Updated 1/10/22

Background

The School of Literature, Media, and Communication granted one-year appointment extensions to eligible Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows in academic years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 because of the coronavirus pandemic. These extensions were granted, and supported by the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, based upon satisfactory teaching postdoctoral fellow performance reviews and in consideration of the extenuating circumstances and impact to the global job market. As previously announced, the School of Literature, Media, and Communication will not offer postdoctoral fellowship extensions beyond academic year 2021-2022. The Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellowship will remain a three-year program. Job advertisements will continue to promote the fellowship program as a three-year employment opportunity. Upon initial offers, candidates will receive an offer letter for three years (ex: August 1, 2022 through July 31, 2025) with an annual performance review each calendar year.

The purpose of this policy is to outline a process for Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows to request consideration for a Visiting Lecturer position in the final year of their contract.  This policy will be incorporated into the Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow Handbook upon approval of the Dean of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts.

Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows who were initially hired in academic year 2018-2019 and were granted a one-year fellowship extension for academic year 2021-2022 will be required to undergo the comprehensive performance evaluation described below to request consideration for a Visiting Lecturer offer for academic year 2022-2023. Employment will conclude no later than July 31, 2022 for Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows that were initially hired in academic year 2017-2018 and were granted two fellowship extensions for academic year 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.

Policy

Effective academic year 2021-2022, the Writing and Communication Program will implement an employment extension request procedure. This process will allow current Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows to voluntarily request consideration for a Visiting Lecturer position based on unforeseeable programmatic need and/or exceptional and extenuating circumstances. Personal circumstances that affect a Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellow’s ability to work are addressed by Georgia Tech policies for time away from work and leave of absences.

Requests will require Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows to undergo a comprehensive performance evaluation to be considered for a Visiting Lecturer offer upon successful completion of the three-year fellowship. A Visiting Lecturer appointment, to extend employment up to an additional two years, will require exceptional performance during the postdoctoral fellowship.

The Executive Director of Writing and Communication will be responsible for conducting a fair and equitable comprehensive performance evaluation. Comprehensive performance evaluations will be solely utilized to determine eligibility for extended employment offers as a Visiting Lecturer and shall not supersede compliance with the Institute’s annual performance management process, which requires a separate annual evaluation each calendar year.

Employment extension decisions to offer Visiting Lecturer positions will be determined at the discretion of the Executive Director of Writing and Communication. Appeals to the outcome of the comprehensive performance evaluation or Lecturer offer should be directed to the Chair of Literature, Media, and Communication.

Procedure

The following process is required to be considered for a Visiting Lecturer appointment:

1. Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows request consideration for a Visiting Lecturer appointment in writing to the Executive Director of Writing and Communication by May 1.
2. The Executive Director of Writing and Communication will consider the request, confer with the Director of the Writing and Communication Program and Director of the Naugle Communication Center, and respond in writing by May15.
3. If necessary, Brittain Fellows under consideration may provide further documentation by June 1.
4. If approved, the Director of the Writing and Communication Program, in consultation with the Executive Director of the Writing and Communication and Director of the Naugle Communication Center, will initiate the Visiting Lecturer appointment process by June 30.

Visiting Lecturer offers will be issued on a rolling basis until all vacant positions in the Writing and Communication Program are filled. The Writing and Communication Program will only be permitted to maintain the approved number of non-tenure-track faculty positions (e.g., 37 for academic year 2021-2022), which may include a combination of employees that are classified as Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows, Visiting Lecturers, and full-time Lecturers.

Visiting Lecturer Appointment Process and Terms of Employment

Visiting Lecturer appointment packages must include comprehensive evaluation report, an updated curriculum vitae, and an offer letter. Visiting Lecturer offers are subject to approval of the Chair of the School of Literature, Media and Communication; Dean of Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts; and Office of Faculty Affairs through the normal non-tenure-track faculty appointment process.

The following terms apply to all Visiting Lecturer offers:

1. A one-year appointment, which can be renewed for one additional year based upon satisfactory performance. The maximum length of service for visiting faculty is two years per University System of Georgia Policy.
2. Academic year salary will remain the same as the current third-year salary for Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellows during the duration of the visiting faculty appointment.
3. A three-course per semester teaching load, equating to 9 credit hours per semester and 18 credit hours per academic year.
4. Appointments may be terminated prior to the contractual end date if the employee fails to teach effectively, successfully perform the duties assigned to you, fulfill all teaching responsibilities and/or violate any Georgia Tech or University System of Georgia policy.
5. Startup negotiations will not be considered due to budgetary restrictions.
6. Summer teaching will be offered on an as needed basis at the School of Literature, Media, and Communication’s standard summer per course rate, if enrollment demands services, and not exceeding the summer salary maximum of 1/3 of the previous academic year’s salary.
7. Visiting lecturers will report to the Director of the Writing and Communication Program.
8. If the employee is interested in continued employment with Georgia Tech beyond five years (three years as teaching postdoctoral fellow + two years as visiting faculty), then the employee will be required to apply for an available permanent faculty position through an open search process.

In consideration of the employee’s anticipated pursuit of career advancement, the acceptance of Visiting Lecturer offers will not be binding while also considering other internal or external employment opportunities. Offers that are formally accepted will require at least a 30-day notice of resignation. Exceptions to the resignation notice may be considered at the discretion of the Director of the Writing and Communication Program, Executive Director of Writing and Communication, and the Chair of the School of Literature, Media, and Communication.