Dear Colleagues:

As you probably know, for over three years we have been working on guidelines and policies to better recognize and support specialized faculty.

Earlier this month we released Provost communication No. 25 - Employment Guidelines for Specialized Faculty Holding Non-Tenure System Positions. The document provides employment guidelines and policies for specialized faculty related to titles, promotional tracks, hiring procedures, performance evaluations, unit involvement and profesional development (http://provost.illinois.edu/communication/25/ProvostCommNo25_SpecializedFaculty.pdf). I am writing to inform you of current activities that will move our campus forward on the principles spelled out in the Guidelines.

After benchmarking salaries for specialized faculty in a sampling of areas among peer institutions, we have determined that it is appropriate to set a minimum for non-visiting positions of $40,000/year for full-time 9-month appointments. We are working with colleges to implement any necessary adjustments to base salaries as soon as possible.

In addition, we are working with various departments and schools to revise their bylaws and current practices so as to be consistent with our goals.  Clarity regarding the roles, responsibilities and privileges of specialized faculty members, including a requirment for access to grievance processes, is a primary focus of this effort.

Specialized faculty members ("other academics" as defined under the University Statutes) serve an integral part of the university function, through teaching and through research. These individuals may work for a single semester or may dedicate years of service to the University. Provost Communication No. 25 was created to recognize the value specialized faculty add to the institution.

In the coming months, I will share additional progress on the overall efforts to enhance support and employment matters affecting specialized faculty.

Best,

Ilesanmi Adesida

Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost