Policies, Union Contracts, Handbooks > Faculty & Academic Staff Handbooks > Faculty Handbook

Faculty Handbook Index

I. Introduction

• Foreword
• Disclaimer
• Services and Opportunities
• Mission Statement

• Board of Trustees
• Administrative/Academic Organization
• Academic Governance
  • Preamble
  • The Faculty
  • Student Participation in Academic Governance
  • Academic Senate
  • Academic Council

• Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination
• MSU Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Procedures of the Anti-Discrimination Judicial Board
• Disability and Veteran Self-Identification
• Policy on Sexual Harassment
• Academic Freedom
• Conflict of Interest in Educational Responsibilities Resulting from Consensual Amorous or Sexual Relationships
• Conflict of Interest in Employment
• Drugs and Alcohol
• Endorsements, Sponsorship and Advertising
• Firearms
• Holidays
• Indemnification
• Questionnaires
• Risk Management and Quality Assurance
• Smoke-Free Policy

• Appointment Basis
• Academic Year (AY) Appointment Starting Dates
• Basic Employment Commitment on an Academic Year Basis
• Fixed-term Appointment
• Summer Session
• Adjunct and Clinical Appointment
• Emeritus
• Faculty Rights and Responsibilities
• Conflicts of Interest, Faculty
• Health Assessment
• Occupational Health and Safety Rules and Regulations 
• Identification Cards
• Jury Duty
• Payroll Procedures
• Tenure System
  • Receipt of Qualifying Degree as a Condition of Appointment in the Tenure System
  • Granting Tenure
  • Operating Principles
  • Amendments to the Tenure Rules
  • Implementation Practices
  • Principles of Faculty Reassignment
  • Post-Tenure Review
  • Faculty Review
  • Appointment, Reappointment, Tenure and Promotion Recommendations
  • Tenure Action and Promotion
  • College Level Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Committees
  • Guidelines for Academic Unit Peer Review Committee Composition
  • External Letters of Reference 
  • Confidentiality of Letters of Reference for Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Recommendations
  • Non-Tenured Faculty in the Tenure System
  • Promotion of Tenured Faculty
  • Faculty Career Advancement and Professional Development: A Special Affirmative Action Responsibility
  • Faculty Status: Reserved for Appointments in Primary Academic Units of the University
  • Long-Term Disability
  • Policy and Procedure for Implementing Disciplinary Action Where Dismissal is Not Sought
  • Policy and Procedure for Rescission
  • Dismissal of Tenured Faculty for Cause
  • Interpretation of the Term "Incompetence"
• Librarian Continuous Appointment System
• Specialists
• Administrative Review
• Faculty Grievance Procedure
• Faculty Grievance Procedure (continued)
• Leaves of Absence
  • Sabbatical
  • Without Pay
  • Optional Leave Without Pay Dates for Academic Year Appointed Faculty and Academic Staff
  • Continuation of Benefits for Faculty on Leave of Absence No Pay Status to Receive Prestigious Awards, Fellowships and/or Special Assignment Opportunities
  • Medical  (Short- and Long- Term Disability)
  • Parental Leave
  • Family and Medical Leave
  • Military
  • Vacation
• Bridging Breaks in Service
• Credit for Past Service
• Retirement
  • Working Retirement Options
• Resignation
• Participation in Partisan Political Activities
• Study at MSU by Faculty Members
• Course Fee Courtesy
• Faculty Awards
  • Distinguished Faculty Awards
  • MSU Teacher-Scholar Awards
  • MSU Excellence-In-Teaching Citations for Graduate Teaching Assistants
• University Distinguished Professor
• Administrative Assignment
  • Procedure for Faculty and Student Participation in the Selection of Specified University Level Administrators
  • Salary, Appointment, and Faculty Status of Faculty Members Who Assume Administrative Responsibilities
  • Annual Evaluation of Chairpersons/Directors
• Extension, Medical Care and Other Faculty/Academic Staff Service Activities
• Outside Work for Pay
• Medical Service Plan for Colleges of Human Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine
• Overload Pay

• General Statement
• Abrogation of Faculty Teaching Responsibility
• Academic Advisement, Enrollment, Registration, and Counseling
• Academic Apparel
• Academic Programs and Policies
• Code of Teaching Responsibility
• Coursepacks
• Faculty Relationships with Student-Athletes
• Supervision of Academic Work by Relatives
• Participation in Commencement
• Religious Observance
• Rights of Students to Receive Instruction
• Student Instructional Rating System
• Student Public Evaluation System
• Threats to a Faculty Member
• Composition of a Doctoral Program Guidance Committee

• General Statement
• Sponsored Research and Creative Endeavor
• Conflict Situations
• Interim Guidelines for Potential Conflicts of Interest in Academic Areas of the University
• Guidelines for Potential Conflicts of Interest Pertaining to Applications for NSF and PHS Research Support
• Facilitation of Research and Creative Efforts
• Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies
• Internal Research Funding
• Support for Development of Intellectual Property
• MSU Foundation
• International Travel
• Office of Contract and Grant Administration
• Regulatory Guidelines for Research
• Use of Radiation, Biological and Chemical Hazards
• Human Research Protection Program
• Use of Animals in Research, Teaching and Outreach
• Laboratory Animal Care
• Patents
• Textbook Publication - MSU Press
• Development of Copyrighted Materials
• Procedures Concerning Allegations of Misconduct in Research and Creative Activities

VII. Faculty and Academic Staff Retirement and Benefit Programs

• Overview
• Automatic Benefits
• Optional Benefits
• Retirement Programs
• Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Service Months
• Domestic Partners
• Automatic Benefits
  • Expanded Life
  • Long-Term Disability
  • Social Security
  • Travel Accident
  • Unemployment Compensation
  • Workers' Compensation
• Optional Benefits
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Dental
  • Employee-Paid Life
  • Health Plan Coverage
  • Waiver of Health Care Coverage
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Benefits for Postdoctoral Fellows
  • Health Care Benefits for Visiting Faculty/Scholars
• Retirement Plans
  • Base Retirement Plan
  • Supplemental Retirement Plan
  • Other Retirement Information
• Leave of Absence
  • With Pay
  • Without Pay
• Termination
• Death