Tenure-Track Faculty

for Initial Appointment

Model Appointment Letter

Date: ____________________

Dear ________________________:

[Insert one of the following appointment paragraphs:]

1. {Tenure-Track} It is my pleasure to welcome you to the faculty in the (Name of Department/School) at Michigan Technological University. I am pleased to offer you an appointment as a tenure-track (rank) for the two academic years 20__ - __ and 20__ - __ at the salary rate of $______ for the first of these two academic years. The academic year runs from the Monday two weeks prior to the start of classes in the fall semester through one week after commencement at the end of spring semester. Your duties will commence on August __, 20__ and will terminate on May __, 20__.


2. {Tenure, with Initial Appointment} It is my pleasure to welcome you to the faculty in the (Name of Department/School) at Michigan Technological University. I am pleased to offer you an appointment as (rank) with tenure, (subject to approval of tenure by the Michigan Technological University Board of Control at its meeting to be held ______) at a salary rate of $________ for the nine-month academic year.

According to University policy, the normal probationary period for a tenure-track assistant professor is six years with the mandatory tenure review occurring during the sixth year. For the purposes of tenure consideration academic year 2007-2008 will be considered to be your first year in the tenure system. This initial appointment in the tenure system is for a two year period with the possibility of reappointment for two additional two year periods. If successfully reappointed, your mandatory tenure review will be conducted during the academic year 2012-2013. Granting of tenure after a shorter period of service is not precluded.

The University Tenure and Promotion Policy and Procedures are included in the Faculty Handbook which can be accessed at the following website: http://www.admin.mtu.edu/admin/prov/facbook/index.htm. The department's promotion and tenure criteria and procedures are included in the Schools Charter. You will be provided a copy of the Charter prior to your official start date.

We look forward to your developing a program of teaching, research, scholarship, and professional activity in the area of ______________________. The University regards excellence in teaching, research, and contributions to program development as important factors in the granting of tenure and for promotion. Therefore, excellence and effectiveness in teaching as measured by student response and senior faculty, contributions to program development in the area of ______________________, research and/or scholarly activity as evidenced by excellence of publications and funded research, graduate student direction, and participation at regional and national professional meetings are major factors in our determination for advancement.

[Insert special conditions paragraphs as needed:]

1. {Degree Condition} A special condition of your appointment is that if you have not completed all the requirements for the PhD by the time your duties commence on __________, the appointment will be at the rank of a non-tenure-track Instructor at a salary rate of $_______. Your rank will be changed to tenure-track Assistant Professor at an annual salary rate of $__________ immediately after we have received official notification that you have completed all the requirements for the PhD degree. If you complete your PhD between November 1, 2007, and August 18, 2008, your official tenure-track start date will be Fall of 2008 with a mandatory tenure review to be conducted during academic year 2013-2014 if successfully reappointed. Should all requirements for the PhD not be completed by August 18, 2008, this offer of employment for 2008-2009 is void. (This does not preclude negotiating an earlier tenure-track start date. If such a change in the start date is agreed upon, an amendment to the appointment letter needs to be filed.)


2. {Contingency} This offer is contingent upon satisfying all Federal employment eligibility requirements and proof of having completed all requirements of your (PhD/MS/BS). If you accept this offer and it is your first appointment to Michigan Tech, you must complete tax and other employment forms (in-person) in order to be placed on payroll. Please visit the Human Resources Office (second floor of the Administration Building), no later than your first day of work, to complete the appropriate forms.


3. {If MTU application questions on Page 2 are not answered} As a condition of employment you will be required to enter into a patent, research, and proprietary rights agreement which in substance (1) obligates you to report to the University discoveries, invention, or other proprietary information developed by you, (2) gives the University the option to take over and finance such discoveries, inventions, or proprietary material and (3) in the event the University exercises the option, provides for the payment to you of the initial $1,000 of income, 15 percent of the income between $1,000 and $30,000, and 33.3 percent of income in excess of $30,000.

[Insert only with initial tenure-track appointment letter or tenure with initial appointment:]

Your appointment as (tenure/tenure-track) faculty carries with it appointment to the graduate faculty, including the privileges and responsibilities associated with advising graduate students and teaching graduate level courses. You will be contacted by a member of the Graduate School staff with further information.

We will regard ourselves as mutually committed upon your returning a signed copy of this letter. This offer must be accepted within thirty (30) days of the date of this letter, unless the time for acceptance is extended in writing.

No oral representations can modify this written Letter of Appointment or written Charter, Policy, or Procedures.

We look forward to your joining us as a colleague and hope to hear from you shortly so that we can both make firm plans.

Sincerely,

___________________________

I accept this offer.

______________________________________       ___________________________
   (Name)                                                                        (Date)