X. Policies Regarding Joint Appointments for Voting Members of the Faculty of Medicine

A. Joint Appointments between Departments of Harvard Medical School

1. Joint appointments within the Faculty of Medicine should be made only in exceptional cases and should recognize a significant contribution to the teaching, research, or clinical programs of a second department. Occasional contributions to teaching may be acknowledged by a notice of affiliation appended to the departmental faculty listing. Infrequent contributions need not be recognized.

2. At the outset, a clear decision should be made regarding which department bears the primary responsibility for an individual faculty member's salary, benefits, space, career advancements, and promotions.

3. At the time of initiation of a search for a joint appointee, whether or not at professorial rank, the distribution of support should be negotiated between the departments. With each reappointment below professorial level, there should be a reassessment of the individual's interests and the departments' needs to determine the distribution of support. This re-evaluation is intended to avoid the hazard of one department paying for an individual who spends all her/his time in a second department.

4. In some instances, a faculty member appointed originally in one department may change the direction of her/his academic or clinical work so that a joint appointment is indicated. Under these circumstances, the two department chairpersons should carry on the same negotiations as described in the foregoing two paragraphs.

5. If an appointment below professorial level is under consideration, there should be an agreement at the outset that the appointments will be coterminous and that each department will continue to support in accordance with the original agreement until the expiration of the term (unless by mutual agreement the distribution of support is readjusted).

6. When a junior faculty member is considered for a joint appointment between departments, care must be given to problems of establishing criteria of excellence at the time of promotion. Where will scholarly works be published? Which department will judge, or will both? What opportunities will there be for a permanent position in an interdisciplinary area? How will strength be maintained in the primary discipline?

7. The recommendation of a joint (second) appointment as Professor for a faculty member who already holds an appointment as Professor in another department should include the following:

a. a letter from the Head of the second appointing department proposing the second appointment to the Dean. This letter should contain a description of the candidate, and an explanation of the significant contribution to the teaching, research or clinical programs that would warrant the second appointment
b. a co-signature on this letter or a separate letter from the Head of the primary department, and indication of approval from the Executive Committees of both departments
c. a recent curriculum vitae of the candidate

These materials will be presented to the Subcommittee of Professors for review and recommendation to the Dean. They will then be submitted to the President of Harvard University.

8. To make a joint appointment at the assistant or associate professor level, each department should follow the normal process for making appointments. Both recommendations will then be scheduled for consideration at the same meeting of the Promotions, Reappointments, and Appointments Committee. If an appointment has already been made in one department, the second department should follow the regular process and should include, in the submitted recommendation, documentation that the first department is in agreement with the request for a second appointment.

9. Joint appointments between departments for annual appointees are not encouraged.

B. Joint Appointments between Faculties of Harvard University

1. Joint appointments at faculty rank (assistant professor and above) should be used to recognize a significant commitment to a second faculty. Occasional contributions to teaching should be noted by an annual appointment, such as lecturer, proposed by the involved department. Infrequent contributions (i.e., one or two lectures) need not be recognized.

2. At the outset a clear decision should be made regarding which department in which faculty bears the primary responsibility for the individual faculty member¹s salary, benefits, space, career advancement, and promotions.

3. At the time of initiation of a search for a joint appointee, whether or not at professorial rank, the distribution of support should be negotiated between the faculties or departments. With each reappointment below professorial level, there should be a reassessment of the individual's interests and the departments' needs to determine the distribution of support. This re-evaluation is intended to avoid the hazard of one department paying for an individual who spends all her/his time in a second faculty.

4. When the search for a professor has been conducted entirely by one faculty, ordinarily the title in a second faculty should be lecturer or member of the faculty. In those instances when the nature of a faculty member's academic work has changed so that the purpose of the work is benefited by a joint appointment at the professorial level, the two deans should carry on the same negotiations as those described in paragraphs 2 and 3.

5. If an appointment below professorial level is under consideration, there should be an agreement at the outset that the appointments will be coterminous and that each department will continue to support in accordance with the original agreement until the expiration of the term (unless by mutual agreement the distribution of support is readjusted).

6. When a junior faculty member is considered for a joint appointment between departments in different faculties, care must be given to problems of establishing criteria of excellence at the time of promotion. Where will scholarly works be published? Which department will judge, or will both? What opportunities will there be for a permanent position in an interdisciplinary area? How will strength be maintained in the primary discipline?

C. Joint Appointments between Medical Schools

1. A faculty member who holds a voting appointment in Harvard Medical School (i.e., an appointment at the level of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor) is not, in general, permitted to hold a voting appointment on the faculty of any other school.

2. Cases may arise where unusual situations warrant an exception to the general policy outlined above. Accordingly, the Dean, upon the recommendation of the Committee on Promotions, Reappointments, and Appointments, or the Subcommittee of the Committee of Professors should have discretion to authorize exceptions to the nondual appointment policy, subject to such conditions as may be appropriate to the circumstances.

Note: The policy concerning joint appointments between medical schools was approved by the Committee of Professors on June 20, 1995.