Research Archive

Adjunct professor status is granted to an individual who has the potential to enhance the stature and effectiveness of a department/school's teaching and research.  The guidelines for adjunct professor status can be found here.  The following is a list of our Adjunct Professors :

Adjunct professor status is granted to an individual who has the potential to enhance the stature and effectiveness of a department/school's teaching and research.  This position, which normally is a result of active research collaboration, does not carry remuneration.  Adjunct professors may not represent themselves as employees of Acadia University.

A candidate for Adjunct Professor status must be nominated by a faculty member of the department/school.  The appointment, which is normally for a period of four years, requires majority approval of eligible[1] faculty members in the department/school.  Upon approval, the candidate will be recommended by the head/director of the department/school to the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies for appointment as an Adjunct Professor.  The Dean of Research and Graduate Studies will ensure that the recommendation is processed through the appropriate administrative channels. The appointment may be renewed following a written request from the Head/Director to the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies for reappointment which includes an evaluation of the individual's contributions to the department/school, and demonstration of a continuing need for the capabilities that the individual is able to bring to the department/school.

Advantages of Appointment:

1. Listing in the relevant media in which university faculty are identified.
2. Participation in the research and teaching activities of the department/school as appropriate.
3. Access to department/school research facilities.
4. Ability to apply for external research funding.

 Responsibilities of the Appointee:

1. Collaborate in the on-going research of a faculty member in the department/school..
2. Participate in the supervision of graduate, honours, and undergraduate research projects or theses.
3. Where possible, participate in the seminars, thesis committees and graduate committees of the department/school to an extent that is consistent with the needs of the department/school and with the on-going responsibilities of the appointee's regular employment.

 Criteria for Appointment:

1. The candidate must hold the terminal degree in the discipline (normally the Ph.D.) or have extensive relevant employment-based experience (at least 5 years).
2. The candidate must be able to demonstrate a high level of research capability.
3. The candidate must have a significant academic interaction with one or more eligible members of the department/school. 

Procedure for Initial Appointment:

1. Initiation of the process will normally be via a request to the department/school by an eligible faculty member of the department/school (the supporter) for permission to receive the nomination materials from a specific individual (the candidate).  Upon agreement of the head/director, the supporter will oversee the process of submission of the necessary documents for nomination.
2. The candidate must submit to the head/director an up-to-date curriculum vitae and letter of intent indicating why the candidate wishes to be considered for Adjunct Professor status and how the candidate is prepared to interact with the department/school.
3. The candidate may be invited to conduct a research seminar in the department/school and to meet with interested faculty members.
4. Upon completion of items 1 through 3 above, eligible members of the department/school will vote on approval of the candidate for appointment as an Adjunct Professor.  The candidate will be informed, in writing, of the outcome of this vote by the head/director, who will then forward the nomination to the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies for action.
5. The department/school will take responsibility for identifying and allocating resources.

 Procedure for Reappointment:

1. By January of the last year of an Adjunct Professor's term of appointment, the head/director of the department/school will enquire of the eligible members of the department/school whether they wish to proceed with reappointment.
2. If the majority vote is for reappointment, the head/director will ask the incumbent if he/she wishes to seek reappointment.
3. An incumbent wishing to be reappointed will submit an up-to-date curriculum vitae, together with a covering letter stating the ways in which he/she has interacted with the department/school during the preceding term of appointment and the way in which he/she is prepared to interact with the department/school during a renewed term of appointment.
4. The department/school will examine the above documentation and vote on the reappointment. Approval of reappointment will be by majority vote of eligible members
   of the department/school.
5. The head/director will advise the applicant in writing of the outcome of the vote and will take the necessary actions to complete the appointment process. 

Conditions of Participation in Research Activities:

1. Adjunct Professors may serve as co-supervisors in the supervision of undergraduate, honours, or graduate students and must do so in collaboration with an eligible member of the department/school. Acadia faculty members are required to take responsibility for ensuring that the University's regulations regarding theses and undergraduate and graduate student research are followed and that the established timelines are met.
2. Research contracts will only be administered by Acadia University only when an Acadia University faculty member is designated as Principal Investigator. Adjunct Professors will therefore be required to apply as a collaborator on the contract with a faculty member of a department/school.
3. Adjunct Professors are allowed, however, to apply as Principal Investigator on Research Grants as per the policies of the granting agency.

[1] Eligible faculty members are those faculty members with tenure or holding tenure track appointments and those who have served for at least two consecutive years in a CLT position.

A Registry of Postdoctoral Fellows will be maintained by the Division of Research and Graduate Studies. Faculty supervisors must file a copy of the following documents with the Division.

 Prior to recruitment of the postdoctoral fellow:
 - Agreement to Hire (Appendix I)

 Following selection of the postdoctoral fellow:
 - Letter offering appointment
 - Letter of acceptance
 - Employment authorization if a non-Canadian

1.  Definition

A postdoctoral fellow is an individual who has completed a doctoral degree, normally within the previous three to five years, who is supported by an externally awarded fellowship or by a research grant or contract held by an Acadia University faculty member. Postdoctoral fellows work under the supervision of and are mentored by a faculty member but are expected to become increasingly independent researchers over time.

2.  Status

Postdoctoral fellows are research colleagues and as such should be provided every opportunity to participate in the academic life of the Department, the Faculty and the University. Library and e-mail access will be provided by the university.

Postdoctoral fellows are eligible to apply for advertised faculty positions as they choose.

3.  Agreement to hire

Prior to recruiting a postdoctoral fellow, the faculty member wishing to appoint a postdoctoral fellow, the Department/School Head/Director and the Faculty Dean must reach agreement as to any Acadia University resources to be made available to the postdoctoral fellow. A copy of the 'Agreement to Hire' must be filed with the Division of Research and Graduate Studies prior to recruitment.

4.  Recruitment and selection

Once the 'Agreement to Hire' has been filed with the Division of Research and Graduate Studies and subject to relevant federal, provincial, granting agency and university regulations, for example, the Canadian Immigration Act, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act, etc., faculty members may recruit postdoctoral fellows directly through personal contacts, local, national or international advertisements or through whatever means the faculty member deems appropriate.

Postdoctoral fellows are exempt from immigration restrictions. It is the responsibility of postdoctoral fellows who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents of Canada to obtain employment authorization and the appropriate visa from Employment and Immigration.

The faculty member (s) who is responsible for funding the postdoctoral fellow is responsible for selection.

5. Offers of Appointment

The letter offering appointment as a postdoctoral fellow is issued by the supervising faculty member and must be countersigned by the Dean of the supervisor's Faculty. A copy of the Offer of Appointment letter and the subsequent acceptance letter must be filed with the Division of Research and Graduate Studies. The Offer of Appointment letter must specify:

• The title of the appointment.
• The nature and extent of the postdoctoral fellow's responsibilities. 
• The term of appointment. 
• A copy of items 6 through 10 of this policy document. 
• A copy of the Acadia University Intellectual Property guidelines for students and postdoctoral fellows. 
• The stipend and benefits offered and the method of payment. 
• Any special conditions that apply. 
• The deadline for written acceptance of the offer of appointment.
• A clear explanation of rights and obligations regarding authorship and intellectual property and any policies for assignment of intellectual property

6.  Appointment

A.Term
A postdoctoral fellow is normally appointed for a twelve month period. The supervisor may renew the agreement annually to a maximum of three years. Supervisors are expected to give postdoctoral fellows two months notice of the intention to renew or not renew.

B. Compensation
The compensation level for postdoctoral fellows is not specified by the university. Compensation for externally funded postdoctoral fellows is determined by the funding agency. When a supervisor's research grant or contract funds are the source of support, compensation ranges specified by relevant Tri-Council programs should serve as a compensation guideline.
Payment to postdoctoral fellows is considered employment income and as such is subject to standard payroll deductions.

C. Benefits
Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible for employee benefit plans.
Postdoctoral fellows who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents must provide proof of medical insurance.

D. Termination for Just Cause
A postdoctoral fellow's appointment may be terminated without notice for just cause.

7.  Dispute Resolution Procedures

Problems, with the exception of termination for just cause, which cannot be resolved by the supervisor and/or the postdoctoral fellow may be brought by either party to the Department Head. If the dispute cannot be resolved by the Head it may be referred by either party to the Dean of the Faculty. If a dispute is of a serious nature, the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies may be invited to act as ombudsperson. If the dispute remains unresolved, it shall be referred to the Vice President Academic whose decision shall be final and binding.

8.  Authorship and Intellectual Property Rights

Postdoctoral fellows are to receive credit for publication of their research and for the transfer and commercialization of discoveries. Unless agreed to in writing, postdoctoral fellows retain ownership of intellectual property rights, solely in the case of their own work, and jointly when it has been created through joint effort.

The supervisor is responsible to deliver a clear explanation of rights and obligations regarding authorship and intellectual property and any policies for assignment of intellectual property, and to include same in the letter of appointment. The postdoctoral fellow must be informed of restrictions imposed on intellectual property rights by project funding sources.

9.  Research Grants and Contracts

Postdoctoral fellows may apply for external funding to agencies which accept applications from postdoctoral fellows. Research and contract accounts established for funds received must include the faculty supervisor as co-signature.

10.  Ethics

Postdoctoral fellows are responsible to ensure that human and/or animal research is conducted under approved protocols.

Appendix I[nbsp] Agreement to Hire a Post Doctoral Fellow