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Faculty Classification

The faculty classification plan for each of our campuses may consist of 1 or more of the following 5 general categories.

  • Instruction – perform a variety of teaching, research and service duties in support of the university’s mission. These faculty members may hold tenure, serve in tenure-track positions that are eligible to receive tenure, or occupy positions that are not tenure-eligible. These positions include academic titles such as professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor or lecturer. Candidates for teaching positions hold advanced degrees or have training and work experience at levels equal to advanced degrees.
  • Research – perform a variety of research and service duties in support of the university’s mission. These faculty members may hold tenure, serve in tenure-track positions that are eligible to receive tenure, or occupy positions that are not tenure-eligible. These positions include academic titles such as researchers, associate researchers, assistant researchers, and junior researchers. Candidates for research positions hold advanced degrees or have training and work experience at levels equal to advanced degrees.
  • Specialist – perform counseling and other professional non-research specialized work that is auxiliary to instruction or research programs.
  • Librarian – include reference librarians, technical services librarian
  • Extension Agent – include junior extension agents, assistant extension agents, associate extension agents, and county extension agents.

In addition to the above faculty, the University also employs graduate assistants and lecturers for teaching:

  • Graduate Teaching Assistant – graduate students that function as teaching assistant or research assistant
  • Lecturer – persons employed for short-term teaching assignments, usually on a part-time basis.