How Can We Help?

Search icon

Search Results

Create and Define Ranks

Ranks can be defined in Lifecycle Management (LM) to represent the institution’s standard faculty ranks, including workload, rank type, and the allowable salary range for each rank. The rank feature allows the institution to configure Interfolio’s LM module to align with the formal professional designations used at the institution. Faculty appointments are classified into ranks and groups by title, each with specific benefits, rights, and responsibilities that can vary by institution. Standard ranks like Lecturer, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor may mean different things at different institutions and can be made more specific by the addition of modifiers such as Adjunct, Emeritus, or Senior. Once a series is established in LM, the corresponding ranks must be defined within that series, as outlined below. 

 

Each rank is independent of others.

 

Best Practices

  • Each rank should start with an Appointment event.
  • When putting events in for a rank, all the events should mark the time in that particular rank.
 

Create and Define Ranks

  1. Navigate to the Series page and click the Add Rank button
  2. Complete the Create Rank Form by first selecting a ‘Rank Type’ from the predefined list.
    Create Rank Form

    Rank Types are hardcoded in the system to ensure consistency in search and reporting, so they cannot be customized. If your institution's rank type is not listed, select 'Other' and enter the specific rank in the 'Rank Name' field.

     

    Rank Types should not be changed.

     
  3. Use the free-text fields to customize the ‘Rank Name’ and ‘Qualifications,’ distinguishing ranks of the same type, but different benefits, responsibilities, or qualifications. When finished, click Save.
    • Additionally, use the dropdown under the Workload section to select the associated Workload Model.
      Workload Model dropdown under the Workload section

      Workload serves as a categorization tool for grouping faculty. However, each faculty member's workload remains unique. You can adjust workloads at the faculty profile level as needed.

       
  4. Repeat the steps above until all ranks have been added to the series.

Changing the Rank Type is not recommended. Modifications to the Rank Type within a series will not update individual faculty members' records.

 

FAQs: Use Cases

How should faculty of the same rank but with different contract lengths be handled? For example, Assistant Professors on 3-year vs. 4-year contracts?

Create two series, one for 3-year and one for 4-year Assistant Professors.

 

How should someone with multiple appointments, such as a Chair who is also an Associate Professor, be treated?

In this case, consider the Chair and Associate Professor roles as separate appointments, each within its own series. You can create a series, such as "Administrative and Leadership Roles," to house administrative roles. This series can include rank names, events, and other elements, though it can also be kept simple with a single rank of "Administration" and a single event like "Appointment." Loading each as separate records will prevent any conflict with the title and start date.

 

When should I select “Year 0” vs “Year 1” for the first event of a rank?

When should I select “Year 0” vs “Year 1” for the first event of a rank?

When creating an appointment, the system determines the faculty member’s current year in rank by comparing the appointment’s start year with the current calendar year (e.g. If the appointment started this year, events begin at year 0; if it started last year, events begin at year 1, and so on). It then applies professional journey events for the main rank starting from that year onward. Year 0 events will only appear if the faculty member's hire year falls within the same year as the year 0 event.

 

This approach ensures that timeline events reflect the faculty member’s current progression rather than simply starting at year 0 every time.

 
  When to select Example
Year 0
  • The first event of the rank is effective at the start of the faculty member’s first full academic year in the new rank (AY 0–1). 
  • You are not applying the professional journey.

Most clients do not apply the professional journey, so using Year 0 is typically recommended.

 
  • Promotion Date: May 30
  • Effective Date of New Rank: July 1 (same calendar year)
  • System Behavior: LM compares the appointment’s start year (this year) with the current calendar year. Even though they occur in different academic years, the event is assigned Year 0 since they fall in the same calendar year.
  • Result: The timeline resets for the new rank, and events begin from Year 0.
Year 1
  • The first event of the rank is effective in the spring of the current academic year (AY 1–2).
  • You are applying the professional journey.

This method should be used because it supports mid-year rank changes and accommodates faculty hired into advanced ranks starting in July without altering the professional journey.

 
  • Promotion Date: December 15
  • Effective Date of New Rank: January 1 (next calendar year)
  • System Behavior: LM compares the appointment’s start year (last year) with the current calendar year. Since they occur in different calendar years, the event is assigned Year 1.
  • Result: The timeline continues from the previous rank, and events begin from Year 1. Activities before January 1 fall under Year 0.
 
 
Was this article helpful?
Give feedback about this article

Related Articles