Yale Faculty Handbook

Download the July 1, 2023 Faculty Handbook

Recent Updates to the Handbook

(Archive of prior versions of the Handbook available at EliScholar.)

July 1, 2023

Section I. University Organization

  • The history of Yale’s schools and faculties was revised to reflect the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) becoming a distinct faculty and the addition of the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs.
  • The description of the Corporation (Yale’s Board of Trustees) and listing of the Officers of the University were revised.

Section II. Academic Freedom and Faculty Standards of Conduct

  • Language was added regarding academic freedom in response to the recommendations of the Gift Policy Review Committee, chaired by Julia Adams, Margaret H. Marshall Professor of Sociology.
  • The process for addressing complaints was clarified.

Section III. Faculty Ranks, Appointments, and Policies: University-Wide

  • The policy was clarified regarding voting by full professors in the School of Medicine’s academic clinician track and the School of Nursing’s clinical track, to indicate that they may vote on reappointment of faculty in their same track and rank.
  • The policy on faculty participation in faculty voting via audio-visual technology was revised to remove the stipulation that such is allowed only “in exigent circumstances.”
  • The procedure for complaints about issues other than reappointment or promotion was clarified.
  • The process was clarified for submitting a complaint in response to an action taken following a review regarding violations of the Faculty Standards of Conduct.

Section IV. Faculty of Arts and Sciences

  • Revisions throughout the section reflect SEAS as a distinct faculty.
  • The Judaic Studies Program’s name was revised to the Jewish Studies Program.
  • The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) process for approving assignment to the GSAS faculty was revised and the School of Medicine’s Biomedical Informatics and Data Science section was added to the list of units for which assignment to the GSAS faculty is automatic.
  • The process for conducting meetings of the Joint Boards of Permanent Officers was revised to reflect the distinct roles of the Deans of the FAS and SEAS.
  • Voting policies were revised for interdisciplinary and certain other designated departments and programs.

Section V. School of Engineering and Applied Science

  • This new section was added to reflect SEAS as a distinct faculty.

Section VIII. Divinity School and Institute of Sacred Music

  • Eligibility to attend governance meetings was clarified.
  • Policies on ladder appointments, promotion, and leaves were clarified.

Section XI. Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs

  • This new section was added to reflect the inauguration of the School.

Section XIV. School of Medicine

  • Changes to the name of two ladder faculty tracks in School of Medicine are noted: the “Clinical Track” was renamed as the “Academic Clinician Track” and the “Clinician Educator Track” was renamed as the “Clinician Educator-Scholar Track.”
  • The new Biomedical Informatics and Data Science section was added.
  • The voting policy for full professors in the Academic Clinician Track was clarified to indicate that they may vote on reappointment of faculty in their same track and rank.
  • The names of the appointments committees were revised.
  • The policy on clinical practice privileges as they relate to appointments was clarified.
  • The policies on appointments in the Academic Clinician Track were revised.

Section XVI. School of Nursing

  • Eligibility to attend governance meetings was clarified.
  • The criteria were clarified for appointments to the rank of assistant professor in the Clinical Track.
  • The rank of senior lecturer was added.

Section XIX. Leaves of Absence and Teaching Relief: University-Wide

  • Policies on child-rearing leaves, caregivers’ leaves, and parental leaves were revised to reflect the new Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave Act.

Section XX. Faculty Compensation, Benefits, and Services

  • Benefits eligibility was clarified. The policy on the cessation of University contributions to retirement was eliminated.

Section XXI. Retirement and Emeritus/Emeriti Titles

  • The section on Emeritus/Emeriti Titles was moved into this section (from Other University Policies Affecting Faculty).
  • Policies on emeritus/emeriti titles were revised to reflect expansion of eligibility and clarification of the approval process.
  • Language was clarified regarding privileges available to emeriti and retired faculty.
  • Although the policies did not change, language was removed regarding residential college fellowships (for that information, see the Council of the Heads of College website and parking (for that information, see the parking policy).

Section XXII. University Policies Concerning Teaching and Research

  • The name of the Office of Cooperative Research was updated to Yale Ventures.
  • The policy on outside interests and employment was clarified.
  • The policy on outside research activities was clarified.

Section XXIII. Other University Policies Affecting Faculty

  • The policy “Institutional Standards of Conduct” replaced the former policy called “Standards of Business Conduct.” This policy’s location was moved to the beginning of this section.
  • The policy on short-term medical disability was revised to reflect the expansion of the benefit to all benefits-eligible faculty and to reflect the new Connecticut Paid Family and Medical Leave Act.
October 1, 2021

*  Throughout Handbook: updated Office for Equal Opportunity Programs to Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility; updated School of Drama to David Geffen School of Drama; Updated School of Forestry & Environmental Studies to School of the Environment.

* Section III (Faculty Ranks, Appointments, and Policies: University-wide): clarified criteria for less than full-time appointments; clarified policies related to extension of time in rank; clarified procedures for review of complaints about violations of Faculty Standards of Conduct.

* Section IV (Faculty of Arts and Sciences): updated department and program listing; clarified voting policies; updated composition of Yale College faculty meetings; clarified FASTAP 2007 and 2016 policies for appointments on term and Associate Professor with Tenure.

* Section IX (School of the Environment): added Senior Lecturer II rank.

* Section XI (School of Management): clarified procedures for term appointments.

* Section XII (School of Medicine): clarified voting right and policies; clarified appointment and promotion procedures; updated notice requirements for non-reappointment to certain ranks; added Visiting Research Scientist rank; Added Clinician-Scientist track to replace Clinician-Scholar track.

* Section XIV (School of Nursing): clarified process for requesting transfer of track; added Assistant Professor to Clinical and Traditional tracks.

* Section XVII (Leaves of Absence and Teaching Relief: University-wide): clarified policies on teaching relief for non-ladder instructional faculty.

* Section XVIII (Faculty Compensation, Benefits, and Services): updated descriptions of benefits available to faculty to make consistent with descriptions in other University communications.

* Section XIX (Retirement): clarified policies related to the Phased Retirement Plan.

* Section XXI (Other University Policies Affecting Faculty): updated Resource Office on Disabilities to Student Accessibility Services.

August 22, 2019

*  Section III (Faculty Ranks, Appointments, and Policies: University-wide):  clarified the procedures for the appointment of fully joint and secondary appointments.

*  Section IV (Faculty of Arts and Sciences):  added provisions regarding secondary appointments consistent with the procedures in Section III.

*  Section V (School of Architecture):  clarified the procedures for faculty appointment and promotions to make consistent with FASTAP 2007.

*  Section VI (School of Art):  added description for the ranks of Senior Critic, Critic, and Lecturer; and clarified the School’s leave policy.

*  Section VII (Divinity School and Institute of Sacred Music):  revised School-specific policies for faculty ranks and leaves.

*  Section IX (School of Forestry and Environmental Studies): clarified the School’s leave policy.

*  Section X (School of Law):  clarified description for the ranks of Clinical Associate Professor of Law and Tutor in Legal Studies.

*  Section XI (School of Management):  updated description for Appointments, Curriculum, and Strategy Committee; and clarified procedures for term appointments.

*  Section XII (School of Medicine):  clarified the procedures for appointments and promotions for School of Public Health faculty and clarified the descriptions of the adjunct faculty ranks.

*  Section XIV (School of Nursing):  clarified the procedures for appointments and promotion.

*  Section XV (Research Appointments: University-wide): clarified procedures for the appointment of postdoctoral appointees.

*  Section XVII (Leaves of Absence & Teaching Relief: University-wide):  clarified the policies regarding teaching relief for child rearing.

October 17, 2018

* Updates to Sections III and XVII to clarify the policies related to parental benefits.

* Updates to Section XXI to clarify policies related to short- and long-term medical disability.