Special Development Program

The purpose of the Special Faculty Development Program is to enable persons having especially needed expertise, and/or persons likely to contribute to the educational diversity of UNO, and who are interested in careers in higher education to obtain appropriate terminal degrees and to become full-time, tenure-track members of the UNO faculty.

To become eligible for participation in the Special Faculty Development Program, an individual must:

  1. Propose to receive an appropriate terminal degree in a discipline identified as an area of need at UNO.
  2. Possess a master’s degree or its equivalent.

Prior to initiation into the program be accepted in a terminal degree program in a field relevant to the identified needs of UNO.

Preference shall be given to individuals who:

  1. Are from an economic or educational background that is disadvantaged.
  2. Might enhance the diversity of the UNO faculty, including individuals whose life experiences or ethnic, racial or national backgrounds would contribute to the diversity of the educational environment for students at UNO.
  3. Have shown a commitment to meeting the needs of less-fortunate segments of society.

Acceptance into the Special Faculty Development Program requires the approval of the dean of the respective college and the vice chancellor for academic and student affairs.

The employment agreement between each participant and the university will stipulate the following:

  1. Employment on a 0.75 FTE basis on a special appointment contract, normally not to exceed four academic years.
  2. Instructional responsibility for teaching an average of two course sections per term (normally one preparation) at UNO.
  3. A salary which usually will be no less than 75% of the market rate for a new full-time, tenure-track faculty member with a terminal degree in the respective discipline.
  4. Eligibility to participate in any university insurance program, with the university’s contribution for health and dental insurance and NU Credits pro-rated on the basis of FTE.
  5. Eligibility to participate in the Employee Scholarship Program on the same basis as full-time employees. This program applies only to academic credit courses being offered by any campus of the University of Nebraska at a scholarship equal to the resident tuition charge per semester credit hour, less $1.00 per semester credit hour. Participants may not enroll in more than 15 credit hours in any 12-month period (September-August) and are limited to no more than 6 credit hours per semester. Participants wishing to enroll for additional credit hours may do so at their own expense. As they enroll each semester, participants must obtain signatures from the college dean and the Office of Human Resources on the appropriate Employee Scholarship Program forms.
  6. If, in the discretion of UNO, the participant satisfactorily completes the Special Faculty Development Program, including a terminal degree or reaching all-but-dissertation (ABD) status (as specified in the letter of offer), the participant will become a full-time (1.00 FTE) tenure-track faculty member if a tenure-track position is available in the participant’s department.

Each academic year the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs will provide copies of the guidelines and procedures to participants in the program and will notify the Chancellor, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration as to the identity of the participants.