Introduction Northwestern University is an equal opportunity educator and employer. It is engaged in a program of affirmative action that seeks to ensure appropriate representation of minorities and women among both academic and nonacademic employees. Medical school faculty appointments are made only in its departments and educational programs upon recommendation to the dean by the department chair or program director. The medical school's Appointments and Promotions Committee reviews all proposed appointments to the full-time faculty at the rank of assistant or associate professor and contributed service faculty appointments to all professorial ranks and makes recommendations to the dean. Proposed appointments with tenure or to the full-time faculty at the rank of professor are reviewed by either the appropriate interdisciplinary search committee or an ad hoc committee and recommended to the dean. The dean of the school, University provost, and University Board of Trustees must approve all faculty appointments. Faculty members holding full-time appointments at Northwestern may not hold faculty appointments of any type at other educational institutions or organizations, except for adjunct or visiting appointments, without written approval from the dean. Part-time and contributed service faculty members may hold multiple appointments but must disclose any other educational appointments at the time of their initial appointment or request approval from the dean prior to accepting such appointments. Appointments on the tenure tracks are intended to provide the appropriate career development pathway for faculty members whose education, professional experience, and career objectives focus on scholarly activity. Faculty members holding tenure track appointments are expected to devote most of their time to original, independent research and make appropriate contributions to the school’s education programs. Appointments on the nontenure tracks are intended to provide the opportunity for academic career advancement for faculty members whose background and career objectives focus on clinical medicine, service, and medical education. Faculty members holding nontenure track appointments are expected to devote the majority of their time to clinical or other service activities and education supplemented by scholarship based on clinical experience.
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