Courtesy Affiliations are a less formal way than a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to signal a faculty member’s connection to another unit. Courtesy affiliations should be used for situations where the effort in the second unit is less than ten percent. Courtesy affiliated faculty, whether internal or external to the university, will not have voting rights in the unit where the affiliation is granted.
Affiliated Faculty within Lehigh
Definition
Affiliated faculty are Lehigh faculty who do not have a formal joint appointment (i.e., MOU Type 1 or 2), but who wish to significantly participate in the academic life of another department or program either within their college or within another Lehigh college. Accepting a courtesy affiliation signals a willingness to engage with the other unit as appropriate for the individual faculty member. Substantive engagement might include collaborative research with faculty in the other unit, teaching courses that are cross-listed between units, serving on dissertation or thesis committees for graduate students in the other program, and/or supervising research for doctoral students in the other program (e.g., doctoral student training*). Along with these substantive activities, affiliated faculty may participate in colloquia in the other unit, serve on a hiring committee for the other unit, etc. No one of these is a required activity, but rather all are opportunities. The level of engagement of individual affiliated faculty will likely fluctuate over time. Affiliated Faculty will be listed on the second unit’s website with their home unit noted and can use the title "_____ Affiliated Faculty."
Process
In the case of cross-college affiliations, the deans of those colleges, along with relevant chairs or directors, will offer the courtesy affiliation. Affiliations with a unit within the home college will be offered by the relevant chairs or directors. These courtesy affiliations will be reviewed every 3 years by the relevant deans and/or chairs and directors. If an affiliated faculty member has not engaged as described above, the title may be withdrawn. Faculty with courtesy affiliations will not be involved in any personnel actions of the other unit, nor will the other unit be involved in any personnel actions of the affiliated faculty. While this affiliation does not require an MOU, it does not prevent the affiliated faculty member from requesting a more formal relationship (using an MOU) in the future. The courtesy affiliation requires only a simple letter of affiliation from the appropriate unit with approval at the college level and copies sent to the Provost’s Office.
*Doctoral Student Training
Affiliated faculty members can recruit and/or fund doctoral students for the other unit after advance consultation with that unit’s graduate director. The units should collaborate and agree on a clear funding plan for the student’s doctoral career subject to satisfactory performance and progress.
“Research assistants are appointed by research project directors, in each case in consultation with the chairperson of the department of the student's curriculum, and upon review by the director of the office of research and the appropriate college dean.” (R&P §2.11)
Affiliated faculty who recruit and hire an RA from the other unit will be responsible for paying the student’s stipend and tuition. Affiliation can be withdrawn by the other unit for mistreatment of doctoral students.
ICR
Because these are not formal joint appointments, any ICR from external funding would not be shared with the unit offering courtesy affiliation.
Affiliated Clinical Faculty
Affiliated clinical faculty are not employees of the university. They are practitioners whose area of expertise aligns with key areas of research and teaching focus in a college or colleges at Lehigh University. Accepting a courtesy clinical affiliation with a college at Lehigh University signals a willingness to engage with a unit or units in the college in a substantive way. Substantive engagement might include regularly offering internship, clinical, or other experiential learning opportunities to students, mentoring students, serving as a guest lecturer in courses, and/or participating in research. Research participation might include such activities as serving as the clinical or study physician on a research grant or research project, serving as a co-Investigator on a research project, participating as a site investigator for a clinical trial, serving as a member of a Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) or as a human subjects research reviewer, or similar activities. Affiliated faculty are also welcome to attend events such as colloquia, student presentations, and networking events. The level of engagement of individual affiliated clinical faculty will likely fluctuate over time, but at least one substantive activity per year or sustained participation in a research project should be the norm. Affiliated clinical faculty will be listed on the college’s website with their primary institution noted. They can use the title “Affiliated Clinical Faculty.” The Dean, in consultation with relevant chairs or directors, will issue these invitations. These courtesy affiliations will be reviewed every 3 years by the dean and chair or director to ensure engagement.
The relationship of Affiliated Clinical Faculty to the university is governed by the Collaborating Academic Visitors (CAV) policy. The unit offering the affiliation should use the CAV forms to offer and record the affiliation.