Job Categorization
Employee Classifications: Faculty, Staff, and Temporary
Berea College employs a dedicated workforce classified into three main groups, each critical to fulfilling the College’s mission and supporting the Student Labor Program.
Faculty (Teaching, Scholarship, Mentoring, and Service)
Faculty positions are central to the College’s academic mission and focus on the instruction and intellectual development of our students.
| Focus | Primary Duties | Term & Status |
| Academic & Scholarly | Teaching, Scholarship (research/creative works), Mentoring students (advising and labor supervision), and Service to the College. | Academic appointments may be Tenure-Track, Continuing Non-Tenure Track, or Fixed Term |
| Role at Berea | Faculty are expected to embody the principle that everyone is a learner and everyone is a mentor. They integrate the liberal arts curriculum with the Work-Learning-Service Program. | Academic appointments may be Tenure-Track, Continuing Non-Tenure Track, or Fixed Term |
Faculty positions at Berea College fall into one of three primary career tracks: Tenure-Track, Continuing Non-Tenure Track, or Fixed Term. The specific rank indicates the faculty member’s career stage, required credentials, and path toward permanence at the College.
Tenure-Track/Tenured Faculty (Assistant, Associate Professor & Professor)
These ranks represent the traditional path for full-time, long-term faculty. They are expected to contribute to all four pillars of faculty work: Teaching Excellence, Scholarship/Creative Work and Professional Growth, Mentoring of Students and Service. Full-time Tenure-Track and Tenured faculty are formally reviewed based on rank and years of service.
| Rank | Career Stage | Tenure Status | Typical Qualifications |
| Assistant Professor | Entry-Level Rank for candidates who hold the appropriate terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., M.F.A.) and are in their probationary period. | Tenure-Track. Faculty members hold this rank while working toward satisfying the requirements for tenure and promotion. | Terminal degree and evidence of scholarly promise and teaching effectiveness. |
| Associate Professor | Mid-Career Rank achieved after successfully completing the probationary period and being granted tenure. | Tenured. This grants continuous employment and recognizes superior performances across teaching, scholarship, and service. | Terminal degree, superior professional performance, a minimum of six years at the Assistant rank, and evidence of sustained scholarly or creative ability. |
| Professor (Full) | Senior Rank achieved through subseqeuent promotion, recognizing sustained excellence, leadership, and maturity in scholarship and service. | Tenured. | Minimum of seven years as an Associate Professor with a continuing record of excellence. |
| Rank | Career Stage | Tenure Status | Typical Qualifications |
| Assistant Professor | Entry-Level Rank for candidates who hold the appropriate terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., M.F.A.) and are in their probationary period. | Not eligible for tenure. | Terminal degree and evidence of scholarly promise and teaching effectiveness. |
| Associate Professor | Mid-Career Rank achieved after successfully completing the probationary period and being granted tenure. | Not eligible for tenure. | Terminal degree, superior professional performance, a minimum of six years at the Assistant rank, and evidence of sustained scholarly or creative ability. |
| Professor (Full) | Senior Rank achieved through subseqeuent promotion, recognizing sustained excellence, leadership, and maturity in scholarship and service. | Not eligible for tenure. | Minimum of seven years as an Associate Professor with a continuing record of excellence. |
Staff (Operations, Administration, and Student Support)
Staff positions encompass all non-faculty administrative, technical, and operational roles that ensure the smooth functioning of the campus and provide direct support to students and the mission.
Staff may be full-time regular, part-time regular with benefits, or part-time regular without benefits. Read further about these classification differences here.
| Focus | Primary Duties | Term & Status |
| Administrative & Operational | Providing administrative support, managing departmental operations, facilities and grounds upkeep, managing budgets, and specialized technical or professional service (e.g. HR, IT, Library, Finance, Admissions, Philanthropy) | Typically Full-Time, Permanent (salaried or hourly). These are year-round positions. |
| Role at Berea | Like faculty, staff are heavily involved in the mission by serving as Labor Supervisors (some roles immediately designate labor supervision in the responsibilities). They mentor students and provide essential work roles across the campus, connecting students’ academic learning with practical experience. | Typically Full-Time, Permanent (salaried or hourly). These are year-round positions. |
Temporary & Substitute Employees
These roles are typically non-permanent and serve to provide necessary coverage for short-term needs or specialized expertise. These roles are not eligible for insure and other benefits, including time-off benefits.
| Focus | Primary Duties | Terms & Status |
| Short-Term Coverage | Filling a specific need for a limited duration, such as covering for a permanent employee on leave or providing specialized skills for a short project. | Non-Benefit Eligible (may vary based on hours/duration, but often temporary employees do not qualify for core benefits) |
| Role at Berea | Temporary staff are critical in maintaining campus operations, especially during the summer months when student labor participation is reduced. Many temporary roles are concentrated in Grounds, Facilities, and seasonal campus projects. They fill crucial gaps, ensuring the College’s operations and academic delivery remain uninterupted. | Non-Benefit Eligible (may vary based on hours/duration, but often temporary employees do not qualify for core benefits) |
BereaCorps Employees
BereaCorps is a unique, grant-funded program designed to support the transition of recent Berea College graduates into the professional world or graduate school. While BereaCorps members fill essential staff positions across campus, their primary purpose is professional development and career bridging.
This program offers a valuable bridge-out experience for alumni but it not available to the general public seeking employment. Open positions are posted annually on the Human Resources job portal, typically by March 1st.
| Focus | Primary Duties | Terms & Status |
| Career Development | Full-time work in a dedicated staff position within a College department (e.g. Admissions, HR, Continuous Improvement, Finance, Horticulture). | One-year contract (with the option to renew for a final second year). |
| Professional Support | Participants attend a structured series of workshops and training focused on leadership, networking, financial wellness, and public speaking. | Must be a recent graduate (typically within two years of the application year) of Berea College. |
| Status & Benefits | BereaCorps employees earn an hourly wage and are eligible for full health insurance and other benefits offered to staff. | Must be a recent graduate (typically within two years of the application year) of Berea College. |
Exempt & Non-Exempt Status (FLSA)
Beyond the Faculty, Staff, and Temporary classifications, all positions at Berea College are also designated as either Exempt or Non-Exempt, as defined by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This designation determines how employees are paid and their eligibility for overtime.
| Classification | Exempt | Non-Exempt |
| FLSA Definition | Positions excluded from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. | Positions covered by minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. |
| Typical Roles | Most Faculty and many Administrative Staff (those performing executive, professional, or administrative duties) | Most Hourly Staff (including all positions where the primary duty does not meet the legal test for exemption). |
| Overtime | Not eligible for overtime pay. Exempt employees are paid a fixed salary regardless of the number of hours worked in a given week. | Eligible for overtime pay. Employees must be paid 1.5 times their regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. |
| Time Reporting | Required to submit time sheets (usually monthly) for tracking time off and adherence to College policy. | Required to record all hours worked (usually biweekly) to ensure accurate pay and compliance with overtime laws. |
| Pay Schedule | Paid on a monthly basis. | Paid on a biweekly basis. |
Why This Matters to You
The exempt or non-exempt status of a position is determined by Human Resources based on the salary, salary basis, and the specific duties of the job, not by the job title alone. This classification simply defines the legal framework of compensation; it is not a reflection of the position’s value or importance to the College mission.