By authorizing use of the titles Assistant, Associate and full (no-prefix) Teaching Professor, the School of Human Ecology aims to recruit and successfully retain outstanding Teaching Professors who will contribute to our educational mission. This title series provides opportunities to recruit and retain Teaching Professors who are nationally competitive regarding excellent teaching/learning and educational innovation.  At the time of appointment or promotion, the Teaching Professor’s area of expertise must be one that is deemed to enhance the instructional mission of the School of Human Ecology. In this way, we anticipate the Teaching Professor as adding to, or extending, the instructional profile of the academic unit.

The title of Teaching Professor does not entail tenure or any protections like those provided by tenure. Employees appointed or promoted into the Teaching Professor titles are considered academic staff. Therefore, the UW-Madison Academic Staff Policies and Procedures (https://acstaff.wisc.edu/resources/policies-and-procedures) apply to these appointments. Teaching Professors (all levels) are represented by the academic staff governance and have representation in the Academic Staff Assembly with the governance rights afforded them through Wisconsin State Statutes 36.09 (4m).

The following serve as the key principles of the School of Human Ecology regarding hiring and promoting within the Teaching Professor series.  Before SoHE departments can hire within this series, they will need to develop a vision for the blend of tenure-track, Teaching Professors, Teaching Faculty, and Instructional Administrators within their units, establish criteria for appointing, reviewing, mentoring, and promoting within the Teaching Professor series, and establish mentoring/oversight committee structures for Teaching Professors.  Department plans must be reviewed and approved by the Dean to ensure consistency within the college, and to confirm that the plans are consistent with SoHE and campus guidelines.

Campus Policy 

The Teaching Professor series is a non-tenure track appointment that will enable and recognize concentrated excellence and educational leadership in teaching and learning innovation. This title does not replace other titles such as Lecturer or Teaching Faculty, nor is it intended that those holding Lecturer or Teaching Faculty titles will be automatically or systematically transferred to the Teaching Professor series.  While we expect all SoHE instructors to be excellent educators, what differentiates Teaching Professors from Teaching Faculty is twofold: (1) we expect Teaching Professors to apply their highest level of educational training (Ph.D. or terminal degree) and expertise to student learning and educational innovation/leadership, while we expect Teaching Faculty (a minimum of a Master’s level degree) to bring their practical skills and industry experiences to students’ learning and career development; and (2) Teaching Professors are recruited competitively via an open search at the national level, while Teaching Faculty can be hired via an open search at a local level (although a national search is desired).

The Teaching Professor title may not be used for positions whose responsibilities substantially replicate those of tenure-track faculty. Accordingly, such individuals normally are not permitted to conduct research. An exception can be made in rare situations within a limited (and renewable) timeframe and must be approved by the Dean within the University’s guidelines for academic staff holding a dual role appointment.  Generally, the title of Teaching Professor should be granted to instructional staff whose contributions can be characterized by excellence, distinction, and innovation in the instructional enterprise as determined by a range of relevant contributions. 

Teaching Professor Standard Job Description

• Develops and designs curriculum and instructional material relevant to a course of instruction
• Advises students on academic and career direction within a specific field of study
• Facilitates classroom, online and/or laboratory instruction, including assessment of student performance
• May supervises student employees involved in development or delivery of instruction
• Collaborates with department faculty and staff to develop teaching strategies relevant to the discipline
• Contributes to the development of teaching and learning scholarly work including publications and presentations
• Contributes to the strategic development of curriculum and academic content through various mediums to ensure the integrity of the educational mission of the work unit

Appointments from Teaching Faculty positions to the Teaching Professor are permitted. Teaching Faculty who are eligible for and interested in the Teaching Professor title series should discuss their intention with the department chair during the annual spring review to be considered for a title transfer the following year.  Based on the outcome of this review discussion, the Teaching Faculty will prepare a dossier that includes a curriculum vitae, teaching statement, and names of three to five potential reference letter writers.  Letters will be solicited from the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Innovation.  A confidential letter from the department chair will also be submitted directly to the Associate Dean with recommendation for title change that confirms the responsibilities of the new title are currently being performed or an anticipated. For internal appointments at all levels, the nomination package will be reviewed by a standing committee appointed by the Dean and using the process for promotion outlined in Appendix C.  On receiving all the information, the final decision will be communicated in writing by the Dean to the Department Chair.

Teaching Professor appointments will proceed through open recruitment searches following the School and campus HR guidelines. For national recruitment for new Teaching Professor positions, the following steps must be followed:

• Departments develop and approve Teaching Professor position descriptions using the qualifications below.
• The position proposals must be approved by the SoHE Academic Planning Council for recommendation to the Dean.
• Upon approval of the Dean, search and appointment may proceed per SoHE faculty search policy and process.

Appointment within the Teaching Professor series in the School of Human Ecology is not normally a pathway to a tenure-track faculty position. However, should an individual in the Teaching Professor series wish to be considered for appointment in a tenure-track faculty position, it must be in response to a position vacancy listing for a tenure-track faculty position. This application would be considered and evaluated in the same way as all other applications for the posted position.

The School of Human Ecology values continuous pedagogical improvement and is committed to providing the resources to that end for all SoHE professional teaching staff.  Upon recommendation of the Department Chair and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Innovation, a mentoring committee will be established for each Assistant Teaching Professor.  The committee will meet at least once per academic year but is welcome to meet as needed.  It can be dissolved upon promotion to Associate Teaching Professor.

Standard Teaching Professor appointments include 80% teaching and 20% service/leadership. 

Course load and service expectations are defined further below.  Depending on department needs, other responsibilities may be substituted for course load as long as departmental instructional needs are met.  Substitutions must be approved by the department chair.

Course load expectations:

80% teaching translates to:

• 9-month appointments = 8 courses per year, generally 4 in each fall/spring term
• 12-month appointments = 10 courses per year, generally 4 in each fall/spring and 2 in summer

For Teaching Professors on 9-month appointments, additional compensation may be possible for summer term instruction or for substantive projects conducted during the summer months.

 “1 course” Definition:

Workload varies across courses based on a variety of factors (e.g. number of credits, size of enrollment, mode of instruction, number of course preps, etc.)  For the purposes of establishing a baseline work load, “1 course” is defined as a 3-credit course with substantive enrollment with some exceptions as outlined below.

• “Substantive” enrollment is defined by a minimum of:
  • 15 for studio courses
  • 30 for lecture or online courses
• In situations where enrollments are sufficiently above these minimums, instructional support may be provided
• In situations where enrollments are less than substantive, additional teaching or service responsibilities will be assigned by the department chair to make up the balance
• In the case of courses with fewer than 3-credits, multiple 1- or 2-crecit courses can be combined to equal 1 course load, or additional teaching or service responsibilities can be assigned to make up the balance

Service and leadership expectations:

In addition to instruction, Teaching Professors are expected to (1) engage in activities/initiatives that facilitate students’ personal and professional/career development, and (2) play an active role in the department and school, especially as it relates to undergraduate education.  Specifically, Teaching Professors are expected to play a leadership role in the design, development, and implementation of the undergraduate curriculum within the department. 

Service and leadership responsibilities vary across individuals and departments.  While some responsibilities are expected of everyone (* below) others are dependent on the person and the position.  Examples include:

• Active participation in department meetings*
• Active participation in SoHE-wide meetings and retreats*
• Mentoring undergraduate students (beyond what is expected via course instruction) *
• Engagement in professional development opportunities to foster teaching and learning excellence*
• Advising student organization(s)
• Facilitating student experiential learning outside the classroom
• Membership on department, SoHE and/or campus committees
• Fostering industry connections and internship placements
• Facilitating industry advisory boards
• Program administration
• Program assessment

1. 1. Annual Review

All Teaching Professors in the School of Human Ecology will participate in an annual review process (see Appendix A). The purposes of the annual review are to:

• Provide individuals with feedback on their performance for the past calendar year and to set goals for the coming year and to recommend promotion when applicable.
• Assist in the growth and development of the Teaching Professor
• Encourage the promotion of excellence in teaching, mentorship, educational innovation and leadership, and service
• Make the process consistent and uniform across units in the SoHE
• Create clear, objective criteria for expectations
• Provide individual Teaching Professors with developmental and candid feedback
• Be more effective in achieving departmental and SoHE human capital goals
• When applicable, assist in the assignment of merit ratings and in the identification of potential nominees for awards and/or special recognitions at the school, campus, and/or national levels

2. 2. Comprehensive Review

All Teaching Professors will participate in a periodic comprehensive review. The purpose of the comprehensive review is to create an opportunity that recognizes outstanding achievement, provides opportunities for professional development, and identifies areas for growth in teaching, mentorship and/or service.  This process is meant to build upon and complement the annual review process. 

The first comprehensive review will take place in year three of the new teaching staff appointment.  Thereafter, Teaching Professors will complete a comprehensive review every 5th year.  (See Appendix B) 

Campus recognizes two types of “career excellence”, Progression and Promotion. Neither progression nor promotion are automatic based on a predetermined number of years within a title.

Progression acknowledges sustained or improved excellence within the same job title due to increased knowledge, skills, abilities, years of experience, certifications/licenses/degrees, and/or other elements that add value to an employee’s ability to perform their job and ability to impact their academic unit. Opportunities for career progression may be identified during the annual review. Progression allows for a variety of pay increase opportunities such as market, retention, parity and pay plan. 

Promotion is advancement to a new job title and a change in responsibilities.  Promotion will be evaluated on new position responsibilities that are being currently performed or anticipated within the program. When considering promotion to a different title, attention should be given to the candidate’s quality of demonstrated leadership at both the department and the School level with respect to educational innovation including the unique responsibilities of the title pursued (see Appendix C.) 

All Teaching Professors shall participate in an annual review. The purpose of these reviews is to create an opportunity that recognizes outstanding achievement, provides opportunities for professional development, and identifies areas for growth in teaching, mentoring, and/or service.

Process

1. Teaching Professors will document their teaching, mentoring, and service activities in the campus Performance Management and Development Program (PMDP) system.

2. A committee of the department chairs and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Innovation will individually review the PMDP reports and teaching evaluations and record preliminary ratings and comments prior to meeting. Following committee review and discussion, final ratings and comments will be recorded in PMDP.  Final review will include:

• Single rating for each job responsibility (see table below) and an overall rating (Meeting Expectations or Not Meeting Expectations)
• Comments for each review area

Ratings are defined as follows:

“Exemplary” signifies exceptional performance on most or all of the expectations in a given year.  

“Successful” denotes that the employee is successfully meeting most or all of the expectations of the job duties.  

“Developing” indicates that they employee is meeting some of the expectations and is on a positive trajectory toward success.  

“Partially meeting” signifies the employee is meeting some of the expectations and further development is needed. 

“Not meeting” means the employee is not meeting the expectations of the role and significant development is needed.

3. Department Chairs will also independently provide ratings in PMDP regarding Criteria for Success for the Teaching Professor they supervise.  The Criteria for Success domains are the same for all academic staff in the School of Human Ecology and include:

1. Commitment to the mission of the University and work unit

2. Positive approach to change and improvements

3. Commitment to the job

4. Commitment to fostering a respectful, effective, and collegial work environment

5. Management/Supervision (if applicable)

4. Department Chairs will meet individually with each Teaching Professor in their department and shall incorporate a Chair’s assessment along with the committee review in PMDP.  The Chair’s job will be to identify strengths, talk about areas of improvement, and offer problem solving in those areas that need improvement. This discussion also should be an opportunity for the Teaching Professor to note areas where they, the Department, and the School could improve.

5. If an individual falls below satisfactory performance, it is the responsibility of the Department Chair, in consultation with the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Innovation to follow through with a specific professional development plan.

Timeline

1. By mid-January (Tuesday after MLK holiday): All Teaching Professors submit their annual review report using PMDP
2. By February 15- Annual Review Committee deliberation
3. By March 15 – Individual meeting between Teaching Professor and Department Chair (highlights, feedback, and developmental plan)

The first comprehensive review will take place in year three of the new teaching staff appointment.  Thereafter, Teaching Professors will complete a comprehensive review every 5th year.

Process and Timeline

1. The SoHE Dean’s Office will maintain a record of due dates for comprehensive review and will inform the Teaching Professors and their Department Chair about those reports due in the following academic year no later than May 31^st
2. Each Teaching Professor who is due for comprehensive review shall prepare a dossier consisting of:
   1. a statement of accomplishments since beginning the position or the last comprehensive review,
   2. an up-to-date resume,
   3. and a statement of future goals no later than October 1^st in the fall semester.

The Dean’s office will complete the dossier with annual review data and provide access to the original annual reports as requested.

3. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Innovation and the Department Chairs shall conduct the review of the materials and meet with the Teaching Professor before preparing their report.
4. The review outcomes will be as follows:
1. Excellent Progress – Demonstrating excellent progress on most criteria below;
2. Satisfactory Progress – Demonstrating satisfactory progress on most criteria below; recommendation to achieve excellent progress
3. Developing – Demonstrating satisfactory progress in some, but not all, criteria below; recommendation for development plan

Criteria

1. Assistant Teaching Professor should demonstrate the following:

1. An emerging record of teaching experience, and evidence of successful management and completion of prior teaching-related activities.
2. Exhibit knowledge of teaching/learning pedagogy across multiple modalities.
3. Strong potential for development as an outstanding teacher through, and demonstrated interest in, the scholarship of teaching and learning and in pedagogy. 
4. Experience in assessing student performance and supporting student success.
5. Strong potential for mentoring students and supporting their career development.
6. A willingness to support the overall instructional mission of the respective unit.
   
   

2. Associate Teaching Professor should demonstrate the following:

1. 1. An impressive, sustained record of excellent teaching (preferably in multiple modalities), as evidenced by student and peer evaluation, recognition through awards, or other marks of achievement.
   2. Exhibit proficiency in teaching/learning pedagogy across multiple modalities.
   3. Demonstrated experience in independently creating and designing courses in the field of expertise.
   4. Excellence in assessing student performance and supporting student success.
   5. Excellence in mentoring students and supporting their career development.
   6. Excellence in the development of teaching strategies, including participation in instructional development activities/programs.

3. Teaching Professor (Full) should demonstrate the following:

1. An impressive and sustained record of outstanding teaching (preferably in multiple modalities), as evidenced by peer evaluation, recognition through awards, and other marks of achievement such as producing scholarship/creative activity in teaching and learning.
2. Exhibit excellence in teaching/learning pedagogy across multiple modalities.
3. Demonstrated instructional and curricular leadership.
4. Demonstrated and recognized outstanding achievement in supporting student success.
5. Leadership in the development of teaching strategies, including designing, organizing, and/or leading instructional development programs.
6. Sustained excellence in mentoring students and supporting their career development. 
7. Leadership in the creation of courses and in contributions to the overall curricular mission of the unit.

Process

A. Eligibility for Promotion. Assistant Teaching Professors and Associate Teaching Professors become eligible for promotional review upon the recommendation of the Chairs Review Committee.  Invitation to be considered for promotion will be communicated from the Dean’s office along with notification of the fifth-year review in the previous spring. 

B. Written Notification of Intent to Seek Promotion. If the Teaching Professor’s intention to be considered for promotion comes after the initial fifth-year review, that Teaching Professor will give written notice to their Department Chair during the annual spring review to be considered for promotion in the following academic year.  It is encouraged that interested and eligible candidates discuss their intention with the Department Chair and/or Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Innovation in advance.

C. Conversation with Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Innovation.  Upon the notice of intention to be considered for promotion, the AD will advise the candidate about the procedures for promotion and timeline. This meeting should not be construed as the AD’s endorsement of promotion.

D. Dossier Contents:

• Curriculum vitae
• Fifth-year Comprehensive Report if completed within two years of the promotion review. Otherwise, a current report should be prepared using the comprehensive review criteria (see appendix B). 
• Statement of teaching philosophy, evidence of demonstrated excellence on the promotion criteria, and interest/willingness to add a new assignment(s) commensurate with the promoted rank.  Scholarship on teaching and learning, if applicable.
• Summary of teaching activities: This should include a list of all courses taught, numbers of students in each course, relevant learning innovations in the courses, and any course or curriculum development, if applicable.
• Peer review of candidate’s teaching: A reviewer selected by the AD for Undergraduate Education and Innovation should document their evaluation of the candidate’s teaching.
• Teaching awards and recognitions, if applicable.
• Letters of Support to include:
  • Confidential Letter from the department chair submitted directly to Associate Dean with recommendation for promotion that confirms the responsibilities of the promotional title are currently being performed or are anticipated.
  • Names for Letters of Support (three to five letters): Letters will be solicited from the Associate Dean’s office.  References should include a disciplinary or instructional expert within the department, a disciplinary or instructional expert within Human Ecology and/or UW-Madison, current and or former students.
• The Dean’s office will complete the dossier with annual review data and provide access to the original annual reports as requested.

E. Committee Review.  The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Education will chair a standing committee as appointed by the Dean.  In addition to the AD, the committee will be composed of:

• • One or two members from the academic unit
  • One or two members from outside the department (from within SoHE or from across campus as appropriate).

This committee may be comprised of Teaching Professors, Teaching Faculty of varying rank, and/or academic staff and tenured faculty.  Ideal committee members will have teaching expertise and/or experience working directly with the candidate.

F. Recommendation to the Dean and Final Decision.  The Committee will submit its recommendation to the Dean as an advisory recommendation. The Dean will then make the final decision for promotion and notify the Candidate.

G. Appeals Process. If the Committee or the Dean denies the request for promotion, the Dean’s office will share with the reasons for the decision within 10 working days of the recommendation. The candidate may submit a written appeal to the Dean within 20 working days upon receiving the denial. They should provide new or additional information and a response to the issues raised. Upon consideration of the appeal, the Dean may seek the advice of an ad-hoc committee before making the final determination.