Tenure Track or Equivalent Means?

[a_sort_of_fractious_angel]

Hey, all,

I'm searching placement rates for the programs to which I've been accepted. One breaks down placement (by year) into 3 columns of groups (with the university or employer listed, not job title) ...

The three groups are (1) tenure track or equivalent, (2) full-time, non-TT (including post-docs and lecturers), and (3) alt-ac.

Two columns of percentages follow those groups: (1) Full time academic (TT, lecturer, postdoc) and (2) full time academic or alt-ac

What is the equivalent to a TT position? A VAP? Where do adjuncts fit in this scheme? Why 3 columns of "groups" but 2 columns of percentages?

I'm planning to ask the DGS about it but if anyone here if familiar with how/why this is broken down as such, I'd appreciate any input. 

Thanks!

[Bayesian1701]

I have no idea what is equivalent to TT but a VAP  / adjunct should not be considered tenure track.  I doubt they would do that unless they were trying to hide something.   If you looked on departmental websites where people have been placed you should be able to see their title and PhD institution.  Would you mind sharing the link? 

[TakeruK]

In my field, a TT equivalent is some other permanent job / career path. So, for example, a staff scientist position at a national lab. Another example is that in some countries/places, they don't have the concept of tenure (many US schools also do not have tenure). So permanent faculty positions at such places also count. Of course, when we say permanent, nothing is actually permanent (not even tenure!) so it's really "indeterminate length position".

Or, to simplify, I would interpret the columns as (1) permanent positions in academia, (2) term positions in academia, and (3) positions outside of academia. I'm not sure about this 3 groups and 2 percentages thing either, maybe I am just misunderstanding the formatting?

But asking them to clarify would make the most sense.