1. Justification

   The purpose of proposing the use of the Professor of the Practice title in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP) is to recruit and retain the best possible faculty to meet our educational and research/creative practice goals. Several factors make the use of such a title critical to the college. First, many peer professional institutions have been using this title for many years, and title issues are an increasingly important aspect of recruiting and retaining valuable faculty members who bring unique expertise and experiences to the departments. Second, the practice-based nature of AAP’s professional programs require the contributions of experienced professionals and the significant contributions by these individuals should be recognized by the appropriate nomenclature. We do not have clinics, so the existing option of Clinical Professor serves the departments poorly. Third, multi-year, renewable titles allow departments to retain the very best instructors and profit from their inculcation into the departments’ unique pedagogical cultures.

2. Description of Position

   Holders of the Professor of the Practice title will have substantial teaching and advising responsibilities. While specific contributions will vary by individual and department, two primary responsibilities will be part of each Professor of the Practice position:

   1. Teaching and Advising: Professors of the Practice are expected to have significant classroom responsibilities in our professional degree programs, such as instruction in studio courses, professional practice courses, technical courses, workshops, and advising students and exit projects.
   2. Professional practice and/or creative work: Professors of the Practice are expected to maintain an active relationship to practice/research/creative work and to share their expertise and experience with the students and faculty to advance the missions of the respective departments.

3. Terms of Appointment

   Professors of the Practice will be non-tenure track, renewable multi-year appointments (five-year maximum for any one appointment). There will not be any movement between Professor of the Practice and tenure/tenure-track appointments in the absence of a formal, competitive search in which the Professor of the Practice is determined to be the best candidate for the tenure/tenure-track position. Professor of the Practice appointments will be based on national searches as well as internal promotions, focused only on highly qualified candidates with demonstrated teaching excellence.

   Appointments: A committee composed of tenured/tenure-track faculty will be appointed by the respective department Chair to make a recommendation to the full tenured/tenure track faculty for all Professor of the Practice appointments. A vote by the faculty will be a recommendation to the Chair, who will advance a recommendation to the Dean who has final authority for such appointments.

   Reappointments: A committee composed of tenured/tenure-track faculty will be appointed by the respective department Chair to make a recommendation to the full tenured/tenure-track faculty for Professor of the Practice reappointments. The vote by the faculty will be a recommendation to the Chair, who will advance a recommendation to Dean who has final authority for such reappointments.

   Requirements for appointment and reappointment to the title of Professor of the Practice will include:

   1. Significant high-level teaching and/or professional/artistic practice.
   2. A terminal degree in a relevant field or substantial professional or artistic experience.
   3. External visibility and impact in the field of the appointment is expected, either academically or professionally.

4. Percentage Limitation

   The number of Professor of Practice faculty will not exceed 20% of the number of tenured/tenure-track faculty in the relevant department and will not retard future growth in tenure-track hires.

5. Voting and Other Rights

   As specified in the University Bylaws (Article XIV, 1), Professors of the Practice of all ranks…shall participate fully in those decisions that are directly related to their roles within the college … and within the department.

6. Impact Statement

   The use of the Professor of the Practice title is not intended to reduce the number of tenured/tenure-track faculty in the College. Incumbent faculty are not to be replaced by the designation of a position as a Professor of the Practice position. The purpose of the Professor of the Practice title is to recruit and retain the best possible non-tenure track faculty and to maximize their contributions to the departments’ missions. Current nontenure track faculty will be eligible for appointment to the Professor of the Practice title if they meet the criteria for the appointment.

Proposal