Research Faculty

Guidelines for Obtaining Approval to Extend an Offer For Research Scientists and Associate Research Scientists

Office of the Vice President for Research
Effective December 1999 / updated March 2004

Points to note:

Research Professor and Research Associate Professor appointments are jointly approved by the Vice President for Research and the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. These appointments are submitted to the Provost’s Office following the guidelines on their web site, at http://www.provost.umich.edu/faculty/appointment_guidelines/index.html
The authority to appoint individuals to the rank of Research Investigator and Assistant Research Scientist has been delegated to the Dean’s of the Schools/Colleges by the Vice President for Research. However, OVPR requires certain language be included in offer letters for Research Investigators and Assistant Research Scientists. Also note that the unit should discuss the potential availability of bridging support. [View a description of the OVPR Bridging Support Program for RS.]
For individuals who are being put forward for appointments as both a member of the Instructional Faculty and the Research Faculty, you must follow the procedures for BOTH positions; approval must be sought according to the guidelines of both the Vice President for Research and the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
OVPR units should follow the specific guidance given to them by OVPR.
Visiting or Adjunct RS appointments do not require Vice Presidential review.
Please Follow New Guidelines for Hiring Foreign Nationals [Link to Instructions]

Prior to Extending an Offer:

The school/college/research unit approves the appointment.
A packet is prepared including the following:
1. Endorsement letter from Dean/Director, including a statement describing the source of funding that will be used to cover the costs for the next 3 years.
2. Candidate's curriculum vitae.
3. At least five external letters of recommendation from reviewers.
  All of the review letters must be included. These should be from reviewers above the rank of the candidate being considered. If the circumstances necessitate letters from out-of-rank reviewers, those should be explained.
  
  The letters should be truly evaluative. While letters from persons who have served as a candidate's thesis advisor or major collaborator can be especially helpful (because they can be presumed to have a good sense of both the person and the work), it is also true that their own reputations are involved in the work being evaluated. If such letters are included, they must be in addition to the minimum requirement of five. Letters from persons who may be unknown to the candidate, but who may have a clear sense of the significance of the research, are of greater value.
4. Brief description of the credentials of reviewers and their relationship to the candidate.
  A short paragraph for each reviewer should indicate the reviewer's position, fields of expertise, important contributions and standing in the discipline, appropriateness of the reviewer to provide input, as well as any close professional associations with the candidate dissertation committee, post-doc supervisor, co-author, etc.
5. Substantive description of candidate's work -- more than a listing or titles.
6. Description of the appointment in the context of the field and the specific needs of the department.
7. A copy of the offer letter. (See required offer letter language.)
8. A Statement of Understanding Regarding Responsibility for Bridging Support [Form RS-2] signed by the dean or director of the appointing unit.
9. A copy of the Appointment Activity Record (AAR) or a waiver from the Office of Equity and Diversity Services.
**The package cannot be processed without all of the above items (a - i) **
The package is submitted to OVPR (not to the Human Resources and Affirmative Action Office).
OVPR will notify the school/college/unit when the VPR evaluation is complete.
A copy of the approval notice with the VPR' s signature will be sent to the school/college/unit.
The school/college/research unit prepares Associate Research Scientist or Research Scientist appointment materials and forwards the following to Human Resources Records and Information Services (4073 Wolverine Tower 1281)