Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Procedures - Adjunct Appointments

Parent Policy

Recruitment, Selection and Appointment

Preamble

The University’s Associated Academic Workforce is comprised of four appointment categories - Adjunct, Emeritus, Eminent Honorary and Sessional.

This procedure describes the process for appointing adjuncts and the responsibilities and expectations of adjunct appointees during their time at the University. With effect on and from 1 January 2009, adjunct appointments replaced the University’s former honorary appointments in teaching and research, other than Emeritus and Eminent Honorary appointments.

A person may be appointed as an adjunct if his or her professional standing or specialist expertise would contribute to the teaching and/or research activities of a particular department or research centre in the University. S/he must have achieved recognition in an area of the teaching and/or research program of the academic or organisational unit in which the appointment will be held.

Normally, such appointments are unpaid.

Definitions

Adjunct appointee: a person appointed in accordance with this procedure who is appointed to contribute his or her professional standing and specialist expertise to the teaching and/or research activities of a particular department or research centre in the University. Adjunct appointees can be teaching and research or research-only adjunct appointees.

Adjunct appointment nomination: is the documentation required in support of an application to make an adjunct appointment at academic Level D (teaching and research) and Level E.

CAPA: Committee for Academic Promotions and Appointments Levels B-D. CAPA is chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and, in this procedure, is responsible for approving applications for Adjunct Associate Professor and Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor (Level D teaching and research) appointments.

Conflict of interest: refers to a situation where a conflict arises for an individual between two competing interests. This refers to a reasonably perceived, potential or actual conflict of interest. Conflicts of interest can involve financial or non-financial interests of the individual and the interests of a business partner or associate, family member, friend or person in, or has had a close personal relationship with the staff member.

Dean: the dean of the Faculty or his or her nominee in any cases where the dean has formally nominated the person to act as his or her nominee.

Head of unit: head of an academic or organisational work unit, for example Head of School, Head of Department or where applicable, a person acting as his or her nominee.

Honorarium payment: an ad-hoc payment made in recognition of the contribution made by an adjunct appointee which is not a payment for “work performed”.

SPAC: Special Professorial Appointments Committee (SPAC) is a committee under University Council delegation to the Vice-Chancellor.  SPAC is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor. In this procedure SPAC is responsible for approving proposals of adjunct appointments at Level E.

Unit: refers to an academic or organisational work unit within a Faculty and includes schools and departments.

Types of adjunct appointments

The following are teaching and research adjunct appointments:

• Adjunct Lecturer (Level B)
• Adjunct Senior Lecturer (Level C)
• Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor (Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences) (Level D)
• Adjunct Associate Professor (Level D)
• Adjunct Appointment as Professor (Level E)
• Adjunct Clinical Professor (Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences) (Level E)

The following are research-only adjunct appointments:

• Adjunct Junior Research Associate
• Adjunct Research Associate (Level A)
• Adjunct Research Fellow (Level B)
• Adjunct Senior Research Fellow (Level C)
• Adjunct Senior Research Fellow (Level D)
• Adjunct Principal Research Fellow (Level E)

Eligibility

Eligibility for teaching and research adjunct appointments

To be eligible for a teaching and research adjunct appointment, his or her professional standing and specialist expertise must be such that s/he will make a significant contribution to the teaching and research activities of a particular unit or research centre in the University (or, in the case of a clinical adjunct appointment, in a hospital setting).

Level B and C teaching and research adjunct appointees must have achieved recognition in an area of the teaching and research program of the unit in which the appointment will be held. Level D and E teaching and research adjunct appointees are expected to have achieved eminence in the relevant area within the unit, with Level E adjunct appointees having an established national or international reputation in the area.

Eligibility for research-only adjunct appointments

To be eligible for appointment as an Adjunct Junior Research Associate, a person must be a Monash University graduate research student who is awaiting the outcome of the examination of his or her PhD thesis and is considered by the head of unit in which the appointment is held to be making a significant contribution to the unit.

To be eligible for appointment to any other research-only adjunct appointment, his or her professional standing and specialist expertise must be such that s/he will make a significant contribution to the research activities of a particular unit or research centre in the University.

Levels A, B and C research-only adjunct appointees must have achieved recognition in an area of the research program of the unit in which the appointment will be held. Level D and E research-only adjunct appointees are expected to have achieved eminence in the research program of the relevant area within the unit, with Level E adjunct appointees having an established national or international reputation for research in the area.

Appointment

Adjunct appointments are for a set period of up to five years and are specific to a particular Faculty.

Roles and responsibilities

Teaching and research adjunct appointees are expected to participate in the unit’s teaching, research and/or related activities relative to their academic level. For further information, please refer to teaching and research position classification standards.

Research-only adjunct appointees are expected to participate in research and/or related activities of the unit relative to their academic level. For further information, please refer to the research-only position classification standards.

An adjunct appointee must:

• ensure that there is no conflict of interest between his or her appointment at the University and any outside work or activities;
• sign an Intellectual Property Deed at the commencement of appointment and comply with the requirements of that Deed;
• acknowledge adjunct status in academic attributions; and
• attribute his or her academic publications to the University in accordance with the requirements of the University’s Research Outputs and Authorship Procedures.

An adjunct appointee may:

• use the adjunct title provided to him or her, including on a business card and official correspondence; and
• supervise research higher degree students.

An adjunct appointee may not:

• supervise the performance of a staff member under the University’s Staff Development Procedure – Performance development process: academic staff;
• authorise the expenditure of University funds; and/or
• commit the University to any contractual or other legally binding agreement.

Adjunct appointees are required to comply with applicable University policies and procedures, in particular:

• Research Outputs and Authorship Policy and Procedures;
• Conduct and Compliance Policy and Procedures;
• Information Technology Use Policy – Staff and Other Authorised Users;
• Occupational Health and Safety Policies; and
• Equal Opportunity and Sexual Harassment Policies and Procedures.

Entitlements

Normally, adjunct appointments are unpaid appointments.

Adjunct appointees can be provided with access to University services and support, as appropriate in particular appointments, e.g. e-mail, use of University computing hardware and software, library services, access to relevant research space (laboratory, studio), reimbursement of pre-approved out-of-pocket expenses.

In exceptional cases, it can be recommended that an adjunct appointee receive an honorarium payment – an ad-hoc payment made in recognition of the contribution made by an adjunct appointee which is not a payment for “work performed”.

From time-to-time during an adjunct appointment and depending upon the skills available, as well as the needs of the unit, an adjunct appointee can be engaged in part-time employment with the University. The part-time employment can be for periods of up to three years, at a maximum time intensity of 0.2 of full-time (which notionally is the equivalent of one day per week). In exceptional circumstances, this time fraction could be higher, but must not exceed 0.5.

Appointment Approval Process

An adjunct appointment nomination for proposed adjunct appointments at Levels D and E consists of:

• A written proposal that includes:
• purpose of the appointment;
• location of appointment (in the Department of … );
• proposed appointment period;
• case for appointment as an Adjunct Associate Professor or Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, including extent to which the nominee has achieved distinction of a high order in his or her discipline; and
• details of the contribution that the appointee would make to the activities of the unit.
• an assurance that there would be no conflict of interest between the candidate’s work outside the University and his or her proposed contribution to the activities of the unit.
• An up-to-date CV of the candidate for appointment.
• Names and contact details of three referees (including referees external to Monash) and, if possible, reports from the referees.
• A completed Notification of Adjunct Appointment (PDF).

Appointment Offer

For adjunct appointments at Levels A, B and C, the faculty will forward the approved Notification of Adjunct Appointment  (PDF), together with a copy of the appointment proposal and the candidate’s curriculum vitae, to HR Operations.

The Notification of Adjunct Appointment (PDF) and supporting documentation for appointments to Levels D and E will be forwarded to the Senior HR Specialist (Academic Appointments) by the relevant approval body.

The formal offer of the appointment will be sent to the proposed appointee, with copies to the dean and the head of unit.

Receipt of the adjunct appointee’s acceptance of the appointment will be advised to the dean and head of unit.

Honorarium Payment

If during the period of an adjunct appointment, the head of unit wishes to recommend payment of an honorarium payment to the adjunct appointee, the head can make such recommendation by way of written case to the dean.

If the recommendation is supported by the dean, the faculty forwards the written case to HR Operations for approval by the Executive Director, Monash HR, or delegate.

The awarding of an honorarium, including the basis of the award and amount, will be advised to the adjunct appointee in writing signed by the Executive Director, Monash HR, or delegate.

Moving from Unpaid to Paid Appointment

If during the period of an adjunct appointment, the head of unit wishes to recommend a period of part-time employment for the adjunct appointee, the head of unit can make such recommendation to the dean.

If the recommendation is approved by the dean, the faculty forwards an amended Notification of Adjunct Appointment (PDF) to HR Operations.

HR Operations will send the formal offer of the amended appointment to the adjunct appointee, with copies to the dean and the head of unit.

The adjunct appointee’s acceptance of the amended appointment will be advised by HR Operations to the dean and the head of unit.

Responsibilities

Head of unit

The head of unit is responsible for:

• preparing and submitting a written appointment proposal to the dean for adjunct appointments; and
• recommending the payment of an honorarium payment or a period of part-time employment for an adjunct appointee to the dean.

Dean

The dean is responsible for:

• considering and approving written appointment proposals for Levels A, B and C adjunct appointments and ensuring these proposals are sent to HR Operations for processing;
• considering and endorsing written appointment proposals for Level D research-only adjunct appointments (Adjunct Senior Research Fellow) and forwarding endorsed proposals to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) for approval;
• considering and endorsing adjunct appointment nominations for Level D teaching and research adjunct appointments and all Level E appointments and forwarding endorsed nominations to the Senior HR Specialist in HR Operations;
• considering a head of unit’s recommendation for an honorarium payment, and where supported, forwarding the written case to the Executive Director, Monash HR for approval; and
• approving recommendations from the head of unit that an adjunct appointee commence a period of part-time employment and forwarding the amended Notification of Adjunct Appointment form to HR Operations.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education)

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), in his or her capacity as Chair of CAPA, is responsible for approving adjunct appointment nominations for Level D teaching and research positions (Adjunct Associate Professor and Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor).

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) is responsible for approving Level D research-only adjunct appointments (Adjunct Senior Research Fellow).

Vice-Chancellor

The Vice-Chancellor as Chair of SPAC is responsible for ensuring that the committee members carry out a fair, confidential and objective assessment of adjunct appointment nominations for Level E appointments.

Monash HR

The Executive Director, Monash HR, is responsible for approving the awarding of honorarium payments and advising adjunct appointees of the payment.

The Senior HR Specialist (Academic Appointments) is responsible for receiving endorsed adjunct appointment nominations for Level D and Level E appointment proposal from the faculty and submitting the nominations to the relevant approval authority.

HR Operations is responsible for sending formal offers of appointment as detailed in the “Appointment offer” above, or amendments to appointment, to the adjunct appointee and communicating the acceptance of the appointment or amendment back to the faculty.

Related Procedures

• Honorary appointments: Professional Staff

Related Documents

• Teaching and Research positions
• Research only positions

Related Forms

• Notification of Adjunct Appointment (PDF)