XV.B   Description of Research Faculty Ranks

Persons holding the ranks of associate research scientist/scholar, research scientist/scholar, or senior research scientist/scholar are considered to be research faculty. In most cases they are employees of the University, and if employed at least half-time, receive fringe benefits and are eligible for membership in the Yale University Retirement Account Plan. In the School of Medicine, however, some research faculty may instead be employees of the V.A. Connecticut Healthcare System, the Yale-New Haven Hospital, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, or the John B. Pierce Laboratory, and fringe benefits may vary according to the source of salary. Research faculty members who are so employed should consult with the Dean of the School of Medicine concerning these matters.

In each of the research faculty ranks, appointments and compensation for faculty are conditioned upon the availability of salary support from specified sources, including external research sponsors. In some circumstances when external funding is unavailable or has been reduced or interrupted, a department may, at its discretion, provide internal funding support on a temporary basis. Reductions in salary support will result in commensurate reductions in effort and compensation or, in the case of the absence of salary support, in termination of the appointment and compensation. In any case, termination prior to the end of an appointment for lack of salary support requires 90 days notice.

The reappointment of persons holding research faculty appointments is not automatic. Schools and departments are expected to make a careful evaluation of each candidate's work and promise, as well as the programmatic needs of the school or department, before deciding whether or not to recommend reappointment or promotion. Notice of non-reappointment for persons holding full-time appointments will normally be given in writing according to the schedule indicated under each research faculty rank description below, although failure to provide such notice does not create any right to extension or reappointment.

In general, research faculty who are full-time employees of the University are eligible for most of the benefits accorded to the ladder faculty, including the Scholarship Plan for Sons and Daughters of the Faculty and Staff, the Mortgage Program, Child Rearing Leave, and Caregiver's Leave, but excluding the teaching relief policy for faculty with teaching responsibilities and the associated extension of appointment described in Section XVII.D.3-7 . However, full-time research faculty are eligible for the Parental Leave for Research Faculty described in Section XVII.D.5 . Research faculty have access to the same procedures as do the teaching faculty for reviewing a decision not to reappoint or promote, unless the decision is related to the absence of salary support.

Full-time research faculty with the rank of research scientist/scholar or senior research scientist/scholar may apply for sponsored projects as principal investigators provided that the faculty member's department or school has committed the necessary space and other support, including salary support when necessary, for grant writing activities. Full-time research faculty with the rank of associate research scientist/scholar generally do not serve as principal investigators and may apply for sponsored projects as principal investigators only with the prior approval of the department chair and the dean (for professional schools) or the cognizant provost (for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences) or their designees. Part-time research faculty similarly must have permission from the dean in professional schools or the cognizant provost in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in order to be principal investigators on sponsored projects.

Individual department faculties may invite research scientists and senior research scientists to participate in faculty meetings. They may not vote on ladder faculty appointments, but they may, if the department wishes, vote on research faculty appointments up to and including the rank they hold, though they may not vote on reappointment to ranks equivalent to their own.

Persons holding the ranks of associate research scientist/scholar, research scientist/scholar, or senior research scientist/scholar are considered to be research faculty. In most cases they are employees of the University, and if employed at least half-time, receive fringe benefits and are eligible for membership in the Yale University Retirement Account Plan. In the School of Medicine, however, some research faculty may instead be employees of the V.A. Connecticut Healthcare System, the Yale-New Haven Hospital, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, or the John B. Pierce Laboratory, and fringe benefits may vary according to the source of salary. Research faculty members who are so employed should consult with the Dean of the School of Medicine concerning these matters.

In each of the research faculty ranks, appointments and compensation for faculty are conditioned upon the availability of salary support from specified sources, including external research sponsors. In some circumstances when external funding is unavailable or has been reduced or interrupted, a department may, at its discretion, provide internal funding support on a temporary basis. Reductions in salary support will result in commensurate reductions in effort and compensation or, in the case of the absence of salary support, in termination of the appointment and compensation. In any case, termination prior to the end of an appointment for lack of salary support requires 90 days notice.

The reappointment of persons holding research faculty appointments is not automatic. Schools and departments are expected to make a careful evaluation of each candidate's work and promise, as well as the programmatic needs of the school or department, before deciding whether or not to recommend reappointment or promotion. Notice of non-reappointment for persons holding full-time appointments will normally be given in writing according to the schedule indicated under each research faculty rank description below, although failure to provide such notice does not create any right to extension or reappointment.

In general, research faculty who are full-time employees of the University are eligible for most of the benefits accorded to the ladder faculty, including the Scholarship Plan for Sons and Daughters of the Faculty and Staff, the Mortgage Program, Child Rearing Leave, and Caregiver's Leave, but excluding the teaching relief policy for faculty with teaching responsibilities and the associated extension of appointment described in Section XVII.D.3-7 . However, full-time research faculty are eligible for the Parental Leave for Research Faculty described in Section XVII.D.5 . Research faculty have access to the same procedures as do the teaching faculty for reviewing a decision not to reappoint or promote, unless the decision is related to the absence of salary support.

Full-time research faculty with the rank of research scientist/scholar or senior research scientist/scholar may apply for sponsored projects as principal investigators provided that the faculty member's department or school has committed the necessary space and other support, including salary support when necessary, for grant writing activities. Full-time research faculty with the rank of associate research scientist/scholar generally do not serve as principal investigators and may apply for sponsored projects as principal investigators only with the prior approval of the department chair and the dean (for professional schools) or the cognizant provost (for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences) or their designees. Part-time research faculty similarly must have permission from the dean in professional schools or the cognizant provost in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in order to be principal investigators on sponsored projects.

Individual department faculties may invite research scientists and senior research scientists to participate in faculty meetings. They may not vote on ladder faculty appointments, but they may, if the department wishes, vote on research faculty appointments up to and including the rank they hold, though they may not vote on reappointment to ranks equivalent to their own.