Letters of appointment shall be issued to all newly hired faculty and returning faculty. Letters of appointment for new faculty shall specify the following: Locus of appointment Contract status (term, tenure track, tenured) Appointment rank Initial salary Years credited for teaching experience elsewhere For faculty on tenure track appointments: Year the faculty member will first be eligible to apply for early tenure Deadline for latest possible application for tenure Notification of appropriate sections of the Faculty Handbook governing evaluation materials needed for dossier for tenure and/or promotion, etc.

All new faculty members will be informed about the location of the Faculty Handbook. Also, as part of faculty orientation, there are special programs and events designed to acquaint new faculty with the University and its campus. The Office of Academic Affairs manages orientation programs for new faculty.

At Orientation a mentor will be assigned to each new full-time faculty member. The mentor will receive credit on the annual evaluation for his or her effectiveness as a mentor.

It is the policy of Kentucky State University to provide employment opportunities to all persons regardless of age, race, color, creed, sex, religion, disabilities, or Vietnam-era Veteran Status. To ensure equal employment opportunity, the University will recruit, hire, and promote on the basis of education, training, experience, and skill. Administration of salaries, benefits, rights, privileges, and working conditions for University employees shall be without regard to age, race, color, creed, sex, religion, disability, or Vietnam-era Veteran Status.

In addition, while it is policy to apply job related standards appropriate to each job or position and to maintain such standards at a level consistent with the healthy growth of the University, it is also policy to take affirmative action to seek out individuals at any level of the organization whose potential has not been fully utilized, with the objective of assisting them to reach their full potential and meet job standards.

To ensure that affirmative action is taken and that all pools for full-time appointments are inclusive, the Special Assistant to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs will be assigned as an ex officio member to all full-time faculty search committees. This individual will collect demographic data on the candidates and the diversity of the pool on behalf of the committee, the Chair, the Dean, and the Provost.

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