Cross‑Appointments and Visiting Scholars

The Department of Bioethics welcomes interest from scholars about the possibility of a cross-appointment. This includes community scholars who may have interest in an adjunct appointment. Please click here for a PDF copy of the Department’s policy regarding Cross and Adjunct appointments.  

We also welcome interest from those who may be interested in being a Visiting Scholar with our Department. This includes national and international scholars.

For more information or to discuss further, please contact the current Department Head.

Because PDF documents are difficult for screen-readers to parse, the Department's policy regarding Cross and Adjunct appointments is also found below:

CROSS / ADJUNCT APPOINTED FACULTY POLICY
Department of Bioethics

Intent: The Department of Bioethics welcomes cross/adjunct appointed faculty members who contribute to the Department and its activities, in accordance with the Department’s current Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan.

All cross/adjunct appointments are limited-term appointments (initial appointment is three years; renewal of appointment for five years) that require ongoing, meaningful interaction between the appointee and the Department. Although the nature and extent of participation may vary among appointees, a defined level of engagement for mutual benefit is agreed upon by the appointee and the Department Head. There is no financial obligation to cross/adjunct faculty.

The purpose of this policy is to outline the nature of, and procedures for, cross/adjunct appointment in the Department of Bioethics.

1. Who are potential candidates for appointment?
There is a defined distinction between a cross and an adjunct appointment:

• Cross appointments are intended for individuals who have a primary appointment in another department of Dalhousie University.
  
• Adjunct appointments are intended for individuals who are employed by another university or organization, e.g., hospital, community-based organization, non-government organization, as clinicians or scholars. An adjunct appointee may also be an independent scholar.

2. Who may be considered for appointment?

• Any member of the Department of Bioethics may nominate an individual for a cross/adjunct appointment during a Department meeting.
  
• Another department of the university may request that a cross appointment with the Department be discussed/considered during that department’s hiring process; in this case, Department members are provided with an opportunity to meet with and evaluate the candidate, e.g., through an arranged meeting and/or presentation.
• An individual may express an independent interest in cross/adjunct appointment in the Department; such requests are discussed during a Department meeting to determine whether the interested individual will be considered for appointment.

3. Expectations of cross/adjunct appointees

• The appointment is expected to provide meaningful benefits to both the appointee and the Department through the sharing of ideas/perspectives and/or collaboration in activities/projects that support the Department’s Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan.
• Cross/adjunct appointed faculty members are required to attend a minimum of one-third of regular Department meetings and/or to engage in mutually agreed upon, in-kind Department activities/projects (such as presenting at Works in Progress sessions, attending Journal Club, participating in Department retreats, etc.). It is understood that clinical or teaching schedules may pose difficulties for attendance at regular events, and this forms part of the discussion with cross/adjunct faculty members.
• There is no expectation that cross/adjunct appointees represent the Department of Bioethics on faculty or university committees.

4. Privileges

• Cross/adjunct appointees are listed in the University Calendar and on the Our People page of the Department’s website.
  
• Adjunct appointees will receive a Dalhousie University Banner number as part of their appointment. This allows courtesy access to Dalhousie libraries and a Dalhousie email account, if desired.
• At the discretion of the Department Head, cross/adjunct appointees may be invited to participate in discussions regarding, and processes related to, Departmental decisions involving:
  • Faculty recruitment and/or appointment of cross/adjunct appointed faculty 
  • The Department’s Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan
  • Sources of Department funding and the use/allocation of Department funds
  • Significant new Department initiatives.
    

If a vote is required concerning these decisions, cross/adjunct faculty members are excused from this final process.

5. Appointment Procedures

• Following nomination of a candidate and/or determination of initial departmental support for an expression of interest, the following are required:
  • A letter of interest from the candidate detailing his/her intended engagement with the Department;
    
  • The candidate’s Curriculum Vitae; and
    
  • The participation of the candidate in a meeting with, and/or a presentation to, existing Department members (if the candidate is not known to the Department).
• The candidate’s application is considered by the Department. If consensus cannot be achieved, a majority vote is held to determine whether a cross/adjunct appointment will be approved. In the event of a tie among Department members, the Department Head makes the final decision about whether to proceed with the appointment.
• Cross appointments are at the same rank of the cross appointee’s primary appointment; academic rank does not apply to adjunct appointments.
  
• Both cross and adjunct appointments are renewable. Six months prior to the end of the current appointment term, the appointee is sent a letter from the Department Head indicating that she/he needs to apply for renewal if his/her intention is to maintain the appointment.
• Reappointments are subject to assessment of the appointee’s contributions to the Department during the current term of appointment and her/his intended engagement with the Department during the upcoming term.
• Reappointment recommendations are by Department consensus; if this cannot be achieved, a Departmental majority vote will determine this. As above, in the event of a tie, the Department Head makes the final decision.
  
• The terms of appointment are outlined in a letter to the appointee from the Department Head, which includes a copy of this policy if this has not been provided previously.
  
• Should an issue arise with respect to a cross/adjunct appointment prior to the renewal process, this will be discussed initially by the Department Head with the appointee. If this does not address the issue, Human Resources with the Faculty of Medicine will be consulted for direction on next steps, including the possibility of early termination of said appointment.

Adopted: November 2012; Updated 2017; Revisted and approved February 2021.