Chapter 4: Academic Staff: Teaching & Research
In This Chapter
- 4.1 Academic Staff: Teaching
- 4.2 Lecturer
- 4.3 Criteria for Appointment
- 4.4 Terms & Other Conditions of Appointment
- 4.5 Procedure for Appointing or Reappointing Lecturers
- 4.6 Senior Lecturer
- 4.7 Criteria for Appointment
- 4.8 Terms & Conditions of Appointment
- 4.9 Procedure for Appointing, Reappointing & Promoting
- 4.10 Lecturer without Salary
- 4.11 Academic Staff: Research
- 4.12 Research Associate & Senior Research Scientist or Scholar
- 4.13 Guide to Appointments: Documentation, Process & Checklists
- 4.14 Lecturer/Senior Lecturer
- 4.15 Lecturer without Salary
- 4.16 Recommendation for Appointment or Promotion of Academic Staff: Research
4.1 Academic Staff: Teaching
In the Medical School, Academic StaffTeaching consists of two ranks, Lecturer and Senior Lecturer.
Individuals appointed as Lecturer or as Senior Lecturer are not members of the Academic Council; they are, therefore, not normally eligible to act as principal investigators on sponsored research projects (see Research Policy Handbook 2.4 for information about principal investigatorship). Lecturers and Senior Lecturers are not eligible to take sabbatical leaves.
In general and for the terms of appointment for Academic Staff - Teaching, see the Universitys Faculty Handbook, Chapter 6.
4.2 Lecturer
4.3 Criteria for Appointment
The title of Lecturer is used for individuals who perform a significant amount of the regular instruction with continuing programmatic need in departments and programs; for persons of special expertise or scholarly distinction either in the local community or on the nonteaching University staff who are asked on an occasional basis to give a course or part of a course in their special fields; and for individuals who are employed to meet specific departmental needs created by faculty leaves or unanticipated student load. In all of the above cases, the needed courses will be well defined and the goals will be established by the faculty of the department or program.
Lecturers who serve in positions for which continuing programmatic need exists teach under supervision by or with guidance from one or more faculty members and/or Senior Lecturers. Faculty members in departments and programs are responsible for defining the intellectual goals of the program at the time the Lecturer position is requested and for continuing supervision and review/revision of goals.
4.4 Terms & Other Conditions of Appointment
Lecturer appointments are expected to be full-time to the extent possible, except that some part-time positions provide the flexibility needed to accommodate enrollment variation, and some other needs are only part-time in nature.
Initial appointments of Lecturers at fifty-percent time or more are generally expected to be for one-year terms and should be no more than two-year terms.
Reappointment is possible for a term not to exceed five years of total service at fifty-percent time or more, after a review by the faculty and Senior Lecturer(s) responsible for the program. During the fifth year of employment at fifty-percent time or more, Lecturers may be reviewed for reappointment to an additional five-year term. There is no limit to the number of five-year reappointments a Lecturer may be granted as long as there is an outstanding teaching record and continued programmatic need
Promotion to the rank of Senior Lecturer is possible when the needs of the program meet the criteria as determined by a review committee of up to six members, at least three of whom are Academic Council members.
Lecturers are entitled to annual conferences with department chairs or their designees to discuss their performance and department expectations.
Lecturers in positions of continuing programmatic need shall be integrated into the governance of their departments, although they do not have Academic Council membership. Departments should not expect Lecturers to take on departmental administration and advisory roles beyond those associated with the specific programmatic need for which they were appointed.
4.5 Procedure for Appointing or Reappointing Lecturers
To appoint or reappoint a Lecturer, submit the required documentation to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (see below).
4.6 Senior Lecturer
4.7 Criteria for Appointment
The title of Senior Lecturer is associated with a demonstrably higher level of responsibility and teaching excellence than that of a Lecturer, rather than with seniority or longevity. (See criteria for Lecturer above.) There are normally only a limited number of Senior Lecturer positions in any program.
The primary evaluation of a Lecturer for appointment or promotion to Senior Lecturer is by a review committee that is appointed by the department, program, or School and that consists of up to six individuals, at least three of whom are Academic Council members.
4.8 Terms & Other Conditions of Appointment
Initial appointments at the rank of Senior Lecturer may be for a continuing term or for a term of up to five years. Initial term appointments are allowable so long as the individual's immediately preceding appointment was not as a member of the Academic Council or as a Lecturer at Stanford.
Upon reappointment, Senior Lecturers on fixed terms must be given continuing appointments.
Individuals who are promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer shall hold continuing appointments.
Senior Lecturers are entitled to annual meetings with department chairs or their designees to discuss performance and departmental expectations. Departments shall carry out regular, in-depth evaluations of Senior Lecturers no more frequently than every three years and no less frequently than every five years.
Senior Lecturers in positions of continuing programmatic need shall be integrated into the governance of their departments, although without Academic Council membership. Departments shall not expect Senior Lecturers to take on departmental administration and advisory roles beyond those associated with the specific programmatic need for which they were appointed.
4.9 Procedure for Appointing, Reappointing & Promoting Senior Lecturers
To appoint, reappoint or promote a Senior Lecturer, submit the required documentation to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (see below).
4.10 Lecturer without Salary
This title may be used for highly qualified individuals who make occasional, specialized contributions to the teaching program on a voluntary basis. Appointments and reappointments are normally for a period of up to one year at a time.
To appoint a Lecturer without Salary, the department must submit the required documentation to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (see below).
To reappoint a Lecturer without salary, the department must submit a memo to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs that includes the name, title and recommended dates of reappointment.
4.11 Academic Staff: Research
4.12 Research Associate & Senior Research Scientist or Scholar
Academic StaffResearch consists of two ranks: Research Associate and Senior Research Scientist or Scholar. For policies and guidelines pertaining to Academic StaffResearch, see Research Policy Handbook, 9.4.
Individuals appointed to these ranks are not members of the Academic Council or the University Professoriate and are not normally eligible to act as principal investigators on sponsored research projects. As a general proposition, Academic StaffResearch positions are coterminous with externally sponsored support and programmatic need.
General guidelines for the employment of Research Associates and Senior Research Scientists or Scholars are periodically revised by the Office of the Vice Provost and Dean of Research. Additional information can be found in the Research Policy Handbook and the Universitys Faculty Handbook, both of which are available on on-line.
4.13 Guide to Academic StaffTeaching: Appointment procedures
Documentation, Process & Checklists
Procedures with Checklists Included in This Chapter Section
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer Appointment, Reappointment & Promotion 4.14ac
Lecturer without Salary Appointment or Reappointment 4.15ac
Academic Staff - Research Appointment or Promotion 4.16
4.14a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer Appointment, Reappointment & Promotion: Documentation
- Memo from department chair to the Senior Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs
- Signed by Department Chair
- Include programmatic need
- Recommendation for Appointment: Academic and Other Teaching Staff
and Appointments (By Courtesy) ("Green Form") (see Chapter
2, Forms)
- Signed by Department Chair
- Include dates, FTE, and names of courses the Lecturer/Senior Lecturer will teach
- Source of Salary Support (see Chapter 2, Forms)
- Curriculum Vitae and Bibliography
- Three letters of evaluation from inside or outside references
- For initial appointment at Stanford.
- If candidate is returning to Stanford after an absence of two years or more, please contact Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs regarding possible need for new letters.
- California Medical Licensure form, if applicable (see Chapter 2, Forms)
- Completed Lecturer/Senior Lecturer Appointments/Reappointments/Promotions: Checklist
4.14b Lecturer/Senior Lecturer Appointment, Reappointment & Promotion: Process
- Department submits package to Office of Academic Affairs (OAA)
- OAA reviews recommendation and forwards it to School of Medicine Finance
- Finance reviews salary level, funding plan, and all other financial terms
- Finance notifies OAA when financial review is complete
- OAA notifies the Department of outcome
- By email, for funding and effort patterns and salary level
- By letter, for the Lecturer Appointment or Reappointment or for the Senior Lecturer Appointment, Reappointment or Promotion to Senior Lecture
4.14c Lecturer/ Senior Lecturer Appointment, Reappointment & Promotion: Checklist
(Sign, date and place on top of package)
___ 1 Transmittal memo
___ 2 Recommendation for Appointment: Academic and Other Teaching Staff and Appointments (By Courtesy) ("Green Form")
___ 3 Source of Salary Support
___ 4 CV and Bibliography
___ 5 Three letters of evaluation, if applicable
___ 6 California Medical Licensure form, if applicable
___ 7 SU-18 (copy of completed form)
We cannot review incomplete packages. If an item does not apply to this package, please submit a written explanation.
Signature of Faculty Affairs Contact Phone Date
4.15a Lecturer without Salary Appointment or Reappointment: Documentation
- Memo from department chair to the Senior Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs
- Signed by Department Chair
- Include programmatic need for the Lecturer Appointment or Reappointment
- Recommendation for Appointment: Academic and Other
Teaching Staff and Appointments (By Courtesy) ("Green Form")
(see Chapter 2, Forms)
- Signed by Department Chair
- Include dates, FTE, and names of courses the Lecturer will teach
- Curriculum Vitae and Bibliography
- Three letters of evaluation from inside or outside
references
- For initial appointment at Stanford.
- If candidate is returning to Stanford after an absence of two years or more, please contact Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs regarding possible need for new letters.
- California Medical Licensure form, if applicable (see Chapter 2, Forms)
- Completed Lecturer without Salary Appointment: Checklist
4.15b Lecturer without Salary Appointment or Reappointment: Process
- Department submits Lecturer without Salary Appointment or Reappointment package to Office of Academic Affairs (OAA)
- OAA reviews recommendation
- OAA notifies the Department of outcome
4.15c Lecturer without Salary Appointment or Reappointment: Checklist
(Sign, date and place on top of package)
___ 1 Transmittal memo
___ 2 Recommendation for Appointment: Academic and Other Teaching Staff and Appointments (By Courtesy) ("Green Form")
___ 3 CV and Bibliography
___ 4 Three letters of evaluation, as applicable
___ 5 California Medical Licensure form, if applicable
We cannot review incomplete packages. If an item does not apply to this package, please submit a written explanation.
________________________________________________________________________
Signature of Faculty Affairs Contact Phone Date
4.16 Recommendation for Appointment or Promotion of Academic StaffResearch

