All Policies

Advisors are a critical element in student success and retention.  Historically, academic advising has been performed by a wide variety of personnel, including faculty, who often have many other job duties in addition to advising students.  In 2017 the University of Arizona committed to make professional academic advising more consistent across all academic units.  The Vice Provost for Academic Affairs has established new guidelines for academic advising positions, a well-defined career path for academic advisors, and accompanying salary ranges.  These standardized job descriptions and expectations are included below.  Prior to assigning or hiring an employee into a position of Academic Advisor, please consult the new career ladder and work directly with the Sr. Director of Advising and Student Services in the CALS Office of Career and Academic Services.  Effective March 24, 2017 all academic advisor hires must follow the new career ladder and compensation structure. 

All searches for academic advisors should involve the CALS Career and Academic Services (CAS) office.  All promotions or title changes must be endorsed by CAS. Contact CAS Sr. Director of Advising and Student Services Nancy Rodriguez-Lorta or CAS Associate Dean Michael Staten at 520-621-3616. 

The Graduate College oversees the Graduate Faculty policy and policies guiding graduate education; in many cases it is appropriate for the Graduate Student, Graduate Faculty, or Graduate Staff (Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), Graduate Coordinate (GC)) to directly reach out to the Graduate College. However, in some cases, it is more appropriate to first reach out to the Program Chairs (Department Head/School Director) or the College (Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, and Dean) before contacting the Graduate College. Below we provide some guidance on the recommended procedures for different issues that may occur.

1. A graduate students has questions about degree journey, academic success, graduate mentoring, or graduate committee

The graduate student should first reach out to their faculty advisor, then the GC or the DGS within their Department/School. The graduate student can also reach out to graduate student services in the Graduate College to learn more about their degree milestones, including submitting a plan of study and committee composition through GradPath.

2. A graduate student may be in violation of academic integrity or code of academic conduct.

The faculty advisor, DGS, or GC should reach out to the Dean of Students.

3. A graduate student has issues related to research integrity.

The faculty advisor, GC, or DGS should reach out to the Associate Dean of Research in CALES and the Research Integrity Program through Research, Innovation, and Impact (RII).

4. A graduate students has issues with their faculty advisor/DGS/Program Chair.

1. The graduate student should have a discussion with their faculty advisor to explain the situation. If that is not an open channel of communication, or the conversation does not resolve the issue, then see "b" below.
2. The graduate student should reach out to the DGS to explain the situation.
3. Depending on the nature of the situation, the DGS should then reach out to the Program Chair. If the issue cannot be resolved at the Department/School level, then the DGS should reach out to the Assistant Dean of Graduate Education in CALES.  If requested by the faculty member, the DGS can also reach out to the Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. Finally, if needed, the DGS can also reach out to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Career Development.
   
   1. If the issue is between the graduate student and their faculty advisor who is also the Program Chair, then the DGS should reach out to the Assistant Dean for Graduate Education in CALES. The DGS needs to communicate with the faculty advisor that the graduate student has filed a grievance.
   2. If the issue is between the graduate student and their faculty advisor who is also the DGS, then the Program Chair should be consulted first. If there is no resolution, then the Program Chair should reach out to the Assistant Dean for Graduate Education in CALES. The DGS needs to communicate with the faculty advisor that the graduate student has filed a grievance.
4. At any point, the Deans of CALES may reach out to the Graduate College for guidance. The DGS and Program Chair may also reach out directly to the Graduate College at any time, but this must be communicated with the Deans in CALES to ensure collaborative and informed decisions are made. 

Here is the formal grievance policy of the Graduate College: https://grad.arizona.edu/policies/academic-policies/grievance-policy, which provides a decision tree. However, we note that each case is unique and may require more than one unit to help support a student.

Procedure for faculty to transfer their tenure/continuing home from one academic unit to another CALS unit. This is expected to be a very rare event.

1. Faculty officially request the transfer in a single memorandum to departing and receiving unit heads and the dean with a rationale why a transfer is good for the units, college and UA; or a faculty member agrees to a transfer request from the dean in writing based on administrative rationale as to why this is good for the units, college and UA.
    
2. The departing and receiving unit heads must write separate memoranda to the dean in support of, or in opposition to, the transfer. The memoranda should document:
   1. The disposition of all applicable resource issues, such as office and lab space, research or other equipment, accounts that might be delegated to faculty member, computers, etc., and agree to the treatment of the budget line. 
   2. In the case of a faculty line moving between two CALS units, the precedent and practice is that the college budget will move with the faculty member from unit to unit. 
   3. Memoranda should also describe why and how academic and curricular integrity of both units will be maintained, how departing unit will not be harmed, and how the receiving unit will be positively impacted by the transfer.
       
3. The faculty of the receiving unit must use their normal faculty governance process to decide whether or not to formally endorse the transfer and then the faculty must send a memorandum to the receiving unit’s administrative head with their decision. This memorandum need contain no justification but must contain the number of for and against votes.
    
4. All materials must be collated into a single PDF packet by the receiving unit head and sent to the dean for review, changes and final endorsement. In cases of dissenting opinions, the dean will make the final decision consistent with the UA Guidelines for Shared Governance Memorandum of Understanding and 2016 Arizona Revised Statutes: Title 15 – Education § 15-1601 State universities; location; faculty powers.
    
5. If/once endorsed by the dean, this packet is sent to the provost for review and endorsement. The administrative unit heads and the faculty member will be notified at the time the packet is sent.
    
6. If endorsed by the provost and returned to the dean, the packet is used by the receiving unit’s business officer to update MSS with the change in tenure/continuing home department, and websites, etc. are updated. The administrative unit heads and the faculty member will be notified at this time that the endorsed transfer is returned to the dean. 

Specific positions within ALVSCE may require an employee to live on and/or in UA property .  By the nature of these positions, they are rare and must be approved by Division administration prior to an offer letter with residential occupancy being made.  An approval for one position does not mean that all similar positions will be approved - each scenario and position is unique.  Seek the guidance of Business Services each time your unit wishes to explore this option.  

A set of agreements and a review process has been developed and institutionally vetted to ensure compliance with the applicable laws, taxes, rules, and best practices.  Failure to comply could cause the termination of the position, tax consequences for the employee, and eviction of the employee from UA property.

Classified Staff Human Resources Policy Manual

The Executive Council (EC) is responsible for overseeing all compensation programs. Regardless the adjustment process, it uses the following definitions.

• Merit: consistent performance at the highest level relative to unit colleagues. Unit heads must be able to identify what constitutes meritorious performance clearly, specifically, and demonstrate and justify this to their employees and the EC—this must include any and all non-arbitrary and non-capricious subjective or objective data and so may include APR scores, evidence provided in annual reviews, and any other factors unit heads use in each specific decision. 
  • Faculty Positions: there are no "off-cycle" Merit requests. Only allowed a Merit increase during University lead programs such as Salary Increase Program. Need to be reviewed and approved by the Provost. 
  • Staff Positions: must adhere to Compensation Administration Guidelines - page 9
• Market: comparison to peer programs inside/outside the University based on discipline peers of same rank, service length, performance, etc. 
  • Faculty Positions: for any "off-cycle" request, this needs to be reviewed by the Provost. 
  • Staff Positions: all Market analysis are completed by UA-Compensation who will adjust pay scales accordingly. Units would not submit transactions for Market unless in relations to UA-Compensation adjustments. 
• Retention: Retention requests must be accompanied by a written offer from a comparable organization. 
  • Faculty Retention Offer steps help document
  • Faculty Retention Offer visual process
  • University Staff Retention subject to Compensation Administration Guidelines- page 12
• Equity: consideration of salary equity is based on multiple federal laws.  ALVSCE has performed an annual Equity Review on faculty pay in coordination with the University Division of Human Resources since 2014.  Beginning in 2020, the University has taken on the responsibility for equity analysis.

Annual Faculty Merit Process and Annual AP/Staff Merit Process: ALVSCE has instituted annual merit processes for both Faculty and Staff for employees who are funded from Division budgets (see below for process documents).  In the spring of every year, after unit and personnel performance reviews, Division Business Services will contact unit leaders for merit nominations.  Approved adjustments will be effective July 1 (fiscal employees) or the start of the academic year (9-month employees) of the subsequent fiscal year unless otherwise approved.

To the greatest extent possible, all personnel actions should be implemented on the first day of a pay period. This includes promotions (position life-cycle), FTE changes, pay increases, etc.  This minimizes the workflow burden placed on processing units and is an expectation of the Provost's Office and Workforce Systems.  Units wishing to request a retroactive salary adjustment must submit a completed Retroactive Salary Adjustment Justification Form to the division for approval.  The Provost must also sign this document.  Retroactive promotions and FTE changes will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

When preparing paperwork/transactions to implement personnel actions, please keep in mind that the effective date should be set far enough in advance to allow time to obtain department, divison, Human Resources and Systems Control approvals prior to the proposed effective date.

Retro/Adjustment Justification Forms

Contract Rate Adjustment Request: Justification form for compensating the FULL contract salary amounts to academic New Hire/Rehire Faculty and Graduate Assistants/Associates who arrive more than two pay periods after the beginning of the Fall or Spring semester—approval by the Provost’s Office required for both situations.

• The hire/rehire date is the same as the I-9 start (work for pay) and electronic or hard-copy signature date.
• This form is also used to retroactively compensate employees who perform work during a period when their visa status is expired.  The payment is requested when a new I-9 is completed to update to an employment eligible visa status—approval by the Provost’s Office required.

Retroactive Salary Adjustment Justification form: The Retroactive Salary Adjustment Justification is required for salary increases for faculty, staff or appointed personnel submitted more than two pay periods after the effective date of the change. - approval by the Provost's Office required. 

• Note: Student workers are ineligible for retroactive salary adjustments. 
• Process CALS/AES: Submit justification to DBS Office. College Approver would be Jeff Ratje. DBS Office will route to Provost for signature. Once approved, the form will be returned to the department for processing. 
• Process CES: Submit justification to Carolyne Greeno. College Approver would be Jeff Ratje. DBS Office will route to Provost for signature. Once approved, the form will be returned to the department for processing. 

Late I-9 Submission form: Justification form for compensating New Hire/Rehire employees who are not academic Faculty and Graduate Assistants/Associates and who completed and signed the electronic or hard-copy I-9 after their start date (work for pay)—approval by the Provost’s Office required. 

• The electronic or hard-copy I-9 signature date is after the employee’s hire/rehire date.
• The hire/rehire date is the same as the I-9 start (work for pay) date. 
• Process CALS/AES: Submit the Late I-9 form to DBS Office. College Approver would be Jeff Ratje. DBS Office will route to Provost for signature. Once approved, the form will be returned to the department for processing.
• Process CES: Submit justification to Carolyne Greeno. College Approver would be Jeff Ratje. DBS Office will route to Provost for signature. Once approved, the form will be returned to the department for processing. 

Revised from an earlier policy, all endowed chairholders will have their performance as chairholder reviewed every five-years.  Additional information is found in the attached document. 

The Importance of Collegiality to the Quality of the Workplace Environment
Division of Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension

Collegiality is the cooperative interaction among colleagues where individuals work productively, and interact with civility with faculty, students, staff members, and stakeholders in all environments impacted by the university.

Collegiality encompasses the basics of the professional ethics of the academic world: each member in ALVSCE must treat all people with professional respect, foster integrity of intellectual inquiry, advocate for the needs and rights of students and stakeholders, and establish awareness of workplace safety.

Collegiality should not be confused with sociability or likability, or service but should instead be understood as a professional standard relating to each individual's performance, one that is essential to maintaining or improving the productivity and quality of all units within ALVSCE. Since collegiality is a faculty and staff shared governance expectation, employees who are not behaving in a collegial fashion (e.g. by demeaning coworkers) are to be held accountable by their direct supervisor. 

Some behaviors that are antithetical to collegiality fall under UA HR policies (such as bullying, discrimination, harassment and intimidation, either verbally or in electronic communications) and these must be acted on via formal HR personnel actions.

ALSVCE appointed administrators are aware of, and respect, the AAUP Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure statement (adopted November 1999; revised, 2016) on collegiality. All employees are subject to Arizona Employment Law, ABOR and UA personnel policies.

Faculty receive a salary increase for promotion from assistant to associate rank and for promotion from associate to full rank.  The amount of the increase will be set at a flat 10% increase for each of the major promotions. Individuals who receive promotion increases and who also receive an administrative stipend will have the promotion applied to their base salary as a faculty member. Salary amounts and the calculation methodology for the increases are subject to regular review and change.  All salary increases are contingent on the availability of funding.

Promotions from Assistant to Associate will be set at 10% increase of base salary

Promotions from Associate to Full will be set at 10% increase of base salary 

Faculty members who serve in leadership positions on Faculty Senate receive an increase of 15% to their Service workload category for the period of their leadership service.  Workload reverts to their pre-Senate allocations at the conclusion of their leadership service.

Prior to implementing this change to Service, unit leaders must formally request an increase to Service above 10%, approved by the Dean.  The offsetting workload reduction will be taken either from their research, Extension, or teaching area, depending upon the type of faculty member, as outlined below. 

Tenure-track Faculty: reduction will be applied to research.

Extension Faculty: reduction will be applied to Extension.

Career Track Professor of Practice: reduction will be applied to teaching and the college will provide backfill funding to the unit for the lost course.

This policy applies only to the following Faculty Senate leadership positions:

• Chair
• Vice Chair
• Secretary
• Chair of the Undergraduate Council (UGC)
• Chair of the Graduate Council (GC)
• Chair of the University Wide General Education Council (UWGEC)
• SPBAC Co-Chair

The Division of Agriculture Life and Veterinary Sciences and Cooperative Extension is committed to ensuring our Graduate Assistants and Associates are compensated appropriately and at a highly competitive level. Provost Folks’ has set a new minimum starting Fall 2022 of $20,000 per year for a 9 month, 0.50FTE stipend. In alignment with both of these commitments, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will use the AAUDE Graduate Student Stipends Exchange database consisting of ABOR-designated peer institutions to determine competitive minimum base pay rates (commonly referred to as stipend levels) for specific discipline areas (utilizing CIP codes). Pay rates depicted below apply to MS and PhD students on either TA or RA assistantships, and should be prorated for 0.25 FTE contracts, for fiscal year contracts or for shorter duration contracts. Importantly, academic units and graduate programs can increase pay rates above these minimums and/or set tiered pay levels (e.g., to reflect years of experience) as needed to stay competitive in the market. 

Upcoming Year: 

FY24/AY24 (based on 0.50 FTE and an Academic Appointment)

• ACBS-An Sci    $23,200
• ACBS- Micro    $24,200
• AETI-                $21,750
• AREC-              $21,750
• BE-                   $22,700
• ENTO-              $26,000
• HECL-               $21,750
• NSW-               $24,900
• SPLS-               $22,800
• SNRE-              $21,750
• ENVS-              $21,750

Current Year: 

FY23/AY23 (based on 0.50 FTE and an Academic Appointment)

• ACBS-An Sci    $21,300
• ACBS- Micro    $23,900
• AETI-                $20,000
• AREC-              $21,200
• BE-                   $21,200
• ENTO-              $23,600
• HECL-               $20,000
• NSW-               $24,900
• SPLS-               $20,000
• SNRE-               $20,000
• ENVS-              $20,000

Prior Years:

FY22/AY22 $16,643

FY21/AY21 $16,643

FY20/AY20 $16,263

Resources: 

• Memo on base rate pay Jan. 2022
• Costs and Fees- includes Graduate Tuition and Fees chart, containing Tuition Remission information, Placeholder data, etc. 
• Graduate College FY23 Rate Adjustment Program
• Graduate Manual

Hiring the best candidate to meet the strategic goals of a unit and the Division has never been more important.  The best way to hire a great candidate is to ensure you have a diverse and strong candidate pool.

Please reference the following procedural guidance for information on designing the position, search process, search committee, active recruitment techniques, and hiring process guidance.  The Hiring & Onboarding page also has many resources for the process that should be referenced.

Goals

• Identify the needs of the position to craft a position description
• Ensure a strong and diverse candidate pool through active recruitment techniques
• Recognize and avoid unconscious biases that influence hiring decisions
• Utilize best practices to minimize legal and human resource risks; ensure compliance; maintain confidentiality of candidates during private periods of the search process
• Hire the very best candidate that meets the needs of the unit and ALVSCE

Approvals

Affirmative division business office review and approval from the Dean is required for the following positions prior to posting a position or convening a search committee:

• Chapter 5 administrative appointments, regardless of funding;
• Any faculty position, including Career-track and Multi-year, regardless of funding;
• And positions funded from a division funding line (CALS, AES or CES);
• Positions with the title Academic Advisor or Manager of Finance and Administration, or derivative

Additional requirements

• Please follow this Faculty Search Matrix for must do's as it relates to ALVSCE and University Policies.
• Tenure and continuing track positions must receive approval from the Provost through the yearly hiring plan process; this approval will be sought by the Dean
• All Professor of Practice (POP) must be hired as Academic (9-month) appointment
• All ALVSCE (Faculty, University Staff and Appointed Professional) positions must be posted in Talent 
• During the interview process, candidates must be asked if they require extra time between interviews for lengthily agendas or all day interviews. 

Confidentiality

All employee searches should be kept confidential and discussed only with the members of the search committee or relevant individuals in the chain of command.  Once there is a formal candidate pool, the committee chair should seek permission from the candidates (preferably in writing) to disclose their names publicly as finalists.  This preserves the applicants’ privacy.  Some searches may be conducted confidentially throughout the entire process due to the potential that a public phase would discourage applicants.

Faculty Positions (CE/C, TE/T, or POP) – College Funded Positions

1. Follow Faculty Search Matrix above for step-by-step process. 
2. All tenure/continuing track employees, and those funded from a college funding line (Teaching/Research or Cooperative Extension), must be approved by the Dean and Provost prior to posting a position or convening a search committee. 
3. The Dean or designee will appoint a search chair, who will convene a search committee in consultation with the Dean or designee.
4. Search committees for tenure and continuing track positions must follow rules set by the Provost's Office to increase and expand the diversity and strength of the candidate pool.  These rules can be found on the Faculty Affairs website.
5. The Dean, designee, or search chair will develop a job description and a position posting with the search committee that incorporates faculty consultation.  All position postings will be reviewed and approved by ALVSCE Division Business Services before being routed to the Provost, and HR for posting in Talent. Need to attached the Representation of Committee and Recruitment short form per Faculty Affairs to Talent. 
   1. If using a Search Firm, please ensure all required steps are followed to avoid complications. Please see Hiring through a Search Firm Process for details. 
6. The correct recruitment strategy should be used to obtain the strongest candidate pool (e.g. advertising nationally, in trade publications, locally, headhunter, etc.).  Additional assistance for recruitment strategies is available from the Division of Human Resources in the office of Recruitment and Outreach. Please contact them at HR-Recruitment.
7. PRIOR TO REVIEWING APPLICANTS, the search committee should develop a skills rubric to fairly and uniformly review all candidates’ materials.  The rubric also helps to avoid conscious and unconscious biases and provide support for the decision if an applicant were to file a grievance.  Once the review date has passed, the committee may begin reviewing applicants.  NOTE: these rubrics and all materials used to assess candidates (including handwritten notes) are to be retained as part of the legal documentation of the search for up to three years per Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) guidance.
8. Search Committee Chair and Unit Head are required to receive approval from the CALS Assistant Dean for Faculty Advancement to move forward prior to first interview, campus interview and final decision to ensure a diverse candidate pool and equity. 
9. Search committees are encouraged to utilize Skype, Zoom, tele and videoconference interviews prior to bringing employees to campus for a live interview.
10. Unit leaders should be actively consulting and communicating with the applicable mission leaders (Associate Deans) throughout the search process, including inviting Associate Deans to candidate seminars, consulting with Associate Deans on the decision prior to selecting a finalist, and discussing terms of offer like unique startup package issues and workloads.
11. Prior to making an offer, please send all hiring documents: draft offer letter, employees’ application, CV and letters of reference or other required documents to ALVSCE Business Services for final approval.  Evidence of tenure or continuing at the candidate’s previous institution may also be required.  Requests should include all startup package expectations and funding sources, if any.  ALVSCE Business Services will seek approval from the appropriate EC mission leader before forwarding the hiring package to the Provost’s Office for final review and approval.
    1. For Tenure/Continuing Status Only: The faculty candidate must meet (30 mins) with Provost Liesl Folks before making an offer in writing to the candidate. See here to set a meeting. 
12. Once the College and Provost have given final approval to make the offer of employment, the hiring unit’s business office can start the Offer Letter process in Talent and eventual new hire process in Manager Self-Service.
    1. Ensure the offer letter is routed correctly through Talent as a college funded position. 

Faculty Positions (Year to Year or non-tenure track) – Non-College Funded Positions

1. All faculty positions must be reviewed and approved by the Dean.
2. Best Practice is to follow most of the Faculty Search Matrix to ensure proper hiring, avoid mistakes, and ensure find the most qualified candidate. Not all steps may be applicable. 
3. All position postings will be reviewed and approved by ALVSCE Division Business Services before being routed to the Provost, and HR for posting in Talent. Please review the Talent routing approval guide for information. 
4. The correct recruitment strategy should be used to obtain the strongest candidate pool (e.g. advertising nationally, in trade publications, locally, headhunter, etc.).  Additional assistance for recruitment strategies is available from the Division of Human Resources in the office of Recruitment and Outreach. Please contact them at HR-Recruitment.
5. PRIOR TO REVIEWING APPLICANTS, the search committee should develop a skills rubric to fairly and uniformly review all candidates’ materials.  The rubric also helps to avoid conscious and unconscious biases and provide support for the decision if an applicant were to file a grievance.  Once the review date has passed, the committee may begin reviewing applicants.  NOTE: these rubrics and all materials used to assess candidates (including handwritten notes) are to be retained as part of the legal documentation of the search for up to three years per Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) guidance.
6. Search committees are encouraged to utilize Skype, Zoom, tele and videoconference interviews prior to bringing employees to campus for a live interview.
7. Unit leaders should be actively consulting and communicating with the applicable mission leaders (Associate Deans) throughout the search process, including inviting Associate Deans to candidate seminars, consulting with Associate Deans on the decision prior to selecting a finalist, and discussing terms of offer like unique startup package issues and workloads.
8. Prior to making an offer, please send all hiring documents: draft offer letter, employees’ application, and CV or other required documents to ALVSCE Business Services for final approval. 
9. Once the Provost has given final approval to make the offer of employment, the hiring unit’s business office can start the Offer Letter process in Talent and eventual new hire process in Manager Self-Service.

University Staff (including ancillary staff) or Appointed Professionals (Postdocs)

1. University Staff and Appointed Professional-Postdoc positions are usually departmentally or soft funded (not college funded).  Departmentally funded positions like these do not require the Dean’s approval.  Position descriptions, selection and charge of a search chair and convening of the search committee should be from direction of the unit leader.
   1. If the Unit would like to request an additional Common Cost position, the Unit Head or Business Officer needs to write up a business justification for the additional position and email to Janis Rutherford. Justification needs to include job title, salary range, expected start date, how this benefits the department, workload distribution if applicable, and impact if position is not approved. 
2. Once a complete position description is developed it should be posted to Talent using the appropriate position template.    These postings can go straight to Human Resources and do not need to be routed through ALVSCE Business Services, UNLESS these are a Common Cost position. Please review the Talent routing approval guide for information. 
3. Please proactively seek a strong and diverse candidate pool using techniques found in step 4 of the previous section.  Also, please seek counsel from Human Resources on recruitment strategies, also outlined in step 4 of the previous section.
4. Once the position is posted and you have reached the review date you can begin the fair and uniform review of all applicants.  Please utilize a skills rubric as described in step 5 in the previous section.
5. Once the unit leader has approved the offer of employment, the hiring unit’s business office can start the new hire process in Manager Self-Service.

Additional information on successful searches can be found at:

• Link: UA HR Guide to Successful Searches
• Link: UA HR Recruitment Resources
• Link: Sample DEI Interview Questions
• ADLER, L. (2014, March 8).  Soft Skills Are Hard to Assess. And Even Harder to Succeed Without. Inc.
• DETTMAR, K. J. (2004, December 17). What We Waste When Faculty Hiring Goes Wrong. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
• HADEN, J. (2014, December 5).  5 Reasons Hiring Processes Never Attract the Best People (Like You). LinkedIn.
• LORENZ, M. (2014, April 10). Skilling Them Softly: How to Evaluate Candidates’ Soft Skills. CareerBuilder.com.
• MURPHY, M.  Leadership IQ.  Hiring for Attitude.  Research & Tools to Skyrocket Your Success Rate.
• VAN DER VORM, P. T. (2001, May-June).  The Well-Tempered Search: Hiring Faculty and Administrators for Mission.  American Association of University Professors. pp34-36.

If an employee is ineligible for a merit adjustment because a required annual performance evaluation has not been completed, his/her supervisor and unit head are also not eligible for merit increases.  Please note that University policy requires an annual performance review for all benefits-eligible staff and appointed personnel (including post-docs).  Additional information on performance appraisals from Human Resources can be found here.

Prevent off-cycle pay requests

Our employees are valuable.  The most fundamental thing we can do is pay them correctly and on-time for the work they do.  Off-cycle pay requests must be avoided and prevented.  As such the following steps must be followed by business staff in ALVSCE. 

Enter MSS transactions as early as possible

Process new hire and job change transactions in a timely manner.  There are often several approval steps needed for each transaction.  Getting them in early helps ensure all approvals can be made before established deadlines.

Ensure appointment of Designated Time Coordinators

It is expected that each department have a Designated Time Coordinator.  The purpose of this role is to review unapproved hours on timesheets and remind supervisors and time approvers of deadlines until all time is submitted and approved before the deadline.  This role is critical to ensure all our employees are paid correctly and on time.  Supervisors are responsible for the timely approval of their employees’ timesheets. 

Processing off-cycle pay requests

In the event that all procedures were followed, and an employee still has not received their pay, the following process should be followed.

Process for Off-Cycle Paycheck Requests

Off-Cycle Pay Requests

Prevention Recommendations

Our employees are valuable. The most fundamental thing we can do is pay them correctly and on-time for the work they do. Failure to approve timesheets sends the wrong message.

To avoid this, the following steps should be taken:

Enter MSS transactions as early as possible:

Process new hire and job change transactions in a timely manner. There are often several approval steps needed for each transaction. Getting them in early helps ensure all approvals can be made before established deadlines.

Ensure appointment of Designated Time Coordinators:

It is expected that each department have a designated time coordinator. The purpose of this role is to review unapproved hours on timesheets and remind supervisors and time approvers of deadlines until all time is submitted and approved before the deadline. This role is critical to ensure all our employees are paid correctly and on time. Supervisors are responsible for the timely approval of their employees’ timesheets.

Processing Off-Cycle Pay Requests

In the event that all procedures were followed, and an employee still has not received their pay, the following process should be followed.

Process for Off-Cycle Paycheck Requests:

Off-cycle paychecks should be a rare occurrence that will be approved only if certain criteria, as defined by UA Payroll, are met. You can find those criteria and deadlines at the link below. https://www.fso.arizona.edu/payroll/departments/off-cycle

In the event an off-cycle check is needed, you will need to submit a payment request through UAccess Employee (UAccess Employee > UA Manager Self Service > MSS WorkCenter & Approvals > Payment Request > Request a Payment/Adjust Hours > Off-Cycle Check Request).

• Select the date that the employee was not paid correctly (typically first day of the pay period).
• Enter your department ID used for routing for approval
• Choose the employee ID and the job associated with the request
• Comments on the transaction are required and must include the following information:
  • Number of hours requested
  • Dollar amount requested
  • The reason the employee did not receive pay
  • Steps that have been taken to avoid off-cycle requests in the future
• Unit Head approval via email is required to be attached to the payment request. Please note, the transaction needs to be submitted, then only after it has been submitted are you able to add the email as an attachment.

All off-cycle payment requests will be automatically routed to Janis Rutherford for approval and, if approved, forwarded to UA Payroll for processing.

Additional Information

See the attached documentation for a memo regarding this policy.

All Offer Letters

To support new employees and embrace the public service responsibilities as a UA employee, ALVSCE requires that all offer letters include the following language.  It is inserted after the paragraph discussing enrollment in benefits but before the paragraph discussing the Immigration Reform Act.

The Division of Agriculture, Life & Veterinary Sciences, & Cooperative Extension takes its public service responsibilities seriously. Employees are required to complete three trainings: 1) an online harassment and discrimination prevention program developed by the UA’s Office of Institutional Equity;  and 2) a public service orientation; and 3) the online Safety Preparedness Training: Active Shooter. Once completed, provide your supervisor or departmental representative with a copy of your certificates of completion from the three orientations within 30 days of employment for inclusion in your personnel file.

In addition, all UA employees, students and volunteers driving on University business must complete: 1) a review of the UA Fleet Safety Policy; and 2) the driving registration process and the defensive driving training prior to being authorized to drive on University business. Drivers of High Occupancy Vehicles (HOVs) must complete additional requirements.

Unit Head Offer Letters (Academic and AES) - Mission Leaders Reporting to the Vice President & Dean

Unit heads are key to the division's success.  ALVSCE requires that the following language be inserted in the offer letters of unit heads for academic or Experiment Station Units (e.g. directors, department heads) after the paragraph explaining position duties.  The appropriate link below should be printed and attached to all unit head offer letters prior to the applicant reviewing the completed document. 

Management is a unique and highly important career track within ALVSCE.  I expect that you will achieve mastery of the competency skillsets in the attached document within 12 months of your start date; the division will facilitate your learning in these areas as requested

Start-up Insert for Faculty Offer Letters 

This offer includes start-up funds of $[total amount of start-up] and are to be expended in accordance with The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences start-up policy and as approved by the yearly budget. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will provide $[35% of total start-up] of your start-up funds for the purchases of eligible equipment, supplies, and for technical support. The remaining $[65% of total start-up] of your start-up funds will be provided by the [Department/School] for the purchases of eligible equipment, supplies, and for technical support. You will be advised on the procedures to be followed in obtaining the equipment. Ownership of this equipment will remain with the University and must be returned when requested or at such time you leave University

All opportunistic hiring (e.g. SPFI, GIDP, etc.) requires an application from an ALVSCE unit during the annual call for faculty hires and follows the hiring plan process. These are requested during the Spring semester of each year and subject for approval during the Summer months with approval to begin hiring in the Fall semester.

Strategic Priorities Faculty Initiative (SPFI)

The Strategic Priorities Faculty Initiative (SPFI) provides temporary University financial support to academic departments enabling them to hire additional full-time, tenure- track faculty or continuing track academic professionals who will enhance UArizona's distinctive strengths in advancing Inclusive Excellence via equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion as outlined in the University of Arizona’s Purpose and Values. The SPFI program provides funding to hire faculty who were not recruited through a search with designated funding.

• ALVSCE SPFI Hire Process

Please reference the following on procedural guidance for hiring a partner when a finalist (primary candidate desired) requests the partner be provided a position as terms of acceptance. The decision to pursue a partner hire rests with the college Dean in collaboration with the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration. 

Take into Consideration:

• This process is mainly for Finalists who will be hired into a Faculty position.
• The Partner may be hired as a Faculty, Staff, or Postdoc. 
• Partners must not by default be hired into the same unit as the Finalist. 
• Funding support for the Partner will be based on availability and position type from both College and Provost. Funding support is NOT guaranteed. 
• Partner must start 1 year or less from Finalist hiring date per Provost. 
  • Example: Finalist starts 01/03/2023, Partner must start no later than 01/03/2024. 

Process:

Please review the Partner Hire checklist for all required steps.

1. Unit Head contacts applicable Associate Dean(s) as soon as Partner request is received during negotiations with the Finalist. 
2. Unit Head(s) works with Associate Dean(s) to receive dean's approval, determine position for Partner, unit/college, funding, etc. 
3. Once Partner position information is finalized, process Finalist hiring paperwork.
4. Once Finalist accepts their Offer Letter, the request for the Partner Hire is sent to the Provost Office. 
5. If Provost approves the Partner hire, Partner hire home department will post Non-Competitive job posting in Talent and move forward with hiring. 

Additional Information: 

• Provost: Partner Hire Program
  • Partner Hire Flowchart
• Recruitment: Non-Competitive Selection Policy HR-404
• Recruitment: Request for Waiver of Recruitment
• Policy: Nepotism UHAP 2.20
• Policy: Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment HR-200E

Effective July 1, 2024, all current and newly hired Postdoctoral employees, regardless of the position title,  must be hired at or increased to the new minimum salary of $61,008 prorated by FTE.  Postdoc appointments may be renewed on a year-to-year basis for not more than four (4) years after the initial appointment, whereupon their employment as a postdoc at the UA terminates.  Please consult with your assigned Human Resources Consultant if you have any questions. 

Conditions of Postdoctoral Service

Postdoctoral Affairs 

To ensure all exempt employees have a comfort using the time sheet system (UAccess Employee), exempt employees are strongly encouraged to report presence at work (PAW) on their time sheets.  PAW does not route for supervisor approval.  This best practice is one way to mitigate concerns associated with common time reporting issues, such as Family Medical Leave, vacation, and sick leave.

Prompted by the Provost’s Career Track equity review, and following discussions with several unit heads, Mike Staten, Jean McLain, and Janis Rutherford, we will begin enforcing the CATE Guidance created in 2017. Effective today, POP hires will be appointed academic (9-month) unless the Associate Dean of CAS and Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration for CALS approves a fiscal (12-month) appointment. The goal, as stated by CATE, is to create equity in workloads within units and across the college and salary comparability.

Exception to Academic Appointments

Reasons for exceptions of the academic appointment rule are limited but may include:

• the work duties require fieldwork or running field camps as part of instructional responsibilities,
• the oversight and teaching of clinical students with academic partners during the summer, or
• administrative oversight of academic activities like summer internship course work.

Workload Offsets for Exceptions

All positions that receive a fiscal appointment must also receive an offset to their teaching load in the fall/spring so that it is consistent with the workload requirements for CALS of 18 credits per year for a 1.0 FTE position, or the employee must be paid for the additional summer work. Unit leaders can assign and expect faculty to perform summer teaching, so long as faculty are paid for additional work above the workload requirements.

Existing Fiscal POPs

Some units have been working with existing fiscal to convert them from 12 to 9-month appointments. I applaud and encourage all unit leaders to engage their fiscal POPs in this conversation; however, the conversion must be voluntary and elected by the faculty member. Appointment conversions require that faculty sign a new offer letter, there are considerations for when to change the appointment, and there are consequences to annual leave, to name a few issues. Faculty and you will surely have questions. Please speak with Mike, Janis, and Jean who have answers.

Research professors (all ranks) are research-focused faculty who are funded from the grants, contracts, and research-related revenues that they generate. Ten percent (not more without the consent of the Dean) of a research professor’s personnel costs will be funded from the unit. This gives service time for the research professor to write new grants, serve on unit committees, participate in unfunded scholarly work, or perform other faculty duties. Unit heads have the responsibility to ensure compliance.

Tenure-eligible, continuing-eligible, and nontenure-eligible career-track faculty members are defined in ABOR 6-201.

In recognition of an employee’s talents, contributions, and performance, a hiring unit within CALS may appoint a current employee to a different position within the hiring unit’s area of responsibility without conducting a competitive search. The guidelines below follow the Guidelines for Track Transfers across Tenure, Continuing-Status, and Nontenure-eligible Career-Track Positions, available here on the website of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.

This policy does not govern changes in tenure/continuing track status in the event of an administrative appointment or changes to the calculation of the probationary period for tenure/continuing status (clock extensions). UHAP 3.3.01 and UHAP 4A.3.01. 

Please review the Supporting Documents for the complete policy.

University Handbook for Appointed Personnel

Position vacancy savings either remain with the unit or revert to CALS/CES depending upon the type of position that was vacated.  CALS/CES vacancy savings are budgeted for and reinvested annually into new faculty, critical hires, and strategic areas.  Due to separate state line item budgets, CALS/CES savings will automatically flow to either the Teaching & Research or Cooperative Extension accounts, as appropriate, to maintain budgetary separation of the line items.

• Unit Savings: vacant staff lines funded with budgeted dollars (accounts 12xxxxx and 13xxxxx) from the unit are retained by the unit.
• CALS/CES Savings: vacant faculty lines funded with budgeted dollars revert to CALS/CES.  Also, in special cases that are usually documented in offer letters, vacant University Staff positions that were funded by CALS/CES with budgeted dollars revert to CALS/CES.  Examples of these special cases include, but are not limited to, spousal hires and unit head hiring commitments..

Academic Program Review Support

The division will support up to $5,000 for academic program review (APR) honorariums for external reviewers - $1,000 per external reviewer.  Provost guidance limits the number of external reviewers to five.  The Dean’s office will provide a list annually to DBS of the units that are scheduled for an APR, and DBS will automatically transfer the funds to the appropriate units, along with notification to the business officer.

It is the responsibility of the unit to ensure they received funding if they are eligible.  Retroactive funding requests will not be accepted if the request occurs after the of the fiscal year that the APR was conducted.

State-funded Employee Related Expense (ERE) budgets have been distributed to each responsibility center unit (RCU; i.e. colleges and VP units) to manage. RCUs and underlying units are thus incentivized to appropriately manage their ERE pool to: 1) minimize unnecessary costs, 2) maintain a positive balance, 3) plan and set aside funds for future ERE cost growth, and 4) properly invest surpluses back into critical mission areas.  ALVSCE units have been delegated this responsibility since 2014.   Units are solely responsible for proper management of these funds as there are no additional ERE funds held at the college level which could subsidize deficits. 

The ERE Management policy describes the best practices and expectations to manage the ERE funds in your unit (see the Supporting Documents).

Current ERE Rates

Farming and ranching are fundamental to the Division's ability to deliver on our Land Grant mission.  As such, the production of crops, animals, or other mission related products or by-products, including alfalfa, beef, cotton, etc. may be sold to wholesalers, retailers, or to the public so long as the sale of these goods or services are in conformance with ABOR Policy 1-105 Competition with Private Enterprise.

In order to advance business and development goals there are times when the purchase of meals or alcohol is necessary. The guidelines at the link below are in addition to and shall not supersede existing reimbursement policies and requirements.  We must all be sensitive to our stewardship obligations when state or donated funds are expended. All expenses must have an identified budget source and be approved by the unit head in concept prior to spending.

Personal Vehicle Reimbursement Travel Policy

Financial Policies 14.15 Transportation

The link immediately below defines the driving provisions and accident reporting obligations of all persons who may be involved in a business-related vehicle accident.  University policy requires the reporting of accidents involving personal vehicles where damage or injury occurred in the course of University business. 

• Fleet Safety Policy Section 3.0

All persons who drive on university business, regardless if in a personal or university vehicle, must register through an online driver registration system – click here for registration.  Many employees are already registered, but please double check your status.

Accidents occurring while in the course of university business should be reported to the following departments/individuals as soon as possible.  Reporting deadlines apply, and failure to comply could result in suspension of university driving privileges, and/or disciplinary action under the policy.

1. Report all accidents to the applicable responding law enforcement agency and request a police report be taken.  What seems like minor accidents can result in claims against the UA later on.  Police reports provide an accurate documentation of an incident.
2. Risk Management Services
3. Driver’s immediate supervisor
4. If one of the vehicles involved in the accident was federal excess property, the CALS Accountable Property Officer (APO) should also be notified (APO can be found on the Contacts page).

Employees should immediately notify their supervisor of changes in driving status such as citations, license suspensions or revocations.

The college will fund pre-hire search expenses up to $8,000 for directors and department heads that report to the Dean.  This amount was determined after a review of the amounts offered by other colleges at the UA.  Funding is on a reimbursement basis and it is the unit's responsibility to request reimbursement and provide an appropriate accounting of the expenses.  Requests for reimbursement must be made and transferred in the fiscal year in which the spending occurred, unless an exception is granted by Business Services.  Search committees can certainly spend more than this amount, but the additional and/or ineligible costs would be borne by the hiring unit. 

Pre-hire expenses include such items as meals, conference calls, mileage, advertisements, candidate travel and lodging, etc.  Expenses in the post-hire phase of recruitment such as moving expenses are separate and not covered under this policy.  The goals of this policy are to empower the search committee to determine the best use of limited resources, plan ahead, use technology when appropriate, and actively recruit candidates to ensure the pool is as strong and diverse as possible.  The bottom line is to hire the best candidate for the position. 

Startup funds are temporary in nature and meant to serve as “seed” funding for new faculty members.  Startup funds must be documented in the offer letter and affirmatively approved by the college, and possibly the Provost and Senior Vice President for Research, during the hiring process.

All approved faculty startup funds provided by CALS must be claimed and fully expended within three (3) years of the faculty member's hiring date.  Claiming funds is defined as the transfer of college funding to the respective unit account, and fully expended is defined as spent (not just encumbered) in UAccess Financials.  CALS startup commitment balances that are not claimed and fully expended are forfeited to the college. Terms of startup funding provided by other entities such as the SVP for Research or BIO5 are separate from this policy and may have different dates of expiration.  Unit business staff are instructed to carefully account for and manage all startup commitments to avoid confusion between multiple sources of funding and unnecessary forfeiture of funding.

Requests for extensions of college funding beyond three years may be made in writing to the Executive Council stating the justification, the benefit to research, and the amount of the remaining balance to extend.  These requests should be submitted as soon as possible prior to the expiration date of the startup funds.  Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and approval of one submission does not necessitate an automatic approval of another submission for the same justification.

Upon approval, CALS will provide 35% of total start-up funds. The remaining 65% will be provided by the Department/School. When creating the Faculty Offer Letter, ensure you are using the approved CALS Start-up Funds Insert, not the Talent verbiage for Start-ups. 

A Commitment Sheet is required for All Faculty hires and any hiring that requires funding from the College, Provost, RII or any other department outside the home department. Make sure the Commitment sheet contains any salary splits, start-up funds, moving expenses, or any other funding provided by all involved. 

• Commitment Sheet Process -visual-

All surplus property must be acquired, used, tracked, and disposed in accordance with the policies found in the UA Property Management Manual.  Individual units are responsible for submitting their UA-owned property and equipment through the Surplus Property Office's online system.

All proceeds from general sales and special auctions within ALVSCE are deposited into a central Division account.  These funds are used to support the Division strategic and subvention pools, which are under the control of the Executive Council and support things like new faculty startups and off-campus maintenance costs.

Units may seek approval from the Associate Vice President, Finance and Administration to have proceeds from special auctions be returned to the unit.  Requests must be made prior to the disposal of an item, return a material dollar amount, and be used to support the purchase of new capital equipment or enhancements to existing capital equipment.  Each request is reviewed on an individual basis.  If approval is given, units must claim the proceeds from the Division within 60 days following the public auction, or will forfeit proceeds to the Division.

Grant funded and Federal Excess property have specific disposal requirements.  Please seek guidance from the unit or Division business office prior to disposing, cannibalizing, or discarding this property.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) play an important and growing role in agriculture and natural resource teaching, resource, and extension work.  The University of Arizona is developing processes and policies to ensure that this new technology is used safely and in a way that protects the interests of the University.  Prior to the purchase of any UAV by an ALVSCE unit or employee, read and follow the attached memorandum. 

A UAV inventory is maintained by the Associate Vice President for Research; all UAVs owned by ALVSCE's units must be added to this inventory list.  ALVSCE will not pay fines or penalties, or financially support employees involved in legal matters caused by non-compliant UAV use.  Additional information on University standards for UAV use should be directed to UA Risk Management.

Sensitive Data is data whose unauthorized disclosure may have serious adverse effects on the university’s reputation, resources, services, or individuals.  Sensitive Data includes social security numbers, credit card information, and anything else that can be used to facilitate identity theft.  It also includes federally protected data such as student information and medical information, as well as passwords, account information, restricted data, and any other unique identification.  UA faculty and staff are responsible for protecting sensitive data to which they have authorized access, as well as responsible for compliance with all UA information security policies and procedures and any applicable laws, statutes, and regulations.  It is important to know who can access the data, the appropriate places to store the data, how to security dispose of the data, and how to report a breach or compromise of sensitive university data.  For more information on faculty and staff responsibilities related to the handling and storage of university data, please see the “Data Management” section found at this link: https://security.arizona.edu/data-management-faculty-and-staff

To determine which data classification is appropriate for a particular information asset, please see the criteria in "Data Classifications" section found at this link: https://security.arizona.edu/data-classification-and-handling-standard

Sensitive or personal information should not be stored.  Also, this information has not been approved to store in Box.  This includes: 

• Social Security Numbers
• Credit Card Numbers
• Financial/Banking Account Numbers
• Driver's License Numbers
• Health Insurance Policy ID Numbers
• Data as Defined Under FISMA, ITAR/EAR, HIPAA

Cyber security underpins every aspect of our daily work at the University. Threats to cyber security can seriously undermine our collective efforts and expose our most sensitive information. Therefore, we must do our best to protect our information, and this includes safeguarding our NetID password by utilizing a security enhancement that the University offers: NetID Plus (NetID+).

A compromised NetID password can lead to breaches of:

• Personal information such as direct deposit account routing, tax documents, Social Security Numbers, and password resets to other systems.
• Institutional information like sensitive research data, business transactions, website defacement, intellectual property and corporate espionage; all of which weakens our competitiveness for federal grants.
• Student information protected under FERPA, which can have legal and financial consequences for both the employee and institution.

The University has instituted options to enhance cyber security that align with industry best practices. Universities pose unique risks to security due to their culture of data sharing, open access, and distributed structures.

After significant discussions and review with the CALS NetManagers, members of the Deans’ Information Technology Council, and UITS, the Division will require all active employees to enroll in NetID+. NetID+ prompts the user for secondary confirmation prior to accessing University systems protected by UA WebAuth. This affects services such as Email, UAccess, VPN, Box, and access to other common systems. This policy is effective February 24, 2017.

DCCs, volunteers, retirees, and CALS students are exempt from this policy, but are strongly encouraged to enroll in NetID+. The Division network is only as strong as the weakest link.

To enroll in NetID+, go to https://netid-plus.arizona.edu/ or ask your IT Support Personnel, listed at https://cct.cals.arizona.edu/support#find-an-expert. Additionally, you can contact 24.7 IT Help Desk at 520-621-4357

For more background information about NetID Plus, please visit https://it.arizona.edu/service/netid-accounts

How-to’s can be found at https://webauth.arizona.edu/netid-plus/pages/documentation/ or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXpm_6NMk1t8kQPFAY7EM4zeY3E-TFMMc

The division of ALVSCE utilizes advisory councils to solicit input and connect itself to stakeholders.  These councils are advisory only.  They cannot make managerial or budgetary decisions for the UA, nor obligate or formally represent the UA.  Linked is an approved agreement for UA leaders to explain to their council members the charge and limitations of council service.  Signed agreements should be maintained by the leader for as long as the council member has an affiliation, official or unofficial, with the council. 

The goal of this agreement is to maintain positive working relationships with our external partners and prevent miscommunication.