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Boise State Faculty Handbook

Overview of Handbook

This Faculty Handbook is a collection of policies that apply specifically to faculty members, related to their unique role(s) in the University. Unless otherwise stated, these policies apply to all full-time, benefit-eligible faculty employed by Boise State University. Individual units may have additional or more explicit criteria, procedures, and expectations that are consistent with this Handbook. This additional information is available at the dean’s office.

Disclaimer: This Faculty Handbook provides basic information for faculty but should not be viewed as a complete guide to academics, research, creative activity, service, or other components of the faculty experience nor as any kind of a contract or legally binding document.

Please contact your department administrator if you find discrepancies between department, college, and university policies.

Download Printable Version of the Faculty Handbook (PDF)

Faculty Handbook

General Information

Administration

Boise State University is governed by policies and procedures established by the Idaho State Board of Education.

Boise State University Mission, Vision, Goals

Mission: Boise State provides an innovative, transformative, and equitable educational environment that prepares students for success and advances Idaho and the world.

  • Themes: Foster Student Success, Advance Idaho, Strengthen a Culture of Innovation and Global Impact
  • Vision: To be a premier student-success driven research university innovating for statewide and global impact.

University Organization and Governance

University Leadership

Boise State’s leadership team is made up of the Executive Team, as well as the Administrative Council. Individually and collectively, members advise the President and provide effective, responsive and informed leadership to the university.

University Leadership Organizational Chart

University Colleges and Departments

Click here for a complete list of colleges and departments.

Academic Affairs

The President of the University charges the Provost with: academic quality and student success, ensuring positive learning and working environments, development and implementation of an academic affairs strategic plan in alignment with the five-year plan, institutional accreditation and accountability, recruiting and maintaining a top-quality faculty, managing academic appointments, tenure, and promotion, and leading the university’s internationalization efforts.

Faculty Senate

The Faculty Senate is a representative body that is responsible for faculty participation in shared governance and planning for the University. The purpose of the Faculty Senate is to facilitate communication, understanding, and cooperation among the officers of Boise State University, and to ensure the orderly development of educational programs and policies for which the faculty are responsible.

Other Governance Bodies

Faculty Appointment Policies and Procedures

Policies

Faculty Membership, Categories, Ranks, and Appointments

Faculty Membership

University Policy provides the following summary of faculty membership (Policy 7000):

Position Title
(link to policy)		 Definition Ranks
Tenure Track and Tenured Faculty A faculty position assigned to an academic department or the university library, wherein the incumbent holds academic rank and is eligible for tenure or is tenured. Assistant Professor
Associate Professor
Full Professor
Administrative Faculty A faculty position in which the incumbent is qualified to hold academic rank and whose responsibilities are primarily administrative (e.g. Deans, Provost, VP Research and Development, and President). N/A
Lecturer Faculty A faculty position in which the primary responsibility is teaching non-clinical courses in degree and/or certificate programs for an academic year. Lecturer I
Lecturer II
Lecturer III
Senior Lecturer III (Honorific)
Adjunct Faculty Adjunct Faculty are part-time, temporary faculty positions in which an individual is hired to teach a specified course or courses for one academic term. Step I
Step II
Step III
Senior Step III (Honorific)
Research Faculty A faculty position in which the primary responsibility is research. Assistant Research Professor
Associate Research Professor
Full Research Professor
Distinguished Research Fellow
Clinical Faculty A faculty position within an academic department that has primary duties in the area of clinical instruction. Instructor
Assistant Clinical Professor
Associate Clinical Professor
Full Clinical Professor
Teaching Faculty N/A Assistant Teaching Professor
AssociateTeaching Professor
Full Teaching Professor
Affiliate Faculty A faculty position held by an individual who provides instruction without compensation for students enrolled in credit-bearing learning experiences on-campus or in off-campus settings such as medical centers, public schools, business and industry, and government agencies. N/A
Visiting Faculty A faculty position held by an individual who is visiting the University for the purpose of collaboration, for advanced study in their field of expertise, or to augment the capabilities of the University through an appointment not covered by other faculty categories. N/A
Professor of the Practice A faculty position held by an individual who has significant, well-known achievements in their field of expertise and can help the University by serving as an advisor, teacher, researcher, donor, or University representative. N/A
Emeritus Faculty N/A N/A

Information on Graduate Faculty Policies and Procedures:

Information on Graduate Teaching Assistants is located in Policy 7170.

Rights and Responsibilities of Faculty

Academic Freedom

Idaho State Board of Education III.B: Academic Freedom and Academic Responsibility

Code of Faculty Rights and Responsibilities

Non-Discrimination Policies and Rules

Conflict of Interest and Commitment, Purchasing, and Intellectual Property

Faculty Employee Records

Information Technology

Other Policies to Note

Grievance Procedures

Faculty members who believe existing laws, policies, procedures, or practices have been violated, misapplied, or misinterpreted, and are perceived to have adversely affected an individual employee’s professional or academic capacity, may file a grievance on their own behalf. (Faculty Grievance (Policy 4480))

University Legal Advice

The University’s attorneys through the Office of General Counsel provide legal advice to University employees and entities who in the course of their responsibilities are acting on behalf of the University.

Faculty Review Processes

The faculty of Boise State University must be reviewed annually to evaluate their performance. Evaluation of performance is an important component of faculty development and personnel actions such as reappointment, non-appointment, granting promotion and/or tenure, salary determination, and other personnel actions. (Annual Faculty Performance Evaluation (Policy 4290))

Additional policies which guide faculty in the tenure and/or promotion process:

Tenure and Promotion Process

Clinical/Teaching/Research Faculty Promotion Process

Department Chair Evaluation

Department Chair Evaluation (Policy 4530)

Dean Evaluation

Annual Evaluation of Deans (Policy 4520)

Research/Scholarship

Boise State University is committed to fostering an environment where research and creative activity thrive. Scholarship encompasses not only traditional academic research and publication but also the creation of artistic works or performances and any other products or activities accepted by the academic or professional discipline as reflecting scholarly effort and achievement. Boise State University recognizes the Boyer model of scholarship. This model identifies four types of Scholarship: (1) discovering knowledge, (2) integrating knowledge, (3) applying knowledge, and (4) scholarship of teaching. Scholarship should be subject to the critical scrutiny of departmental and/or professional peers and should expand the frontiers of knowledge. See section 5.3 for Professional Rights of Faculty related to scholarship (Faculty Code of Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Policy 4000).

Additional policies which guide faculty in research/scholarship

Institutional Review Boards
External Funding

Sabbatical

A sabbatical leave is awarded to provide time and resources for tenured faculty members to revitalize themselves in order to become more effective teachers and scholars and to enhance their services to the university.

Faculty Sabbatical Leave (Policy 4400)

Teaching

The integrity of the Faculty-Student relationship is the foundation of the University’s educational mission. This relationship vests considerable trust in the Faculty Member, who, in turn, bears authority and accountability as mentor, educator, academic advisor, and evaluator. The unequal power inherent in this relationship heightens the vulnerability of the Student and the potential for abuse and/or coercion. The pedagogical relationship between Faculty Member and Student must be protected from influences or behaviors that can interfere with learning consistent with the goals and ideals of the University. See Section 5.3 for Professional Rights of Faculty Related to Teaching and Students (Faculty Code of Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Policy 4000).

Additional policies which guide faculty in teaching

Service

Shared governance brings with it a special responsibility for Faculty. The University has diverse concerns, perspectives, and interests that require Faculty to participate in relevant department, college, school, and University governance structures (see the AAUP Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities). See Section 5.3 for Professional Rights of Faculty related to service (Faculty Code of Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct (Policy 4000)).

Service is expected of all Faculty who have workload assignments for service and may include the following:

  • Service to the Academic Department or Research Unit
  • Service to the College/School and the University
  • Service to the Profession
  • Service to the Community, State, Nation, World

Faculty Salary, Benefits, Leaves, and Retirement

Faculty as employees are covered by University policies and procedures that pertain to all employees. In some areas, however, there are distinctions between staff employees and faculty employees regarding benefits, retirement, and employee relations.

The Office of the Provost provides many HR types of functions, including the administration of appointments; faculty reviews, including Retention, Promotion, and Tenure and Post-Tenure Review; review of RPT criteria; non-medical leave; faculty relations; and a role in faculty grievance processes.

University Human Resources and Workforce Strategy (HR) administers the benefits package for all eligible employees, including faculty and staff. HR also manages medical leave and accommodations.

Fringe Benefits/Benefits

Leaves/Paid Time Off

Retirement Program & Policies