Applying for the Rank of Professor

RCCD AP/BP 2000​ (Section F) establishes the following minimum criteria for the Rank of Professor.

Full-Time Faculty wishing to apply for the Rank of Professor should submit a letter of application, the application form and supporting documentation establishing achievement of the criteria listed below to the Professional Growth and Sabbatical Leave (PG&SL) Committee via the Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Strategic Planning (VC_EdServices@rccd.edu​) no later than October 31, 2024 for the 2025/2026 Academic Year. Please complete the attached application and ensure your Name / Current Position Title / Department / Location and “Request for Rank of Professor” is included on each page of the letter and supporting documentation.

All criteria must be met during the applicant's service as a full-time faculty member at RCCD. Advancement to the Rank of Professor is not, and should not be, considered automatic.​

​Apply for Rank of Professor​

Minimum Criteria

1. 1. ​Years of Service:
      
      A faculty member must have completed a minimum of ten (10) years at RCCD in a full-time faculty position. In your letter of application, please list the number of years and the dates you have served the District as a faculty member in chronological order.​
      
      

   2.  Educational Criteria:​ 

      Master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.  In your letter of application, please list the degrees you have earned, the institutions where the degrees were awarded, and the dates of completion.​

   3. Service to the Institution:
      
      Consistent and continual service per contractual obligations, as well as consistent involvement and contributions to shared governance, organizational development, and/or student organizations. Examples of such involvement and contribution may include, among others, Academic Senate service, Faculty Association leadership service, and advising student affairs clubs, and organizations, etc. PG&SL may ask for a letter of evaluation from the faculty member's College Vice President of Academic Affairs or the College Academic Senate President demonstrating fulfillment of these requirements. In your letter of application, please list your service activities and the dates of your involvement in chronological order (attach a separate list if required).​

​​     Plus one of the following three options:
 

1. 1. ​Education: 

      A degree from a regionally accredited institution that qualifies the applicant for placement on Column H of the approved faculty salary schedule. In your letter of application, please list the terminal degree you have earned, the institution where the degree was awarded and the date of completion in chronological order.​
      
      

   2. ​​​Scholarship: 

      Peer reviewed publications or creative activities (such as major gallery exhibits or performances), patents, or other indicators of excellence in discipline-related activities. In your letter of application, please provide a bibliographic citation of all publications (a search printout from http://scholar.google.com/​ may be attached). Please list other activities and attach programs from exhibits or performances or other evidence of activity in chronological order.
      
      

   3. ​​​Exemplary Service:  

      At least 15 years of community or institutional service which clearly exceeds a faculty member's contractual obligation. PG&SL may ask for a letter of evaluation from the faculty member's College Vice President of Academic Affairs or the College Academic Senate President demonstrating fulfillment of these requirements. In your letter of application, please list your service activities and the dates when they took place, and locations, if appropriate in chronological order (attach a separate list if necessary).​
      
      

Individuals seeking to use the above criteria must provide evidence that the service level clearly exceeds what is contractually expected from a faculty member. PG&SL may ask for verification and evidence. ​  
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Procedures for Granting of the Rank of Professor

The PG&SL Committee will examine the files of each applicant and by a majority vote will make a determination as to whether or not the applicant meets the requirements for the rank of Professor.​

If the majority of the PG&SL Committee members agree the applicant has met the criteria, the file is sent to the College President. If the Committee does not agree the applicant has met the criteria, the committee may request additional information per the criteria listed above and then send the file, including any additional information, to the College President informing the President of the committee's decision.​

The College President will review the file. If the recommendation is positive, the file is sent to the Chancellor. If the decision is negative, the College President may ask the candidate to provide additional information which then is included in the file sent to the Chancellor.​

The Chancellor will review the applicant's file, the recommendations of PG&SL and the College President. If the Chancellor agrees that the criteria have been met, the faculty member's name is sent to the Board of Trustees for affirmation. If the Chancellor does not agree, he/she will inform the District Academic Senate (DAS) of his/her decision, including the reason(s) for the decision. The District Academic Senate will review the file and may request clarification from the applicant. The DAS, working with the Chancellor, will then make a decision. If the DAS agrees that the applicant has indeed met the criteria, the faculty member's name is forwarded to the Board of Trustees for affirmation. If the DAS does not agree that the applicant has met the criteria, they will so inform the applicant, in writing, including the reasons for denial.​

The decision by the District Academic Senate for that academic year's applications for the rank of professor is final.​

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A​​​pplying for the Rank of Distinguished Professor​

RCCD AP/BP 2000 (Section H) establishes the following minimum criteria for the Rank of Distinguished Professor.

RCCD faculty must be nominated for the rank of Distinguished Professor by two people, one of whom is a full professor and the other an administrator, both from RCCD. The nomination shall address the candidate's qualifications. Nominations may not occur more than once in an academic year and should be submitted to the Professional Growth and Sabbatical Leave (PG&SL) Committee via the Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Strategic Planning (VC_EdServices@rccd.edu​) no later than October 31, 2024 for the 2025/2026​​ Academic Year. Please Ensure the Nominee's Name / Current Position Title / Department / Location and “Request for Rank of Distinguished Professor” is included on each page of the letter and supporting documentation.

All criteria must be met during the applicant's service as a full-time faculty member at RCCD.​

The PG&SL will review the nominations to ensure that the nominees meet ALL of the requirements listed below:​

• • • Nominees must have held the rank of full professor at RCCD for a minimum of four (4) years.​
      
      

    • Education

      A degree from a regionally accredited institution that qualifies the applicant for placement on column H of the approved faculty salary schedule.​
      
      

    • Scholarship

      Peer reviewed publications or creative activities (such as major gallery exhibits or performances), major patents, and/or other indicators of excellence in discipline-related activities listed in chronological order.​
      
      

    • ​Exemplary Service 

      To the institution and/or the community for at least twenty (20) years. This service level must well exceed what is contractually expected of a faculty member and be listed in chronological order.​

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Procedures for G​ranting of the Rank of Distinguished Professor

For the rank of Distinguished Professor, the PG&SL Committee will examine the files of each nominee and by a majority vote will determine if any of the nominees meet the minimum qualifications. The files of those who do meet the minimum qualifications are forwarded to the committee below. Those who do not meet the minimum qualifications will be informed accordingly by PG&SL, in writing, and the decision is final.​

• • • Chancellor
      
      
    • Academic Senate President, Moreno Valley
      
      
    • Academic Senate President, Norco
      
      
    • Academic Senate President, Riverside
      ​
    • Distinguished Professors (if any)
      
      

The above committee will review the files forwarded by the PG&SL and may make a decision by majority vote to grant the rank of Distinguished Professor to no more than ONE of the applicants. The name of that nominee is forwarded to the Board of Trustees for affirmation. However, the committee may choose to NOT forward any nominee to the Board of Trustees for that academic year. Any and all candidates not selected, will be informed in writing by the committee. The District Academic Senate President(s) will be notified of a status throughout the process.​

The committee may also make a decision NOT to grant the rank to any of the nominees for that year.

​The decision of the committee is final for that academic year.​​