Definitions

Policy:                   DEFINITIONS

Effective Date:        July 1, 2017

Review Date:          July 1, 2020, October 2024

Revised:                   October 2024

Responsible Party: Office of the Provost

A

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT HEAD - The head of the primary academic unit in which a faculty member's locus of tenure resides and may carry the title of Department Head, School Director or Dean.  If a faculty member's locus of tenure resides in a college rather than a department, the academic department head is the academic administrator of the college who conducts annual reviews of the faculty.

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT OR SCHOOL - A recognized administrative unit of a college.

Academic unit - is the designation for the various departments, schools, and colleges within the university. Primary academic units are the units in which a faculty member’s tenurable position resides, as indicated in their letter of hire. Intermediate units are units that support more than one primary unit.

ACCOMPLISHMENT - is sustained and commendable performance reflected in the quantity, quality, and impact of scholarly activities and products. These activities and products include peer reviewed publications, formal peer-reviewed presentations, or comparable peer-evaluated works appropriate to the discipline. The activities and products must have impact and significance to the public, peers, or the discipline beyond the university.

ANNUAL REVIEW- The yearly review of a faculty member's performance conducted by the administrator or committee assigned with that responsibility in the faculty member's academic unit.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY - in the context of retention, tenure, and promotion, refers to the components of MSU’s mission: teaching; scholarship; service.

ASSIGNMENTS - The specific duties each faculty member is expected to perform during the contract term.

B

BOARD OF REGENTS (BOR) - The Board of Regents means and refers to the seven members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Montana Senate, that is vested with the full power, responsibility, and authority to supervise, coordinate, manage and control the Montana University System.

C

CANDIDATE - means any tenurable or tenured faculty member who is being reviewed for retention, tenure, or promotion.

CHRO - the Montana State University Chief Human Resources Officer.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT - The contractual agreement between an employer and a labor union that governs wages, hours, and working conditions for employees and which can be enforced against both the employer and the union for failure to comply with its terms.  In terms of this Handbook, the reference relates specifically to any Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Montana University System and the union representing employees of the university.  E.g,Associated Faculty of MSU [Non Tenure Track Faculty] CBA.  

COLLEGE - One of the administrative units, typically comprised of academic departments or schools, that represents the university’s principal academic programs, including the College of Agriculture, College of Arts & Architecture, College of Business, College of Education, Health & Human Development, College of Engineering, College of Letters & Science, College of Nursing, the Graduate School, Honors College, and Gallatin College.

CONSULTING - Consulting is any additional activity beyond duties assigned by the institution, professional in nature, and based in the appropriate discipline, for which the individual receives additional personal remuneration during the contract year. Remuneration for consulting is paid by agencies or individuals outside the university and the funds upon which consulting payments are made are not controlled by the university.

MONTANA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM CONTRACT - An employment contract issued by Montana State University, under BOR Policy 711.4. Unless otherwise specified, the duration of a MUS contract is from July 1 of one year through June 30 of the next year.

D

DAYS - As used in university policies in the Faculty Handbook, any reference to days in connection with deadlines established herein refers to calendar days unless otherwise specified.

DEAN’S COUNCIL - (DC) means the official university council whose mission is to provide vision and leadership for the academic enterprise of the university.

DOSSIER - is the collection of materials submitted by a faculty member who is being reviewed for retention, tenure, and/or promotion and the materials added thereafter by review committees and administrative reviewers as authorized under the university policies.

E

EFFECTIVENESS - is successful performance, appropriate to years of service.

EVALUATION LETTERS - are the letters submitted by review committees and administrative reviewers that include the recommendation and rationale regarding the retention, tenure, or promotion of the candidate.

EXCELLENCE - is sustained, commendable, and distinguished performance reflected in the quantity, quality, and impact of scholarly activities and products. These activities and products include peer reviewed publications, formal peer-reviewed presentations, or comparable peer-evaluated works appropriate to the discipline. The activities and products must have a notable impact and significance to the public, peers, or the discipline beyond the university.

EXTERNAL REVIEW - is the critical evaluation of a faculty member’s scholarly products and activities by respected authorities in their field who are not affiliated with the university.

F

FINANCIAL EXIGENCY - Financial exigency exists when a University System campus’ budget for faculty member services is insufficient to sustain the current number of faculty positions, taking into account anticipated attrition and non-renewal of probationary appointments.

FACULTY SENATE - means the governance body of the faculty of Montana State University. Under the governance authority of the Board of Regents, the Faculty Senate, as part of shared governance, considers policies and procedures and standards for faculty, oversees the curricula, evaluates the academic programs, and serves to enhance communication between and among MSU faculty, university administration, and students.

G

GRIEVANCE HEARING BOARD - the faculty committee convened for the purpose of affording faculty members the opportunity to present their grievable disputes to a duly constituted committee of their colleagues.

GRIEVANCE HEARING BOARD CHAIR or CHAIR - the faculty member selected by the Faculty Senate Chair to act as the Chair of the Grievance Hearing Board for faculty grievances.

GRIEVANCE HEARING COMMITTEE - the Chair and the Grievance Hearing Board convened for a grievable dispute.

GRIEVANT - the individual who files a grievance under this policy.

GRIEVANCE - (a) a dispute alleging the violation or misapplication of established rules, regulations, policies or procedures of Montana State University, the Montana University System, or the Board of Regents that pertain to tenured and tenurable faculty, or (b) an allegation of violation or misapplication of policy, procedure, standard, or criterion that resulted in a negative substantive retention, tenure, or promotion review. The types of grievances that are covered by this policy are listed in Section III of the Grievance Procedures.

H

I

INDICATORS - are the categories of scholarly products and activities used to evaluate performance of the faculty undergoing review. Peer reviewed articles, juried exhibitions, published monographs, teaching evaluations, peer review of teaching and teaching awards are examples of indicators.

INTEGRATION - is the creation of synergistic relationships among the teaching, scholarship, and service contributions of faculty, such as bringing new discoveries into the classroom, fostering student learning in the lab, field, and studio, engaging the wider community with scholarly products or innovations in teaching, or the fostering engagement to address community needs.

INTERMEDIATE REVIEW ADMINISTRATORS - are the administrators of the intermediate academic units.

INTERMEDIATE REVIEW COMMITTEES - are the retention, tenure and promotion review committees of the intermediate academic units.

INTERMEDIATE REVIEW UNIT - if applicable, is the academic unit that includes the candidate’s primary academic unit.

INTERNAL REVIEW -  is an evaluation by individuals within the university other than Review Administrators and Review Committee members.

J

JOINT WORKING GROUP - means an ad hoc committee comprised of faculty and administrators for the purpose of developing, reviewing, or refining proposals for amendment of the Faculty Handbook.
JOINT ACADEMIC GOVERNANCE STEERING COMMITTEE (JAGS) - means the committee made up of Faculty Senate Leadership, the provost, and other representative of the University.

K

L

LETTER OF HIRE - The initial letter offering a tenurable position to an employee. The letter of hire specifies the initial expectations and terms and conditions of the faculty member’s appointment, including start date of employment at MSU and tenure review date.

M

N

O

P

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN -  A plan to provide guidance on the expectation of improving performance.

PERFORMANCE RATING - The result of the faculty member's annual review.

PRIMARY REVIEW ADMINISTRATIONS REVIEW ADMINISTRATORS - are the administrators of the primary academic units.

PRIMARY REVIEW COMMITTEES  - are the retention, tenure and promotion review committees of the primary academic units.

PRIMARY REVIEW UNIT - is the academic unit in which the candidate’s tenurable position resides.

PROVOST - means the Chief Academic Officer of the university.

PROBATION -  The tenurable appointment prior to the award of tenure is that of a probationary status.

Q

R

RESPONDENT(S) - the individual or individuals against whom a grievance is brought, and whom the grievant alleges took some action or made a decision that is a grievable under Section III of the Grievance Procedures.

REVIEW PERIOD - is the period of performance to be considered for review. The review period for retention and tenure begins on the first day of employment in a tenurable position at the university and ends on the deadline established by the provost for submission of dossiers. If a candidate is hired with credit for years of service at a prior institution, the tenure review period includes the time of prior service specified in the letter of hire. The review period for promotion to professor is the period of employment at MSU in the rank of Associate Professor plus the time that the candidate’s MSU tenure dossier was under review until the deadline established by the provost for submission of the dossier for promotion to professor.

ROLE AND SCOPE DOCUMENT - is the document prepared by each academic unit that describes its responsibilities and obligations in furtherance of the mission of the university. It includes the indicators, standards, and procedures that, in conjunction with university standards, policies, and procedures, govern the reviews of its faculty members.

S

 SABBATICAL - A sabbatical assignment is a change of duties, that neither diminishes nor increases the extent of the person's employment with the university. The recipient remains employed by the university during the entire term of the sabbatical to the same extent employed while on regular assignment, regardless of the compensation agreed upon for the term of the sabbatical.

STATEMENT OF GRIEVANCE - the statement provided by a grievant to initiate the grievance process that contains the detailed statement of the incident(s) which the grievant believes gives rise to the grievance.

SCHOLARSHIP - is the original intellectual work of faculty that includes:

• The discovery, application, and/or assimilation of new knowledge and the dissemination of that knowledge. This work includes conducting research projects; securing and administering grants and contracts; writing/editing books, articles, and other research-based materials representing one's original or collaborative research; developing new clinical practice models; presentations at scholarly conferences.
• The generation of new knowledge in pedagogy and the dissemination and putting into practice of that knowledge.  This work includes creation, development, implementation, study, and publishing of pedagogical innovations (including textbooks, peer reviewed articles and publications); documented studies of curricular and pedagogical issues; and pedagogically-oriented research; innovation in community engagement.
• The generation of new creative products and experiences through composition, design, production, direction, performance, exhibition, synthesis, or discovery and the presentation of that experience.  This work includes creating and presenting new works of art, film, theater, music, and architecture; public performance and exhibiting creative works.
• The creation of partnerships, programs, and plans through Extension, or other community-based research, that leverage the knowledge and resources of the university and the public/private sector to enhance learning, discovery, and engagement; educate and engage citizens; strengthen communities; address locally identified issues and problems; apply and disseminate knowledge; and contribute to the public good.

SERVICE - is the contribution of faculty knowledge and expertise to assist and engage individuals and/or organizations to meet goals and solve problems. Service activities generally fall into three categories: professional service, which includes contributions to, or holding office in, a professional society, serving on an editorial board, and reviewing manuscripts for professional journals; public service, which entails providing the faculty member’s professional expertise to, collaboration and engagement with, local, state, national, and global communities; and university service, which includes service to faculty governance, serving on university committees, advising student groups, and participation in other activities that contribute to the institution and its programs.

STUDENT - for purposes of references related to retention, tenure, and promotion, are those persons defined as such in the Code of Student Conduct and the clients served by the MSU Extension faculty.

SUSTAINED EFFECTIVENESS IN SERVICE - is consistent successful performance over time and across a range of duties appropriate to the faculty member’s appointment.

SUSTAINED EFFECTIVENESS IN TEACHING - is consistent successful performance over time and across course offerings and different student populations as appropriate to the faculty member’s appointment.

SUSTAINED INTEGRATION - is consistent successful performance over time and across a range of duties appropriate to the faculty member’s appointment.

T

TEACHING - is the set of activities performed by faculty that fosters student learning, critical and ethical thinking, problem solving, and creativity. It requires the faculty member to have a command of the subject matter, to maintain currency in the discipline, and to create and maintain instructional environments that successfully promote learning. In addition to the instructional responsibilities in the Academic Responsibilities policy, teaching includes incorporation of current pedagogical innovations, incorporation of new technologies and approaches to learning and assessment, course and curriculum design and development; assistance, mentoring, and supervision of student projects, theses, and dissertations; academic and career advising of undergraduate and graduate students; supervision of student teachers, graduate teaching and research assistants, student interns; and any valuable contributions to the university’s instructional enterprise.

TENURABLE APPOINTMENT/TENURABLE FACULTY - An appointment to the faculty of Montana State University which may lead to tenured status or to which tenured status has been awarded. It includes both tenured and tenure track appointments.

TENURED APPOINTMENT/TENURED FACULTY - An appointment to the faculty of Montana State University which has led to continuous appointment with the right to reappointment from term to term as outlined in BOR Policy 706.1 Tenure.

TERMINAL DEGREE - The highest-level college degree that can be achieved in an academic discipline or professional field. A department may designate different degrees as "terminal" for different specialties within a discipline in its Role and Scope document. 

U

V

W

X

Y

Z