Schoop Tips: Professor Ranks

So you're about to enter or already in college aren't you? Now, for the longest time since you first started schooling, what do you call your mentors? Yes, you regarded them as "Teachers" or simply "Maam/Sir" without even recognizing their academic acievements, for all you know your 3rd grade teacher even got a PhD (doctoral) degree to boot.

Now that you're in college, you'll get to meet different teachers but now properly adressed as instructors/professors. Let us first discuss what the term "Professor" really means.  In Latin, the word professor is a direct translation of a person who professes to be an expert in some art or science, teacher of highest rank. In some English-speaking countries, it refers to a senior academic who holds a departmental chair, especially as head of the department, or a personal chair awarded specifically to that individual. For example, in the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, United States, Canada, and Hong Kong it is a legal title conferred by a university denoting the highest academic rank. However, in some institutions, the term is used only for academics who are tenured or tenure-track. In some countries, e.g. Austria, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, France, Italy, Panama, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Spain the term is an honorific applied also to secondary level teachers.

Professors are qualified experts, of the various levels described above, who may do the following:

1. Conduct lectures and seminars in their field of study (i.e., they "profess"), such as the basic fields of science, humanities, social sciences, education, literature, music or the applied fields of engineering, design, medicine, law, or business;

2. perform advanced research in their fields.

3. Provide pro bono community service, including consulting functions (such as advising government and nonprofit organizations);

4. Teach campus-based or online courses with the help of instructional technology;

5. Train young or new academics (graduate students);

6. Carry out administrative or managerial functions, usually at a high level (e.g. deans, heads of department, librarians, etc.).

For easy classification, we could divide the professors into two types: Tenure and Non-Tenure

A tenured professor has a lifetime appointment until retirement, except for dismissal with "due cause". The reason for the existence of such a privileged position is the principle of academic freedom (they can teach however they want to teach). They are also the ones you see on TV when current political and other controversies arise. Although considered as experts in their field, they may also be prone to neglecting their teaching duties if they lack interest in the teaching per se. Also, these lazy or unpleasant professors cannot be forced to improve. Now I know why one of my professors during my freshman year cannot be fired amid his class absences and numerous petitions to the administration to act upon it. Although he's really, really, really good though.

Non-tenure-track positions: Individuals in these positions typically focus on teaching undergraduate courses, do not engage in research (except in the case of "research professors"), do not engage in departmental decision-making, and are not eligible for tenure.

1.Teaching assistant (TA) or teaching fellow (TF): Positions typically held by graduate students. TAs play a supportive role involving grading, review sessions, and labs. Teaching fellows (and at some universities, TAs) teach entire courses.

2.Adjunct instructor / adjunct professor / adjunct lecturer / faculty associate: Typically part-time non-salaried, non-tenure track faculty members who are paid for each class they teach. This position does not always require a completed PhD.

3.Instructor or lecturer: A full-time position at a university that does not involve tenure or a research program in the classical sense. This position does not necessarily require a PhD and usually involves teaching undergraduate introductory courses.

4.Visiting assistant professor: A temporary assistant professor position to cover for an absent professor

5.Research professor: A position that usually carries only research duties with no obligation for teaching. Although research professor positions usually are not eligible to be awarded tenure their ranks parallel those of tenure-track positions; i.e., research assistant professor, research associate professor, and research professor.

Tenured and tenure-track positions: These full-time faculty members engage in both undergraduate and graduate teaching, mentoring, research, and service. Only faculty in these positions are eligible for tenure.

1.Assistant professor: An introductory level professor.

2.Associate professor: A mid-level, usually tenured, professor.

3.Professor (sometimes referred to as "full professor"): a senior, tenured professor.

4.Distinguished professor / endowed chair (e.g., "the John Q. Smith Professor of Physics"): An honorary position in which a full professor's salary is increased by being tied to an endowment derived from the university, private individuals, firms, or foundations.

5.Professor emeritus/emerita: An honorary title bestowed on retired faculty members who have attained the rank of professor.