performance reviews or an alternative comprehensive review strategy may be more appropriate for academic administrators.

   When a tenured faculty member is serving as department chair, college dean, or in some other administrative or service capacity, retention of membership, academic rank, and tenure in the subject-matter department or similar unit is maintained. Should the administrative or service responsibilities terminate, the member takes up regular duties in the discipline within which membership, academic rank, and tenure was retained.

11. Termination of Employment for Tenure- eligible and Tenured Faculty

1. Tenure- eligible faculty: If a faculty member is not awarded tenure, the chief executive officer must notify the faculty member of the decision not to recommend tenure and may either issue to the faculty member a contract for a terminal year of employment, or, at the sole discretion of the chief executive officer, issue to the faculty member contracts of employment for successive periods of one (1) year each. Such an appointment for faculty members not awarded tenure must be on an annual basis, and such temporary appointments do not vest in the faculty member any of the rights inherent in tenure, and there is no continued expectation of employment beyond the annual appointment. When authorized by the chief executive officer, or his or her designee, the year in which the tenure decision is made may be the terminal year of employment.
2. Tenured Faculty: A tenured faculty member may be reassigned or terminated when:
   1. Following a full and complete periodic performance review (which may include a performance improvement plan), the tenured faculty member’s performance is judged to have been unsatisfactory during the period under review, the chief executive officer may initiate termination of employment procedures for the faculty member.
   2. The Board has declared a financial exigency under Policy II.N.
   3. A program is discontinued, as described in Policy III.G.7, has been or must be modified for educational or financial considerations, based on specific criteria such as sustained enrollment decline, material loss of funding, or structural changes such as program mergers.

   Such actions are distinct from and separate grounds for reassignment or termination from a dismissal for adequate cause under Policy II.L. Each institution must develop and publish objective criteria to guide determinations of program reduction, discontinuance, or substantial modification, consistent with Policy III.G.7. These criteria must be developed through the normal policy process, be approved by the chief executive officer, and be based on documented evidence. Evidence may include, for example, multi-year enrollment trends, student demand, graduate outcomes, accreditation requirements, and/or cost and resource analysis. Faculty retain academic freedom as defined in Policy III.B.

   Before terminating a tenured member, the institution must demonstrate good- faith efforts to address the circumstances through, for example, reassignment (including reasonable retraining), program consolidation, reduction of non- tenure positions, early retirement incentives (where permitted by law or policy), natural attrition, or other circumstances as allowed by law.

   All actions under this section shall be subject to grievance procedures under the program discontinuation procedure as outlined in Policy III.G.7.b. Final authority for termination or reassignment of tenured faculty under this section rests with the chief executive officer.

12. Faculty Code of Conduct

Each institution must create, establish, and maintain a Faculty Code of Conduct that defines faculty rights, responsibilities, and expected conduct. The Code must foster and sustain an environment conducive to professionalism, to the sharing of and critical examination of knowledge and values, and that cultivates an ethical educational climate focused on effective teaching and learning. Its purpose is to articulate faculty rights and responsibilities in alignment with Board Policy III.B Academic Freedom and Academic Responsibility and to support the conditions necessary for faculty to fulfill the institution ’s mission. It is the responsibility of each institution to uphold these supportive conditions, reflecting a shared commitment to academic quality, accountability, and integrity.