APPENDIX A:
THE PERSONNEL QUESTIONS MOST ANSWERED
BY THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
January 1997
GENERAL FACULTY STATUS
When will I receive an ID Card? New hires should take a copy of their completed Personnel Action (PA) form (signed by the unit Head/Chair) to the OSU ID Center, located adjacent to the Memorial Union Ballroom. International faculty without social security numbers must wait for hiring papers to be completed through Academic Affairs as temporary social security numbers cannot be assigned until the final step of the hiring process.
When will I receive a Notice of Appointment? Approximately one month after your appointment papers are processed.
Will I receive a "Contract" from the University? The Notice of Appointment serves as a "contract" in conjunction with your letter of offer and any other written agreements with you and your supervisor, dean or the Provost Executive Vice President. Included with the Notice is a summary of the most important conditions of employment.
If my salary or rank changes in the middle of the academic year, will I receive a new Notice of Appointment? No. For verification of the change(s), you can obtain a copy of your current Personnel Action "turnaround document" from your department chair/head. The "turnaround document" lists all your personal and faculty status data contained in the central data base – current rank, address, salary, etc.
How do I change my address, telephone number, campus address, spouse’s name, or other personal data in university records? Obtain a copy of your Personnel Action "turnaround document" from your department personnel contact. Correct the address and send the form to Budgets and Planning.
How do I change my withholding? Obtain a new W–4 form from the Payroll Office and submit the completed form to them.
What does "annual tenure" mean? It is the State System’s terminology for tenure track. Those with tenure have "indefinite tenure."
May I see my personnel files? Yes, by state law. There are two exceptions: 1) pre–employment letters of evaluation/recommendation; and 2) letters of evaluation solicited during a promotion and/or tenure review in a year in which the faculty member has signed a voluntary "Waiver of Access" to those letters.
KINDS OF APPOINTMENT
What is a courtesy appointment? Courtesy appointments are for faculty who are contributing to the University’s teaching, research, and service missions, but whose primary appointment and salary are not through the University.
Is a courtesy appointment the same as a visiting appointment? No. Visiting faculty are here for a few months to one or two years and receive compensation from state, grant, or contract funds. They are often professors from other universities and are generally given rank equivalent to the rank held at their home institutions.
What is an adjunct appointment? Adjunct faculty are: a) Those individuals who are approved graduate faculty but not employed by OSU, and b) professional rank faculty associated with a department but paid by other units at OSU. This should not be confused with courtesy appointment.
What is the difference between an Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor (Senior Research)? Senior Research faculty have fixed–term appointments and are paid primarily from grants and contracts. They are not tenure track, but perform essential roles in research, training of graduate students, and service in the Faculty Senate and on University committees.
PROMOTION AND TENURE
I’m a new Assistant Professor. When will I be eligible for promotion? You are eligible any time your record of accomplishment (your dossier) merits a positive decision in the view of your department chair/head, promotion and tenure committee, or dean. Typically, faculty hold the rank of Assistant Professor for six years.
How many years do I have before I must be tenured or given one year’s "timely notice" that my position will end? No more than six years on tenure track, including any credit for years of "prior service." A faculty member on tenure track may be given "timely notice" before the sixth year when, in the view of the department and dean (and with the approval of the Provost and Executive Vice President), the candidate has little or no chance of receiving indefinite tenure at Oregon State University.
What is a dossier and what does is contain? The dossier is the document prepared for promotion and tenure review. You should start your dossier soon after beginning employment as a faculty member. Instructions are available from your department head/chair or Academic Affairs. It contains your position description, current vita, summaries of courses taught, teaching evaluations, publications, awards, grants, and similar summaries of your work and accomplishments.
May I nominate myself for promotion even if I lack the support of my department and/or dean? Except for the sixth year of probationary service (in which tenure decisions must be made), the department has no obligation to forward a dossier lacking departmental and/or dean’s support to the Provost and Executive Vice President. If the faculty member feels he or she has been prejudicially treated in not being supported, the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs should be contacted.
I have professional rank but my position description doesn’t mention any need for research or scholarly accomplishments. Does that mean I am exempt from having to do any scholarship? No. The OSU Academic Appointments Guidelines tie scholarly accomplishments to professorial rank, along with the faculty member’s other responsibilities in instruction, including extension and librarianship, and service. Your position description should be revised to be consistent with OSU expectations.
RETIREMENT
How can I determine what my retirement benefits would be at a particular age? Members of the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) who are within 10 years of retirement may contact the OSU Staff Benefits Office or PERS to obtain a Retirement Estimate Request Form. Members of the OSSHE Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) must contact their investment company or information.
What do I do if I wish to retire? Contact your department chair/head and discuss your options.
EMERITUS STATUS
How are faculty granted emeritus status? Upon the recommendation of the department chair/head or dean, and with the approval of the Provost and Executive Vice President, emeritus status may be granted to faculty who have been tenured for at least six years prior to retirement, have demonstrated professional competence, and provided effective service.
What are the benefits? All emeritus faculty receive a lifetime faculty ID card. This, in turn, makes them eligible for library use and listening with all current faculty in each year’s General Catalog. As with all other retired faculty staff, they may purchase athletic tickets and take University classes at facutly/staff rates.
"ACADEMIC PAY" VS. "ACADEMIC SALARY"
What is the difference? "Academic Salary" is paid to regular, fixed–term, tenure track, or tenured faculty members who have been hired to meet ongoing university missions of teaching, research, extension, and service.
The difference hinges on the nature of the appointment and salary calculation. Faculty may be hired on a short term temporary basis at an hourly, weekly, or monthly rate, in order to fill pressing university needs. These faculty are paid on an "Academic Pay" basis; they do not have an annual salary rate and are not employed on a recurring or long term basis. For more information, contact Academic Affairs.
"Summer Academic Pay" refers to the income received by faculty on 9–month appointments between June 16 and September 15, primarily from grants and contracts. "Summer Term Appointment" refers to the appointment and income received by faculty who teach during Summer Term and are paid from instructional budgets.
SUMMER ACADEMIC PAY FOR FACULTY ON 9–MONTH APPOINTMENTS
How much may I be paid during the summer for full time work on a grant or contract? The amount varies according to the funding available. The summer salary may not exceed 2.5 months of the faculty member’s nine–month salary rate. Exceptions to the maximum are possible only with the approval of the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs.
What is the rate of pay for teaching during summer term? The rate varies by unit. Contact your department chair/head for details.
SABBATICALS
Are sabbaticals automatic every few years? No. Sabbaticals are intended to assist the University in improvement of its instruction, research, and service missions. Sabbaticals are not automatic. In every case, the proposed sabbatical must be discussed with and approved by the department chair/head, dean, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, and the Provost and Executive Vice President. Application forms may be obtained from Academic Affairs.
Are fixed term faculty eligible to take sabbaticals? Not at Oregon State University. However, Oregon State University’s Academic Appointment Guidelines provide for administrative leave in some cases. Contact your department chair/head for further information.
Are faculty on part time appointments eligible? Yes, if they are at 0.50 FTE or above, and meet the other requirements. The sabbatical compensation rate is adjusted to their FTE level.
How do I apply? Discuss your proposed sabbatical with your department chair/head, and if your proposal is mutually agreeable, complete an application form and follow the submission procedures.
When will I receive an "IRS sabbatical letter" to attach to my tax return? It will be mailed to your departmental address in mid– to late–January.
CONSULTING, OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT
Is consulting permitted? It is a university policy to encourage faculty to undertake outside activities that will enhance their effectiveness and broaden their experience in relation to their functions at the University, or that will be of service to the community, provided:
How do I acquire official approval for consulting? Complete a "Request for Approval for Outside Employment" form, available from Academic Affairs, and obtain approval from your department chair/head, and dean.
OVERLOAD COMPENSATION
What is "Overload Compensation"? It is any compensation (other than administrative stipend) included in the faculty member’s annual salary rate that is paid to a faculty member in excess of his or her full time (1.00 FTE) salary rate for institutionally sponsored activities outside of their normal duties. This should not be confused with overtime.
May I pay myself overload compensation for my work on grants or contracts? No.
Who is NOT eligible to receive overload compensation? President, provosts, associate provosts, deans, and other senior administrators.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
If I feel I am being harassed or discriminated against on the basis of my gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or national origin, what should I do? Immediately contact your department chair/head and the Affirmative Action Office. If your department chair/head is, in your view, a cause of the problem, contact your dean and the Affirmative Action Office.
I feel that I am being treated unfairly and would like help resolving the problem. What should I do? Talk to your department chair/head and/or dean. If that does not resolve the issue, check with the Faculty Senate President. He or she may direct you to the chair of the Faculty Grievance Committee.
HOLIDAYS
What are the official University holidays for faculty? New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
What about the Governor’s holiday? Sometimes the Governor specifies additional official holidays.
What about the day after Thanksgiving?The University is closed the day after Thanksgiving.
VACATIONS
Do 9–month State System faculty receive paid vacations? No.
Do 12–month faculty receive paid vacations? Yes. After eleven consecutive months of service at 0.50 FTE or more, these faculty establish a "vacation anniversary date." Full time (1.00 FTE) faculty are credited with 22 days (176 hours) of vacation leave per year. Faculty with 0.50 FTE to 0.99 FTE receive proportional vacation leave credit. These days must be used before the next "vacation anniversary date" and may not be carried into the next 12–month period. Exceptions to this may be made. Refer to the Faculty Handbook.
Do Graduate Assistants receive paid vacations? No, but they are usually granted some limited leave during term breaks.
How do I schedule my vacation? It should be scheduled with your department chair/head or supervisor.
When I retire or leave the University, may I be compensated for unused vacation? Yes, in some cases. Refer to the Facult Handbook.
SICK LEAVE
How much sick leave credit do I earn per month? A full time (1.00 FTE) employee receives eight hours of sick leave per month. Faculty with 0.50 FTE to 0.99 FTE receive proportional sick leave credit.
Do I earn sick leave credit if my working (monthly) FTE is below 0.50? No.
May I borrow against future earned sick leave if I don’t have enough sick leave credit to cover a surgery, illness, or disability? Yes. Tenure track faculty and those with indefinite tenure may receive a sick leave advance. When the advanced amount is added to their current sick leave, the credit may not exceed 520 hours. Fixed–term faculty may not receive an advance in excess of the amount they may "pay back" in earned sick leave credit by the end of their current fixed term appointments. Employees requiring time off for hospitalization, extended illnesses of four days or more, or intermittent leave for chronic health conditions should contact the Staff Benefits Manager to apply for medical leave under the Federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and/or Oregon Family Leave Law.
Is there a University "sick leave fund" for departmental use in hiring replacements when faculty are on sick leave? No.
PATERNITY/FAMILY LEAVE
What is the policy on parental and Family leave? Eligible employees may take time off related to pregnancy, adoption, care for a newborn child, or to attend to a seriously ill family member under both the Federal Family & Medical Leave Act and Oregon Family Medical Leave Law. For specific assistance, contact the Staff Benefits Manager.
CLASSES AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
I want to take a class for credit. What will it cost and how do I proceed? Faculty may take classes at reduced rates, but release time must be discussed with and approved by the department chair/head or supervisor. Current staff rates are $30 per credit hour. You must be admitted and register as all other students. Contact Staff Benefits to obtain a "Staff Fee Request" approval form.
What if I want to audit a class? Fill out the same "Staff Fee Request" approval form. Release time should be discussed with your department head/chair or supervisor. Approval must be obtained from the instructor.
How do I use Dixon Recreation Center or the University swimming pools? Dixon facilities are for faculty, staff, students, and spouses. Contact Dixon Recreation Center for more information (7–3736).
PAY, PAYCHECKS
When will I receive my first paycheck? If your appointment and payroll paperwork is received in Academic Affairs by the second week of the month, you should receive a paycheck on time on the last day of the month. If your paycheck is delayed and you have a financial emergency, contact your department chair/head or supervisor.
JURY DUTY, MILITARY LEAVE
Do I receive leave with pay for jury duty? Yes.
I’m in the Reserves. Must I count my annual summer camp against my vacation time? No.
GRADUATE ASSISTANTS
How are Graduate Assistants categorized? Graduate Assistants are unclassified employees but are not faculty. Higher Education employees are in two categories: classified and unclassified ("academic"). Unclassified employees include faculty with or without rank and Graduate Assistants. Graduate Assistants do not have paid benefits packages and are not eligible for Faculty Senate membership.
What is the minimum FTE required to be eligible for tuition remission? 0.15 FTE/term.
What is the maximum FTE allowed for a graduate assistantship? 0.50 FTE/term.
May graduate student receive time card wages in addition to a graduate assistantship? Yes, providing the two combined do not exceed 0.50 FTE when the time card wages are converted to an FTE basis.
May graduate students pay student fees during the summer? Yes. If the student is using OSU facilities, professors’ time, or OSU space as part of an academic program, he or she must register for a minimum of three credits. If the graduate student is receiving a graduate assistantship, he or she must register for nine credits or more. The exception is for students who were on at least 0.15 FTE graduate assistantship during spring term, and are budgeted for at least a 0.15 FTE assistantship for the following fall term. Historically, these students have received a "Summer Study Privilege" with a tuition waiver.
May a graduate student hold an assistantship in more than one department? Yes, all the appointment paperwork goes through the primary department. The total may not exceed 0.50 FTE.
May a graduate student have a graduate research assistantship and a graduate teaching assistantship at the same time? Yes, but the total may not exceed 0.50 FTE.
Do graduate assistants receive paid health insurance, sick leave, or paid vacation? No. However, they may purchase health insurance as all other regularly admitted OSU student.
