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Clinical Faculty Promotion (Policy FP-04)

Download a Printable Version of Policy FP-04

Effective Date

Fall 2008

Last Revision Date

4/1/2022

Responsible Party

College of Health Sciences (COHS) Dean, School of Nursing Divisional Dean, Chief Nurse Administrator, SON clinical faculty, and SON Promotion and Tenure committee members.

Scope and Audience

All School of Nursing (SON) clinical faculty.

Additional Authority

BSU: Clinical Faculty (Policy 4490), CHS: Clinical Faculty Promotion Policy

1. Policy Purpose

To establish a policy on promotion for clinical faculty in the School of Nursing in accordance with BSU: Clinical Faculty (Policy 4490).

2. Policy Statement

Promotion

Academic promotion refers to an elevation in academic rank, either from Clinical Instructor to Clinical Assistant, or Clinical Assistant to Clinical Associate, or Clinical Associate to Clinical Professor. Clinical faculty are not eligible for tenure

Promotion Criteria

The criteria for promotion must be approved by the School of Nursing Divisional Dean, Chief Nurse Administrator, and the College Dean and must be consistent with the general criteria given in Boise State University Policy #4490, section V(B), COHS Clinical Faculty Policy (Spring 2019) and must be followed by the SON Promotion and Tenure Committee.

Candidates pursuing promotion in academic rank shall be advanced for promotion only when their records demonstrate a consistent commitment to teaching, service and professional development; these three criteria represent the most significant elements of the clinical faculty’s mission at Boise State University. Administrative duties/activities that contribute to and support the teaching mission are considered equivalent to direct teaching activities.

Professional Preparation for Rank Determination

  1. Clinical Instructor: The title granted to newly employed individuals without a graduate degree or have little or no academic teaching experience.
  2. Clinical Assistant Professor: The usual entry-level rank for individuals who hold a graduate degree (master level); have demonstrated experience in a clinical area, and have some teaching experience.
  3. Clinical Associate Professor: A rank marking an individual who holds a graduate degree (master level), as defined by the SON. These Clinical Faculty members have a consistent track record of accomplishment as a clinical educator and demonstrated leadership in their department or discipline.
  4. Clinical Professor: A rank of high distinction for an individual with a terminal degree and who is regarded as a regional or national authority in the relevant discipline.

Degree and Certification Requirements

A graduate degree appropriate for the field is required for Clinical Faculty members; although a terminal degree is desired. Clinical Faculty members must hold appropriate certification/licensure/registration in their discipline and/or field of expertise.

Experience Requirements

Except under extraordinary circumstances, advancement may not occur before the acquisition of a required number of years of experience as a Clinical Faculty member.

  1. At the time of initial appointment, the department chair shall make a written recommendation to the college dean regarding the application of experience at another academic institution and application of professional (nonacademic) experience toward the years of experience required for promotion; the dean is responsible for making the final determination. Professional (nonacademic) experience of two years or more in the relevant discipline may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required total experience. University experience requirements are necessary but not sufficient conditions for promotion.
  2. For promotion from clinical instructor to clinical assistant professor, two years of full-time experience as a clinical faculty member are required (i.e., an application for promotion can be submitted no earlier than during the third full year of employment at Boise State).
  3. For promotion from clinical assistant professor to clinical associate professor, five years of full-time experience as a faculty member are required.
  4. For promotion from clinical associate professor to clinical professor, a minimum of eight years of full-time experience as a clinical faculty member are required.

Criteria for Evaluation of Teaching and Service by Rank

  1. Clinical Instructor to Clinical Assistant- the candidate has established a consistent record of accomplishment as a clinical and/or didactic teacher that demonstrates teaching effectiveness and professional commitment to teaching. The individual demonstrates a capacity and commitment for future contributions to the teaching/learning mission of the SON. Participation in SON-related work groups/committees or service to teaching-focused clinical partners is expected.
  2. Clinical Assistant to Clinical Associate- the candidate has established a consistent record of accomplishment as a clinical and/or didactic teacher or administrator who demonstrates teaching effectiveness and professional commitment to teaching/learning and/or activities that support faculty in their teaching roles. The individual demonstrates a capacity and commitment for future contributions to the teaching/learning mission of the SON. The candidate is emerging as a leader/mentor to SON faculty, clinical partners, and/or professional nursing organizations. Active participation in SON, COHS, and/or University committees is expected. Service to clinical partners or professional nursing organizations is an acceptable activity that demonstrates service to the SON and the nursing profession. Internal letters of evaluation from two department colleagues holding clinical or tenure-track faculty appointments that document achievements commensurate with this rank.
  3. Clinical Associate to Clinical Professor- the candidate has established a consistent record of accomplishment as a clinical and/or didactic teacher or administrator who demonstrates teaching effectiveness and professional commitment to teaching/learning and/or activities that support faculty in their teaching roles. The individual demonstrates a capacity and commitment for future contributions to the teaching/learning mission of the SON. The candidate is a recognized leader/mentor to SON faculty, clinical partners, and/or professional nursing organizations. Acting as a committee chair for SON, COHS, and/or University committees is desired. Service to clinical partners or professional nursing organizations is an acceptable activity that demonstrates service to the SON and the nursing profession.

    Clinical Professor is a rank of high distinction for an individual with a terminal degree and who is regarded as a regional, national or international authority in the nursing discipline. External letters of evaluation from three recognized leaders in Nursing are required to support and document achievements commensurate with this rank.

Procedure and Timelines

Promotion folder-should provide the committee with materials demonstrating that they meet or exceed the expectations for teaching, service/administrative activities, and professional preparation/development. The promotion folder must have a table of contents and contain at least the following documentation:

  1. a letter from the applicant requesting promotion that indicates the SON policy by which they wish to be evaluated
  2. a comprehensive vita that includes dates of each rank
  3. a concise summary of evidence that describes how they have met or exceeded the requirements for promotion for teaching, service/administrative activities and professional preparation/development
  4. student/course evaluations for at least the previous three years and a table summarizing key data
  5. all annual evaluations
  6. a copy of the job description/workload assignment for the position held by the applicant, and letters as indicated in Section: Criteria for Evaluation of Teaching and Service by Rank.

The following procedure and timelines closely follow the promotion guidelines for tenured and tenure-track faculty described in University Policy #4340.

  1. Candidates must notify the SON Divisional Dean or Chief Nurse Administrator and their direct supervisor that they plan to apply for promotion no later than April 1st the year they plan to put forward their application.
  2. The candidate submits to the SON Divisional Dean or Chief Nurse Administrator or designee a promotion folder by September 1.
  3. During the month of September, faculty on the SON P & T committee reviews the promotion folder and provides written input to the SON Divisional Dean or Chief Nurse Administrator.
  4. The SON Divisional Dean or Chief Nurse Administrator forwards the promotion folder along with his/her recommendation, any clarification that may be required on the applicant’s specific responsibilities to the COHS P & T Committee by October 15.

Related Information

BSU: Clinical Faculty (Policy 4490)

CHS: Clinical Faculty Promotion Policy

SON: None

Last Review Date

4/1/2022

Revision History

Fall 2008, July 2020, March 2021, 4/1/2022