Approved by College of Medicine Executive Committee
Date: May 8, 2009
Tenure Track Appointments
Recognizing that UAMS faculty members at the VA hospital are integral to our academic mission, the College of Medicine has, in the past, made tenure track positions available to selected faculty members with clinical or academic duties at the VA and who are employed full- or part-time by the VA. Effective July 1, 2009, tenure-eligible appointments for faculty members with clinical or academic duties at the VA and employed part-time at the VA will be limited to physicians or PhD scientists who have no more than a 5/8 VA appointment. If a tenure-track faculty member should leave or lose VA employment for any reason, that faculty member may be non-reappointed with a full year’s notice from the College of Medicine. Alternatively, at the College of Medicine’s discretion, the faculty member may be fully integrated into UAMS operations and allowed to continue on the tenure track.
As to all UAMS faculty members who are currently employed part-time by the VA, the College of Medicine notes that tenure is defined by UA Board Policy as “the right to continuous employment;” however tenure does not guarantee a specific salary. For example, in the case of a full time tenured faculty member who is employed 5/8 time by the VA, if he or she should leave VA employment for any reason, UAMS tenure would imply that the faculty member would still be employed at UAMS but at the UAMS fraction of the employment, in this case 3/8th full time equivalent (FTE). Furthermore, the salary related to the 3/8th FTE would be determined by the Department Chair and Dean. Should such a situation arise, the faculty member, department chair and dean may consider, in good faith, whether increased fractional employment at UAMS is feasible and appropriate and may, at the discretion of the College of Medicine, endeavor to increase the UAMS employment to full time.