UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has been named as one of only two recipients of this year’s Delphi Award, which recognizes innovative support of adjunct faculty in promoting student success.
The Pullias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California, which administers the annual award in partnership with the Association of American Colleges and Universities, selected Penn State as one of this year’s winners for the University’s multi-year efforts to overhaul the system of promotion, review and definition of academic rank for non-tenure track faculty.
The changes being recognized by the Delphi Award include establishing a consistent title and rank system for teaching faculty; standardizing promotion procedures and including non-tenure track faculty members in the review process; and forming committees of non-tenure track faculty to examine opportunities and support for non-tenure track faculty at each of Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses. One of the major goals of this initiative was securing longer, multi-year contracts for many non-tenure track faculty across the University, benefitting these faculty members by creating greater job stability.
The policy on non-tenure track promotion and academic rank — university policy AC21 —was enacted in 2018 and represents years of work by the Penn State Faculty Senate and the efforts of three separate Senate chairs in close collaboration with University administration. Since being enacted, 390 non-tenure track faculty members have been promoted under this policy.