A. There are two categories of financial support for full professors, full time, and permanent associate professors, full time, appointed at Harvard Medical School: without limit of time (WLT) and of indefinite duration (OID). These two categories have both common features and differences.
B. Common to both is the understanding that professors in either category are not subject to further academic review in the continuation of their appointments. Moreover, in keeping with the traditional concepts of academic freedom, persons appointed without limit of time or of indefinite duration cannot be separated from their appointments for disciplinary reasons other than for grave misconduct or neglect of duty. As is the case with other members of the faculty, they cannot be dismissed for holding controversial opinions, for proposing heretical viewpoints, or for espousing unpopular causes. They are all entitled to the classical protection of the academy in the pursuit of knowledge, in their teaching, and in the publication of findings and opinions.
C. The two categories differ in the financial commitment that the university has made with regard to continuous support.
1. For appointments without limit of time (WLT), the university guarantees to the faculty member academic salary and its associated fringe benefits in the way that such a guarantee traditionally exists for tenure appointments. This guarantee is backed by (a) university resources including endowments and other funds, or (b) commitments to the university from other institutions including affiliated institutions, government, and private foundations.
Even when there is a guarantee of support by the university (with or without the backing of another institution), salary support for professors appointed without limit of time may come from several sources in addition to university or affiliated institution endowments, such as general funds, grants and contracts, patient-care payments. The proportions from these sources are decided by availability of specific funds and by negotiation, for example, among the department, the affiliated institution, and the Medical School, and may vary from time to time.
2. For appointments of indefinite duration (OID), the university has no obligation to provide continuing support of the faculty member's salary. Instead, the hospital or other affiliated institution assumes responsibility for the stability of support. This limitation in the university's financial commitment is characterized by the phrase "subject to the Third Statute of the University . . . , and to such terms, conditions and policies as are stipulated by the Faculty of Medicine, as these may be amended from time to time, and to the right of the Corporation to set a terminal date in the event that funds to support the appointment from sources outside the University are not available." Appointments of indefinite duration will be made only when there is a high likelihood of continuing stable support from outside the university as determined by consultation among the department head, the director of the affiliated institution, and the Dean. This academic appointment will require a concomitant appointment to the staff of an affiliated institution.
3. For appointments of unspecified duration (OUD) to the rank of clinical professor on the Academic Part Time ladder, no commitment of continuous institutional support from the hospital or other affiliated institution is required or expected. Professors of unspecified duration (OUD) do not require reappointment. Although they will be reviewed by the department every five years their appointments automatically continue unless the determination is made that they have not demonstrated continuing contributions.