Faculty Appointments
For provost approval, follow these steps for appointments involving tenure-track, term appointment, temporary and visiting positions.
Send Information
The dean or vice president will send the following to the Provost & Executive Vice President with a copy to Assistant Provost Nathan Laursen:
- Memo/e-mail stating request to hire candidate. Include: name of candidate; appointment rank; name of person replacing
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Role percentages (for tenure-track or term appointments only)
- Approved New Position Request or Faculty Search Request for the search tied to this offer
Approval and Offer
Once the Provost & Executive Vice President gives approval to hire, all parties will be notified so a verbal offer can be made.Review
The college faculty hiring point person will send a draft offer letter and role statement to the Assistant Provost for review. The Assistant Provost will work directly with the point person to ensure the offer letter and role statement are prepared appropriately. Once the documents have been finalized, they can be routed for signatures and sent to the candidate.
Note that dual career assistance should be discussed with a candidate during the negotiation of a faculty appointment. If a candidate requests this accommodation, please notify Assistant Provost Nathan Laursen as soon as possible. Eligibility falls within a 3-month timeframe from start date of faculty member.
Adjunct Faculty Appointments
Adjunct appointments have been delegated by the provost to the dean. However, NP EPAFs need to be routed through the Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President for approval. (USU Policy 4000.5.2)
Emeriti Faculty Appointments
At the time of retirement, faculty members are eligible to apply for emeritus status. Although the Provost & Executive Vice President has final approval, a letter from the university president serves as the official appointment. (USU Policy 4000.6)
Offer Letters
Faculty offer letters establish the formal terms and conditions of USU academic appointments. Every faculty appointment must be confirmed with a complete, professionally written offer letter signed by the candidate. Offer letters should clearly outline the essential terms of the position, including salary, appointment period, role‑statement responsibilities, expectations, and any start‑up funding, equipment, or relocation support. Providing consistent, detailed offer letters supports accuracy, transparency, and compliance in faculty hiring processes.
The Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President provides standardized offer‑letter templates for departments and business services personnel to download below.
Role Statements
Role statements establish general employment parameters and performance expectations for USU faculty. Faculty members are expected to carry out the major university functions of teaching, research or creative endeavors, Extension, librarianship, and service. Individual role statements designate percentages for each area of professional service, and percentages guide the relative evaluation weight given to performance in each area. Emphasis in professional service areas varies within and among academic departments and individual faculty role statements.
USU employees can download templates for various faculty position role statements via Box. To access these files, please ensure you are signed in using your USU credentials.