Clinical Faculty

Review Principles

These guidelines regarding continuing contract faculty shall apply to all appointments, reappointments, and promotions, subject to the terms of employment between the faculty member and NYU Meyers.

Authorization

Appointment, reappointment, or promotion as (clinical assistant/associate/full) professor requires a formal process that includes a review and recommendation by the NYU Meyers Appointments and Promotion (AP) Committee, and a final decision by the dean of NYU Meyers. The NYU Meyers AP Committee is a standing and independent committee of NYU Meyers responsible for reviewing credentials and making recommendations to the dean of all appointments, reappointments, and promotions for continuing contract faculty.

NYU Meyers Appointments and Promotions Committee

NYU Meyers continuing contract faculty shall elect five clinical faculty (three professors and two associate professors or higher) to recommend to the dean for NYU Meyers AP Committee membership.

Membership is for a two (2) year term with overlap so that only a minority percentage of the NYU Meyers AP Committee members terminate their appointment period in any one year ensuring continuity in committee membership. Members may be reelected for up to a total of two (2) consecutive terms. If a faculty member has served on the committee for a total of six (6) years, they may not be on the ballot the year immediately after the sixth-year of their term. Unexpected vacancies on the NYU Meyers AP Committee will be appointed by the dean for the duration of the vacated term of appointment.

The NYU Meyers AP Committee is responsible for making appointment and promotion recommendations to the dean for faculty at the rank of clinical assistant professor or clinical associate professor.

Voting on faculty seeking appointment or promotion to the rank of clinical professor is limited to clinical professors at NYU Meyers; they do not have to be members of the NYU Meyers AP Committee.

Following the review of a candidate’s appointment or promotion materials, the NYU Meyers AP Committee shall relay their recommendation to the dean in the form of a narrative summary of the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. In addition to this narrative summary, materials forwarded to the dean should also include the following:

1. candidate’s up-to-date CV;
2. three (3) or five (5) candidate-selected publications depending on the rank being sought;
3. description of the candidate’s achievements and future academic plans;
4. a teaching portfolio documenting participation and effectiveness in teaching; and,
5. for all candidates for promotion, external letters of reference as is addressed below.

If for any reason, the NYU Meyers AP Committee does not believe that it has adequate expertise to review a candidate, members will consult with the dean on the appointment of an ad hoc advisory group of two continuing contract faculty members with the requisite expertise needed to review the candidate in question. These two faculty members will participate in all subsequent discussions of this candidate and have voting rights as ad hoc members of the NYU Meyers AP Committee.

Criteria for Review

All contracts must include a clear statement of the criteria for each scheduled review for reappointment and/or promotion.

Guiding criteria for the formal review may include, without limitation:

1. commitment to excellence in teaching as evidenced by, for example, syllabi and other course materials, course/program development and innovation, instructor development, classroom observations, reports from program directors, self-presentation, samples of student works, evidence of learning beyond the classroom and student evaluations;
2. scholarship, including, but not limited to training grants, clinical projects, publications, and innovative instructional products;
3. student advising and mentoring;
4. service, including, but not limited to, service to the University community and within and to one's profession; and
5. additional academic roles and administrative responsibilities that contribute to NYU Meyers or NYU’s educational, research, and service missions.

The expectations for achievement in teaching (based on contractually assigned teaching load/course equivalencies), service, and (if applicable) scholarly activity, in order to achieve reappointment or promotion, must be set out clearly in each individual contract.

The career pathway for continuing contract faculty must be specified in the initial contract or any subsequent reappointment. Faculty may choose whether to be evaluated for promotion or reappointment at the same rank. Candidates who apply for promotion and are unsuccessful will still be eligible for reappointment at the same rank. The relevant criteria for promotion or reappointment are to be specified in the original letter of appointment.

Renewal of Contracts

Continuing contract faculty shall be subject to formal review. Faculty on multi-year appointments shall be reviewed in the penultimate year of appointment (the year prior to contract end).

A faculty member’s eligibility to be considered for reappointment does not create a presumption in favor of reappointment, even if the faculty member has met or exceeded the expectations set out in the contract.

Any review for reappointment and promotion shall consider major curricular and structural changes (e.g. termination of a program) and/or improvements in academic programs, even in those cases in which a candidate satisfies the appropriate standards of achievement for reappointment or promotion. Major curricular or structural changes however, do not automatically warrant a denial of reappointment. In the case of such changes, the review considers whether the faculty member is able to teach in the revised curriculum or new academic structure and, if so, in what capacity.

Terms of Appointment

Initial appointment for all titles is for a duration of one (1) year. Initial hires at any level will follow the same process upon the recommendation of the respective Faculty Council Search Committee.  (Recruitment of faculty begins with the NYU Meyers Faculty Council Search Committee, an elected body of the NYU Meyers Faculty Council, who make recommendations to the dean regarding potential faculty hires). 

After the initial year, reappointments are made as follows:

• Clinical assistant/associate titles are appointed for three (3) years.
  • Initial new hire appointment as a clinical assistant or associate professor is for one (1) academic year. Thereafter, the faculty member is eligible for a three (3)-year renewable reappointment.
• Clinical professor titles are appointed for five (5) years.
  • Initial new hire appointment as a clinical professor is for one (1) academic year. Thereafter, the faculty member is eligible for a five (5) year renewable reappointment. Faculty promoted from clinical associate professor to clinical professor are eligible for a five (5) year renewable reappointment.

Reappointment after the completion of a successful review process must be at the same rank (except in cases of promotion) with consistency in title and will typically be at least for the same duration as the previous contract length. In the case of a negative review, the final year of the contract will become the terminal year of appointment.

In accordance with University bylaws, Section 87(b), Contracts and Titles, appointments automatically terminate at the time stipulated in the contract, unless there is an official notice of renewal from the executive vice dean or dean of NYU Meyers.

Preparation of the Docket Materials

The dean shall determine the exact makeup of the reappointment and/or promotion docket. Normally, dockets should include:

1. A summary of the most salient accomplishments in the statutory areas of review, including teaching philosophy, strategies, and goals; scholarship; administrative responsibilities; and service to NYU Meyers. (This summary should normally not exceed two to three pages in length and in no case shall exceed five single-spaced pages.) This summary should be accompanied by a copy of the criteria for review as specified in the original letter of employment.
2. A current, up-to-date CV. The CV may be updated as the process continues to reflect changes in academic achievement and accomplishment.
3. Materials that demonstrate teaching effectiveness (e.g. faculty course evaluations, peer observations of teaching, formal assessments of teaching effectiveness, syllabi, lecture notes, assignments or URL, and other relevant documents).
4. Demonstration of service to the NYU Meyers community (e.g. curriculum development, faculty governance, student mentoring, etc.).
5. Where applicable, a professional portfolio (e.g. showing publications, professional development, etc.) demonstrating significant contributions to the field during the appointment period.
6. Other evidence appropriate to the candidate’s discipline.
7. Candidates are encouraged to include any additional evidence that he or she believes bears on the case for reappointment or promotion, not otherwise identified above.
8. As noted above, continuing contract faculty who are applying for promotion will need external letters of reference. Details regarding this process can be found below in those sections outlining “Promotion from Clinical Assistant to Clinical Associate Professor” and “Promotion from Clinical Associate to Clinical Professor.”

Definition of Scholarship

Scholarship can be defined as those activities that systematically advance  teaching, research, and practice through rigorous inquiry that 1) is significant to the nursing and/or health-related professions, 2) is creative, 3) can be documented, 4) can be replicated or elaborated, and 5) can be peer-reviewed through various methods.[1] Further, scholarship covers the domains of discovery (where new and unique knowledge is generated and/or expanded), teaching (where the faculty creatively builds bridges between his or her own understanding and the students' learning), application (where the emphasis is on translating knowledge, and improving and transforming healthcare delivery and patient outcomes), and integration (where knowledge is viewed in new ways and new relationships among disciplines are discovered).[2] While the discovery of new knowledge is not a primary responsibility of continuing contract faculty, teaching, application, and integration are integral components of their roles in academic schools of nursing.

Time for scholarship is provided for all continuing contract faculty as required by national and state accrediting bodies for schools of nursing. Formal and extensive development for teaching, scholarship, and service at NYU Meyers is organized through the NYU Meyers Faculty Development Academy and is available for all faculty including continuing contract faculty.

[1] AACN Task Force on Defining Scholarship of Nursing (2018). Defining scholarship for academic nursing. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

[2] Boyer, E. (1990). Scholarship reconsidered: Priorities for the professoriate. Princeton, NJ: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Notification

For continuing contract faculty on a contract of three or more years (both on an initial or subsequent three- or more year-contract), the review process for reappointment will take place in the final semester of the penultimate year of the contract. The faculty member will be notified as to reappointment by no

later than the end of the academic year of the penultimate year of the contract (i.e., August 31 in most cases), allowing the faculty one (1) year to plan transition during the final year of the contract. In connection with formal reviews for reappointment and promotion, NYU Meyers will make available to all faculty in print and/or on the faculty portal:

1. Statement of the academic criteria in the areas of teaching, program and/or curriculum and course development, scholarship, and program and school service that will guide the AP Committee’s evaluation.
2. State of the criteria of assessment in effect at the time.
3. Calendar for reviews and communication to faculty members that accords fair and timely notice of a review and of its outcome in writing, as well as adequate notice to faculty to pursue alternative employment in the event of a negative decision.

Professional Activity Form (PAF)

In addition to reviews at the time of potential reappointment, continuing contract faculty on a contract greater than one-year must submit an annual activity report referred to as Professional Activity Form (PAF) to the office of the executive vice dean (EVD).  (The PAF is a document that serves as a faculty-generated list of activities in each prior year that informs an annual discussion between faculty and the EVD for purposes of goal setting, mentoring, annual planning of teaching assignments, and recognition of accomplishments). 

Formal Review Process for Reappointment

The review process for reappointment commences when a candidate for reappointment submits his or her docket for review to the EVD in accordance with the above timeline (to be created for each academic year).

Reappointment is based on departmental criteria of overall performance in their role as clinical faculty. This includes a commitment to excellence in teaching and maintaining a degree of scholarship, service, and/or clinical care. Even in those cases in which a candidate satisfies the appropriate standards of achievement, the decision to reappoint or promote may be dictated by curricular and structural changes in academic programs at NYU Meyers and the University.  In these situations, the basis for non-reappointment will be clearly stated in the notice given to the faculty member.

The NYU Meyers AP Committee will conduct a formal review of the dockets for each clinical assistant and clinical associate professor in the year prior to the third and sixth years of his or her appointment, to coincide with the three-year contract term. A formal review of the dockets for each clinical professor will occur to coincide with the five-year contract term. The faculty member shall receive notification of the review process no later than the first week of the academic year in the penultimate year of their appointment.

The EVD of NYU Meyers will inform the faculty member and the NYU Meyers AP Committee of the schedule for these reviews at the beginning of the second and fifth years for all candidates. In addition to providing a schedule of reviews, the EVD will also provide the NYU Meyers AP Committee with a written review of the faculty candidate. This review will include a summary description of the academic responsibilities and contributions of the faculty member at NYU Meyers. The NYU Meyers AP Committee is responsible for reviewing and making reappointment recommendations to the dean. 

Formal Review Process for Promotion

The process for promotion is initiated by the candidate who confirms his/her eligibility with the office of the EVD. The candidate should make a formal request to the EVD. Candidates can apply for promotion in the year prior to the third or sixth-year review, or during an existing contract period. Review for promotion shall consider curricular or structural changes and improvements in academic programs.

Ranked continuing contract faculty candidates for promotion should submit their docket (as outlined above) to the NYU Meyers AP Committee. In addition to other materials submitted, the docket should contain the following:

1. an application for promotion;
2. an up-to-date CV;
3. a teaching portfolio that includes student and peer evaluations, as well as, relevant course materials;
4. a personal statement;
5. three (3) representative published papers for promotion from clinical assistant to clinical associate or five (5) representative published papers for promotion from clinical associate to clinical professor; and
6. external letters of reference as outlined in the following two sections.

The review process for promotion is the same as the process for reappointment as outlined above. The NYU Meyers AP Committee will provide an assessment for contract renewal purposes, and in the same letter (if applicable) recommend whether the candidate meets the expectations for promotion.

Ranked Continuing Contract Faculty

Promotion from Clinical Assistant to Clinical Associate Professor

In consultation with the EVD, the candidate may be asked to suggest the names of five (5) potential external referees. The EVD, in consultation with the chair of the NYU Meyers College AP Committee, will obtain letters from at least three (3) external referees from institutions on par with NYU. These referees may or may not be the referees as suggested by the candidate. The candidate is expected to demonstrate evidence of increased and excellent contributions in the areas of teaching, service, and scholarship through publications and presentations at the regional and national levels.

Promotion from Clinical Associate Professor to Clinical Professor

In consultation with the EVD, the candidate may be asked to provide the names of seven (7) potential external referees who can provide letters of evaluation attesting to the candidate’s national and international (if applicable) reputation in a specific area of nursing. The EVD, in consultation with the chair of the NYU Meyers College AP Committee, will obtain letters from at least five (5) external referees from institutions on par with NYU. These referees may or may not be the referees as suggested by the candidate. The candidate is expected to demonstrate sustained excellence and significant contributions in the areas of teaching, service, and scholarship through presentations and publications with an emphasis on leadership in the field, and a focused area of recognition.

Non-Ranked Continuing Contract Faculty

Continuing contract faculty who have the title clinical instructor may apply to be considered for promotion to clinical assistant professor. The faculty candidate should consult with the EVD and chair of the NYU Meyers AP Committee as to procedure. In order to be eligible for promotion to the rank of clinical assistant professor, the candidate should have earned a doctoral degree appropriate to their field, have evidence of effective teaching and scholarship, and show promise of continuing development with clear evidence of future potential in their field. The faculty candidate will be asked to provide a letter of recommendation from the NYU Meyers director of undergraduate program or the senior associate dean for academic programs. The NYU Meyers AP Committee will review materials submitted for promotion and submit vote results along with their recommendation to the EVD who will make the final decision.

Transfer between continuing contract faculty and tenured or tenure-track appointments

Continuing contract faculty appointments are not normally convertible to tenure track appointments. In rare cases, and then only with the approval of the NYU provost, a non-tenure track position may be converted into a tenure track one for which the incumbent is eligible to apply within the search process. In these rare cases, conversion of a non-tenure track position into a tenure track position will not foreshorten an existing contract duration as could occur, for example, if the conversion occurred before expiration of an existing contract and the contractee was not selected for the tenured or tenure track appointment. However, a continuing contract faculty member must not be prohibited from applying for and being considered for any tenure track opening that arises within his or her school or elsewhere in the university; nor may any school policy treat his or her doing so with prejudice. In an open and competitive search for a tenure track position, if a continuing contract faculty member successfully obtains a tenure-track position, this faculty member may not hold a continuing contract faculty position at NYU Meyers at any time in the future.

Grievance procedures for continuing contract faculty

Continuing contract faculty can seek redress for a grievance with respect to appointment, reappointment, and promotion through the grievance procedures of NYU Meyers that are stated in the Essential Bylaws of Faculty Governance on the NYU Meyers Intranet. A grievant must be a faculty member at NYU Meyers when he or she initiates a grievance.

Grievances of the faculty can be submitted only on the basis of process, on the grounds: a) That the procedure used to reach the decision was improper, or that the case received inadequate consideration; b) That the decisions violated the academic freedom of the person in question, in which case the burden of proof is on that person.

In the case of all grievances, attempts shall be made to settle the dispute by informal discussions; and that if the grievance is not settled informally at a level below the dean, or by the dean, the faculty member may appeal to the dean to convoke the Grievance Committee of the school or faculty. The dean shall do so within 15 working days.

The Grievance Committee shall be constituted of five (5) full-time faculty members elected from the Faculty Council, three of whom shall be tenured members of the NYU Meyers faculty and two holding a senior clinical appointment (associate clinical professor or clinical professor) at NYU Meyers. The committee shall not include a faculty member whose primary assignment is administrative. Terms of service are staggered two-year terms. The Grievance Committee will review the evidence and make a recommendation to the dean. The Dean shall notify the concerned parties and the Grievance Committee of his or her decision together with reasons. If the grievant wishes, he or she can then follow the procedures specified in the NYU Faculty Handbook to appeal the dean’s decision to the provost. The NYU Meyers grievance procedures for continuing contract faculty align with the NYU Faculty Handbook on the University website.

Timeline for appointment, reappointment, and promotion of full-time continuing contract faculty

Faculty Recruitment/Search 2019-2020

Appointment Process Initiated (Ongoing)

1. Initial appointment is for one year for all ranks
2. Conversion to three-year reappointment for faculty hired at clinical assistant and associate professor ranks or to five-year reappointment for faculty hired at clinical professor rank

Charge to Search Committee (Ongoing)

Personnel Reviews

Third-Year Review for Clinical Track Faculty - Assistant and Associate Ranks                         

1. EVD/ADCAFA notifies faculty and chair of AP Committee of pending review during year two (Fall, 2019)
2. Candidate submits review materials to Interfolio (appropriate third-year review forms as per checklist). (January 15, 2020)
3. Chair of AP requests evaluation of candidate’s teaching from associate dean or director; ADCAFA provides AP a summary description of the academic responsibilities and contributions of the candidate. (February 1, 2020)
4. Faculty affairs administrator reviews packet for completeness. (February 2020)        
5. AP Committee members notified of available materials for review. (March 2020)
6. AP Committee meets to review materials and completes assessment of academic progress in writing to the dean with cc to EVD/ADCAFA. (April-June, 2020)     
7. The ADCAFA reviews materials and writes assessment summary letter that is sent to HR personnel file. (July 2020)
8. Candidate meets with ADCAFA to review progress. (July-August, 2020)

Sixth-Year Review for Clinical Track Faculty – Assistant and Associate Ranks

1. EVD/ADCAFA notifies faculty and chair of AP of pending review during year five (Fall, 2019)
2. Candidate submits review materials to Interfolio (appropriate sixth year review forms as per checklist.) (January 15, 2020)
3. Chair of AP requests evaluation of candidate’s teaching from associate dean or director; ADCAFA provides AP. (February 1, 2020)
4. Faculty affairs administrator reviews packet for completeness. (February 2020)
5. AP Committee members notified of available materials for review. (March 2020)
6. AP Committee meets to review materials and completes assessment of academic progress in writing to the dean with cc to EVD/ADCAFA. (April-June, 2020)
7. The ADCAFA reviews materials and writes assessment summary letter for clinical track faculty; all are sent to HR personnel file. (July 2020)
8. Candidate meets with ADCAFA to review progress. (July-August, 2020)

Contract Reappointment

1. Three-year for clinical assistant and clinical associate professors. Coordinate with third-year and six-year reviews.
2. Five-year for clinical professor. During year four following same timeline as A and B above. 
3. Conversion to three- or five-year contract after first year of initial appointment.

Promotion Applications

1. EVD/ADCAFA notifies all faculty of promotion cycles for the coming year. (Fall 2019)
2. Candidate meets with ADCAFA/chair AP to discuss intention to request promotion. (Fall 2019)
3. Candidate submits a list of potential external referees (five for promotion to associate; seven for promotion to professor); chair of AP identifies potential external referees (three letters needed for associate; five needed for professor). (March 1, 2020)
4. ADCAFA/AP chair contacts external referees. (April 1, 2010)
5. Candidate submits review materials to Interfolio (appropriate review forms as per checklist. Publications (three needed for promotion to associate; five needed for professor.) (April 15, 2020)
6. Faculty affairs administrator reviews packet for completeness. (May 2020)
7. Review materials sent to external referees. (June 1, 2020)
8. Chair of AP requests evaluation of candidate’s teaching from associate dean or director; ADCAFA provides AP a summary description of the academic responsibilities and contributions of the candidate. (June 1, 2020)
9. Faculty affairs administrator follows up with reminders (July 15, 2020) to external referees six weeks and two weeks before the due date (August 15, 2020) for completed external reviews.  
10. External reviews due. (September 1, 2020)
11. AP Committee members notified of available materials for review. (September 15, 2020)
12. AP Committee meets to review materials and makes a recommendation regarding promotion in writing to the dean with cc to EVD/ADCAFA. (October-November 2020)
13. Candidate notified of decision by dean/ADCAFA.  All are sent to HR personnel file. (Spring 2021)

Sabbatical leaves (not applicable to clinical track faculty)

Professor Emeritus (Only Eligible Clinical Professors)

1. Candidate submits CV and letter outlining career accomplishments to EVD/ADCAFA. (October 1, 2019)
2. Ad Hoc Committee of at least three full-time professors, convened by the dean, reviews Emeritus request and forwards recommendation to the dean. (November 15, 2019)
3. The dean reviews materials and writes recommendation. (November 30, 2019)
4. Recommendation is forwarded to provost’s office. (December 15, 2019)
5. Faculty member is notified of Emeritus decision. (Spring 2020)

Annual Performance Development Reviews for Faculty and Merit Increases          

1. Faculty submit annual evaluation materials to ADCAFA. (February 1, 2020)
2. Draft faculty evaluations and recommendations by associate deans and program directors completed and submitted to ADCAFA. (March 1, 2020)
3. ADCAFA begins meeting with faculty to share recommendations. (March-June, 2020)
4. Faculty notified of salary for academic year 2019-2020. (August 30, 2020)