Skip to Main Content

Volunteer Clinical Professor Series

  1. Definition of the Volunteer Clinical Professor Series
  2. Characteristics of Series
    1. Titles and Definition
    2. Term of Service
    3. Tenure
    4. Senate Membership
    5. Approval Authority
  3. Appointments and Promotions
    1. Advancement in Rank within the Series
    2. Criteria for Appointment and Promotion
  4. Early Termination

I. Definition of the Volunteer Clinical Professor Series

Appointments in this series are made to community volunteer clinicians who teach the application of clinical and basic sciences in the area of patient care in the School of Medicine, School of Dentistry or an affiliated or associated hospital or other institution. Appointments are based on departmental need for licensed practitioners from the community on a part-time unsalaried voluntary basis in the areas of teaching, patient care and clinical research. — Academic Personnel Manual Section 279 (pdf).

An individual who is employed by the University as a staff physician or clinician with teaching responsibilities may hold a concurrent appointment in the Volunteer Clinical Professor series.  (APM – 279)

An individual with teaching, scholarly or creative activity, and service responsibilities who holds a clinical appointment paid by a facility that has a formal affiliation with the University (UCLA-affiliated facility) must hold a concurrent, without-salary appointment in the Health Sciences Clinical Professor series (APM – 278), but not in the Volunteer Clinical Professor series.

 


II. Characteristics of Series

A. Titles and Definition

Title

Definition

Volunteer Clinical Instructor

Licensed community practitioners who have completed training and recognized for their potential or demonstrated excellence in teaching quality and clinical competency.

Volunteer Assistant Clinical Professor

Licensed community practitioners who are recognized for teaching excellence and clinical competency.

Volunteer Associate Clinical Professor

Licensed community practitioners who are recognized for teaching excellence, clinical competence and leadership in their field.

Volunteer Clinical Professor

Licensed community practitioners who are recognized for sustained: teaching excellence, clinical competence, and leadership in their field.

B. Term of Service

There is no limit to the number of times an appointment may be renewed or the number of years spent at each rank. All appointments, reappointments and renewals of appointment at any rank (hereinafter referred to collectively as an appointment) must have a specified ending date.

1. Initial appointment

The initial appointment of an individual to a title in this series shall have a specified end date and shall be renewed yearly for a maximum of five years.

2. Reappointment

After the initial appointment there shall be a review, at five years of service prior to reappointment, that includes an evaluation of teaching and clinical expertise. After that review each appointee shall be reviewed at least every five years. Subsequent reappointments shall be renewed yearly for a maximum term of five years. There is no limit to the number of times reappointment may occur or to the number of years spent in each rank.

3. Non-Reappointment

An appointment in this series with a specified end date expires by its own terms on that date, and the University is not obligated to provide written notice.

4. Promotion

Candidates may be considered for promotion after ten years at the rank of Volunteer Assistant Clinical Professor and after ten years at the rank of Volunteer Associate Clinical Professor.  Candidates with fewer than ten years of service may be considered for promotion on an exceptional basis.


When extending an offer to individuals in this series, it is necessary for the Dean or Chair to include the following statement in any correspondence regarding their offer of an appointment or renewal of appointment:

"This appointment is for a maximum of five years, and is subject to annual renewal based on performance and/or the needs of the department as determined by the Dean upon the recommendation of the Chair. It is within the University's sole discretion not to reappoint an individual in this series. APM 137 (pdf), Non-Senate Academic Appointees/Term Appointment, does not apply. If an individual is not reappointed in this series, and when his or her term expires, the person will no longer be permitted to use his or her former UCLA title or a UCLA affiliation. "

Appointees in the Volunteer Clinical Professor series may not be transferred to another University title without academic review. Appointment to another University title may be made after a competitive search.

C. Tenure

Tenure or Security of Employment is not granted in association with appointment in this series.

D. Senate Membership

Appointment to this series does not confer membership in the Academic Senate.

E. Merit equity review

Appointment to this series does not confer the right to a Merit Equity Review.

F. Sabbatical leave

Appointment in this series does not confer eligibility for sabbatical leave.

G. Emeritus Status

Appointments in this series are not eligible for emeritus status

h. Approval Authority

Appointment, reappointment, and/or promotion shall be reviewed and approved by the Department Chair and/or the Dean as appropriate to the School.

III. Appointments and Promotions

Senate review of all actions is waived for this series.

A. Advancement in Rank within the Series

Review and submission of dossiers to the appropriate departmental and/or school reviewing body are required for promotion and normally will occur during the year prior to advancement. Review for Promotion involves evaluation of performance since appointment, with emphasis on the period of service at the current rank of Volunteer Assistant Clinical Professor or Volunteer Associate Clinical Professor.

B. Criteria for Appointment and Promotion

Departmental need clinical competence, and excellence in teaching will be the primary basis for appointment, reappointment, and promotion in this series. Each department and or school will establish the minimum standards for determination of clinical competence and establish guidelines specifying the minimum number of required hours per year, and the teaching commitment per year appropriate for continued appointments and promotion.

 

When appropriate the determination of teaching excellence required for an initial appointment may be made based on the promise of future excellence, signified by training, experience, and achievement.

1. Evaluating Clinical Competence

Evidence of clinical competence may be demonstrated by the medical staff credentialing process or by a completed attestation form (APM – 279, Appendix A).

(a) Appointees who teach at a UCLA facility or at a UCLA-affiliated facility, and are credentialed through the medical staff office at the facility where teaching occurs, shall be considered to have met the clinical competence requirement.

(b) The attestation form (Appendix A of APM – 279) must be submitted for all other employees, including but not limited to:

appointees who teach at a UCLA facility or a UCLA-affiliated facility, but who are nor credentialed through the medical staff office of the facility where teaching occurs;

appointees who teach at facilities not formally affiliated with UCLA, including private practice offices; and 

appointees who teach in a non-clinical setting.

Appointments at each rank and promotions between ranks will be based on specific criteria generated by each school and department having faculty in this series.

IV. Early Termination

An appointment may be terminated before the end date for cause, such as failure to serve the required minimum of hours, or when, in the opinion of the Dean or designee, there is no longer a need for the appointee’s services, or when the conduct or performance of the appointee does not warrant continued appointment. The Dean or Department Chair shall give the appointee 30 (thirty) consecutive days prior written notice with a statement of the reason for the termination.

An appointee may present a written complaint about his/her appointment or early termination of the appointment to the Dean for administrative review. A complaint must be filed within 30 (thirty) calendar days from the date of a written notice of termination. The Dean shall consult with the appropriate University official, such as the Department Chair, and shall make a written response to the appointee. The written response shall normally be made within 90 days of the receipt of the complaint.

APM 140 (pdf) Non-Senate Academic Appointees/Grievances, APM – 145, Non-Senate Academic Appointees/Layoff and Involuntary Reduction in Time, and APM – 150, Non-Senate Academic Appointees/Corrective Action and Dismissal, do not apply to appointees in this series.

 

V. UNIVERSITY DEFENSE AND INDEMNIFICATION

Appointees may be ideminified by the University for alleged negligent acts and/or omissions arising from activities conducted within the course and scope of the University appointment.  Determination of such coverage is made based on the California Tort Claims Act and other applicable California law, Business and Finance Bulletins, BUS-81, and applicable campus policy, agreement, or contract.  For additional information on University defense and indemnification, contact the campus/medical center risk management or Office of the President, Office of Risk Management.

 

 

 

 

Created 02/04/10

Revised 7/1/18