Non-ESS Track Academic Staff

Annual and Salary Reviews

Academic staff without ESS/tenure are reviewed twice, through two different and distinct processes: the selective salary review process and the annual review process. Should these two be merged into one, the academic staff member aware of the changes should contact the Union immediately. The annual review process in Article XX is intended to prepare non-ESS/tenure track academic staff members for contract renewal. For a Things Worth Knowing handout about Annual Reviews, click here.

Salary Reviews have changed in the new contract. For more information about Salary Reviews, please read our FAQ.

Article XII, Compensation, provides that there shall be an academic-staff salary committee in any unit (School/College or division) where three (3) or more academic-staff members holding tenure or employment security status (ESS) are assigned. A majority of the committee must be made up of members holding tenure or ESS. The dean/vice president (or his/her designee) shall chair the committee with vote. The committee shall make recommendations for selective salary increases for each member of the academic staff according to the guidelines annually provided by the Administration.

Workload

Workload issues are governed by the provisions of Article XXIV, Professional Duties, of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The contract requires workloads to be “reasonable and fair.” The contract also allows for individuals to appeal changes in workloads when they are considered a “substantial change” in the duties contrary to his/her responsibilities. A review of substantial changes in duties can be initiated by a member within five (5) days of the members being notified of a change. Please contact the Union as soon as possible if you believe your workload has been changed unfairly or unilaterally.

Leaves and Time Off

Leaves of absence are governed by the provisions of Article XIII, Leaves of Absence, of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Occasionally a bargaining unit member may need an unpaid leave of absence for personal or professional reasons. These can be applied for under the provisions of Article XIII. For a quick hand-out about leaves of absence, click here.

Parental leaves of absence are provided for in the CBA. These can be unpaid or partially paid. They can be coordinated with the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act or the American with Disabilities Act. The tenure-clock can be suspended during these leave periods. These issues can be complex and members are encouraged to call the Union office (313) 577-1750.

Promotions

Promotion procedures are specified in Articles XXII. The academic staff process is initiated in the unit of the academic staff promotion committee. The academic staff shall elect a committee of bargaining-unit academic-staff members holding tenure or ESS which shall be responsible for evaluating candidates and for making promotion recommendations.The ASSC has compiled very helpful resources for academic staff applying for promotion. To see more information about the timeline and preparation for promotion, click here. To see information about preparing your packet, click here.

The academic staff member has no right to receive promotion, but s/he has a right to fair consideration for either of these. If the Union believes that a candidate did not get fair consideration, through some violation of normal procedure, for example, it may file a grievance. If the grievance is successful, the arbitrator may not award tenure or promotion, but the matter is forwarded to the following year’s University-Wide Promotion and Tenure Committee for reconsideration in the light of the arbitrator’s decision.

Contract Renewal/Non-Renewal

Written notice of non-renewal for an academic staff member at least three months prior to the expiration of each appointment, or is the appointment is subsidy conditioned there shall be a one-month notice if the subsidy is terminated. If a notice of non-renewal is given to an ESS-track academic staff member in the final year of eligibility, the member may ask for reasons for the action. These reasons must be based on the totality of the employment record, including the annual written reviews for the member.

Retirement and Resignation

Academic staff with 10 or more years of full-time service to the University may retire through the Academic Staff Buy-out Program. Academic staff with 10-19 years who elect this program shall receive a payment of eight thousand five hundred dollars ($8,500) per annum for a three (3)-year period. Academic staff with 20 or more years of full-time service to the University shall receive a payment of twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) per annum for a period of three (3) years.

Benefits

The collective bargaining agreement provides coverage for a wide rage of benefits. Healthcare is managed through the Office of Total Compensation and Wellness. Their website has all of the forms you need to get started or to change your benefits. The agreement also provides for tuition assistance for both faculty and academic staff, as well as a confidential service for matters ranging from financial difficulties to family turmoil. For more information about this Employee Assistance Program, click here.

Department/College/School Review Committees

When a new chair, dean, or administrator of similar function is to be appointed, a committee will be formed to recommend candidates. The administrator chosen shall not have an appointment longer than 5 years. This committee is called a Selection Advisory Committee. For more information about the selection and constitution of the committee, please see Article XVIII: Selection Advisory Committees.

One year prior to the end of this administrator’s term, a review committee shall be formed. At least three fourths of the committee members will have ESS or tenure, except in clinical departments of the medical school. Except in the case of the School of Medicine, or the University Libraries or Archives, half of the bargaining unit members of the committee will be from the department/school/college in question and half of the bargaining unit members will be appointed by the President. An additional student member of the committee will be selected by the Student Council.

In the case of the University Libraries or Archives, the committee will include representation from the bargaining unit members in the affected unit. In the School of Medicine, the membership of the committee will include N members elected by the school, N memberships appointed by the University President, one student member chosen by the School of Medicine Student Council, and at the discretion of the President, up to N-1 members from affiliate medical organizations. If N-1 representatives of affiliate medical organizations are added, the President may increase the number of Presidential appointees to N+1.

The President will appoint the chair of the committee and establish procedures for review. This committee will evaluate the progress of the department/school/college and will forward a report to the President.