2.01. Types of Appointment
2.02. Letters of Appointment
2.03. Annual Salary Notification Letters
2.04. Periods of Evaluation
2.05. Review of Appointment Status
2.06. Continuance of Employment Rights and Privileges
2.07. Indefinite Appointment
2.08. Probationary Appointment
2.09. Academic Staff with Limited Appointments
Academic staff appointments are fixed term, probationary, or indefinite. Rights associated with an appointment are limited to the operational area specified in the letter of appointment.
Fixed-Term Renewable Appointment. The fixed-term renewable appointment is the most common appointment given to academic staff. This appointment is for the initial term specified in the letter of appointment and is renewable so long as the appointee renders satisfactory service, funds are available, and the directions or needs of the program do not change.
Appointments for terms up to and including one year renew for the same term unless the academic staff member receives a written notice to the contrary. A letter of reappointment is not required. If the term of appointment is increased, a letter of reappointment is required.
Appointments for terms of longer than one year, including multiple-year appointments, do not require a letter of reappointment during the original term. To renew the appointment for more than one year requires a reappointment letter. If a reappointment letter or nonrenewal notice is not issued before the end of the original term, then the appointment becomes a one-year fixed-term renewable appointment.
Fixed-Term Rolling-Horizon Appointment. A rolling-horizon appointment extends daily for the term specified in the letter of appointment or other document. The term may be for one or more years. For example, a three-year rolling-horizon appointment automatically renews every day and entitles the employee to a full three years’ notice of nonrenewal.
The term of a rolling-horizon appointment may be increased or decreased at any time. If the term is increased, the new term shall take effect upon written notification. If the term is reduced, written notification is required and shall include the reasons for the change, i.e., funding loss, budget or program decision, unsatisfactory performance, or misconduct. The appointment will cease rolling until the period by which the appointment is being reduced has elapsed. For example, if a three-year rolling-horizon appointment is reduced to a two-year rolling-horizon appointment, the appointment will cease rolling until one year has elapsed, then resume as a two-year rolling-horizon appointment.
A rolling-horizon appointment may be changed to a fixed-term renewable appointment upon written notice to the employee with copies to the dean or director and the Academic Personnel Office. The notice shall include the reasons for the change, i.e., funding loss, budget or program decision, unsatisfactory performance, or misconduct. The initial length of the new fixed-term renewable appointment shall equal the term of the former rolling-horizon appointment. A decrease in the term of a rolling-horizon appointment or a change to a fixed-term renewable appointment may be grieved in accordance with ASPP 7 when the employee believes the action to be arbitrary, capricious, for reasons prohibited by law, or in violation of ASPP
Fixed-Term Terminal Appointment. Fixed-term terminal appointments are made when there is no expectation of continuing employment. The appointment letter will specify the appointment termination date. Fixed-term terminal appointments shall not be used repeatedly to avoid granting the increased job security provided by fixed-term renewable and fixed-term rolling-horizon appointments.
There are three types of fixed-term terminal appointment:
Indefinite Appointment. An indefinite appointment is an academic staff appointment with permanent status and for an unlimited term in a specified operational area. Indefinite appointments confer the greatest job security of any academic staff appointment. An indefinite appointment is granted only upon the recommendation of the department or its functional equivalent, review by an academic staff area review committee, and approval by the appropriate dean or director and the chancellor pursuant to the procedures described in 2.07.
The rights conferred by an indefinite appointment are limited to the operational area in which the appointment is made. However, if an individual’s operational area moves to another unit, the indefinite appointment shall be retained. An individual who is selected for an academic staff position in a different operational area may negotiate a continuance of indefinite appointment status with the new employer. Continuance of an indefinite appointment is granted at the discretion of the new employer and does not require review by an area review committee.
An indefinite appointee can only be dismissed for cause under ASPP 6 or laid off for reasons of budget or program under ASPP 5; nonrenewal does not apply to indefinite appointees. The percentage of appointment provided for in the indefinite appointment cannot be changed without the mutual consent of the academic staff member and the institution unless the appointment is reduced by partial layoff under ASPP 5
Probationary Appointment. A probationary appointment is an appointment with a probationary period of up to seven years leading to a review and decision on granting an indefinite appointment. Probationary academic staff not granted an indefinite appointment by the end of probation may not be reappointed to a fixed-term appointment within the same operational area. However, exceptions may be made by the chancellor or designee after seeking advice from the appropriate academic staff area review committee and the dean or director. Neither probationary nor indefinite appointments are appropriate for positions whose duties approximate a faculty appointment; these may not be used to circumvent or evade normal tenure policies and procedures.
A probationary appointment shall be made in an operational area only when it is anticipated that the position will continue indefinitely. Probationary appointments within an academic department must be approved in advance by the executive committee of the department. In addition, all probationary appointments require the advance approval of the appropriate dean or director. For appointments in an administrative or service unit, approval must be received both from the immediate unit director and from the college-level dean or director, or from the chancellor’s office if the appointee reports directly to the chancellor’s office.
Each employee shall receive a letter of appointment signed by the individual making the appointment. Such a letter is required at the time of the initial appointment and whenever there is a change in the terms or conditions of the appointment. The initial appointment letter shall include at a minimum the following:
Upon initial appointment, each academic staff member shall be provided a printed copy of and/or the Web address for University of Wisconsin–Madison Academic Staff Policies and Procedures and the Rules of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, s. UWS 8-13, 15, 18, 19, and 21, Wisconsin Administrative Code.
Each academic staff member shall be notified annually of their salary for the next fiscal year.
Initial fixed-term appointments in an operational area shall include a period of evaluation of at least six months, but not more than 12 months (see exception in 2.04.C). During the period of evaluation, the appointee may be dismissed with the approval of the dean, director, or designee; there is no right of appeal. The duration of the period of evaluation shall be specified in the appointment letter. If the appointment letter does not specify the period of evaluation, the evaluation shall be for a period of six months.
All academic staff members not holding terminal appointments shall be eligible for consideration for increased job security in the form of multiple-year or rolling-horizon or indefinite appointments at any time during their appointment. No minimum period of appointment at UW–Madison is required.
Consideration of an academic staff member’s appointment status can be initiated with a request by the academic staff member or by their unit at any time. Academic staff members of a unit shall have the right to participate in establishing or changing the procedures and criteria by which academic staff of the unit are considered for additional job security.
Employing units shall annually review academic staff members who have five or more years of academic staff service at UW–Madison to determine whether a new or increased multiple-year appointment or rolling-horizon appointment or indefinite appointment shall be proposed. Individuals who currently hold rolling-horizon appointments shall be reviewed and a determination made about their eligibility for an indefinite appointment.
Academic staff members who are supported by grant funding and who have at least five years of service at UW–Madison shall be reviewed annually to determine whether a multiple-year appointment with a term equal to the duration of the grant shall be proposed.
Following review by employing units, deans and directors shall review the academic staff members for whom longer-term appointments have been proposed to identify individuals to be granted increased job security. Increased job security shall be granted to academic staff members when the following criteria are met: 1) the quality of their performance warrants increased job security, 2) their role is an integral part of their department’s or unit’s continuing mission, and 3) a funding source can be identified that can permit multiple-year, rolling-horizon, or indefinite appointments.
No presumption is made that individuals must have five years of service before being considered for multiple-year or rolling-horizon appointments. Academic staff with five years or more of service at UW–Madison who do not receive a new or increased multiple-year or rolling-horizon appointment or an indefinite appointment as a result of this review shall be given written reasons upon request.
Members of the academic staff who hold the employment rights and privileges provided by a rolling-horizon, multiple-year, or indefinite appointment may negotiate continuance of these rights and privileges when accepting another academic staff position or appointment. Such appointments, however, are granted at the discretion of the new employer. If continuance of an indefinite appointment is negotiated, review by an Area Review Committee is not required.
Composition. There shall be four academic staff area review committees: Humanities/Social Sciences, Biological/Medical Sciences, Physical Sciences/Engineering, and Administrative/Student Services/Library. Each committee shall consist of nine members. Insofar as possible, each committee shall consist of academic staff members having indefinite status and whose employment-related activities represent the diversity of academic staff.
The members of the Administrative/Student Services/Library Area Review Committee shall include at least two from separate administrative areas, two from separate student services areas and two from separate library areas. The other three committees shall have academic staff members appointed to reflect the instructional, doctoral, and other backgrounds appropriate to academic staff within the area of review.
The committee members shall be appointed by the chancellor or designee in consultation with the Academic Staff Executive Committee. Members will serve three-year terms with one-third of the committee appointed annually; members may be reappointed. Terms extend from July through June. Vacancies will be filled by appointment by the Academic Staff Executive Committee. The appointed committee members will serve the unexpired portion of that term.
When a probationary appointment is made, the employee shall receive a letter of appointment stating the terms and conditions of the appointment, including the criteria for recommendation to an indefinite appointment. A copy shall be placed in the personnel file. Changes in the criteria shall be made only by mutual consent of the appointing authority and appointee or in accordance with the letter of appointment.
Procedural Steps for Recommending an Indefinite Appointment for a Probationary Appointee. When a probationary appointment is made, the criteria for indefinite appointment will have been included in the terms and conditions of the appointment. During annual performance reviews, the supervisor shall note and document strengths, weaknesses, and contributions. Performance in areas previously listed as weaknesses are to be specifically commented upon during the reviews.
The person or body in the employing unit authorized to recommend an indefinite appointment shall conduct a review that will be the basis for a decision as to whether or not the appointee will be put forward for an indefinite appointment. The appointee shall be given 20 working days’ notice that this review will take place. Before the review the appointee may examine any supporting documentation and add to it any material they believe is relevant to a proper review of past and potential performance. Upon request, the appointee is entitled to appear personally at the review, with or without an advocate. The purpose of such an appearance is to provide an opportunity for the appointee to explain anything that they believe should be known before the decision regarding the recommendation for an indefinite appointment is made.
A recommendation for an indefinite appointment shall be sent to the dean or director who shall forward it with a letter to the appropriate area review committee for review and recommendation to indefinite status (see 2.07).
A decision not to recommend an indefinite appointment shall be accompanied by an item-by-item evaluation of the appointee’s performance with respect to the criteria for indefinite appointment established in the letter of appointment. The reasons shall be given to the employee in writing if requested. The decision may be appealed using ASPP 4.
A limited appointment is a special appointment to a designated administrative position and is not an academic staff appointment. A limited appointee serves at the pleasure of the authorized official who made the appointment (UWS 15.01). An academic staff member who accepts a limited appointment shall hold a concurrent academic staff appointment. Rehired annuitants are excluded from this provision.
An academic staff member who accepts a limited appointment in another operational area may either resign the current position or negotiate a leave of absence. If the leave of absence is granted, the academic staff member shall retain the current academic staff appointment in the unit granting the leave for the duration of the leave. If the academic staff member resigns the current position, or if the leave of absence is not granted, is terminated, or is not renewed, the academic staff member shall be provided the concurrent academic staff appointment by the unit making the limited appointment. The appointee may negotiate currently held employment rights and privileges such as an indefinite appointment or an extended notice period for the concurrent academic staff appointment with the unit granting the limited appointment.
An academic staff member who accepts a limited appointment in the same operational area may either resign the current position or negotiate a leave of absence. If the leave of absence is granted, the academic staff member shall retain the current academic staff appointment for the duration of the leave. If the academic staff member resigns the current position, or if the leave of absence is not granted, is terminated, or is not renewed, the unit shall provide the academic staff member with the concurrent academic staff appointment, to which currently held employment rights and privileges such as an indefinite appointment or an extended notice period shall be attached.
If the limited appointment is terminated or if the academic staff member resigns from the limited appointment, the concurrent academic staff appointment shall remain in effect. Assignment shall be to a position commensurate with the staff member’s skills and experience and at a salary level not lower than the staff member might reasonably have expected if the previous academic staff position, if any, had continued without interruption.
UW-701 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 1 – Coverage and Definitions
UW-705 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 5 – Layoff for Reasons of Budget or Program
UW-706 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 6 – Discipline and Dismissal
UW-708 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 8 – Complaints Against Academic Staff Members
UW-709 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 9 – Academic Staff Appeals Committee
UW-710 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 10 – Performance Reviews
UW-711 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 11 – The Personnel File
UW-713 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 13 – University Academic Staff Assembly
UW-714 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 14 – Committees of the University
UW-715 Academic Staff Policies and Procedures: Chapter 15 – Academic Freedom
Wis. Admin. Code Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System (UWS)
Wis. Admin. Code UWS § 5.02 Layoff and Termination for Reasons of Financial Emergency
Wis. Admin. Code UWS § 15 Limited Appointments
Wis. Admin. Code UWS § 18 Conduct on University Lands
07-02-2018, 07-23-2021