Proposal to Change Faculty Titles

March 2005

 

Currently faculty at Blinn College use the title of Instructor, which many feel is not indicative of our professional standing. In keeping with the current trend at the state’s other community colleges (see Appendix I), the faculty council voted to request a change in faculty titles. Proposed changes are as follows:

 

Full-time Faculty:

Part-time Faculty:

 

The titles are simple enough to grant to our faculty. There is virtually no cost involved--other than administrative costs for putting the titles in the system--and have been a boost to faculty morale in the colleges which have adopted these titles. With the change in the mission of many community colleges, Blinn included, these recognitions are more than appropriate. Please see Appendix II for ways other Texas community colleges have implemented these titles.

Of course, there may be those individuals who would prefer to retain the less meaningful Instructor title, and they should be allowed to do so. It seems preferable, however, to have titles that bespeak professionalism; in fact, it would reflect well on Blinn College to have a more professional appearing faculty.

 

 

 

 

 


Appendix I:  Partial Listing of Texas Community Colleges Using

                      the Rank of Professor

 

 

Alamo Community College

Amarillo College

Austin Community College District

Brazosport College

College of the Mainland

Collin County Community Colleges

CyFair College

Dallas Community College District

Del Mar College

Galveston College

Grayson County College

Houston Community College District

Kingwood College

Lee College

Midland College

Montgomery College

North Harris College

Northwest Vista College

Palo Alto College

Ranger College

St. Phillip’s College

San Antonio College

San Jacinto College
South Plains College

Tarrant Country College District
Texarkana College
Texas Southmost College

Tomball College

Victoria College
Western Texas College


Appendix II:  Excerpts from Other Texas Community College

                      Policy Manuals and Faculty Handbooks

 

From Austin Community College:          http://irt.austincc.edu/FacultyHandbook/fulltime.htm#titles

Faculty Titles

Full-time faculty, including librarians and counselors, shall hold the title of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor. The method of placement for full-time faculty, including librarians and counselors, shall be determined only by placement on the 10.5-month faculty schedule as indicated on the chart (using schedule and not salary as the determining factor) available at http://www2.austincc.edu/hr/compensation/faculty.htm.

Newly hired faculty qualifying by pay scale for the title of Professor shall hold the title of Associate Professor until such time as appropriate evaluative criteria have been met and a three-year contract offered. Full-time faculty, including librarians and counselors, who otherwise qualify by placement on the 10.5-month schedule to move up in rank must have a satisfactory evaluation and a recommendation by their supervisor to so move.

From Dallas County Community College:   http://www.tasb.org/policy/pol/private/057501/pol.cfm?DisplayPage=DD(LOCAL).html&QueryText=PROFESSOR

·  FACULTY: Persons employed generally on an academic-year basis and engaged in the delivery of academic programs. Faculty shall include instructors, counselors, resource consultants and librarians, either full-time or part-time, but shall not include special program instructors. A faculty member who is serving under a three-year contract of employment may use the title of professor.

From North Harris/Montgomery Community College District

http://www.nhmccd.edu/Templates/content.aspx?pid=4133

 

FACULTY RANK

For the purpose of recognizing years of satisfactory teaching service to the District, the Chancellor, in consultation with the faculty, is authorized to develop criteria for the awarding of the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor and professor to members of the faculty. The Board shall consider ratification of the assignment of rank to members of the faculty as recommended by the Chancellor.

Assistant Professor appointments are made to faculty who have less than three full time equivalent years of teaching experience at the college or university level.

Associate Professor appointments are made to faculty who have three years or more full-time equivalent teaching experience at the college or university level.

Professor appointments are made to faculty who have served as Assistant or Associate Professors for three years.

The Faculty Rank Committee, comprised of twelve faculty members three each from the District's four colleges, shall recommend to the Chancellor criteria for initial appointments in rank and in special cases may recommend exceptions to the criteria to the Chancellor. Committee members are appointed by their respective faculty senate presidents. The Committee shall meet annually or as needed.

 

From Del Mar College:   http://www.delmar.edu/policymanual/pm2005/ch6/ch6.html#b6.2%20faculty

 

B6.4.1 Promotion Eligibility: In order to be eligible for promotion consideration, a faculty member must have completed the following requirements in a full-time tenured or tenure-track position. The President is authorized to grant exception to minimum education requirements.
 

B6.4.1.1 Assistant Professor: To be eligible for consideration for promotion to this rank, a faculty member must have completed a minimum of three (3) years as an Instructor at Del Mar College. The minimum education requirement for promotion to this rank is a bachelor’s degree.

B6.4.1.2 Associate Professor: To be eligible for consideration for promotion to this rank, a faculty member must have completed a minimum of four (4) years as an Assistant Professor at Del Mar College. The minimum education requirement for promotion to this rank is a bachelor’s degree.

B6.4.1.3 Professor: To be eligible for consideration for promotion to this rank a faculty member must have completed a minimum of five (5) years as an Associate Professor at Del Mar College. The minimum education requirement for promotion to this rank is a master's degree.
 

 

 

 

 

2. Change in title: In August of each year eligible faculty members, according to the following schedule may assume the appropriate title if they so desire.

Years of Experience

Title

Non-tenure track

Instructor

0 - 4

Assistant Professor

5 -15

Associate Professor

>15

Professor