Faculty Appointment Process

Regent Policy 5.C.1: Terms and Conditions requires:

(A) the terms and conditions of every faculty appointment be stated in writing and be in the possession of both the university and the appointee, whenever possible, before the appointment start date. (This policy is not intended to address letters of offer for postretirement employment); and

(B) Faculty titles and a description of responsibilities associated with each title are provided in an administrative policy statement. (See APS 5060 - Faculty Appointments.)

1. 1. Implementation at each campus:  The campuses, in collaboration with appropriate faculty governance groups, shall develop and implement their respective policies and procedures for the faculty appointment processes.  The provost/vice chancellor for academic affairs shall be responsible for the implementation and enforcement of such policies and procedures. 
       
   2. All campuses must maintain:
      1. Search committee procedures for each faculty title.
          
      2. Offer templates for every faculty title. The templates must include:​
         1. Type of appointment (continuous, limited, indeterminate, at-will) and terms and conditions of employment.  Offer letters for at-will employment shall include an at-will employment statement.
             
         2. Link to APS 5060 - Faculty Appointments
             
         3. Where appropriate, link to the APS and campus policy that aligns with the type of appointment:
            • APS 1022 - Standards, Processes and Procedures for Reappointment, Tenure, Promotion, and Post-Tenure Review.
            • APS 5053 - Multi-year Contracts for Instructional, Research, and Clinical Faculty.
               
         4. Link to APS 1013 - Intellectual Property Policy on Discoveries and Patents for Their Protection and Commercialization (must include an assignment of all intellectual property in which the university has an interest under university policy to the university).
             
         5. Link to APS 1014 - Intellectual Property That is Educational Materials.
             
         6. Link to Article 5.B.2: Principles of Academic Freedom of the Laws of the Regents.
             
         7. Link to APS 2027: Code of Conduct.
             
         8. State of Colorado pledge for teaching faculty (C.R.S. § 22-61-104).
             
         9. Link to benefits information.

Italicized terms used in this APS are defined in this policy.

1. Continuous appointments are provided only to faculty upon award of tenure and shall only be terminated by resignation, retirement, or revocation through applicable regent laws and policies.
    
2. Limited appointments are for a specified period.  Conditions for termination before the end of the specified period are stated in the letter of offer. Limited appointments may be renewed but renewal is not guaranteed. Notice of nonrenewal shall be provided according to campus policy.
    
3. Indeterminate appointments are for an unspecified period and their continuance is dependent upon inclusion in the approved budget and available funding as stated in the letter of offer. Additional conditions for termination are stated in the letter of offer.
    
4. At-will:  appointments are those where an employee does not have a contractual right, express or implied, to remain in the university's employ and where either the university or  employee may lawfully terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause.

1. Article 5, Part B: Academic Freedom of the Laws of the Regents
2. Article 5, Part C: Faculty Appointments and Tenure of the Laws of the Regents
3. Regent Policy 5.C: Faculty Appointments
4. Regent Policy 5.D: Reappointment (to a tenure-track position), Tenure, and Promotion
5. APS 5060 – Faculty Appointments
6. APS 1022 – Standards, Processes and Procedures for Reappointment, Tenure, Promotion, and Post-Tenure Review
7. APS 5053 – Multi-Year Contracts for Instructional, Research, and Clinical Faculty
8. APS 2027 – Code of Conduct

Subject to the president's authority to interpret university policies, the system Office of Academic Affairs shall provide interpretive guidance for this policy.

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• Adopted:  February 1, 1979, Faculty Appointment – Letters of Offer and Contracts.
• Revised:  Fall Semester 1984, renamed to Faculty Appointment – Letters of Proposed Offer and Contracts; July 1, 2011, renamed to Faculty Appointment Process; March 1, 2017; July 1, 2020, updated references to new regent laws and policies; September 2, 2021, revised for changes related to the Equal Pay Act and made retroactive to January 1, 2021; August 3, 2023, changes made to ensure consistency with changes in APS 5060.
• Last Reviewed:   August 3, 2023.