Summer Appointments for Faculty, Academic Staff, and Limited Appointees with C-Basis Appointments

Layout for printing
Policy Number:
UW-5032
Old Policy Number:
11.03
Responsible Office:
Office of Human Resources

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

This policy establishes limits on summer wages for employees with certain appointments.

Definitions:
Academic or C-Basis Appointment
An appointment directly tied to the academic year calendar (273 days or 39 weeks).
Annual or A-Basis Appointment
An appointment tied to the fiscal year calendar (July 1-June 30).
Pay Period
A recurring two-week period of time starting on a Sunday and ending on a Saturday wherein an employee earns wages for work completed during that time; the corresponding pay period calendars are published annually.
Summer Session Basis (“S”)
Employment periods between the end of one academic year and the beginning of the next.
Summer Service Basis (“V”)
Employment periods between the end of one academic year and the beginning of the next for research/other.
Scope:

Faculty, academic staff, and limited appointees who work in academic year, C-basis appointments.

Policy:
  1. C-basis Appointee Summer Employment
    1. All summer employment at UW-Madison of C-basis appointees requires prior approval by the individual's appointing unit. 
    2. Each summer employment term comprises 13 weeks (6.5 biweekly pay periods). Summer Session (“S”) and Summer Service (“V”) basis employment occurs during this 13-week time period.
    3. In compliance with UW System Administrative Policy 230: Salary & Fringe Benefit Calculations, Section D, C-basis appointees receiving between 4.5 – 6.5 biweekly pay periods of academic year salary during a summer appointment must obtain prior approval. This approval has been delegated to the dean, director, or designee (e.g., department chair) of the academic year employing unit by the chancellor.
  2. Limitations
    1. C-basis appointees may earn summer salary equal to 6.5 biweekly pay periods of their previous academic year salary with approval from their dean, director, or designee (e.g. department chair).
    2. The combination of summer salary earned by C-basis appointees, plus any overloads, as defined in UW-5031 Overload, and any additional payments earned during summer may not exceed 6.5 biweekly pay periods of their previous academic year salary during any one summer, without approval by the Office of Human Resources.
    3. C-basis appointees cannot exceed 17.5 biweekly pay periods of summer salary, including overloads, over three consecutive years without approval from the provost or designee
    4. C-basis appointees are ineligible to earn additional overload payments during any summer in which they earn salary equal to 6.5 biweekly pay periods.
      1. Requests for exceptions to this policy require prior approval as found in UW-5031 Overload.
      2. Vilas Summer Salaries
        1. Individuals that receive Vilas Summer Salary may receive more than 6.5 biweekly pay periods to ensure the full salary amount provided by the Vilas Trust can be paid in the dictated time period.
        2. If the dictated time period is less than 6.5 weeks, individuals that receive Vilas Summer Salary may receive an additional payment to ensure the full salary amount provided by the Vilas Trust can be paid.
        3. Any additional payment will be made as a lump sum and is not considered an overload.
    5. C-basis appointees are not eligible for salary increases in summer.
  3. Dual Role Waivers

    For summer appointments, the following dual role situations are covered by the completion of a blanket waiver submitted to the secretary of the faculty and approved by the University Committee:

    1. Researchers teaching during summer term
    2. Instructors paid to conduct research during summer term
    3. Individualized instruction assignments
    4. Short-term teaching assignments
    5. Appointments where the combination of research and teaching is less than 50%
    6. Researchers teaching in non-degree programs
  4. School, College, Division Requirements

    Each school, college, or division must document (e.g., letter of offer, memorandum of agreement, form) summer appointments, which must include:

    1. Appointment dates
    2. FTE/percent
    3. Type of work to be performed
    4. Proposed lump sum amount (if appointment will be paid as a lump sum)
    5. Course numbers (if appointment includes teaching)
    6. Description of duties or funding source/s (if appointment is performing research) 

 

Related UW-Madison Policies:
Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:
External References:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration
Policy Manager:
Associate Vice Chancellor/Chief Human Resources Officer
Contact:
HR Director & Program Officer -- Alisha Arnold, alisha.arnold@wisc.edu, (608) 265-1451
Effective Date:
06-22-2015
Revised Dates:

4-16-2020, 4-27-2021, 04-27-2022, 04-29-2025

Reviewed Dates:

04-29-2025

Retrieved:
05-02-2025 23:17:12