What is an "adjunct" faculty appointment?

Why it should not be be confused with a formal faculty appointment

You may have noticed that several prominent antivax physicians have claimed to be be on the faculty at major medical schools and teaching hospitals. One of Kennedy’s recent appointments to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, was just embarrassed over such claims. Michael Ross, MD who claimed to be a professor at George Washington University was just exposed when the instituion revealed he is not on their faculty.

Dr. Robert Malone also claims to have been an Assistant Professor at UC Davis. This would be remakable given that he only has one year of GME, a pathology internship, and isn’t even board eligible. Review of the UC Davis faculty rosters does not contain Malone’s name as an Assistant Professor. He is listed however as an “adjunct” assistant professor.

So what’s going on here? How are these physicians able to claim to be on on the faculty of these institutions? The confusion stems from conflating “adjunct” faculty appointments with formal faculty appointmemts.

What exactly is an “adjunct” faculty appointment? These are largely honorary postions, typically awarded to doctors who volunteer to teach medical students in their private practices. They are not employees, not compensated and not members of the faculty senate. They certainly are not tenure track appointments. Quite simply they are ornamental certificates suitable for framing - a thank you for teaching. I know, I have held three such appointments.

An adjunct faculty appointment refers to a part-time or temporary academic position, typically held by professionals or experts in a particular field. Adjunct faculty members usually have specific teaching responsibilities, often on a course-by-course basis, without the expectation of long-term employment or involvement in departmental decision-making. They are generally not required to participate in other faculty duties outside of teaching, and their contracts are often renewable but short-term.

Comparison to Formal (Full-Time) Faculty Appointment:

1. Employment Status:

   • Adjunct Faculty: Typically part-time, temporary, or contract-based. Not usually eligible for tenure or long-term job security.

   • Formal Faculty: Full-time, long-term positions with the possibility of tenure (especially in research universities or colleges).

2. Teaching Load:

   • Adjunct Faculty: Generally teaches fewer courses and has less administrative or committee work than full-time faculty.

   • Formal Faculty: Usually responsible for a full teaching load, including lecture courses, labs, office hours, and more extensive administrative duties.

3. Research:

   • Adjunct Faculty: Often not required or expected to engage in research or scholarly activities.

   • Formal Faculty: Research and publication are typically an important part of the role, especially in tenure-track or tenured positions.

4. Salary and Benefits:

   • Adjunct Faculty: Typically paid per course taught, with minimal or no benefits such as health insurance or retirement plans.

   • Formal Faculty: Receive a regular salary, benefits, and other perks such as research funding, sabbaticals, and more.

5. Tenure:

   • Adjunct Faculty: Generally not eligible for tenure, meaning their contracts are not guaranteed beyond the term of their appointment.

   • Formal Faculty: Can be tenure-track (leading to tenure after a probationary period) or tenured, offering job security and academic freedom.

In essence, an adjunct position is more flexible but less secure and offers fewer benefits, while a formal faculty appointment is a more stable, full-time academic career with significant responsibilities beyond teaching.

At UC Davis, the titles Assistant Adjunct Professor and Assistant Professor represent distinct academic appointments with differing expectations, funding sources, and institutional affiliations.academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu

🧑‍🏫 Assistant Adjunct Professor

• Series: Academic Federation

• Funding: Primarily supported by non-State funds (e.g., grants, contracts, industry partnerships)

• Research: Predominantly engaged in independent research or scholarly activities

• Teaching: Expected to participate in teaching, with evaluations through student assessments

• Service: Engages in university and public service consistent with their assignments

• Eligibility for Tenure: Not eligible for tenure; appointments are typically renewable but contingent on funding

• Institutional Affiliation: Members of the Academic Federation, not the Academic Senate

• Mentorship: Generally not eligible to serve as primary mentors for graduate students

• Promotion Criteria: Evaluated based on research productivity, teaching effectiveness, and service contributions en.wikipedia.org+12academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu+12humanecology.ucdavis.edu+12aadocs.ucdavis.edu+1aadocs.ucdavis.edu+1aadocs.ucdavis.eduhumanecology.ucdavis.edu

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🧑‍🏫 Assistant Professor

• Series: Academic Senate (Ladder Rank Faculty)

• Funding: Typically supported by State funds

• Research: Engaged in independent research or scholarly activities

• Teaching: Expected to participate in teaching, with evaluations through student assessments

• Service: Engages in university and public service consistent with their assignments

• Eligibility for Tenure: Eligible for tenure; appointments are typically probationary with the possibility of promotion to Associate Professor and tenure after a review period

• Institutional Affiliation: Members of the Academic Senate, with full voting rights and eligibility to serve on committees

• Mentorship: Eligible to serve as primary mentors for graduate students

• Promotion Criteria: Evaluated based on research productivity, teaching effectiveness, and service contributions academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu

Conflating an adjunct appointment with a formal faculty appointment is misleading at best and deceptive at worst. It can even constitute fraud. They are not the same. Anyone with such an appointment is obligated as a matter of integrity and ethics to make it clear, their appointment is as an adjunct. It should never be reported on a resume or CV as if to imply it is a formal tenure track faculty appointmnt.