Affiliate Faculty

Contract definition

“Affiliate faculty” means persons who are administrative, professional or technical employees of Western Michigan University who are additionally appointed for one-year terms only, renewable at the sole discretion of the University, to perform specific assignments related to the instructional programs.

Affiliate appointments are non-board-appointed, non-bargaining-unit, fixed-term, uncompensated appointments, and persons holding affiliate appointments earn no credit toward tenure. Affiliate appointments are recommended by the appropriate academic departments or schools and approved by the dean and provost (and graduate dean for graduate-faculty status) and are ranked as affiliate instructor, affiliate assistant professor, affiliate associate professor or affiliate professor, depending upon the qualifications of the appointees.

Procedure for appointment

1. The department completes the recommendation for affiliate appointment form. The chair or director signs form.
2. The completed recommendation form and vita of the prospective affiliate faculty are forwarded to the dean for review, decision and signature.
3. If the dean approves, the recommendation for and vita are forwarded to the provost for review, decision and signature.
4. The provost retains a copy of the recommendation form and returns the original to the department. Then vita is retained in the provost’s office.
   • If the recommendation is denied, the department relays the denial decision to the individual.
   • If the recommendation if approved, the department sends a letter of offer to the prospective affiliate faculty.
5. When the signed letter of offer is received from the prospective individual, the department forwards a copy of the letter to the dean and provost.