D. Preceptors

Please scroll down or click on the links below to read about this process.

a.   Description
b.   Search Flowchart
c.   Steps
d.   Dossier Checklist

a. Additional Reappointments of Preceptors with Annual Appointments
b. Reappointment of Preceptors Into a Multi-Year Term

(1) Appointment to Preceptor

a. Description

Preceptors are teachers who provide language, skill-oriented, or other special instruction (including some introductory disciplinary instruction). They may not offer instruction of a disciplinary nature (beyond introductory instruction) or be in charge of courses of a non-departmental nature such as those offered by the General Education and Freshman Seminar programs. Ordinarily, preceptors teach the equivalent of four to five courses or sections per year (some departments might consider a very large course to be the equivalent of two courses), and at least half of their total work should be comprised of in-classroom teaching and not course-equivalent duties. Appointments are made on an annual basis or may be for an initial term of three years (with Years 2 and 3 contingent upon a successful review after the first year of teaching), followed by a term of up to five years, contingent on performance, enrollments, curricular need, position availability, the authorization of the divisional dean, and dependent upon the individual’s remaining eligibility within the FAS eight-year rule. (Please see the section on the "Eight-Year Rule" in "Appointment Parameters" and the “Review and Reappointment” schedule.) Previous appointments in other non-tenured instructional ranks in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will reduce the potential maximum of eight years accordingly. Any appointment, full-time or fractional within an academic year, is counted as one year of service. Multi-year preceptor appointments should begin on July 1.

b. Search Flowchart: Preceptor

Search Flowchart Preceptors

c. Steps: Appointment to Preceptor

	Step	Explanation
1	The department chair writes to the assistant dean for the division requesting authorization for a search	The letter should discuss the curricular need for the appointment and whether the proposed appointment is an annual or a multi-year appointment. After approval is granted, the department begins the search process if a search is required. No search is required for appointments to teach a maximum of one four-credit course in one year (up to 0.25 annual FTE).
2	After approval from the assistant dean for the division, the department advertises the position and makes inquiries at other institutions (if a search is required)	All advertising copy must be reviewed and approved by the assistant dean for the division before it is submitted to the appropriate journals and other venues. Advertisements and inquiries should describe the position broadly and should list a date after which the department will stop accepting applications, or the department can encourage candidates to apply by a specific date, while indicating that applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. At least one form of the advertisement should be published in print. Advertisements should clearly state required documents and must indicate that Harvard is “an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, military service, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or other protected status.” The dossier for the finalist must include 3-5 letters of recommendation. The advertisement should ask candidates to submit contact information for references with their original application materials. The advertisement should also ask candidates to include in their cover letter a description of teaching/advising experience and philosophy and comments on any efforts to encourage diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Harvard is required to solicit and record, when available, each applicant’s gender and racial/ethnic information, which is accomplished through the ARIeS system. Applicants are not required to provide demographic information.
3	For appointments where a search is required, departments follow their standard procedures to review candidate(s) for appointment
4	The department sends the candidate’s dossier, including a draft offer letter, to the divisional assistant dean for review and approval	Note: The department should secure from applicants at the short-list stage (or from the finalist, if the department’s process does not include a short-list stage) a draft course title, course description, and syllabus for the course(s) that the candidate(s) intend to teach during their first semester, for approval. This information will be included in the finalist’s dossier. (Obtaining this information is not necessary for candidates who would be teaching established courses such as certain language or mathematics courses, etc.) Please securely send one electronic copy of the dossier, including a draft offer letter, to the assistant dean. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform. For a full checklist of what the dossier should include, please see below. For those appointments in which a search is required, a case statement, written by the chair, should also be included and should address: A description of the search, including procedures for establishing a list of candidates, steps taken to identify candidates from diverse populations, including women and minorities (e.g., copies of advertisements and letters expressing interest in such candidates), total number of applicants, a description of the review procedures used in the department, and the reason a multi-year appointment was necessary (if applicable). Please address the demographics of the pool as displayed in the Departmental EEO Report available in ARIeS. This report displays aggregate demographic data from the search. The basis for evaluating the finalist’s professional expertise and teaching/advising ability, including any contributions related to diversity, inclusion, and belonging. A comparison of the candidate with all other leading candidates (in particular, women and minorities). A description of what the candidate will teach. Note: The finalized case statement should be made available to the faculty in the department involved in the review. Note: The divisional dean/SEAS Dean and/or their designee and the Dean for Faculty Affairs and Planning can ask for changes to the dossier at any time. For appointments that do not require a search: The candidate’s draft course title, course description, and syllabus should be solicited by the department before the hire and submitted to the divisional assistant dean with the candidate’s CV and a draft offer letter, for approval.
5	If approval is granted, the department issues the offer letter (annual/multi-year) to the candidate	Once approval for the appointment has been granted, the department should ask the individual during the hiring process to confirm the department’s understanding of what the course title, description, and syllabus are. In addition to basic information, the letter includes information about teaching responsibilities for the year and, except for one-year or one-term appointments where reappointment is not intended, the standard for reappointment (including performance, curricular need, the availability of funds, and the approval of the assistant dean for the division) and the timing and procedures for review for reappointment, if applicable.
6	If the offer is accepted, the appointment is processed in the Aurora system by the department	The department sends 1 electronic PDF copy of the final dossier and signed offer letter to the Appointments Office in the Office for Faculty Affairs via Aurora. Note: This copy is in addition to that submitted to the assistant dean for the division in Step 4. The department delivers the original I-9 form and any necessary payroll documents to Central Payroll. The department securely sends to the divisional assistant dean 1 electronic PDF copy of the signed offer letter and 1 electronic PDF copy of the candidate’s acceptance letter. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform. The department administrator will remind the faculty member to sign electronically the Harvard University Participation Agreement by the start of their appointment.

d. Dossier Checklist: Preceptors

Please securely send an electronic copy of the preliminary dossier, including a draft offer letter, to the assistant dean for the division (AD). Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform. To facilitate storing and sharing of files, please name the file as follows: a) alpha-numeric characters only (no dashes, commas, slashes, etc.). b) [Last Name] [First Name] [Department Name] Preceptor dossier [Month, Date, and Year of dossier submission, expressed numerically: XX YY ZZ]. E.g., Smith John Psychology Preceptor dossier 1 4 15. c) If a dossier is revised and resubmitted, please repeat the original title, followed by “rev” and [Month of resubmission] [Date of resubmission] [Year of resubmission]. E.g., Smith John Psychology Preceptor dossier 1 4 15 rev 1 15 15.

After the offer is finalized, please send an electronic PDF copy of the final dossier to the Appointments Office in the Office for Faculty Affairs via Aurora. Departments should retain documents according to practices recommended by Harvard Archives at https://grs.harvard.edu/ (please log in).

For all appointments:

______1. The candidate’s curriculum vitae (including bibliography).

______2. Course title, course description, and syllabus for the course(s) the candidate intends to teach during their first semester.

______3. A copy of the offer letter (annual/multi-year) and all subsequent emendations to it.

______4. A copy of the candidate’s letter of acceptance.

Note: The candidate should not solicit student letters, and any unsolicited student letters will not be included in the dossier.

For those appointments for which a search is required, additional materials include:

______5. A copy of the department’s request for the search authorization and a copy of the divisional dean’s letter authorizing the search.

______6. Case statement. See description in Step 4 above.

______7. 3-5 letters of recommendation, and any other application materials (e.g., cover letter, including a description of teaching/advising experience and philosophy and comments on any efforts to encourage diversity, inclusion, and belonging).

______8. The Departmental EEO Report displaying aggregate demographic data from the search, available through ARIeS.

After the offer is finalized:

______9. Please securely send 1 electronic PDF copy of the final signed offer letter and 1 electronic PDF copy of the candidate’s signed acceptance letter to the assistant dean for the division. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform.

Please deliver the original I-9 form and any necessary payroll documents to Central Payroll.

(2) First-Year Reviews of Preceptors (In AY 2023-2024, must be completed by March 22, 2024 of the preceptor’s first year of appointment)

	Step	Explanation
1	The department chair requests materials from the candidate at the end of the first semester	Materials include: A curriculum vitae. Teaching materials, including representative course syllabi and evidence of teaching effectiveness, such as teaching awards and evaluations.
2	The department chair (or the chair's designee) considers the case	The department chair (or the chair's designee) should solicit feedback from the candidate’s students, as appropriate, and should observe the candidate’s teaching.
3	If the chair decides the case warrants reappointment (or continuation of appointment in the case of multi-year appointments), the department compiles materials to send to the assistant dean for the appropriate division	Please securely send one electronic copy of each of the items below to the assistant dean. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform. A summary of the review, written by the chair, which describes the review procedures, summarizes the findings of the review, evaluates the candidate’s teaching/advising abilities, and makes the case for the reappointment of the candidate (or continuation of the appointment in the case of multi-year appointments). A draft letter for the individual, to be reviewed by the assistant dean for the appropriate division, discussing the review. The letter covers any concerns about performance and/or need for services that might affect the future. The letter should also specify when the next review for reappointment would take place. Materials considered in the review, including: The candidate’s curriculum vitae. Teaching materials, including course syllabi and evidence of teaching effectiveness, such as teaching awards and evaluations. If the chair does not feel the case warrants reappointment (or continuation of appointment), the chair sends to the divisional dean a draft of the letter to the candidate and explains the department’s decision. After divisional dean approval, the department gives the letter to the candidate. Note: The candidate should not solicit student letters.
4	The dossier is reviewed by the assistant dean for the division, in consultation with the divisional dean	The divisional dean makes the final decision regarding whether or not to reappoint the candidate (in the case of an annual appointment) or continue the candidate (in the case of a multi-year appointment). Note: The divisional dean/SEAS Dean and/or their designee and the Dean for Faculty Affairs and Planning can ask for changes to the dossier at any time.
5	Following approval by the divisional dean, the department issues the final signed letter to the candidate and processes the reappointment in Aurora	The department sends to the Appointments Office in the Office for Faculty Affairs and the divisional assistant dean via Aurora: 1 electronic PDF copy of the final letter for the candidate, signed by the department chair 1 electronic PDF copy of the departmental summary of the review.

(3) Reappointments of Preceptors

a. Additional Reappointments of Preceptors with Annual Appointments (In AY 2023-2024, must be completed by March 22, 2024)

For reappointment beyond the first year for preceptors with annual appointments, the department must first assess its curricular needs and request and receive authorization for the FTE from the divisional dean. If authorized, the department reviews the preceptor’s performance and enrollments each year. The department submits to the assistant dean for the division 1 electronic copy of the preceptor’s teaching evaluations, and 1 electronic copy of a draft letter of reappointment that includes dates of reappointment, teaching duties, salary, and an accounting of the individual’s remaining eligibility within the preceptor rank and within the FAS’s eight-year rule. Please securely send these materials. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform.

Note: The divisional dean/SEAS Dean and/or their designee and the Dean for Faculty Affairs and Planning can ask for changes to the dossier at any time.

For the teaching evaluations, please include:

1 electronic PDF of student teaching evaluations
- For evaluations prior to Fall 2019, please go to https://course-evaluation-reports.fas.harvard.edu/fas/list Select “Term” and click “Select another term” to update.
  - Select department and click on a course.
  - "Print Full Reports" tab and download for each course:
    - “Course Evaluation and Instructor/TF Summary” (Printable Version (PDF)
    - Student Comments: go to “View Comments by Question” and select "Show Questions." Print out "Whole Course" option.
- For evaluations from Fall 2019 onward, please go to https://q.fas.harvard.edu/results-2019-20-and-later. Click on “Results 2019-20 and later" and log in
  - Select the “Course Heads-Instructors report” for the specific year/term.
  - Type the course number abbreviation (e.g. COMPSCI 50) in the “Search report title” field and click to search.
  - Download for each course:
    - Select "View the {term} Individual Report -- Comments included report" and click on the course from the listing. Click the (PDF) icon next to the corresponding instructor to download the report.

Once the assistant dean has approved the reappointment and offer letter, the department sends it to the candidate and processes the reappointment in Aurora. An electronic PDF copy of the signed reappointment letter is securely sent to the assistant dean for the division and to the Appointments Office in the Office for Faculty Affairs. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform.

b. Reappointment of Preceptors into a Multi-Year Term (In AY 2023-2024, must be completed by March 22, 2024 of the preceptor’s third preceptorial year)

Reappointment, for multi-year preceptor positions, is not automatic or guaranteed. It is contingent on a successful performance review during the third year and is subject to enrollments, curricular need, position availability, and the authorization of the divisional dean.

	Step	Explanation
1	The department chair requests materials from the candidate during the fall term of the third year of appointment	Materials should include: Curriculum vitae. Teaching and advising materials, including representative course syllabi and evidence of teaching effectiveness, such as teaching awards. A teaching/advising statement that describes the candidate's philosophy and practices related to undergraduate teaching and advising. In the statement, the candidate should reflect on continuing areas for growth and ways in which they might improve as a teacher and advisor.
2	The chair requests divisional dean approval of a proposed review committee and, following this approval, appoints the committee	The request should name the committee chair and other review committee members. The committee should include at least one senior or ladder faculty member from outside the program conducting the review.
3	The department compiles a summary teaching chart and gathers information on the candidate’s performance as a teacher	The summary teaching chart summarizes, in reverse chronological order, all courses the candidate has taught, including course titles, enrollments, and overall course scores and instructor scores. (Note: In the teaching chart, please indicate which, if any, courses were taught remotely, whether partially or in full, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.) In addition, the department should include teaching evaluations. Please include: 1 electronic PDF of student teaching evaluations For evaluations prior to Fall 2019, please go to https://course-evaluation-reports.fas.harvard.edu/fas/list Select “Term” and click “Select another term” to update. Select department and click on a course. "Print Full Reports" tab and download for each course: “Course Evaluation and Instructor/TF Summary” (Printable Version (PDF) Student Comments: go to “View Comments by Question” and select "Show Questions." Print out "Whole Course" option. For evaluations from Fall 2019 onward, please go to https://q.fas.harvard.edu/results-2019-20-and-later. Click on “Results 2019-20 and later" and log in Select the “Course Heads-Instructors report” for the specific year/term. Type the course number abbreviation (e.g. COMPSCI 50) in the “Search report title” field and click to search. Download for each course: Select "View the {term} Individual Report -- Comments included report" and click on the course from the listing. Click the (PDF) icon next to the corresponding instructor to download the report. The review committee should: Solicit feedback from the candidate’s current and former students, as appropriate. Observe the candidate’s teaching. Review the candidate’s teaching evaluations. Evaluate the candidate's role and their performance relative to the role: i.e., what are the person's duties (and what proportion of their time is spent on teaching vs. other responsibilities, such as curricular development), how do those duties relate to the position description, and how is the individual's performance of those duties?
4	The committee considers the case	The review committee should take into account all aspects of the candidate’s job description.
5	The committee drafts a case statement and decides if the case is sufficiently strong to warrant reappointment	The draft case statement for the candidate summarizes the committee’s conclusions, including the strengths and weaknesses of the case (see Step 6 for all of the necessary elements of the final case statement), and makes a recommendation regarding reappointment of the candidate. The department chair must sign off on this recommendation. If the committee does not feel the case warrants reappointment, the chair sends to the divisional dean a draft of the letter to the candidate and explains the committee’s decision. After divisional dean approval, the department gives the letter to the candidate.
6	The department sends the candidate’s materials, including a draft letter to the candidate, to the assistant dean for the division	Please securely send one electronic copy of the dossier, including a draft letter for the candidate, to the assistant dean. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform. The dossier includes: A case statement describing the review procedures and making the case for the reappointment of the candidate. It includes an evaluation of the candidate’s teaching/advising ability and contributions to the department. The case statement should also indicate who authored it and be signed by both the author and the chair. Note: The finalized case statement should be made available to the faculty in the department involved in the review. The candidate’s curriculum vitae. Summary teaching chart. A teaching/advising statement. Teaching and advising materials, including representative course syllabi and evidence of teaching effectiveness, such as teaching awards and evaluations. A draft letter for the individual, to be reviewed by the divisional dean, discussing the review. The letter covers any concerns about performance and/or need for services that might affect the future. The letter also indicates the dates of reappointment and remaining years of eligibility to hold the position. Note: The candidate should not solicit student letters, and any unsolicited student letters will not be included in the dossier. Note: The divisional dean/SEAS Dean and/or their designee and the Dean for Faculty Affairs and Planning can ask for changes to the dossier at any time.
7	The dossier is reviewed by the assistant dean for the division, in conjunction with the divisional dean
8	Following approval by the divisional dean, the department issues the final signed letter to the candidate and processes the reappointment in Aurora	The department securely sends to the divisional assistant dean and to the Appointments Office in the Office for Faculty Affairs via Aurora 1 electronic PDF copy of the final letter for the candidate, signed by the department chair. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform.