2,505: Faculty Position Titles, Rank & Degree Requirements

Revised: January 2021

University faculty shall consist of all persons holding professional positions as authorized by the NSHE Code (Title 2, Chapter 1, Section 1.1). "Academic faculty" means instructional, research, and library faculty. "Administrative faculty" means those professional staff employed in executive, supervisor or support positions. Other authorized titles that include the name of faculty are Temporary Faculty, Joint Faculty, Adjunct Faculty, Emeritus Faculty, and Graduate Faculty. All faculty and those involved in personnel matters should be familiar with the NSHE Handbook and Code, the University Administrative Manual, UNR Bylaws and their respective College/Unit Bylaws.

This UAM section defines faculty titles, faculty rank and faculty degree requirements. In all university related correspondences (e.g. e-mail, business cards, letter head, websites, etc.) faculty shall use the title associated with their professional position. 

Definitions, Titles, and Degree Requirement Guidelines for Academic Faculty

Exceptions to academic faculty professional position titles and degree requirements, including variations in degree requirements by professional school, shall be approved in writing by the Executive Vice President & Provost.

Definitions

  1. "Tenure Track Faculty" are eligible for appointment with tenure in accordance with NSHE Code, Title 2, Chapter 3.
  2. "Tenured Faculty" are tenured faculty in accordance with NSHE Code, Title 2, Chapter 3.
  3. "Instructor Rank I Faculty" is reserved for academic faculty who have been hired for a tenure-track position but have yet to complete the appropriate degree required by the position (UNR Bylaws 2.3.3.1.b). They are not eligible for tenure track until they have completed their degree requirements and converted to Rank II.
  4. "Non-Tenure Track Health Professional Faculty" are non-tenure track faculty and are limited to the School of Medicine and the Orvis School of Nursing.
  5. "Non-Tenure Track Clinical Faculty" are non-tenure track faculty. They are licensed or certified professionals, or individuals in professional fields. Their major responsibility involves the education of students/learners in clinical settings and supervising clinical experiences. Clinical faculty titles in the School of Medicine and Orvis School of Nursing are normally used for faculty not receiving a salary. The use of clinical faculty titles outside of the School of Medicine or the Orvis School of Nursing are normally used for faculty that do not receive a salary, shall be requested by a dean, and shall only occur with the written approval of the Executive Vice President & Provost.
  6. "Adjunct or Adjunct/Clinical Faculty" are persons qualified to provide special services to the University on a part-time volunteer basis. Adjunct faculty are appointed in accordance with UAM 2,630 and UNR Bylaws 2.3.6.
  7. "Joint Faculty" are a subtype of adjunct faculty appointments and are limited to the School of Medicine. Joint faculty do not receive a salary and are volunteers, as such they do not hold an Academic Rank (i.e. Rank I, II, etc.) as defined by NSHE Code, Title 2, Chapter 5, Section 11. A joint faculty appointment may be assigned to a clinician who is employed by an external institution, including hospitals, that has an affiliation agreement with an NSHE institution.
  8. "Non-Tenure Track Research Faculty" are non-tenure track faculty that are primarily engaged in research.
  9. "Non-Tenure Track Teaching Faculty" are non-tenure track faculty that are primarily engaged in teaching. Teaching faculty are required to hold a terminal degree (or its professional equivalent).
  10. Non-Tenure Track Lecturer Faculty" are non-tenure track faculty that are primarily engaged in teaching, and are not required to hold terminal degrees. Faculty with terminal degrees may be hired as a Lecturer I Rank 0(I). Promotion from Lecturer I Rank 0(I) for faculty that holds a terminal degree will be to the Teaching Assistant Professor title (Rank 0(II)). Lecturer faculty without terminal degrees will promote through the lecturer faculty titles. Upon completion of a terminal degree lecture rank  0(II), 0(III), and 0(IV) faculty may be converted to the equivalent rank of Teaching Faculty titles.
  11. "Non-Tenure Track Temporary Faculty" are non-tenure track faculty that have been issued a "letter of appointment" or a temporary contract in accordance with NSHE Handbook Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 45 and UNR Bylaws 2.3.2. Their title is "Instructor" with Rank 0(I). Degree requirements are dependent upon discipline, but shall be approved in writing by the Executive Vice President & Provost.
  12. "Emeritus Faculty" is an honor, which may be awarded to full-time faculty, and professional staff who retire after distinguished and long-term achievement and service as outlined in NSHE Title 4, Chapter 3, Section 43 and UAM 2,580.
  13. "Graduate Faculty" are appointed based upon their capability to contribute to graduate education as established by the Graduate School (https://www.unr.edu/grad/graduate-faculty/becoming-graduate-faculty), UNR Bylaws 2.3.5 and in accordance with department or major unit bylaws.

Title and Degree Requirements for Tenure-Track, Tenured, and Instructor Rank I Faculty

Title and Degree Requirements for Tenure-Track, Tenured, and Instructor Rank I Faculty
Title Rank Degree Requirement
Instructor I Terminal degree in progress
Assistant Professor II Terminal degree required
Associate Professor III Terminal degree required
Professor IV Terminal degree required

Title and Degree Requirements for Non-Tenure-Track Health Professional Faculty*
Title Rank Degree Requirement
Instructor 0(I) Terminal degree required
Assistant Professor 0(II) Terminal degree required
Associate Professor 0(III) Terminal degree required
Professor 0(IV) Terminal degree required

*Non-tenure Track Health Professional Faculty are limited to School of Medicine and Orvis School of Nursing

Title and Degree Requirements for Non-Tenure Track Clinical Faculty*
Title Rank Degree Requirement
Clinical Instructor* 0(I) Terminal degree required
Clinical Assistant Professor 0(II) Terminal degree required
Clinical Associate Professor 0(III) Terminal degree required
Clinical Professor 0(IV) Terminal degree required

*The use of Clinical Instructor is restricted to the School of Medicine and Orvis School of Nursing unless approved in writing by the Executive Vice President & Provost.

Title and Degree Requirements for Non-Tenure Track Joint Faculty*
Title Degree Requirement
Instructor of Clinical Medicine Terminal degree required
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine Terminal degree required
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine Terminal degree required
Professor of Clinical Medicine Terminal degree required

*Joint Faculty appointments are limited to School of Medicine and Orvis School of Nursing

Title and Degree Requirements for Non-Tenure Track Research Faculty*
Title Rank Degree Requirement
Research Scientist/Research Assistant Professor* 0(I) BS required, MS typically for Research Scientist; Terminal degree required for Research Assistant Professor
Research Assistant Professor 0(II) Terminal degree required
Research Associate Professor 0(III) Terminal degree required
Research Professor 0(IV) Terminal degree required

*Research Assistant Professor for School of Medicine only.

Title and Degree Requirements for Non-Tenure Track Teaching Faculty
Title Rank Degree Requirement
Teaching Assistant Professor 0(II) Terminal degree required
Teaching Associate Professor 0(III) Terminal degree required
Teaching Professor 0(IV) Terminal degree required

Title and Degree Requirements for Non-Tenure Track Lecturer Faculty
Title Rank Degree Requirement
Lecturer I 0(I) Bachelors required, Masters may be required by college
Lecturer II 0(II) Masters degree required
Senior Lecturer 0(III) Masters degree required
Principal Lecturer 0(IV) Masters degree required

Degree Requirement Guidelines for Administrative Faculty

Minimum requirements for administrative faculty positions are comprised of a combination of education and work experience and are determined based upon the guidelines below. In certain circumstances, a specific minimum degree level and/or educational field will be considered for consistency with legal or specialized requirements (i.e., Ph.D. for a psychologist). It is acceptable for departments to require one additional year of experience than what is represented within the guidelines. 

Degree Requirements for Administrative Faculty by Grade
Grade Degree Experience
A Bachelor's One year of relevant work experience
Master's No work experience required
B Bachelor's Two years of relevant work experience
Master's One year of relevant work experience
C Bachelor's Four years of related professional experience 1
Master's Two years of related professional experience 1
D Bachelor's Five years of related professional experience 2
Master's Three years of related professional experience
Doctorate One year of  related professional experience
E Bachelor's Six years of managerial and/or related professional experience
Master's Four years of managerial and/or related professional  experience
Doctorate Two years of managerial and/or related professional  experience

Degree Equivalencies: Compensation Grades A and B

Degree equivalencies (work experience in lieu of a degree) may be approved in limited circumstances for positions within compensation grades A and B following analysis of job duties, industry standards, and recruiting constraints. In such cases, positions may be advertised with equivalent requirements. Equivalencies require the approval of Human Resources and the Provost's Office or appropriate vice president. 

Degree Exceptions: Compensation Grade C

Degree exception requests will be considered at compensation grade C on a case-by-case basis by the Provost's Office.

Degree exceptions are both incumbent and job specific; therefore, a new degree exception must be sought if an employee on an existing approved exception is considered for another position. 

Degree exceptions will not be considered at compensation grades D and E. 

1For positions with supervisory responsibility, one of the required years of experience may include previous supervisory experience.
2For positions with managerial responsibility, two of the required years of experience may include previous supervisory experience.