Recruitment and Hiring

The following applies to Regular Faculty: Non-Tenure Track

Guidelines

  Title Descriptions
   Benefits Eligibility
   Background Checks

Process

   Recruitment Authorization
   Job Posting/Advertisement
   Search and Selection of Finalists
   Offer Letter
   Dispositioning of Candidates
   General Timeline
   Compensation
   Other Duties

Guidelines

Rank Descriptions

Non-tenure track faculty ranks used in the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) include Instructor, Senior Instructor, Principal Instructor, and Scholar-In-Residence. A description of instructor ranks can be found in the. The policy statement was significantly revised on July 1, 2023, so seek guidance regarding ranks, working titles, and allowable contract length from the HR Coordinator for Faculty, Jessica Rosso.

The CU Â鶹ӰԺ campus appointment of instructor-rank faculty guidance can be found at Office of Faculty Affairs.

  • Principal Instructors (job code 1106) are not tenure-eligible. Principal Instructors usually have at least a master’s degree. They shall have a record of significant contribution to education. They hold the working title of Teaching Professors.
  • Senior Instructors (job code 1104) are not tenure-eligible. Individual schools and colleges may require Senior Instructors to perform scholarly and/or service activities. They hold the working title of Teaching Associate Professors.
  • Instructors (job code 1105) are not tenure-eligible. This rank is granted to faculty who typically have a master’s degree or its equivalent and should be otherwise well-qualified to teach at the undergraduate (primarily lower division) level. The College and its departments/programs typically require Instructors to perform service activities, unless otherwise specified. They hold the working title of Teaching Assistant Professors.
  • Scholar in Residence (job code 1442) are not tenure-eligible. This rank is given to faculty whose combination of academic background and career expertise in areas of business, industry, law, K-12 education, the arts, literature, or government makes them valuable contributors to the undergraduate or graduate curricula. These individuals normally hold the terminal degree appropriate for their disciplines but have spent much or all of their careers outside academia. The Scholar-in-Residence would be under contract primarily to provide classroom instruction in their area of expertise. In addition to those instructional activities, they also may have program management, fundraising, and/or student career advising responsibilities that require the talents and experiences developed in their careers outside academia. Scholars in Residence earn the same benefits as those earned by instructor-rank faculty, including as members of the Regular Faculty. They are employees at will and are not tenure-eligible. Note that, unlike those hired into Instructor ranks, there is no promotional track for Scholars in Residence.

Benefits Eligibility

Non-tenure track faculty with 50% appointments or greater are eligible for benefits, including retirement benefits, and are eligible for leave as outlined on the .

Background Checks

Per the Background Check Policy, a background check must be conducted at reappointment or promotion review if a background check has not been processed within three years. The College interprets this to mean that if the background check was passed more than three years prior to the start of the reappointment period, the instructor must undergo a criminal background check at the time of the offer letter for the reappointment or promotion.

The date on which the most recent background check was processed is found in "HCM" in Personal Information on the "CU Personal Data" tab.

Process

Recruitment Authorization

  • Unit seeks approval from Dean to recruit
  • A position number is created in HCM by the CEAS HR Coordinator for Faculty 

Job Posting / Advertisement

Unit submits position advertisement and Search Plan Checklist to CEAS HR Coordinator for Faculty

  • Draft advertisement and Search Plan Checklist are reviewed by the HR Coordinator for Faculty, CEAS Human Resources Senior Director, CEAS Director of Faculty Advancement, and submitted to the Dean for approval.
  • Once approved, the HR Coordinator for Faculty posts the advertisement to CU Careers. The Director of Faculty Advancement will support the hiring department by posting the official advertisement to various diversity-focused recruiting sites, per the Search Plan Checklist.
  • Once approved, the Unit posts advertisements on discipline-specific recruiting sites per Search Plan Checklist 

Search and Selection of Finalists

  • Search Committee conducts the search and selects finalists.
  • The dean approves finalists who are proposed to be invited for on-campus interviews.
  • The top finalist is identified and the terms of the offer are discussed between Dean and Chair or Program Director 

Offer Letter

  • Unit submits the following to the CEAS HR Coordinator for Faculty
    • Draft offer letter
    • CV
    • At least one letter of recommendation
  • Unit submits draft offer letter (in Word format) to CEAS HR Coordinator for Faculty for review
  • HR Coordinator for Faculty will review the draft offer letter for compliance with the CEAS and campus template and the approved terms of offer.
  • HR Coordinator for Faculty will submit the draft offer letter to the CEAS Human Resources Senior Director and Dean for review and recommendation.
  • The Dean will provide approval of the draft offer letter to the HR Coordinator for Faculty.

For 100% appointments:

  • The CEAS HR Coordinator for Faculty will submit the draft offer letter to the Office of Faculty Affairs for review and approval.
  • Once approved by the Office of Faculty Affairs, the HR Coordinator for Faculty routes the offer letter via DocuSign for all signatures with cc: to the following:
    • Unit
    • Human Resources Service Center
    • CEAS HR to place in the college personnel file
      • CV
      • Letter of recommendation (at least one is required)
  • The department submits a welcome/onboarding email to the candidate and campus HR begins the hiring and background check process.
  • CEAS HR Coordinator for Faculty organizes the college's new faculty orientation and tracks attendance.
  • Appointment entered in HCM (Human Resources software) by the Human Resources Service Center and approved by the Office of Faculty Affairs.

For less than 100% appointments:​

  • The CEAS HR Coordinator for Faculty routes the offer letter for all signatures with cc: to the following:
    • Unit
    • Human Resources Service Center
    • College Personnel File
  • Appointment entered in HCM by the Human Resources Service Center.

Dispositioning of Candidates and Posting Closing in CU Careers

  • In compliance with the Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy, it is critical that all candidates are dispositioned accurately in CU Careers/Avature.
  • Department dispositions candidates in conjunction with Campus HR, per the CU Careers Faculty Candidate Process Flow.
  • Department submits a request via email to the CEAS HR Coordinator for Faculty to close the posting in CU Careers no later than June 30th annually unless negotiations are ongoing.·    

General Timeline

There is no standard timeframe for teaching faculty recruitments other than ensuring that the process is complete prior to the start of the academic year or spring semester. 

Compensation

Salary ranges are determined in consultation with the Dean and Associate Dean for Faculty Advancement and are discussed throughout the hiring process. Ultimately, once a finalist is identified, compensation is negotiated between the chair/director and the dean.

Other Duties

Academic units can assign other duties in lieu of a class section or course. This option is reserved for cases where the other duties directly support the delivery of instruction, student learning, curriculum development, and co-curricular activities. These other duties, in support of teaching, do not include activities defined as service such as routine work-related activities (faculty meetings, course scheduling meetings, career advice to students, etc.) and other activities essential to the smooth operation of the department. In the interest of consistency, units should check with an Associate Dean as to whether or not other duties qualify as instructional.