Faculty Employment and Appointments

Join the faculty at Cal State Monterey Bay, where innovative teaching, inclusive excellence and student success guide our work.

Tenure-Track Faculty Positions

Cal State Monterey Bay seeks teacher-scholars committed to:

• High-impact, student-centered instruction
• Inclusive and equity-minded pedagogy
• Scholarly or creative activity
• Service that supports our campus and regional community

View current tenure-track openings.

Lecturer / Instructor / Temporary Faculty Pools

We maintain lecturer and temporary faculty pools in a variety of disciplines throughout the academic year.

These positions support instructional needs across colleges and programs. Applicants are encouraged to review individual pool announcements for:

• Minimum qualifications
• Application procedures
• Screening timelines

View current temporary instructor/lecturer openings.

Substitute faculty assignments are governed by Article 20.8 of the CFA/CSU Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Substitute assignments are intended to provide temporary instructional coverage for short-term faculty absences, such as:

• Emergency leave
• Jury duty
• Bereavement leave
• Other brief, approved absences

Substitute assignments are typically limited to 20 days or fewer.

Compensation Guidelines (Article 20.8)

Assignments of 20 Days or Fewer

Faculty assigned temporary substitute duties of short duration (normally up to 20 days) are compensated at the faculty substitute rate.

Assignments Exceeding 20 Days

If a temporary substitute assignment extends beyond 20 days:

• Compensation should be provided through an appropriate workload reduction as soon as practicable; or
• If the faculty member is not employed in the subsequent academic term, compensation will be provided upon separation for the class hours taught.

For compelling reasons, a faculty member may decline a substitute assignment.

Nothing in this provision prevents faculty from making informal, voluntary substitute arrangements of short duration with a colleague, subject to approval by the department chair.

Steps for Assigning Substitute Faculty

1. Determine Duration

Assess whether the assignment will last 20 days or fewer.

• If the assignment is expected to exceed 20 days, the Substitute Faculty classification may not be appropriate.
• Contact Academic Personnel to discuss options for longer-term replacement assignments.

2. Informal Coverage (Short-Term Only)

Short-term substitute coverage may be arranged informally between faculty colleagues, with approval from the department chair.

3. Submit Required Form

When assigning substitute work:

• Complete the Substitute Faculty Assignment Form
• Route the form for approval as indicated

4. Payment Processing

After work has been performed:

• The substitute lecturer must complete an Hourly/Intermittent Voucher for each month worked.
• The voucher must be submitted and approved to ensure timely payment.

Questions?

For guidance on substitute assignments, compensation or classification questions, please contact Academic Personnel.

Effective January 2003

Purpose

Cal State Monterey Bay is committed to maintaining high academic standards while fostering innovative, student-centered pedagogy. In rare cases, colleges may encounter difficulty recruiting temporary faculty who both:

• Meet standard academic credential requirements, and
• Demonstrate teaching approaches aligned with CSUMB’s educational mission

These guidelines outline limited circumstances under which temporary faculty may be hired without a master’s degree.

Exceptions may be made only after a good-faith effort to recruit candidates who meet minimum academic qualifications and must receive approval from the college dean.

Minimum Qualification Standard

For credit-bearing courses, faculty are generally expected to hold:

• A terminal degree in the field of instruction, or
• A degree in a closely related discipline

A master’s degree is considered the minimum degree requirement for temporary faculty appointments.

Candidates who do not possess a master’s degree may be considered only under the specific circumstances outlined below.

Exception Categories

Distinguished Professional Experience (Rare Exception)

In rare instances, a candidate without the minimum degree requirement may be appointed if they:

• Have an established reputation in their field
• Bring extensive professional experience and recognized expertise
• Demonstrate preparation and achievement clearly appropriate to the teaching or service area

This exception is reserved for individuals whose qualifications are sufficiently outstanding to justify an unusual appointment.

The candidate’s preparation and accomplishments must be:

• Well documented
• Rigorous in scope
• Clearly valuable to the instructional program

Approval is determined by the dean on a case-by-case basis. A written justification must be forwarded to Academic Personnel.

Candidate in Late Stages of a Master’s Program

A candidate who is in the advanced stages of completing a master’s degree in a related field may be appointed with the following restrictions:

• Limited to teaching lower-division courses
• Must be mentored by an experienced faculty member
• May teach an upper-division course only as a co-instructor with an experienced faculty member

Current CSU Master’s Students

Candidates currently enrolled in a CSU master’s program in a related field may be employed as:

• Teaching Associates, or
• Graduate Assistants, as appropriate

These appointments remain in place only until completion of the master’s degree.

Refer to the CSU Classification and Qualification Standards for specific duties and minimum qualifications.

Additional Requirements

To consider a candidate under these exception categories:

• The minimum qualifications listed in the job announcement must allow for such exceptions
• The department must document recruitment efforts demonstrating a good-faith attempt to hire candidates meeting standard qualifications
• Final approval rests with the college dean

Effective August 2002

These guidelines outline the factors considered in determining salary and lecturer range placement for temporary faculty.

The Unit 3 Collective Bargaining Agreement does not establish specific minimum standards for initial salary or range placement. Each decision is made through a documented review of relevant qualifications and program needs.

While individual circumstances may vary, placement and advancement decisions are guided by the criteria below.

Initial Salary and Range Placement

As a general practice:

• Newly hired temporary faculty are placed in the appropriate Lecturer range based on the decision elements outlined below
• Initial salaries are typically set no higher than the midpoint of the assigned range

Exceptions to typical placement practices:

• Must be discussed with Academic Personnel prior to submission of the Payroll Transaction Form
• Require written documentation supporting the rationale
• Must align with the decision elements described in this policy

Decision Elements

The following elements are considered in rank order of importance. However, the overall quality and needs of the instructional program remain the primary consideration in all placement and advancement decisions.

Areas of Primary Consideration

Terminal Degree Appropriate to the Discipline

The appropriate terminal degree is the most important factor in placement decisions, as it supports instructional quality and accreditation standards.

In rare cases, individuals without an appropriate terminal degree may be appointed if they demonstrate strong qualifications in other decision elements.

Faculty without an appropriate terminal degree:

• Will be placed in the lowest salary range
• Are not eligible for range advancement

Relevant Teaching Experience

Both the quality and length of teaching experience are evaluated.

Greater weight is given to:

• College and university-level teaching experience
• Experience at a university comparable to CSU standards

Less weight may be given to:

• Military instruction
• Secondary school teaching
• Technical or similar institutional instruction

Areas of Secondary Consideration

Relevant Professional Experience

Formal, paid work experience or professional practice may be considered when directly related to the assigned course(s).

Certain disciplines (e.g., theatre, fine arts, music) may place greater emphasis on professional practice where it is integral to the instructional program.

Scholarship and Creative Activity

Documented research, publications or recognized creative work may be considered.

Documentation typically includes:

• Peer-reviewed publications
• Professional recognition
• Juried exhibitions or performances

Service to the University

University service may be considered when it includes documented and approved contributions such as:

• Committee participation
• Curriculum development
• Accreditation work
• Other formally assigned service activities

Service must be approved in advance by the dean or appropriate administrator.

Exceptional Community Service

Community service may be considered when it:

• Represents an exceptional contribution; and
• Directly relates to the teaching discipline; and
• Is fully documented

This factor is typically of lesser weight for part-time faculty.

Documentation Requirements

All decision elements must be supported by documented evidence.

For new hires:

• Degrees must be verified.
• Experience must be documented and verified by prior employers.

For range advancement:

• The full record of CSUMB employment is reviewed.
• Teaching evaluations receive significant weight.
• Emphasis is placed on demonstrated contributions to instructional quality.

Examples of Lecturer Range Placement

The following examples are illustrative only. All relevant decision elements must be evaluated in each individual case.

Lecturer A

Placement at the Lecturer A level typically requires a master’s degree or equivalent preparation in the appropriate discipline.

Lecturer B

Placement at the Lecturer B level typically requires a doctorate or other appropriate terminal degree.

Lecturer C and Lecturer D

Initial appointments at the Lecturer C or D level are rare and reserved for exceptional cases. Placement at these levels occurs only under unusual circumstances where a candidate’s qualifications, experience and documented achievements clearly warrant appointment above typical entry levels.

Lecturer Advancement and Range Elevation

• Range Elevation Policy for Temporary Faculty
  Outlines eligibility criteria, review procedures and required documentation for temporary faculty seeking advancement to the next lecturer range.

Faculty are encouraged to engage in professional activities that enhance scholarship, teaching and service. Outside employment and externally funded research must comply with CSU policies and the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

This page provides guidance and required forms related to outside employment and grant-related instructional appointments.

Outside Employment

Faculty must disclose certain outside employment activities in accordance with CSU policy.

Outside employment may include:

• Consulting
• Professional practice
• Teaching at another institution
• Other compensated activities outside the university

Faculty are responsible for ensuring that outside employment:

• Does not conflict with university responsibilities
• Does not interfere with assigned workload
• Complies with CSU and campus policies

Required Form

• Faculty Outside Employment Disclosure Form

Grant-Related Instructional Faculty (GRIF) Policy

The Grant-Related Instructional Faculty (GRIF) policy outlines:

• Classification guidelines
• Eligibility criteria
• Appointment procedures
• Application requirements

GRIF appointments apply to instructional faculty funded through grants or specially funded programs.

For detailed procedures and application information, refer to the GRIF policy and related documentation.

Questions?

For guidance regarding outside employment disclosure, grant-related instructional appointments or compliance requirements, please contact Academic Personnel.

Your offer letter includes important information and required documentation related to your appointment. Please review all materials carefully and retain copies for your records.

Related Documents and Forms

• Academic Year Faculty Payment Schedule and Benefits Coverage
  Overview of pay dates and benefits eligibility.

• Lecturer Evaluation Criteria, Procedures and Calendar
  Guidelines and timelines for lecturer evaluations.

• Criteria, Procedures and Calendar
  Evaluation framework applicable to lecturer appointments.

• Part-Time Faculty Employment Disclosure
  Disclosure requirements for part-time faculty.

• Employment Disclosure Form
  Required form for reporting outside employment, when applicable.

Lecturers and Temporary Faculty

In addition to the documents listed above, lecturers and temporary faculty must review the Campus Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Notice).