MCS Non-Salaried Scholarly Appointments

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Non-Salaried Scholarly Appointments in the Mellon College of Science

Adopted by College Council 14 March 1988

The educational and research interests of the University may make it desirable to establish relationships with scholars not employed by the institution that do not entail any financial contribution by the University, but should be recognized in a reasonably formal manner. These relationships, as regards the Mellon College of Science and its departments, are of two kinds, here called visiting scholar appointments and adjunct appointments.


Visiting scholar appointments

Appointment as a visiting scholar is meant for a person to whom a department wishes to offer, by courtesy and for a limited period of presence on campus, a formal affiliation and facilities for formal interaction with the University community, without a salary or entitlement to benefits. (Note that full-time visiting faculty appointments that involve some financial commitment by the University are governed by the University Policy on Special Faculty Appointments.)

The title visiting scholar or, if desired, visiting research associate, is appropriate for an appointment of this kind. If the visitor holds a substantive appointment in the regular or research faculty of another academic institution, the use of an equivalent title qualified by the word visiting (e.g., visiting professor, visiting research scientist) is permissible, notwithstanding the use of some of these designations for full-time visiting special faculty appointees.

A visiting scholar appointment shall be made by the head of the department after consultation with the members of the department and verification by the Dean that the terms of the appointment and its non-salaried nature are clearly expressed. Each term of a visiting scholar appointment shall not exceed one year.

Departments should make an effort to provide adequate office and laboratory space for visiting scholars, as well as other reasonable logistical support, subject, of course, to their space and funding priorities. Visiting scholars should be included in departmental and University mailing lists, and should have the same library privileges as visiting special faculty, as well as access, to the extent possible, to the book, art, and computer stores, the University's recreational facilities, and membership in the Faculty Club (upon payment of dues).


Adjunct appointments

When a department considers a member of another academic institution as having established an extensive, prospectively long-term professional relationship with the department or some of its members, and regards it as desirable to have this person participate in the department's programs and activities and to express this courtesy arrangement by a formal affiliation without financial commitment, such a person may be appointed an adjunct professor, or adjunct research scientist, etc., according to the rank and nature of the substantive appointment held in the person's home institution. (It should be noted that the qualifier "adjunct" may also be in use for part-time faculty appointments in the University.)

A non-salaried appointment as adjunct professor, etc., shall be approved by the Dean on recommendation by the head of the department, supported by the department's faculty. Such an appointment shall be for a term not exceeding three years; but it will automatically expire upon the expiration of the appointee's substantive appointment in his home institution, except by reason of retirement.

Adjunct faculty shall be entitled to the use of their departmental affiliation and the title of their adjunct appointment, as well as to the privileges accorded visiting scholars. They shall be entitled to participate, without a vote, in the departmental meetings pertinent to their affiliation, and may be appointed as members of departmental committees.