5. Appointment

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5.1 Communication Policy

It is the policy of Adventist University of Health Sciences to recruit and appoint faculty who are proficient in oral and written communication in the language in which they educate. This will be documented through the following process:

1. Review of university transcripts to ensure successful completion of English courses.
2. Formal interview with the appropriate University administrators.
3. Oral presentation to relevant communities on campus (e.g., faculty and students).

5.2 Minimum Employment Qualifications

It is the policy of Adventist University of Health Sciences to require the following qualifications for faculty teaching at the degree levels indicated:

• For faculty teaching general education (health and biomedical sciences) at the Associate degree level, the following are required:
  • A Master’s Degree and a minimum of 18 graduate-level semester hours of credit in the discipline(s) being taught.
  • Meet the standards set by the professional accrediting body.
  • A commitment to actively engage in the mission of the University.
• For faculty teaching allied health courses at the Associate or Baccalaureate degree-level, the following are required:
  • A degree at or above the degree level of the course being taught.
  • Professional certification and expertise in the discipline(s) being taught.
  • Meet the standards set by the appropriate professional accrediting body.
  • A commitment to actively engage in the mission of the University.
• For faculty teaching general education (health and biomedical sciences) and/or nursing courses at the Baccalaureate degree level, the following are required:
  • A Master’s degree and a minimum of 18 graduate-level semester hours of credit in the discipline being taught, or
  • A Master’s degree, including a major, in the discipline(s) being taught.
  • Meet the standards set by the appropriate professional accrediting body.
  • A commitment to actively engage in the mission of the University.
• For faculty teaching graduate and post-baccalaureate courses at the Master’s level, the following are required:
  • A Doctoral degree in the discipline(s) being taught or in a related discipline, or
  • A Master’s degree, including a major, in the discipline(s) being taught when that degree is usually considered the terminal degree in that discipline, or
  • Appointment to senior faculty rank at ADU.
  • Meet the standards set by the appropriate professional accrediting body.
  • A commitment to actively engage in the mission of the University.
• For faculty teaching at the doctoral level, the following are required:
  • A Doctoral degree in the discipline(s) being taught or in a related discipline.
  • Appointment to senior faculty rank at ADU.
  • Meet the standards set by the appropriate professional accrediting body.
  • A commitment to actively engage in the mission of the University.

5.3 Recruitment of Faculty

The process for filling a position involves announcing the position, gathering a pool of candidates, and interviewing selected candidates. Following are the general guidelines for this process:

1. Qualifications for the position include:
   1. Educational background
   2. Experience and competence
   3. Specialized knowledge, research, licenses, and/or credentials
2. The Department Chair/Supervisor will determine an established timeline for recruiting that would include advertising appropriate to the job vacancy.
   1. The Office of the Provost will determine advertising needs based upon the following criteria:
      • Knowledge of qualified applicants within the ADU faculty
      • Department request
      • Length of time vacancy exists
      • External market conditions
      • Cost of specific advertisement
   2. The position may be publicized, utilizing any/all of the following:
      • Florida Hospital and ADU
      • Professional journals
      • Newspapers
      • Internet
      • Professional contacts
      • Direct mail
3. The following guidelines for the interview process should be followed, although individual departments may amend this process where appropriate.
   1. Faculty Candidate Packet (required for all faculty candidates and submitted to the Department Chair/Supervisor and distributed to the appropriate groups). The following materials must be included, but are not limited to:
      • Curriculum Vitae
      • Teaching philosophy as regards to the teaching and learning process
      • Scholarship activities: e.g., theses, dissertations, and publications
      • Professional service: i.e., institution, profession, and community
      • Original transcripts of all post-secondary course work
      • Teaching evaluations (i.e., student, peer, administrative, self)
      • Letters of reference
      • Rehires: In addition to the materials listed above, faculty seeking to be rehired will consult with the Academic Dean and the Chairperson of the Faculty Rank and Promotion committee to ensure that all relevant documents are included.
   2. The following guidelines for the interview process are recommended:
      • The Department Chair/Supervisor, in consultation with the Provost, will arrange for the screening and interview of potential candidates.
      • After an initial interview by the Department Chair/Supervisor and reference checks, the candidate(s) will be interviewed by selected members of the department.
      • When a candidate(s) is recommended by the department members, an oral presentation will be made by the candidate to faculty, administration, and if appropriate, to students.
      • When the presentation is satisfactory, the Department Chair/Supervisor may conduct a comprehensive interview and make a final recommendation to the Provost.
      • After interviewing the recommended candidate and in consultation with the Department Chair/Supervisor, the Provost will submit the joint recommendation to the President for an interview and a final hiring decision. If the President does not accept the recommended candidate, the process will be repeated until a suitable candidate can be found.
4. The accepted candidate will be contacted by the Department Chair/Supervisor to confirm the offer of the position, the pay rate, and expected start date.
5. If the applicant declines the position, and there is no second choice, the interview process will continue until the position is filled.
6. Employment offers are made without regard to age, race, sex, color, national origin, and ethnic background.

5.4 Exemption to Teaching Qualifications

Before a faculty member who does not meet the qualifications listed above can be assigned to teach a course as indicated above, the Exemption to Teaching Qualifications form (See Appendix B ) must be completed by the Department Chair and filed in the Office of the Provost.

5.5 Initial Appointment

The President appoints new faculty after conferring with the Provost, Department Chair/Supervisor, and the Faculty Rank and Promotion Committee.  New faculty candidates are appointed to a rank and level based in part on their education and experience  (See Section 6.2 Ranks for a description of rank and competencies).  Contracts are issued electronically by the President. A template of the contract is located in Appendix C .

5.6 Period of Appointment

Appointments for full-time and part-time faculty will be for the period specifically stated in their contract. The contract year is from August 16 through August 15. It is the goal of Administration to have contracts ready by the middle of June.

5.7 Academic Faculty

Academic faculty are those individuals hired on a full-time basis. These faculty receive full pay and benefits.

5.8 Professional Faculty

Professional faculty status is granted to those contract instructors who have taught at ADU over a period of time, have demonstrated a commitment to the institution, and have professional expertise. These faculty:

• Have earned a degree that meets or exceeds what is required for the course(s) taught
• Have demonstrated a commitment to ADU, its mission, and its values
• Have a proven track record as an instructor

Their responsibilities will entail:

• Being available to teach as needed
• Taking extracurricular responsibilities such as committee assignments
• Attending faculty meetings and University-sponsored professional development courses whenever possible
• Having office hours commensurate with the number of course(s) taught in a given trimester

The benefits of Professional faculty status include:

• A one-year contract committing faculty to teach each time their courses are offered
• Faculty privileges:
  • University faculty ID badge
  • Charging privileges at the University Bookstore
  • Florida Hospital Cafeteria and Gift Shop discounts
• Professional memberships. Up to two will be paid for those memberships related to the course(s) taught (See Elective Membership Dues Policy ).
• Tuition benefit for immediate family members during the current academic year while teaching.

5.9 Adjunct Faculty

Contract Instructional Adjunct Faculty

Contract Instructors are those faculty members who are employed by the University to teach didactic courses which are offered on campus. A Contract Instructor will be awarded an employment contract for each course taught, and will be remunerated according to the policies of the given department and their qualifications.

Contract Clinical Adjunct Faculty

The title of Contract Clinical Adjunct Faculty is given to an individual who is appropriately qualified to supervise and instruct students in the clinical area. This individual is employed for a limited period of time to perform specific duties within a clinical course and is not responsible for the entire course, but rather reports to a full-time faculty member who does have that responsibility.

Clinical Adjunct Faculty

The title of Clinical Adjunct Faculty is given to an individual who is appropriately qualified to supervise and instruct students in the clinical area. This individual is not responsible for the entire clinical course, but provides information through evaluations to the clinical coordinator or other individual who does have that responsibility.

5.10 Online Education Instructors

Online Education Instructors

Online Education Instructors are employed by the University to teach certain online learning courses (Internet, asynchronous, synchronous, and video-based). If their work is not imbedded in their full-time load, they will be awarded an employment contract for each course taught and will be remunerated wages as set forth in the online education wage scale.

Online Education Section Adjuncts

Online Education Section Adjuncts lead in the instruction of small groups of students organized around asynchronous, synchronous, and video-based instruction methods. These adjuncts are under the supervision of the Online Education Instructors and are responsible for leading chats and threaded discussions and participates in grading all academic work for their section.

5.11 Department Chair or Program Director

When a Department Chair or Program Director position becomes vacant, a Search Committee may be appointed by the President. The Search Committee will then search for, screen, and interview the most qualified candidates and make recommendations to the President. The President, taking into consideration the recommendations of the Search Committee as well as those of the Provost, makes the final decision.

5.12 All Vice Presidents

At the executive level, in consultation with the appropriate University officers, the President makes the final decisions on such appointments.

5.13 The President of the University

The President serves at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees and is appointed, reappointed, and/or dismissed at their discretion in a manner determined by them.