Adjunct Faculty Appointment

1. Introduction
   1. The primary mission of Sonoma State University is to develop and maintain excellent programs of instruction grounded in liberal arts and sciences, to expand knowledge through research, and to serve as an education and cultural resource for people in the surrounding communities. The purpose of this policy is to provide direction for the appointment of adjunct faculty.
2. Definitions 
   1. It is recognized that the university may be enriched by the services of persons in the community, or on campus in management or staff positions whose special knowledge or expertise complements that of the regular university faculty. Under the general category of volunteer faculty, such persons may be appointed as adjunct faculty members who volunteer their time in academic activities outside the classroom: i.e.- supervision or counseling of students, supervision of field work, professional training, guest lecturer, research, etc.
3. Qualifications
   1. The qualifications of an adjunct faculty member in terms of training and experience shall normally be equal to those of the regular faculty performing similar services. The adjunct faculty member will ordinarily be a person with special competence or expertise not readily available from members of the regular faculty. Such persons may be professionals in the community, staff or management employees of the university, other scholars and scientists, or emeritus professors.
4. Policy 
   1. The faculty status granted with the adjunct appointment gives the appointee an official affiliation with the University in exchange for an academic contribution to the University. In appropriate circumstances the appointment of adjunct faculty is desirable because it provides protection for the adjunct faculty member in the form of worker's compensation and liability insurance. In addition, adjunct faculty may be extended some of the normal perquisites of regular faculty with regard to library access privileges.
   2. Adjunct appointments are made for one semester or one year and may be renewed indefinitely. Appointments must be renewed formally; informal agreements do not confer faculty status nor provide appropriate protection. The letter of appointment each semester or each year must name the person to whom the adjunct faculty reports and state, in a general way, the kinds of services the adjunct faculty member will provide.
   3. Although it is desirable that the use of an adjunct faculty member will either bring new FTE to the university or retain FTE which would otherwise be lost, these are not required conditions for the appointment of adjunct faculty. The department or program recommending appointment of adjunct faculty must be prepared to demonstrate that the appointment meets the follow conditions:
      1. A person with equivalent qualifications is not readily available from among the regular faculty;
      2. The qualifications of the adjunct faculty are equal to those needed for a regular academic appointment for similar service;
      3. The use of the adjunct faculty member will not adversely affect the FTE and resource positions of other departments and programs.
      4. The provost shall appoint adjunct faculty members on the recommendation of the department chair and the school dean or designee.

Updated June 1, 2001 by ssu.policies@sonoma.edu