Proposed by the Specialized Faculty Task Force, June 1, 2023. Accepted by the Executive Committee August 7, 2023.
The Civil Service Positions in the library series are defined by the State Universities Civil Service System (SUCSS), and they are required to maintain written class specifications, as approved by the Merit Board, for each class in the classification plan.
Civil Service Professionals in the Library are positions classified as professional (occupational area 01) by the SUCSS Occupational Area List. As such, each classification has its own Class Spec defining the functions of the job and the characteristic duties and responsibilities. As professionals, these positions engage in professional activities that directly support Library activities and services, but which do not necessarily require an advanced degree or extensive experience in the field of library and information science. While civil service professionals function with a degree of independence and autonomy, their activities are directed toward providing key support for the services and policies instituted by the Library.
**All of the academic appointments listed, below, may also be guided by the “Standard Title Positions” document for academic appointment titles as documented by the University of Illinois System Human Resources Services, Standard Title Positions. Various titles applied to Academic Professionals such as coordinator and specialist, as well as assistant and associate dean, directors, and other titles used by the University Library are outlined within that document.
Appointment information for faculty, specialized faculty, and academic professionals can be found in Provost Communication #3.
The Academic Professional’s primary role is to engage in professional activities that directly support Library activities and services, but which do not necessarily require an advanced degree or extensive experience in the field of library and information science, though they may require an advanced degree or extensive experience in some other field. The shape of the position and the range of responsibilities are determined by the needs of the unit as defined by the supervisor. While academic professionals function with a degree of independence and autonomy, their activities are directed toward providing key support for the services and policies instituted by the Library. APs are encouraged to exercise their investigation time options, up to 10% as negotiated between the AP and the supervisor. For more specifics refer to the Investigation Time Policy.
Specialized Faculty contribute specialized knowledge and skills gained through an advanced degree in combination with practical experiences in the field of library and information science and/or other pertinent disciplines.
● Clinical Faculty are focused primarily on librarianship, but they also contribute to the University’s service and/or public engagement mission and conduct research. Specific expectations for research and/or service will be reflected in the responsibilities of the position to which the individual has been appointed, following the guidelines in Communication 26, with the appointment percentages as follows: 80% librarianship, 10% research and 10% service.
● Research Faculty are focused primarily on research, but they also contribute to the University’s service and/or public engagement mission and librarianship. Specific expectations for research and/or service will be reflected in the responsibilities of the position to which the individual has been appointed, following the guidelines in Communication 26 with the appointment percentages as follows: 70% research, 20% librarianship, and 10% service.
● Teaching Faculty. It is not expected that the University Library will hire into the Teaching Faculty category. In the University Library, teaching responsibilities are categorized as librarianship, and thus would be classified as Clinical Faculty.
● Visiting Faculty, Visiting Clinical Faculty, and Visiting Research Faculty may be appointed with a term of up to three years, following the percentage of appointment (librarianship/research/service) appropriate to their appointment type.
Expectations of clinical faculty can be found in Provost Communication #25, Employment Guidelines for Specialized Faculty Holding Non-Tenure System Positions. Promotional paths for clinical faculty and the criteria and expectations for promotion are outlined in Provost Communication #26.
Tenure System Faculty bring a terminal degree in library and information science and/or a doctorate in other pertinent disciplines into their roles and provide leadership and strategic direction to all Library activities. A critical function of the tenure system faculty, both individually and as a whole, is to set policy within the Library and to help shape the larger academic policy on Campus, for more information on shared governance see Provost Communication #27. Tenure system faculty both investigate and create best practices in the field through combinations of their librarianship, research, and service activities. In addition, tenure system faculty members engage in service work that benefits the Library.
Tenure system faculty are focused on librarianship, the University’s service and/or public engagement mission, and research with the appointment percentages as follows: 50% librarianship, 30% research, and 20% service. All tenure system faculty members are expected to meet the requirements and guidelines found in Article IX of the University Statutes, Provost Communication #9 and Provost Communication #13, and those found in the Campus Administrative Manual.
All Library faculty, both specialized and tenure system, work within the overarching Library administrative structure and under the parameters set forth in their job description to design, implement, and support Library activities and services. Under these parameters, faculty function autonomously and independently within their positions while at the same time working collegially and cooperatively to fulfill the mission of their unit, the Library, and campus. Library faculty members have a responsibility to work with members of their units to achieve the articulated goals for that unit and the Library as a whole.