Associate Professor
Definition
In addition to having the qualifications of an Assistant Professor, the appointee shall have a high level of competence in teaching and advisement in the relevant academic field, shall have demonstrated significant research, scholarship, or artistic creativity in the field and shall have shown promise of continued productivity, shall be competent to
direct work of major subdivisions of the primary academic unit and to offer graduate instruction and direct graduate research, and shall have served the campus, the profession, or the community in some useful way in addition to teaching and research. Promotion to the rank from within confers tenure; appointment to the rank from without may confer tenure.
Hiring Procedures
New appointments at the rank of Professor and Associate Professor with tenure and Principal and Senior Agent with tenure must be reviewed by faculty committees and administrators at all levels. No offer of appointment at the rank of Associate Professor, Professor, Senior Agent or Principal Agent (regardless of tenure status) is valid without presidential approval. (New Assistant Professor and Agent appointments are not handled by the University APT process.)
New faculty appointments to the ranks of Associate Professor and Senior Agent without tenure proceed for review and approval by the President based on a recommendation from the Provost, unless questions arise, in which case the President may direct that the proposed appointment undergo an unofficial "tenurability review" by University APT committees prior to presidential consideration. Units hiring associate professors and senior agents without tenure must submit a dossier to the Office of Faculty Affairs for review. The dossier should contain an original proof of degree, a completed New Faculty Appointment Information form, a Dean's letter of support, and Chair's letter of support, the new hire's CV, and external letters of support for the hire.
Prior to final approval of the President, a letter of intent to hire may be sent after gaining approval of the appointment from the hiring Department's Dean(s). Refer to the Sample Letters of Intent to Hire for a template of such an appointment letter. An offer of appointment can be made only with the approval of the President or his or her designee. Full-time appointments to the rank of Associate Professor or Professor require the written approval of the President.
Upon Presidential approval, the faculty member and appropriate academic administrators should complete an Appointment Agreement.
Appointment Term
If immediate tenure is not offered, such appointments shall be for an initial period of up to four years and shall terminate at the end of that period unless the appointee is notified in writing that he or she has been granted tenure. An Associate Professor or Senior Agent who is appointed without tenure shall receive a formal review for tenure. No later than one year prior to the expiration of the appointment, the formal review must be completed, and written notice must be given that tenure has been granted or denied. Appointments carrying tenure may be terminated at any time as described in the University of Maryland Policy on Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure.
Termination
A term of service may be terminated by the appointee by resignation, but it is expressly agreed that no resignation shall become effective until the termination of the appointment period in which the resignation is offered except by mutual agreement between the appointee and the President or designee.
The President may terminate the appointment of a tenured or tenure-track appointee for moral turpitude, professional or scholarly misconduct, incompetence, or willful neglect of duty, provided that the charges be stated in writing, that the appointee be furnished a copy thereof, and that the appointee be given an opportunity prior to such termination to request a hearing by an impartial hearing officer appointed by the President or a duly appointed faculty board of review. With the consent of the President, the appointee may elect a hearing by the President rather than by a hearing officer or a faculty board of review. Upon receipt of notice of termination, the appointee shall have thirty (30) calendar days to request a hearing. The hearing shall be held no sooner than thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of such a request. The date of the hearing shall be set by mutual agreement of the appointee and the hearing officer or faculty board of review. If a hearing officer or a faculty board of review is appointed, the hearing officer or board shall make a recommendation to the President for action to be taken. The recommendation shall be based only on the evidence of record in the proceeding. Either party to the hearing may request an opportunity for oral argument before the President prior to action on the recommendation. If the President does not accept the recommendation of the hearing officer or board of review, the reasons shall be communicated promptly in writing to the appointee and the hearing officer or board. In the event that the President elects to terminate the appointment, the appointee may appeal to the Board of Regents, which shall render a final decision.