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Procedure for appointments to unestablished posts at the level of Professor or Reader: Notice

The General Board have given further consideration to the procedure to be followed in cases where unestablished appointments are proposed at the level of Professor or Reader (see Reporter, 1994-95, p. 381, and 1995-96, p. 512).

In considering proposals for the creation of unestablished posts at these senior levels, the Board have hitherto applied standards comparable to those for appointments to established Professorships and for personal appointments to Readerships; in respect of proposals for promotion, they have applied standards comparable to those for personal promotions to Professorships and Readerships. In addition to applying these standards, the Board have now agreed to adopt the following procedures, which are based on the current procedures for filling established Professorships and for personal promotions:

(a) Proposals for the creation of unestablished posts at the level of Professor or Reader

The General Board will consider proposals put forward by Faculty Boards; these should include a statement setting out the desirability of the appointment on general academic grounds, the availability of the necessary supporting facilities, and the agreement of the sponsor to provide the full cost of the appointment for a period of not less than five years, including the cost of overheads where appropriate.

When the General Board have given approval for the creation of a post, it will normally be advertised, in accordance with the Board's regular policy; references will be sought on all applications received. The General Board will appoint a Committee constituted along the lines of a Board of Electors (see Statute D, XV, 4), with appropriate external representation, to make the appointment.

(b) Proposals for personal promotion to an unestablished post at the level of Professor or Reader

Proposals will be considered by the appropriate Faculty Promotions Committee, when funding has first been identified for a period of not less than five years. The Promotions Committee will decide whether or not to forward a proposal to the General Board for their consideration. Faculty Boards should agree to delegate to their Promotions Committees authority to consider such proposals. The Faculty Promotions Committee should use the procedure approved for the consideration of applications for personal promotions. Each proposal for an unestablished appointment should be considered by the Committee at two meetings specially arranged for that purpose.

The General Board's Advisory Committee on the appointment of unestablished staff at senior levels will consider proposals forwarded to the General Board and will make recommendations to the Board.

(c) Proposals for the creation of unestablished posts at the level of Professor or Reader for persons in receipt of external competitive awards

The General Board will consider proposals put forward by Faculty Boards for the creation of unestablished posts at the level of Professor or Reader for persons who have been successful in an external competition, such as takes place for Leverhulme Research Professorships, MRC Research Professorships, or Royal Society Professorships. Such proposals will be considered first by the Board's Advisory Committee on the appointment of unestablished staff at senior levels, who will make recommendations to the Board. The Committee will expect to receive appropriate documentation in support of such proposals, including evidence of agreement by the sponsor to provide the full cost of the appointment for a period of not less than five years, including the cost of overheads where appropriate.

The Board recognize that the circumstances of individual cases may vary, and they retain the right to amend the above procedures, on the recommendation of their Advisory Committee on the appointment of unestablished staff at senior levels, if this is justified in exceptional cases.


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Cambridge University Reporter, 12 May 1999
Copyright © 1999 The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge.