Understanding Faculty Models in Higher Education
In higher education, a faculty model is the framework colleges and universities use to structure, assign and support their faculty. It outlines the various roles, such as full-time, part-time, adjunct and tenure-track, and defines expectations for teaching, research, service and student engagement.
Institutions adopt different faculty models based on their mission, size, funding and student needs. A research university may emphasize tenure-track roles with a strong focus on scholarship. In contrast, a teaching-focused college or online university might rely more on instructional or adjunct faculty. What matters most is that the model supports student learning and aligns with institutional goals.
Types of Faculty Roles in Higher Education
Under a given faculty model, faculty can hold a range of roles with varying responsibilities. These roles take many forms. For example, tenure-track professors typically balance teaching, research and service to earn tenure (job security) after a probationary period. Lecturers (or teaching professors) are often full-time educators who focus on instruction, often with minimal research duties, and may hold renewable contracts. Visiting professors or research faculty usually join temporarily to contribute specialized expertise (for a project or a set term). Professors of practice bring real-world experience into the classroom, often in applied fields like business, healthcare, or education.
Together, these positions enable institutions to tailor their faculty model to serve students best.
Full-time vs. Part-time Faculty Explained
A key distinction in faculty models is between full-time and part-time faculty, which affects responsibilities, job security and compensation.
Full-time faculty (including tenure-track, tenured and long-term contract faculty) typically have ongoing or multi-year appointments and are more integrated into campus life. They not only teach but also advise students, serve on committees, contribute to curriculum development and receive employment benefits (such as health insurance and paid leave).
Part-time faculty, often referred to as adjuncts, typically teach on a course-by-course or semester basis and are paid per course (or even by student). Adjuncts are usually not required or expected to participate in service or governance, and in many cases, they do not receive benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. The growing reliance on adjuncts provides institutions with flexibility, but it can also present challenges in terms of continuity and faculty support.
Tenure and Its Role in the Faculty Model
Many faculty models include a tenure system. Tenure is essentially an indefinite academic appointment that a professor earns after demonstrating excellence during a probationary period (usually five to seven years as an assistant professor). Once tenured, a faculty member has long-term job security and protection of academic freedom. As (AAUP), tenure provides professors with protection from dismissal except in cases of cause or extraordinary circumstances, such as severe misconduct, financial exigency or program closure.
Not all institutions offer tenure. Some colleges have moved away from the tenure system entirely, instead using contingent faculty appointments with renewable long-term contracts or performance-based employment models. , as of Fall 2022, only about one-third of faculty in the United States held tenure-line positions, while approximately 68% were employed in contingent roles without the protections or stability of tenure.
Governance and Decision-Making Power
Shared governance is a core feature of many higher education institutions. It refers to a collaborative decision-making process where faculty and academic leaders work together to shape academic policies and priorities. This model ensures that institutional decisions are informed by those directly involved in teaching and supporting students.
Faculty contribute to governance through committees, task forces or senates, helping shape curriculum, policies and hiring decisions. When implemented well, shared governance supports transparency, fosters collaboration and aligns academic decision-making.
Traditional Faculty Hierarchy: Ranks and Responsibilities
Institutions typically use a hierarchy of higher ed faculty ranks, each with defined roles and levels of responsibility.
- Adjunct faculty teach on a course-by-course basis. They bring professional expertise but are not expected to contribute beyond instruction.
- Lecturers are full-time and focus on teaching. They may be promoted within a teaching track based on excellence in instruction.
- Assistant professors are typically tenure-track and evaluated on teaching, research and service.
- Associate professors usually earn tenure and take on greater responsibilities, including mentoring.
- Full professors are senior faculty recognized for leadership and sustained contributions.
- Professors of practice focus on instruction and applied knowledge, often holding the rank of assistant, associate or full professor.
- Distinguished or Endowed Chairs are recognized for exceptional achievements and often lead major initiatives.
How ACE’s Structure Is Different
·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ (ACE) provides a helpful example of a faculty model tailored to a specific institutional context – a fully online, teaching-focused college. ACE follows a structured system with clearly defined faculty roles that prioritize teaching and student engagement. This approach supports both stability and flexibility, aligning with ACE’s online mission.
Key faculty roles at ACE include:
- Adjunct faculty teach individual courses and focus primarily on student support within the course.
- Core faculty are full-time and serve as academic leaders, providing mentoring, program oversight and instruction. Their primary responsibility is teaching. After several years, they may be promoted to senior core faculty.
- Instructional faculty are full-time and focus exclusively on teaching. Promotion to senior instructional faculty is based on performance and sustained contribution.
- Academic coordinators provide program-level leadership, support faculty development, supervise students in clinical or practicum experiences and also teach courses.
- Administrative faculty includes assistant provosts, department chairs and directors who oversee curriculum planning and manage the administrative operations of academic programs.
Future of Faculty Models in Higher Education
The landscape of higher ed faculty positions and models continues to evolve as higher education responds to emerging challenges and changing needs. One clear trend is the growing reliance on adjunct and other contingent faculty, a pattern likely to continue as colleges prioritize flexibility in staffing.
Online programs often recruit adjunct faculty from around the country to teach specialized courses on demand. Other models, such as teaching-only or research-only faculty roles, are emerging. Professors of practice are becoming more common, especially in applied fields. These models enable institutions to match faculty strengths with institutional needs more effectively.
ACE anticipates continued growth in its use of adjunct faculty. At the same time, ACE remains committed to maintaining a strong core of full-time faculty for consistency and leadership in academic programs. Although ACE does not offer tenure, it compensates with performance-based advancement paths and professional development to retain faculty. By providing promotions (e.g., to senior faculty status), sabbaticals and other incentives, ACE aims to support faculty morale and career growth in the absence of tenure.
There is no one-size-fits-all faculty model, but rather a diversification of models. Each institution will continue to refine the mix of faculty roles that best align with its mission, whether that’s a community college focusing on teaching and local workforce needs or a research university balancing global scholarship with undergraduate teaching.
Across all models, the keys to success are flexibility, transparency and intentional design. As higher education evolves, institutions have the opportunity to innovate, aligning faculty strengths with institutional priorities to enhance student learning and ensure long-term success.
