FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(APPROVED BY ACADEMIC STAFF EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE, JULY 2003 and revised by the Ad Hoc Communications Committee,
May 2006)
Outline (with links to sections)
Personnel
GENERAL
BENEFITS
PERFORMANCE REVIEWS/PROMOTIONS/JOB SECURITY
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ACADEMIC STAFF RIGHTS
Governance
FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNANCE
- INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNANCE
GENERAL POLICY
Personnel
GENERAL
1. Who are academic staff?
Academic staff are professional and administrative employees, excluding
faculty, whose job functions "are primarily associated with higher
education institutions and their administration," as defined by state
statutes [s.36.05(1)].
UWS Unclassified Personnel
Guideline #7
Academic Staff:
Who We Are
Pie Chart
A Vision
Shared
History
2. How many academic staff are there at UW-Madison?
There are about 6400 academic staff.
See most recent Data
Digest, e.g., 2005-06, pg. 37.
3. What is the difference between unclassified and classified staff?
Unclassified personnel are primarily associated with institutions of
higher education and include faculty, academic staff, graduate assistants,
postdoctoral scholars (e.g., postdoctoral fellows and research associates),
student hourlies, and limited appointees (those who serve at the discretion
of the Chancellor, President, Board of Regents, or another authorized
official who made the appointment). Academic staff titles are therefore
a subset of unclassified titles.
Unclassified
Title Guideline (UTG)
Unclassified
benefits
Classified personnel are employed under the State Civil Service Code.
University classified staff positions are similar to positions within
other state agencies. Classified benefits differ from those of unclassified
staff.
Classification
specifications
Classified
benefits
4. How do I access salary information for state employees, including university personnel, or find out the source of funding for a job?
Go to the "Red Book"
then enter the name of the staff member in the Search box. When the window
moves to the next page, scroll down the page to the name you chose to
look up.
For the definition of funding source codes, see where GPR refers to General Purpose Revenue (state funds).
5. How do I determine the pay range for my position and title?
The Unclassified
Title Guideline describes titles, title codes, and title pay ranges.
6. What are Academic Staff Policies and Procedures (ASPP)?
Academic Staff Policies and Procedures (ASPP) are policies and procedures that apply to all academic staff appointments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Academic Staff Assembly through its Executive Committee and its Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC) makes recommendations to the Chancellor concerning policies and procedures, such as appointments for academic staff.
7. Where can I get information about disability accommodations and benefits?
Contact the ADA representative for your school/college/unit. If you are unsure of your ADA contact, you should contact the disability coordinator in the Equity and Diversity Resource Center for guidance. For more information regarding assistance with disability benefits, refer to http://www.wisc.edu/edrc/index.html.
Disability accommodations
Division level
representatives
Long-term disability insurance
Benefits workshops
Family
Medical Leave Act
Workers'
compensation
Disability
insurance
8. What are the parking benefits for academic staff at UW-Madison?
Academic staff have a variety of parking and transportation options at
the UW-Madison campus. Complete details can be found at UW
Transportation Services.
9. How do I take time off for classes, e.g., release time? Can I get reimbursed for classes?
Contact your supervisor to see if it is possible to obtain release time
to take classes during the regular work week. Try to demonstrate how the
additional course work would help you in your daily work. Check with your
unit to see if it is possible to be reimbursed for taking classes as an
academic staff member. See
policy.
10. What are the federal, state and university policies regarding family and medical leaves of absence for academic staff?
The Family and Medical Leave
Act (FMLA) covers all eligible employees, including LTE's, who need
to take time off without pay for a family birth, adoption, placement in
foster care, illness of a family member, or employee illness. There are
three sources of coverage for family and medical leaves without pay, including
federal (FMLA), state (Wisconsin FMLA), and University plans. The law
requires the University to give up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave
without pay, with continued health insurance. The law also requires the
University to provide the employee with a comparable job upon his or her
return. The employee is entitled to the most generous benefits and can
use the leave in conjunction with sick leave and vacation time. Please
consult your personnel representative, as this issue is complicated. Information
on FMLA (Wisconsin)
11. When should I begin to think about retirement-related issues?
The earlier, the better. Your age at retirement is dependent on your financial readiness, and your readiness is dependent on how much you have saved and how you plan to spend your retirement. Early retirement can be taken at age 55, or thereafter, to qualify for the Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. Your benefits improve with age and years of service.
To apply for retirement, please consult Business
Services
12. What is sick leave conversion and how does it work?
Sick
leave conversion is the use of accumulated hours of sick leave to
pay for state health insurance after retirement or layoff, or after death
benefits go to a surviving spouse.
13. How can I bank vacation time for early retirement or for future
use?
The
Annual Leave Reserve Account (ALRA) allows faculty, academic staff
and limited appointees, with annual pay basis appointments who have completed
at least ten years of service, to "bank" up to 40 hours of vacation
each fiscal year. You can use banked hours at anytime with approval of
your supervisor or department chair. If you have 25 years of service,
please see the following question regarding the cash payment option.
Employees who meet the ALRA eligibility criteria will be notified on
their August 1 leave statement of the amount of vacation that can be banked.
14. How do I get emeritus status after I retire? Are the benefits better for retirees with emeritus status?
"Emeritus/emerita status may be conferred only to individuals who have had permanent employment with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and who have activated their annuities from the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). Volunteer staff on a zero-dollar basis who no longer provide volunteer support, and individuals who leave UW service without activating their annuities, are not eligible for this status."
Emeritus status can be granted to academic staff if the department or
unit approves. Then the request is sent to the dean or director and on
to the chancellor. Those with emeritus status have a slight advantage
over retirees without it, including the possible granting of office space.
In addition, emeritus staff are eligible for limited
parking privileges.
PERFORMANCE REVIEWS/PROMOTIONS/JOB SECURITY
15. How can I request a performance review?
Approach your immediate supervisor about having a performance review. All units on the UW-Madison campus are encouraged to develop, implement and maintain review procedures to assist academic staff in assessing their overall performance. A few reasons for requesting regular performance reviews are to provide an opportunity for academic staff members to present an overview of their activities and accomplishments; to provide a regular way to build a record of performance for use in merit recommendations, indefinite appointment review, promotion, and other personnel actions; and to foster communication between supervisors and staff and among staff. See Academic Staff Policies and Procedures, Chapter 10.
16. If I have a question about my position (title, length, pay, promotion, etc), whom do I contact for information?
The first person to contact is your administrator or human resources contact. If s/he can't answer your questions, you can contact your human resources office in your school/division/college. You may also contact the campus Academic Personnel Office.
17. What steps are needed to be considered for a promotion?
Check with your administrator or human resources contact for the procedures in your unit. For more detailed information on job promotions, click here.
18. How are performance reviews related to merit pay?
"Salary considerations are not the principal purpose of performance review, but the assignment of an academic staff member's annual merit increment shall take cognizance of the results of performance reviews." ASPP 10.07.
19. What is a Distinguished Title Prefix and how can I get one for
my job title?
The normal career progression through a job title, e.g., Advisor, is through
the title prefixes of Associate Advisor, (No prefix) Advisor, and Senior
Advisor. Each step of the progression requires greater proficiency, expertise,
and independence in the position.
The Distinguished title prefix (go to pp. 73-78 in the Unclassifed
Title Guideline) is not part of the normal career progression, nor
is it available to all job titles, e.g., Laboratory Manager. The distinguished
title prefix is given to the superstars in the field and requires a minimum
of 10 years experience. Moreover, it is reviewed by the Distinguished
Prefix Review Committee (DPRC), composed of academic staff, and approved
by the dean or director of the unit.
20. Do academic staff have job protection? What are appeal rights for job loss?
As academic staff, you may be eligible for increased job security through a longer-term appointment. The three types of long-term appointments available to you are a multiple-year appointment, a rolling-horizon appointment, and an indefinite appointment. More information regarding job security for academic staff.
If you lose your job, you may file an appeal to have your case reviewed. If you are not satisfied with the decision of your supervisor or dean, you may file an appeal to the Academic Staff Appeals Committee for a hearing or a review. For more detailed information concerning this process, see Chapter 9 of the Academic Staff Polices and Procedures .
21. What is a rolling-horizon or indefinite appointment, and how can I get one?
The two appointments confer greater job security than other appointments for academic staff. Indefinite appointments confer greater job security than rolling horizon appointments. Fixed-term appointments can be terminal, renewable, and rolling-horizon. A rolling horizon is extended daily for a term specified term in the appointment letter, most often 1-, 2-, or 3-year rolling horizons. Thus, a 1-year RH confers a notice period of 1 year from any date a nonrenewal notice is issued. For layoffs, the notice period can be anywhere from 6 to 12 months, depending on whether layoff results from a funding loss or a budget or program decision.
Indefinite appointments are permanent and have an unlimited term of employment.
These appointments are granted to outstanding academic staff and are granted
only if the dean can guarantee long-term funding for the position. Layoff
notice for this type is 24 months in advance of termination, except in
the case of a financial emergency declared by the Board of Regents. In
the latter case, the notice period is reduced to 12 months. See Chapter
2 of ASPP for more information.
22. What is the difference between nonrenewal and layoff?
The major difference between a "nonrenewal" and a "layoff" is the length of the notice period before termination of employment for the academic staff member.
"Nonrenewal" is the termination of an academic staff member's employment at the end of the current appointment period because of funding loss, a budget or program decision, or unsatisfactory performance, when proper notice of nonrenewal is given under Academic Staff Policies and Procedures (ASPP) 3.04.
"Layoff" is defined as the termination of an academic staff member's employment because of a funding loss or a budget or program decision either prior to the end of the appointment or when proper notice of nonrenewal under ASPP 3.04 cannot be given. See ASPP chapter 5.
23. How do I apply for emergency salary support if my grant is running out?
In February 2001, the Academic Staff Assembly approved a pilot
program on emergency salary support for senior investigators. For
an updated status on this program, please contact the Academic Personnel
Office at 263-2511.
24. How does one find a UW-Madison mentor?
The best way to find a UW-Madison mentor is through the Academic Staff Mentoring Program. The program is designed for both new and continuing academic staff with goals established to meet the individual needs of each participating member. The Academic Staff Mentoring Program Advisory Committee processes all applications for mentors/mentees and facilitates the matching process.
25. What professional development opportunities are available and how does one find out about them?
There are a variety of professional
development opportunities available on the campus.
Administrative
Development Program (the Kauffman Seminar)
CIC Leadership Fellows
Program
Teaching
and Learning Symposium
Office of Human Resource Development
Professional Development and Applied
Studies
Competition
for Executive Education Courses
Flamingos
(networking group of UW-Madison women academic staff and faculty)
WISCAPE: Wisconsin Center for
the Advancement of Postsecondary Education
Library
and Information Literacy Instruction Program
DoIT: Division
of Information Technology
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Division of Continuing Studies, Adult and Student Services Center
26. How can I informally resolve a problem in the workplace?
First, discuss the problem with the person directly, with a confidant,
or with your supervisor, to gain a fuller perspective.
Seek the advice of someone with knowledge about the issues. For example, if the problem has to do with your job, then speaking with the human resources person in your unit or school/division/college may clarify issues for you.
If the problem is personal, seek one or more of the following
Employee Assistance Office
Campus Ombuds Office (To be announced)
Medical School Ombuds
(for employees in the Medical School)
27. What other resources are available to academic staff who experience a professional or personal problem, but do not want to file a formal complaint?
If your problem cannot be resolved amicably, you may appeal or grieve it. Refer to Academic Staff Policies and Procedures, chapters 3-7 for job-related problems that you may appeal and how to do so:
28. Who can I ask about filing a complaint?
Academic Personnel Office (263-2511)
Equity and Diversity Resource Center (263-2378)
29. What are the procedures for filing an appeal or grievance?
30. What is academic staff governance?
On the UW-Madison campus, "shared governance" means that many
important decisions are made jointly by administrative bodies and members
of department, college and campus groups. Shared governance is your opportunity
to participate directly in decisions that affect the success and well-being
of thousands of students, faculty, academic staff, and classified staff.
All committee meetings are open to the public (except when in closed session),
although it is advisable to ask the chair about attending a meeting. See
question 37 for more information about getting involved in academic staff
governance.
Wisconsin State Statute 36.09 (4m) codifies the shared governance role
of academic staff in the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Academic
staff governance flow chart
Shared governance
31. What is the Academic Staff Assembly?
The Academic Staff Assembly is an elected body, currently 98 districts, that represents the interests of academic staff in governance and policy development at the UW-Madison. The Assembly debates and votes on policy issues affecting academic staff presented by the Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) (see Question #33 for a description of ASEC), members of the Assembly standing committees, or Assembly representatives. Each academic staff member is assigned to a district that is represented in the Assembly by an elected representative. Each district has 35 to 75 members, generally grouped by similar position titles and, where possible, geographic proximity. More information
32. What are the roles and responsibilities of the Assembly representative?
The role of the Assembly representative is to convey information from academic staff governance bodies to the district constituents and to solicit opinions on issues coming before the Academic Staff Assembly. The district representative should periodically check in with constituents to determine what issues are most pressing so they may be brought before the Assembly and acted upon. More information
33. What is the difference between the Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASIs) and the Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC)?
The academic staff of each school, college, and division on the UW-Madison campus have established a Committee on Academic Staff Issues (CASI) in order to advise the dean or director of their school/college/division on the formulation and review of all policies and procedures concerning academic staff members.
The Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) consists of nine members who are elected by the academic staff at large to act as the day-to-day administrative executive committee for the Academic Staff Assembly and for the academic staff at large. Thus, ASEC is a campus-wide policy unit whereas CASIs are specific to the school/college/division.
Information about CASIs
Information
about ASEC
34. What are the Madison Academic Staff Association (MASA) and the Academic Staff Professional Representation Organization (ASPRO)? How are they related to governance?
MASA is a membership organization
that represents the general interests of the academic staff. MASA's aims
are to further the professional status of the academic staff, to share
ideas on items of mutual interest relating to professional status, conditions
of employment, and compensation, and to establish communications with
other identifiable university groups having similar objectives.
ASPRO is a nonprofit, professional, membership
organization that represents the UW-System academic staff and their interests
with the State Legislature, the Governor's office, the Board of Regents,
and the general public. ASPRO is the official lobbying and public relations
arm of the academic staff. It is not a union nor does it negotiate or
bargain terms of employment.
35. What do all the acronyms of the committees and groups in governance and related areas stand for?
See the Alphabet
Soup Decoder Ring.
36. How do I communicate views to academic staff governance?
Contact:
Your Assembly
representative
Members of your school/college/division's Committee
on Academic Staff Issues (CASI)
Academic
staff committee chairs (see list of committees)
Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) members
Secretary of the Academic Staff
37. How do I get involved with academic staff governance?
There are several ways to become involved in shared governance: attending
meetings, joining committees or groups and volunteering.
ATTENDING
(committee meetings are open to the public, except when in closed session)
o Attend Academic
Staff Executive Committee (ASEC) meetings
o Attend Academic Staff Assembly meetings
o Attend academic
staff standing committee meetings
(see bar along the left of web page)
JOINING
o Participate in your department's governance. If there is no role for
academic staff in departmental governance, explore making it happen.
o Participate in your school/college/division governance (e.g.,
College of Letters & Science Academic Planning Council)
o Run for a seat in your school/college/division's Committee
on Academic Staff Issues (CASI)
o Become an Academic
Staff Assembly district representative
VOLUNTEERING
o Volunteer for campus-wide committee assignments. Contact the chair of
the committee to ask about how you can volunteer. (list
of committees)
38. How can I get release time to participate in academic staff governance activities?
Wisconsin statutes authorize shared governance by faculty and academic staff. The Faculty Senate in 1987 passed a resolution supporting academic staff to participate in governance activities (see link to chancellor's memo below).
Academic staff members should speak with their immediate supervisor(s) to obtain release time to participate in academic staff governance activities. Please note that participation in academic staff governance during regular work hours may necessitate putting in extra hours outside of the normal 40-hour work week.
Chancellor's
annual memo regarding participation in governance
39. Typically, how much time does it take to participate in academic
staff governance?
The time commitment depends on your thelevel of involvement. you wish
to pursue.The Academic Staff Executive Committee (ASEC), for example,
meets weekly for 2.5 hours during the academic year, while the Academic
Staff Assembly meets monthly for 1.5 hours. Times of other committee meetings
vary by committee (consult the committee chair for more details). Depending
on your role on the committee, you'll probably have obligations outside
of the meeting times of the committee to factor in, so that is something
to factor as you choose your level of participation. More
information
40. What are Academic Staff Policies and Procedures? (Cross-referenced in the Personnel section, question # 6 of this FAQ list, as well.)
Academic Staff Policies and Procedures (ASPP) are policies and
procedures that apply to all academic staff appointments at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison. The Academic Staff Assembly through its Executive
Committee and its Personnel Policies and Procedures Committee (PPPC) makes
recommendations to the chancellor concerning policies and procedures,
such as appointments for academic staff. For more information, please
refer to this document.
41. How do academic staff have input into University policy decisions?
Academic staff can serve on joint committees with faculty, Committees
on Academic Staff Issues (question 33), the Academic Staff Executive Committee
(question 33), or as an Assembly Representative (question 32).
Joint faculty/academic staff committees
Committees on Academic Staff Issues (CASIs)
Academic
Staff Assembly representatives
Academic Staff
Executive Committee (ASEC)