2.8.E Courtesy Appointments

1. Definition 

A courtesy appointment is defined as one in which the faculty member often makes a substantial contribution to a department or departments other than their own, but in ways less formal than would justify a joint  appointment.  Courtesy appointments may be made across departments and schools, and it is permissible for a faculty member to hold more than one courtesy appointment. 

2. Resources

All resources (e.g., billet, salary and/or research support) are provided by the faculty member’s primary department at the time of the initial appointment and throughout the duration of the faculty member’s appointment at Stanford.   

3. Titles  

Formally (that is, in all appointment documents), the title should read, for example, Professor of (subject of primary affiliation) and, by courtesy, of (subject).   In everyday usage, the “by courtesy” designation may be dropped.

4. Terms 

At the discretion of the department and with approval of the School, courtesy appointments for tenured faculty members (or those on a continuing term of appointment) may be made for a term of years (normally five years) or without limit of time.  For faculty members with term appointments, the courtesy appointment is made for the duration of the current appointment.    

5.  Responsibilities 

Departments have discretion in determining the set of responsibilities that are associated with courtesy appointments, although it is expected that a minimum threshold will be set for conferral of the title and will be applied equitably.  It is expected that the responsibilities held by the courtesy faculty member will include some combination of the following:  teaching on a periodic basis (broadly defined to include advising, mentoring and curriculum development) and/or collaborative research with departmental colleagues.

6. Privileges  

The courtesy faculty member holds a title that acknowledges and reflects his or her involvement in the department and is included in printed or web-based departmental faculty rosters.  At the discretion of the chair, he or she may have access to the department’s graduate students.  Courtesy faculty members are not entitled to voting privileges.

7. Appointments, Reappointments and Promotions        

The primary department takes responsibility for appointment, reappointment and promotion actions.  The chair of the courtesy department countersigns the long form.  Individual departmental procedures may be established to inform the chair’s decision.