Agenda: S/226/9
Executive Summary of Business
for Senate
Title
Visiting and Honorary Titles
Author
Jane Summerville
(T) 01273 877083 (E) J.Summerville@sussex.ac.uk
Type
Report
Date
30 November 2010
Strategic context
The University awards visiting and honorary titles to individuals
who are not or no longer employed by the University and
recognises the mutual benefit of doing so where appropriate. The
titles that may be awarded currently are set out in the Regulations
of the University and appear to have developed and been added
to over time such that the Regulations are overly complex and not
clear.
Summary
The Academic Promotions, Advancements and Titles Committee
(APATC) agreed in 2009/10 that a sub-group should review the
Regulations on Visiting and Honorary Titles and make a
recommendation for change, to be considered by APATC in the
first instance. The paper proposes a streamlined and clear set of
visiting and honorary titles, which have been approved by APATC
in the first instance. The paper also proposes the introduction of a
Code of Conduct that would be applicable to those who are
awarded visiting and honorary titles as well as the development of
a process to remove such titles in the rare event this may be
appropriate for the University to do so.
Recommendation
SENATE is asked to APPROVE the proposed changes to
Visiting and Honorary titles and to NOTE that the approved
changes will be incorporated in revised Regulations which
will come back to Senate and Council respectively in the
Spring Term for approval prior to implementation by 1
August 2011.
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S/226/9
SENATE
VISITING AND HONORARY TITLES
1. Introduction
a. The Academic Promotions, Advancements and Titles Committee (APATC)
agreed in 2009/10 that a sub-group should review the Regulations on Visiting
and Honorary Titles and make a recommendation for change, to be
considered by APATC in the first instance. This was on the basis that the
current Regulations lacked clarity, could be simplified and may no longer be
fit for purpose.
b. The current Regulations are attached for Senators’ information at Appendix 1.
The proposed changes for the University of Sussex (the University) are set
out below:
2. Emeritus Professor:
a. The title of Emeritus will apply to professorial cases only and will normally be
awarded to professors employed by the University on their retirement from
the University. The default position is that the title will be awarded in all cases,
subject to confirmation from the Head of School to Human Resources that the
employee will be retiring (as opposed to taking a post at another Higher
Education Institution (HEI)). By way of exception, where it is considered to be
in the University’s interest to award the title to an established professor who
leaves the University to take up a professorship at another institution, prior to
retirement, the title may be granted at the University’s discretion. In all cases
where the title is awarded, the title will be held indefinitely, subject to point
7(b) below.
3. Visiting Faculty:
a. The title “Visiting” will precede the title of Professor, Reader, Senior Lecturer,
Lecturer or Research equivalent or Tutorial Fellow and will continue to be
awarded to visiting faculty who currently work for another HEI but who are
based at the University for a time-limited period or who are not based at the
University but who have regular contact with, and make a contribution to, the
University. The title will be awarded at a level equivalent to the academic’s
current post held with their employing HEI. There should be a mutual benefit
in the award of titles to Visiting faculty. The individual awarded the title cannot
be in receipt of a salary or fee from the University. Nominations should be
made by the relevant Head of School. The title will be time-limited, subject to
point 7(b) below.
4. Honorary Faculty:
a. The title “Honorary” will precede the title of Professor, Reader, Senior
Lecturer, Lecturer or Research equivalent or Tutorial Fellow and will be
awarded to individuals who do not work for an HEI and who are not normally
classified as an academic in their current employment, e.g. individuals from
industry. In all cases, the individuals will be leaders in their chosen field and
should have an association with the University, e.g. sitting on a School board.
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There should be a mutual benefit in the award of titles to Honorary faculty.
The individual awarded the title cannot be in receipt of a salary or fee from the
University. Nominations should be made by the relevant Head of School. The
title will be time-limited, subject to point 7(b) below.
5. IDS staff:
a. Currently, academic staff employed by IDS may be awarded titles by the
University of Sussex. These titles are the same as those used for academics
employed by the University, i.e. Teaching or Research Faculty titles,
preceded by the term “Honorary”. This process would remain and be
incorporated under point 4 above, subject to the nomination for the title being
made by the Director of IDS and the individual needing to meet the
University’s academic criteria for the level of title being sought (as now).
6. Research Professor:
a. This title will no longer be awarded as an honorary title but rather it is
proposed that it should replace the academic title of Professorial Fellow,
which is the professorial title for professors who are employed as Research
Faculty at the University.
7. Other matters:
a. In all cases for an honorary title, other than Emeritus Professor, the
individuals being nominated for a title will be required to submit a full CV,
detailing their career history and key achievements in order to assist with
APATC’s consideration of the request.
b. The University will develop a Code of Conduct in relation to an individual
holding an Emeritus, Visiting or Honorary title which will set out the standards
of behaviour - for example in relation to equalities matters - required of
individuals who hold a title awarded by the University. The University will also
develop a process by which APATC may remove a title where the University
has reasonable cause to do so.
8. SENATE is asked to APPROVE the proposed changes to Visiting and Honorary
titles and to NOTE that the approved changes will be incorporated in revised
Regulations which will come back to Senate and Council respectively in the
Spring Term for approval prior to implementation by 1 August 2011.
Jane Summerville
Director of Human Resources
Secretary to APATC
30 November 2010
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APPENDIX 1
Extract from the Ordinances and Regulations of the University 2010/11:
the Regulations on Titles for Academic Appointments
5. Titles of Visiting Faculty
Eligible: people employed by, or on a grant from, or retired from the employment of, another
institution not in the University Park, who are working in the University full-time or part-time,
whether paid through the University or not. Persons on leave from another institution who
are temporarily employed by the University. Persons not employed by the University or
another institution who are contributing to research in the University.
Titles: As in 3 and 4 above [Teaching or Research Faculty titles] preceded by the word
Visiting (e.g. Visiting Senior Research Fellow). The title Visiting Fellow may be used even if
not attached to a centre or unit, if the person is associated with teaching activities.
Certain appointments by outside bodies are in fact the award of fellowships or
professorships, and in such cases the title of the awarding body may be used (e.g. ICI
Fellow).
6. Titles of Associate Faculty
Eligible: staff of independent institutes located in the University Park who are carrying out
substantial academic duties in the University on a regular basis.
Non-teaching faculty who have been in post for a minimum of five years and who are
carrying out teaching duties substantially above the level which is expected normally from
such faculty. Former members of the teaching faculty who have retired from the University's
employment, who are not employed full-time by another academic institution, and who are
contributing to teaching and research in the University on an agreed and regular basis, or
whose future contribution would be facilitated by the granting of associate status. Persons
not employed by the University who assist the work of a University Unit in an advisory
capacity, and whose future contribution would be facilitated by the granting of associate
status.
The award of a title will be recommended by the head of the relevant academic unit and will
normally be subject to a formal contract specifying the terms of the individual's relationship
with the University.
Titles: Honorary Professor, Honorary Reader, Honorary Senior Lecturer, Honorary Lecturer,
Honorary (Senior) (Research) Fellow.
Research Reader and Research Professor: these titles may be conferred on former
members of faculty who have retired from the University's employment, or in exceptional
circumstances, who left the University’s employment before retirement, but who continue to
be active in research and in receipt of external funds and/or who continue to be active in
research and whose work and publications contribute to the University's research status.
In addition, the title of Professorial Fellow may be conferred on:
(1) Heads of independent institutes located in the University Park who are of professorial
distinction;
(2) Established full-time members of the Institute of Development Studies who have been
awarded a status equivalent to that of professor by the Institute and on whom the University
sees fit to confer the title.
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7. Titles for Teaching Faculty Working in Centres and Units
Teaching faculty who are actively participating in the work of a University centre or unit may
have the title of Associate Fellow conferred on them by the centre or unit.
8. Emeritus Professors, Readers, Senior Lecturers, or Lecturers of the University
(1) The title of Emeritus Professor, Reader, Senior Lecturer, or Lecturer may be awarded by
the Academic Promotions, Advancements and Titles Committee to a member of faculty who
has reached the prescribed retiring age or earlier on the recommendation of their head of
academic unit.
(2) Any full-time members of the academic faculty (and, in exceptional circumstances, other
members of the academic faculty) who are permitted to retire before reaching the prescribed
retiring age but who continue to contribute to teaching and research at the University are
covered by the provisions of paragraph 6 above.
(3) In exceptional circumstances the Academic Promotions, Advancements and Titles
Committee may consider the award of an emeritus title to a retired member at a higher grade
than that held by the member while employed. Any review will apply the same criteria for the
higher grade as apply to employed members, and will be
subject to the grounds for the title being significantly stronger than was the case prior to
retirement and to the member having a continuing association with the University. This also
applies to honorary titles awarded under paragraph 6 to a member who is permitted to retire
before the prescribed retiring age.
(4) Visiting faculty will not be eligible for the title.
(5) Emeritus titles as such do not entitle their holders to any specific privileges, except in so
far as such privileges are conferred in terms of the conditions applying to the holders of other
honorary titles.
9. Miscellaneous Academic Titles (not 'faculty')
(1) Associate Member of the Centre for Community Engagement, for persons who are not
employees of the University but have an academic working relationship with the Centre.
(2) Teacher Research Associate, for school teachers collaborating in research projects of
the Department of Education, in relation to their own schools.
10. Award of Titles
For a salaried post, including joint appointments with another organisation, the authority to
approve a title rests with the Vice-Chancellor and passes with his authority both to create a
post and to authorise an appointment to the post. The authority to award titles not attached
to salaried posts, including joint appointments with another organisation, rests with:
(1) The Academic Promotions, Advancements and Titles Committee for all honorary and
visiting professorial titles, for all emeritus titles, and for the titles of Honorary Reader,
Honorary Senior Lecturer, Honorary Lecturer, and Honorary (Senior) (Research) Fellow.
(2) The Head of School for non-professorial titles (including Associate Fellow) tenable in a
School or in a centre or unit attached to a School.
(3) The Vice-Chancellor, for non-professorial titles (including Associate Fellow) tenable in all
other University research institutes, centres and units.
11. Duration and Renewal of Titles
Titles which do not have a time limit determined by a contract of employment with the
University, nor by another appointment, nor are for the stated period of a visit, are for a
maximum (but renewable) period of three years (with the exception of Emeritus titles, which
are awarded for life). This period is stated in the letter announcing the award of the title.
Towards the end of the period, consideration is given to whether the person's association
with the University has been sufficiently active to justify renewing the title. The authority for
renewing titles is the same as for the original awards.
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