January 20-21, 2005

ITEM 126-104-R0105   Approval of Pilot Program on Multiple Year Contracts for Non-Tenure Track Faculty (New)

THAT: The Board of Regents of Higher Education approves the following Policy No. 711.3, allowing, on a pilot basis, campuses to enter into multiple year contracts with certain faculty under certain conditions.

EXPLANATION:   Dr. David Dooley, Provost at MSU-Bozeman, and Dr. Warren Jones, Chair of the Faculty Council at MSU-Bozeman, presented to the Board of Regents Staff and Compensation Committee at the November, 2004 meeting a proposition for the use of multiple year contracts for non-tenure track faculty in certain circumstances. The committee agreed to review a proposed policy at the January, 2005, meeting.

MSU-Bozeman has identified a need for flexibility to award multiple year contracts to faculty in certain non-tenure track positions that meet criteria such as: (1) the positions are critical instructional positions; (2) the positions are not tenure track for reasons relating to the requirements for academic preparation or to the focus of the positions on instruction rather than scholarly and research activities; and (3) the positions must be filled to ensure the program meets quality and accreditation standards. Criteria for such positions will be developed by each campus.

This policy, which will automatically expire on April 1, 2008, allows for a limited number of multiple year contracts in situations which have been identified through appropriate campus procedures. A maximum of 10% of non-tenure track positions may be granted multiple year contracts during this pilot period, except that nursing programs, because of their high numbers of non-tenure track faculty and critical instructional needs, are capped at 25%. The Commissioner of Higher Education will monitor the use of such contracts, oversee the form of such contracts and report back to the Board of Regents before the expiration of the pilot period as to the continued need for such a program.