Introduction to Faculty Positions

UT faculty titles

The faculty at The University of Texas comprises all tenured and tenure-track Professors, Assistant Professors, and Associate Professors. In addition, many non-tenured faculty members teach at UT campuses: Instructors, Lecturers, Senior Lecturers, Assistant Instructors and Teaching Associates, Teaching Assistants, Faculty Associates, Specialists, Researchers and Clinicians, Visiting Professors, Endowed and Honorific Chairs and Professorships, Regental Professors, and individuals who hold an Emeritus status.

University faculty statuses

Faculty tenure statuses are as follows:

Faculty position types

Retirement categories

Prior Approval Request (UT Austin only)

The Prior Approval Request (PAR) process ensures that academic units secure all funds and appropriate approvals before extending an offer of employment to a prospective faculty member. The PAR process includes new hires (all ranks) and current faculty being offered a new or modified appointment. A PAR must be completed for every offer of new or modified employment except those approved via the promotions process.

After posting and advertising the position and identifying and interviewing the candidate, the academic unit creates the Prior Approval Request packet for the selected candidate, following the steps outlined below. The academic unit may begin informal negotiations before the PAR process is complete, but it does not yet make a formal job offer until the PAR reaches “Offer Pending Status.”

PARs for prospective tenured/tenure-track faculty currently employed in a tenured/tenure-track position at another institution of higher education must receive final approval from the Provost’s Office and the offer must be extended to the candidate by May 1 for employment beginning in the fall semester. After this date, offers may not be extended until the provost requests permission from the responsible administrative officer at the other institution.