Faculty contracts, whether for new appointees or continuing faculty, are normally for nine months (two semesters) of teaching with payment spread over twelve months. Additional salaried assignments are contracted separately, and payments are usually made at the completion of the assignment. Contracts for continuing faculty are mailed to the home address of the faculty member before the beginning of the contract period. The College pledges to fulfill its contracts without reservation and assumes that the contract is binding on the faculty member unless it is set aside by mutual agreement. A request for release from a contract must be filed in writing with the Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty who will then forward it to the President for a final decision.
The initial contract will be accompanied by a letter of appointment, usually from the Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty but on occasion from the President, stating the conditions of employment including any unusual aspects mutually agreed upon at an earlier time.
Term Contracts
Term contracts are entered into for a period specified in the contract. Term contracts are renewable. A faculty member, who is not on a tenure-track but has successfully completed a six-year review, may receive a three-year renewable faculty appointment. This type of appointment is reserved for positions for which funding is reasonably assured over the life of the contract. Faculty serving on term contracts are subject to notice of non- renewal set forth in Section 2.8.3.
Probationary Contracts
A faculty member who is non-tenured and, in a tenure,-track position will receive a probationary faculty appointment. The probationary (non-tenure) period for an initial appointment is six years. Faculty members with both the doctorate and up to three years of previous full-time College teaching experience may be considered for tenure before their sixth year of teaching at Wilmington College. Such an arrangement, however, must be negotiated at the time of the initial contract and must appear in the letter of appointment. Without prior agreement, the tenure review takes place during the sixth year of full-time teaching. Faculty serving on probationary contracts are subject to notice of non-renewal set forth in Section 2.8.3.
Severance Contracts
Severance contracts are issued for the final term after termination or non-renewal and represent a final contract with no opportunity for renewal.
Tenured Contracts
When a faculty member is awarded tenure, the President will convey this decision to the faculty member in writing. Tenured faculty members will continue to receive an annual tenured (continuous appointment) contract specifying rank and salary. Tenured faculty members are on continuous appointment unless separated from the College according to provisions contained in Section 2.8.
Locus of Appointment
The appointment of all faculty members is made by the President upon the recommendation of the Academic Dean/Dean of the Faculty and appropriate faculty members. No full-time contract is valid without the signature of the President.