The collegiate criteria below are consistent with the University's Qualifications for Faculty Rank (Operations Manual, III-10.4). Many departments have also established criteria that elaborate on University and collegiate criteria.

Assistant Professors

Faculty members appointed to the rank of assistant professor are ordinarily expected

1. to hold the doctorate or other terminal degree in the discipline or to presentequivalent training and experience as appropriate to the particular appointment;
2. to show promise in teaching; and
3. to have begun a promising program of research, scholarship, or creative professional work consistent with eventual promotion to associate professor.

Associate Professors

Faculty members are expected to have served at the rank of assistant professor for a period of time sufficient to have established a record in the areas of teaching, of research, scholarship, or creative work, and of service that meets the criteria below and shows unmistakable promise of promotion to full professor. Most faculty members in the College serve a probationary period of six years.

Faculty promoted or appointed to the rank of associate professor are ordinarily expected

1. to hold the doctorate or other terminal degree of the discipline or to have equivalent training and experience as appropriate to the particular appointment;
2. to have an acknowledged record of success in undergraduate and graduate teaching, including successful direction of doctoral and/or master's candidates, as applicable;
3. to have national recognition for a productive program of research, scholarship, or creative work, supported by substantial, significant publication (or the equivalent) of high quality;
4. to have participated in the professional activities of the discipline, in ways other than teaching and research; and
5. to have established an appropriate record of departmental service.

Professors

Candidates for promotion to full professor are expected to have established a record since promotion to associate professor that demonstrates a pattern of sustained development and substantial growth in achievement and productivity in the areas of teaching; of research, scholarship, and creative work; and of service.

Faculty promoted or appointed to the rank of professor are ordinarily expected

1. to hold the doctorate or other terminal degree of the discipline or to have equivalent training and experience appropriate to the particular appointment;
   
2. to have an acknowledged record of continued success in undergraduate and graduate teaching, including continued successful direction of doctoral candidates to the completion of their degree programs, as applicable;
   
3. to have sustained unmistakable national recognition and, where applicable, to have achieved international recognition for a productive program of research, scholarship, or creative work of high quality; and
   
4. to have a substantial and sustained record of effective service to the department, the institution, and the profession.
   

The Faculty Rank of Instructor

Instructors are appointed as the result of tenure-track searches and fulfill all the requirements for appointment at the rank of assistant professor except that they have not yet completed the dissertation or thesis required for the doctoral or other terminal degree program in which they are candidates. The appointment is for a non-renewable term of one academic year. The tenure clock starts with the initial appointment as instructor.

To be promoted to the rank of assistant professor, the instructor must obtain a letter from the graduate college of the degree-granting institution specifying the date on which the final deposit of the dissertation or thesis project was accepted and the date on which the degree will be conferred. The promotion is effective as of the date on which the degree requirements were completed.

If the College has not received verification by the date specified in the offer of appointment that all requirements for the terminal degree have been completed, the College will notify the faculty member on that date that the appointment has been terminated.