The University of Iowa Faculty Senate held its first meeting of the semester Tuesday, and passed a motion to change the title of “lecturer” to “assistant professor of instruction or practice.”

As of 2022, there are 538 lecturers who will be affected by this motion. Lecturers at the university fall under the instructional faculty track.

Under the instructional faculty track policies, each department defines the qualifications for an assistant professor of instruction or practice. 

Faculty President Ed Gillan said it was unique that the first entry-level position defined in the instructional faculty track policies was lecturer.

“This is the most significant change structurally,” Gillan said.

The motivation behind this change stems from outcomes on a review of the track after its first five years, Gillan said. 

The initial choice to keep the title of “lecturer” in the Instructional Track is unique compared to other faculty tracks such as tenure-tracks, clinical-tracks, and research-tracks. This new change, however, will reflect that departments that use the title of “assistant professor” in various tracks.

There is no change in rank, requirements of rank, or how the term “lecture” is defined. The change is solely at the university level. 

The motion passed with no opposition.

The Faculty Senate’s next meeting will be Oct. 24 at 3:30 p.m. in the Senate Chamber of the Old Capitol.