Definitions of Series and Actions

In the UC system, the term “series” refers to what type of academic appointment an individual holds. A breakdown of the series in the UCI School of Medicine can be found here. Read below for a brief overview of the faculty series.

Ladder-Rank

Ladder-rank faculty, who are members of the Academic Senate, are supported by state funds and have the potential to obtain tenure, and are expected to produce scholarly work (research), teach, and perform service to the University (see APM 220). Tenured ladder-rank faculty have the right to vote on all new departmental appointments that confer membership in the Academic Senate.

In-Residence

In-residence faculty, who are also members of the Academic Senate but are not supported by state funds and are not tenure-track. In-residence faculty are expected to produce scholarly work (research), teach, and perform service to the University (see APM 270).

Clinical X

Clinical X faculty (insert Dermatology, Neurology, Medicine for the X) are members of the Academic Senate, but are supported by clinical funds, not state funds. Clinical X faculty are expected to produce scholarly work (typically in a clinical domain), teach, perform clinical activities as well as service to the University (see APM 275f).

HS Clinical

HS Clinical faculty teach the application of basic sciences, clinical procedures, and other health science topics to students, postdocs, fellows, interns, residents, and other clinicians in all academic disciplines concerned with patient care. They engage in scholarly or creative activities which derive from and support their primary responsibilities in clinical teaching and professional/service activities. HS Clinical faculty at the Associate Professor or Professor level in a department have the right to vote on all new departmental appointments that confer membership in a non-Senate series (see APM 278).

There are a variety of “actions” and related terms one should be familiar with: Rank - Promotion - Merit – Step –– Acceleration – Tenure – MAC – CAP - Advancement to step 6.

Rank

A rank refers to the level of one’s academic title. Ranks progress from Assistant to Associate to Full “Professor” (or Professor in Residence etc...).

Promotion

A promotion is an advancement from one rank to a higher rank within a given series, usually the next rank as listed above (Assistant to Associate to Full).

Merit

A merit increase is an advancement in salary step without change of rank.

Step

A step refers to the level (and base salary) one holds at each rank. There is a normative time one can be at each step. A merit increase is movement from one step to the next. See “Professor Scales and time at step.pdf slide from faculty orientation slides.

Acceleration

An acceleration takes place when one advances to a rank or step in advance of the normal period of time designated for being at their present step.  Advancements are based on one’s performance in research, teaching, and service. For consideration of an acceleration, one needs to be “excellent” in at least 2 of the 3 areas (and deficient in none).

There are several advisory committees in the SOM which serve to assist the Dean’s office to maintain equity across the many file reviews and file action decisions for SOM faculty. In general, these committees confer with and make recommendations to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Personnel and the Dean of the School of Medicine for individuals under their purview (see below).

Academic Resources Advisory Committee (ARAC)

The Academic Resources Advisory Committee (ARAC) makes recommendations on all senate faculty. These recommendations include new appointments, promotions, advancement to Professor Step VI, advancement to Professor, Above Scale, accelerated actions of 2 or more years, and change of series into the Line, In Residence, or Adjunct series. These meetings are observed by Associate Dean Cummings and can be attended by junior faculty who sign a confidentiality agreement.

Clinical X Advisory Committee (CXAC)

The Clinical X Advisory Committee (CXAC) makes recommendations on all Clinical X faculty. These recommendations include reviewing new appointments, merits, and promotion files for Clinical X faculty, drafting a summary review of the file, and making a recommendation to the Dean(s) on the appropriate action (approve, reject, request additional information etc…). These meetings are observed by Associate Dean Cummings and can be attended by junior faculty who sign a confidentiality agreement.

Clinical Faculty Advisory Committee (CFAC)

The Clinical Faculty Advisory Committee (CFAC) makes recommendations for all HS Clinical faculty on personnel actions. These meetings are observed by Associate Dean Parekh and can be attended by junior faculty who sign a confidentiality agreement.

Volunteer Faculty Advisory Committee (VFAC)

The Volunteer Faculty Advisory Committee (VFAC) confers with and makes recommendations to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Personnel and the Dean of the School of Medicine for all volunteer faculty.

For details regarding the opportunity to attend ARAC or CXAC, please reach out to Sonha Castelli at sncastel@hs.uci.edu.