Joint, Secondary & Tertiary Appointments
Joint Appointments:
A joint appointment is one in which a tenured, tenure-track, or clinical track faculty member has responsibilities to, and review by, more than one department. The percentage time split may range from 90/10% to 50/50%, but the faculty title and rank must be consistent across departments. One department is designated the "home department" and is responsible for the initiation of the HR transactions.
A joint appointment is usually funded by more than one department and requires the cooperation and approval of both departments and colleges concerned in the search, offer and appointment. The offer letter must clearly delineate the expectations of each department and the candidate’s rights and responsibilities in the arrangement. Departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences should consult the Executive Associate Dean to negotiate the joint appointment. The appointment form and attachments are routed in workflow through both Departments and Colleges and then to the Office of the Provost for electronic signature.
Required Attachments:
- Final Offer Letter Signed by Candidate
- Candidate's CV
Required Offer Letter Elements:
- Title
- Start/End Dates
- Overview of Responsibilities/Expectations
- Brief Description of Benefits
Sample Offer Letter for a Joint Appointment
Subsequent promotion and tenure reviews are similarly cooperative. The exact process for promotion and tenure reviews can be worked out after the new faculty member arrives on campus but must have the concurrence of all parties involved. (See Joint Appointment Evaluations.)
Secondary and Tertiary Appointments:
Secondary and tertiary appointments, sometimes called "complimentary" or "zero-percent" appointments, are made when the effort split is 100/0%. These type of are intended for tenured, tenure-track or clinical track faculty with a primary appointment in one department but for whom a relationship with another department is appropriate as well. This can involve teaching, advising, committee representation, or any other duty appropriate to the faculty member’s areas of expertise. The primary department usually funds the position. A secondary appointment may be made at the point of initial hire, in which case the statements made above under "Joint appointments" apply, but is more typically made at a later point in time. In the latter case, the appointment form should indicate in the "Remarks" section, "TO RECOGNIZE THE SECONDARY [or tertiary] APPOINTMENT." The appointment form and required attachments are routed electronically from the secondary to primary departments and colleges.
Required Attachments:
- The agreement (signed by the faculty member), outlining the responsibilities and privileges of the individual, the departments, and colleges including the role of each regarding promotion and tenure decisions, is attached by secondary or tertiary department and routed in workflow to their respective college before routing to the primary department and college. Approval of the form constitutes approval of the agreement.
- Candidate's CV
Departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences should consult the Executive Associate Dean to negotiate Joint Appointment. If the length of term of the secondary appointment differs from that of the primary appointment, this should be indicated on the appointment form and in the letter of agreement.
Units that can make faculty appointments include all Regental academic units and those programs with an established appointing structure approved by the Office of the Provost. Before making interdisciplinary appointments, units should review all interdisciplinary policies.
Sample Secondary or Tertiary Agreement