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Section II: Faculty

Policy Number: II-1.10(A)

University of Maryland Policy and Procedures for Part-Time Status of Faculty Due to Childrearing Responsibilities

(Approved by the President Amended )

  1. Units may employ tenured, tenure-track, professional track faculty members, and librarian faculty on a part-time appointment on a temporary basis. A part-time appointment shall be a minimum of a fifty percent (50%) appointment. These appointments may be renewed (in maximum blocks of two years). 
  2. Eligibility. This policy applies to tenured, tenure-track, professional track faculty,  and all librarian faculty with appointments of above 50% FTE who request a  temporary reduction to part-time status in order to prepare for a newborn child and/or to care for a child under the age of six (6) years, including children placed in the home as a result of adoption or foster care, or to manage severe illness or other emergency situations related to children. Tenured, tenure-track, professional track, and librarian faculty making the request must attest that during the part-time appointment they intend to serve as the primary care-giver on a regular basis. 
  3. Length of appointment reduction. 
    1. Tenure-track faculty and librarians eligible for permanent status. The length of a tenure-track or librarian faculty member’s initial contract and probationary period for tenure or permanent status consideration is based upon the number of full-time equivalent years accrued by the eligible faculty member at the institution in a tenure-track or permanent status track rank. For tenure-track faculty and librarians eligible for permanent status, part-time status may be granted for a  maximum period of two full academic year or fiscal year appointments during the pre-tenure probationary period. These partial appointments result in a one-year maximum delay in the tenure or permanent status clock regardless of the year in which they were initiated and the decision about how the reduction is allocated  (e.g. two separated one-year-reductions). If the first of the fractional appointments begins during the initial three-year contract period, the contract review is delayed one year and the eligible faculty member should receive a one-year contract extension of the initial contract. If the first partial appointment begins after the initial three-year contract review, the eligible faculty member receives contracts covering the subsequent four years and is reviewed for tenure or permanent status by the end of seventh year.1 These periods of reduced appointment may be contiguous or noncontiguous, and they may result from a single event or multiple events. Eligibility for consideration for a part-time appointment shall extend from three months prior to six (6) years following the birth or placement of a child. Faculty eligible for part-time status related to  childbearing/ childrearing responsibilities are also entitled to extensions of time for consideration for tenure or permanent status review under the same terms and  conditions as full-time tenure track faculty as set forth in II-1.00(D) University of  Maryland Policy on Extension of Time for Tenure Review Due to Personal and Professional Circumstances. 2 
    2. Tenured faculty and librarians with permanent status. The conditions of eligibility for tenured faculty and librarians with permanent status are the same as for tenure-track faculty above. Temporary reductions from a full-time appointment shall be for a minimum period of three months for eligible 12-month  faculty or one semester for eligible 9-month appointed faculty and a maximum period of two (2) years. These part-time appointments are renewable with appropriate approvals. Each renewal may be requested for a period lasting a  minimum of three months or one semester to a maximum period of two (2) years.  The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) governing these temporary part-time appointments for tenured and permanent status faculty must specify changes in obligations and the conditions under which the appointee may return to a full-time position or request a renewal of the temporary part-time appointment at the same or a different percentage for another period of a minimum of three months or one academic semester and maximum of two (2) years. 
    3. Professional track faculty and librarian faculty not eligible for permanent status. The conditions of eligibility for professional track faculty and librarian faculty not eligible for permanent status are the same as for tenure-track faculty above. For eligible faculty, part-time status may be granted for a maximum period of two full academic year or fiscal year appointments. This applies to all eligible faculty with an original appointment of greater than 50% FTE who have been employed with the University for a minimum of 2 years. These part-time appointments are renewable with appropriate approvals. Each renewal may be requested for a period lasting a minimum of three months for eligible 12-month  faculty or one semester for eligible 9-month appointed faculty to a maximum period of two (2) years. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) governing these temporary part-time appointments for eligible faculty must specify changes in obligations and the conditions under which the appointee may return to a full-time position or request a renewal of the temporary part-time appointment at the same or a different percentage for another period of a minimum of three months or one semester and maximum of two (2) years. 
  4. Procedures. Any faculty member who meets the eligibility requirements for this policy may request a temporary reduction of duties. Under ordinary circumstances,  this request will be granted. The eligible faculty member shall make a formal written request to the department chair or unit head, stating the basis of his/her need for a  temporary part-time appointment. The notice should include an attestation by the faculty member of eligibility. The faculty member’s request must be submitted by the end of the semester before the appointment is slated to begin. The proposed reduction in appointment and duties should then be discussed and negotiated with the chair/unit head to arrive at a mutually acceptable MOU. Then the chair/unit head must prepare (a) a MOU and (b) a letter supporting or opposing the request. The  MOU should specify the reason for the request, the length of the part-time status,  expectations for faculty duties, and, where applicable, revised schedules for contract,  promotion, and other reviews, and provisions for ending the proposed fractional appointment and return to full-time status. The unit head/chair’s letter must include a  rationale for supporting or opposing the request, and a description of the financial and staffing implications. The formal letter of request, chair’s response and MOU must first be forwarded to the Dean (where appropriate) and then to the Provost for approval or denial. Upon approval of the part-time appointment and accompanying arrangements, the MOU shall be co-signed by the eligible faculty member, chair/unit head, Dean, and Provost. If appropriate, tenure-track faculty or librarians eligible for permanent status may apply for a delay in the tenure or permanent status clock after final approval of the temporary reduction in duties is finalized.    
  5. Departments/units shall be able to use the unused portion of the salary of an eligible faculty member with instructional, advising, service and related duties on a temporary part-time appointment due to childrearing responsibilities to fund coverage of the eligible faculty member’s teaching, advising, service and related duties.
  6. Performance, Tenure, and Promotion Reviews. No person shall be discriminated against in any promotion and tenure proceedings, merit review, permanent status review, or professional track faculty promotion review, as a result of seeking or being granted part-time status in accordance with these procedures. Personnel reviews shall be conducted in the same manner as those conducted for full-time faculty. Internal and external reviewers of faculty performance should be apprised that faculty members who have been granted part-time appointments should be judged by the quality and quantity of their accomplishments, but not by the rate of their accomplishments. 
  7. Appeals. Any eligible faculty member who believes that her or his request for part-time status has been unfairly or improperly denied may bring the matter to the attention of the Faculty Ombuds Officer and seek a review in accordance with the procedures of the University of Maryland Policy governing faculty grievances (University of Maryland Policy II-4.00[A]).

1 Thus a faculty member on a 50% appointment for the maximum period of two years would be reviewed in the 7th rather than the 6th year. Partial appointments (regardless of length) under this policy delay the mandatory tenure review by one year and partial appointments which are initiated in the first three years of appointment extend the contract review by a year.

2 A faculty member on a 50% appointment for the maximum period of two years would be reviewed in the 7th year. If the faculty member is also approved for a two-year delay in the tenure clock, the review would occur in the 9th year. A faculty member on a 100% appointment with a two-year delay in the tenure clock would be reviewed in the 8th year.