New Rank for DGCE: Visiting Senior Instructors

MSCA Perspective, March 2001

On January 24, 2001, the MSCA/DGCE and the Board of Higher Education reached a tentative agreement for a successor MSCA-DGCE collective bargaining agreement covering September 1, 2000 through August 31, 2003. The contract was ratified by the membership on February 27th. One of the changes is the addition of a fifth title,Visiting Senior Instructor. The criteria for placement into this new title are identical to those for the Visiting Assistant Professor, except this new title requires only a Master's Degree, thus providing a rank and salary advancement opportunity for DGCE faculty who do not possess a terminal degree.

The eligibility requirements for placement in the Visiting Senior Instructor title are the following:

* A Master's Degree from an accredited institution in the discipline to be taught; and

* Three years of appropriate professional experience, including two years of college teaching, in the discipline to be taught.

Article VI of the DGCE contract defines "a year of college teaching" as "teaching experience equivalent to twenty-four (24) credit hours." Therefore, to be credited with a year of college teaching you must have taught eight 3-credit courses or, if you teach at Framingham State College, six 4-credit courses.

If you met these criteria as of January 1, 2001, you are eligible for the rank of Visiting Senior Instructor. There is no separate, formal procedure in place to address faculty questions about rank placement. A faculty member's placement into a rank should be considered by the College as a normal part of the appointment process. However, if you feel you are entitled to advancement, you should contact the Dean of the DGCE program on your campus.

The recommended procedure is to contact your DGCE Dean in writing, specifically detailing your eligibility (especially your college teaching experience). Provide any supporting documentation. A copy of this letter, and all supporting documentation, should be sent to your Department Chair and the MSCA Chapter President on your campus. Follow up your letter with a phone call if you do not receive a response in a reasonable period of time.

Failure or refusal to advance an eligible faculty member to any rank is subject to the grievance procedures. Article X requires that grievances be filed within ten (10) days of the date of the event; therefore, as soon as your request for advancement is refused, contact your local chapter grievance officer for assistance. Further, if you are not provided with an answer to your request for advancement in a reasonable period of time, you should also contact your local chapter grievance officer.