Academic institutions employ only those staff whose particular expertise is seen as vital to the mission of the organisation. However, all tertiary education institutions work within a complex milieu supporting each other and reaching out into the community. As such the College is reliant on the expertise of outside individuals. These people act as members of various institutional boards and committees, they assist in accreditation, in teaching and in research. It is important to recognise those individuals who provide a substantial and on-going contribution to the College without financial recompense.
In addition, it is useful for the College to recognise those members of the community whom it wishes to form an ongoing and substantial relationship with. Such individuals may include, but not be limited to, academics of other institutions co-opted to a research project, senior office holders of partner organisations, individuals with leadership expertise etc.
One effective way to recognise external individuals who are important to the College is to provide them with academic standing through the provision of honorary appointments. Honorary appointments are a normal part of academic life. They have the core characteristics of providing standing within the institution for an individual without the provision of financial recompense for work done on behalf of the institution, but may be provided access to institutional facilities such as email and the library. The provision of honorary appointments also regulates the work of these external individuals making them subject to College policy and procedure. Honorary appointments are an effective way for the College to harness expertise and reach-out into the wider community.
This policy describes a key measure through which the College may recognise members of the community who contribute to the life of the College, or are expected to do so, in a substantial and ongoing manner.
The policy applies to academics/researchers external to the College, organisational leaders and other members of the community who have demonstrated - or are anticipated to demonstrate - an ongoing and substantial contribution to the life of the College.
Within the College this policy has implications for senior management, faculty, Library and IT staff.
Members of the community who provide a substantial and ongoing contribution to the life of the College - or are anticipated to do so - are eligible to receive an honourary appointment. Any application or nomination for an honourary appointment must substantiate the person’s contribution in a defined area of College life, namely teaching, research or academic leadership.
A member of the community can apply to be considered for an honourary appointment.
A permanent faculty member of the College may nominate a member of the community for consideration of an honourary appointment.
Applications/nominations are to be in writing to the Executive Principal, detailing the individual’s current, or anticipated, ongoing and substantial contribution to the College in either teaching, research or academic leadership. It must be accompanied by a detailed curriculum vitae using the college template.
Honorary appointments are to be of two broad types:
- for people active in teaching, a combination of teaching and research, or for academic leadership the term “Honorary” will precede one of four academic classifications. They being: Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, or Professor;
- for people who will have research only roles the following nomenclature is to apply. They are to receive the title “Honorary” and this is to precede one of four possible classifications: Research Fellow, Senior Research Fellow, Principal Research Fellow, or Professorial Research Fellow. In ascending order these four classifications are deemed to be broadly equivalent to Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and Professor. Individuals receiving the title of Fellow are expected to have a curriculum vitae which substantiates a focus on research as opposed to teaching or academic administration.
All honorary appointments will expire after three years but can be re-applied for by the individual, in writing, to the Executive Principal. It is the responsibility of the individual seeking a renewal of their honorary appointment to demonstrate a consistent and substantial contribution to the life of the College over the pevious three years commensurate with their honorary appointment. They must also demonstrate their anticipated contribution to the life of the College for the next three years. They are to include a detailed curriculum vitae. If the individual wishes to be reclassified as to the type or level of their honorary appointment they should outline the reasons for this in their renewal application.
No monetary payment will be made to an honorary staff member other than the reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as detailed in their letter of appointment.
Honorary staff will receive access to College facilities as set out in their letter of appointment. All honorary staff will be bound by the policies and procedures of the College.