Academic Professional - Class Series, Appointment Types and Promotions

An academic position is defined by a set of responsibilities or job duties that together describe its primary purpose. Each position belongs to a classification, which groups roles with similar duties. Every classification has an official title and job code. 

In addition, a position may use a working title for clarity (e.g., Speech Writer) but the classification (e.g., 9354 Coordinator) remains the University title of record. Each classification also includes a generic description which encompasses a collection of sufficiently similar mix or ranges of responsibilities or job duties that describes the classification.

Class Series:

97xx and 9621 – 9630 (University of Minnesota Extension Service)

Appointment Types:

K – Annual Renewable Contract 
J – Multiple Year Contract 
H – Probationary, Academic Professional Staff* 
G – Continuous, Academic Professional Staff* 
Z – Non-Credit Teaching/Other Professional Work

Other appointment types that can be used with academic professional job codes/titles:

Q – Annual Renewable, Additional Appointment (teaching) 
R – Retired 
X – Outside Term of Appointment Dates 
0 – Other (e.g., courtesy title to document a degree of credit instructional responsibility)

*Limited to the Libraries

Appointment Types

Annual Renewable Contract (K)

• Granted on a yearly basis and are date specific.
• They are for one year or a portion thereof.
• Renewed each year unless notice is given. If no communication is received to the contrary, the appointment is automatically renewed for the same contract period.

Non-Credit Teaching/Other Professional Work (Z)

For non-credit instruction or non-instructional professional work. If an individual is appointed to a position in which they would teach both credit and non-credit courses, the appointment type selected should be the appropriate type for teaching credit coursework.

Multiple Year Contract (J)

• Are date specific and longer than one (1) year, up to a maximum of five (5) years.
• Renewable at the end of each contract period at the discretion of the responsible administrator. If the appointment is renewed, the contract need not be renewed for the same number of years. The next contract may be changed to annual renewable or remain multiple year.
• Often used for recruitment/retention purposes or for positions with high degree of stability. It is recommended that units develop internal guidelines that assist in determining when such appointments are appropriate and for what length of time.
• May include a probationary period (up to ¼ of initial term) with early termination possible. After probation, nonrenewal follows University policy with required notice.
• Employees holding multiple year appointments must be provided with written notification near the end of their multiple year contract that defines the span of time covered in the next contract.
• In the absence of any communication, the employee's contract is automatically renewed for the same number of years.
• Probationary Period: An initial multiple year appointment given to a new hire may provide a probationary period of up to one-fourth (¼) of the initial appointment period. For example, if an employee is given an initial multiple year (J) appointment of two years, the probationary period could be up to six (6) months. At any time during this period the employee may be terminated without the right to grieve the termination. If such an evaluation period is used, the letter of appointment must state these terms. When a probationary period is used for a multiple year appointment, a review prior to the end of the defined period is required. This review can occur at any time throughout the probationary period with an option to terminate the employee. There is not a required length of termination notice for a person serving in a probationary period, but reasonableness should guide. If the employee is not terminated as a result of the probationary period review, the employee then is governed under Administrative Policy: Nonrenewal of Appointment for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees and is entitled to a required notice period if the position is subsequently nonrenewed, provided eligibility requirements are met. If no review is held and no communication given, the employee is then under Administrative Policy: Nonrenewal of Appointment for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees at the end of the probationary period.

Probationary Appointment (H) - Libraries only

Probationary (H) appointments may be used for staff in selected academic professional classifications and are those that lead to a review and decision concerning the granting of a continuous appointment. Continuous appointment cannot be achieved without appropriate review, approval, and action by the Board. Such action becomes effective in the year following the decision year. The proportion of time and duration of a probationary (H) contract provided for in the initial appointment may not be changed without the mutual consent of the employee and the responsible administrator.

• Refer to Appendix: Administrative Guidelines, Criteria and Procedures for Review of Probationary (H) Academic Professionals Considered for Continuous (G) Appointment - Libraries .
• Refer to Libraries for additional dossier guidelines and general information.

G – Continuous Appointment - Libraries only

Continuous (G) appointments are granted for an indefinite term to academic professional staff that are on probationary (H) appointments by the executive vice president and provost with approval by the Board. The definition of continuous appointment parallels that of indefinite tenure for faculty found in Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Tenure. Continuous appointments require a minimum employment of two-thirds (⅔) time for an appointment term of nine (9) months or longer. Academic professional employees on annual renewable contract (K), multiple year contract (J), or non-credit teaching/other professional work (Z) appointments are not eligible to be considered for a continuous academic professional (G) appointment.

Continuous appointments may be made at the time of hire with appropriate review and approvals. In order for a new position to carry with it a continuous appointment, a national search is required. The position announcement must indicate that the initial appointment will be a continuous one. The applicant is to be provided information on the review and approval process under which the candidate will be granted a continuous appointment.

Professorial Rank

There are two categories of academic professionals where classification titles may incorporate professorial rank. These categories include instructional positions, such as, 9754 Teaching Specialist and 9623 Assistant Extension Professor. Regulations governing academic tenure do not apply in these cases.

Promotion

• Promotion is possible in selected classifications (e.g., Lecturer, Librarian, Teaching Specialist).
• Units must set criteria and establish review procedures (e.g., dossier preparation, department review, dean approval, HRMS update, file documentation).
• Promotions include pay increases (per Academic Salary Pay Plan).

Final decisions on promotions for academic professionals rest with the appropriate dean or administrative unit head. Promotions approved during the annual review process become effective with the term of appointment at the start of the following year.

1. Promotional Classification Groupings: The academic professional classification groups in which promotion is possible include those noted below. There are defined job codes and titles within each of these groups. Refer to Appendix: Academic Professional Appointment - Promotional Series, for more detailed information concerning the promotional series under each individual class grouping noted here.
   • Extension Professor
   • Fellow
   • Lecturer
   • Librarian
   • Teaching Specialist
2. Criteria/Standards and Review: Each administrative or collegiate unit is to establish criteria and standards for promotion for academic professionals in classification groups in which promotion is possible. Criteria may vary between units for the same promotional class series dependent on specific position functions within each area. Each unit is also to establish review procedures to be followed. In general, procedures should include the following steps: (1) candidate prepares dossier; (2) department/unit head reviews dossier and makes recommendation; (3) dean/administrative unit reviews and makes final recommendation; (4) the employee's University appointment record in the Human Resources Management System (HRMS) is changed to reflect the promotion; and (5) documentation is forwarded to the employee's official personnel file within the Office of Human Resources.
3. Employees with a complaint regarding promotion denial are directed to the Conflict Resolution Office and Board of Regents Policy: Conflict Resolution Process for Employees and accompanying Administrative Policy: Conflict Resolution for Faculty, P&A, Civil Service, and Student Employees. In situations of claims of discrimination, employees are directed to the Equal Opportunity and Title IX Office for assistance.