7.6 General Faculty Member and Administrative and Professional Employee Selection and Appointment

7.6.1 Board of Regents Policy, 6C-5.211

(1) This rule is supplemented by the BOR/UFF Agreement and by applicable provisions of affirmative action plans.

(2) General Faculty Search and Selection

(a) The Department or other appropriate unit should first clearly describe the vacant position and what it expects from a colleague selected to fill the vacancy.

(b) The department or other appropriate unit should secure reliable and detailed information on candidates and reach decisions on their relative merits. Candidates selected for final consideration should be provided with information such as: title and nature of position, appropriate salary, type of contract, basic assignment, primary emphasis of department, instructional load, other duties, and information concerning the University and the State University System.

(c) If practicable, the candidates reaching the final stages of the search should be invited to the campus for personal interviews with department faculty and appropriate officials. The department should place in writing its evaluation of the candidates and any understandings reached.

(d) In making preliminary contacts with candidates, it should be made clear that no offer of employment is being made.

(3) General Faculty Appointments

General Faculty

(a) If, after consultation with departmental colleagues, the chair-person or other appropriate administrator decides to recommend that a candidate be offered a General Faculty position, the recommendation should be transmitted to the dean or other appropriate administrative officers.

(b) The president or president's designee may then offer the candidate employment by means of a contract or letter of appointment, subject to the provisions of Section 216.311 of the Florida Statutes. The offer of employment shall be conditioned on the return of a duly executed copy by a specified date. Any offer of employment that purports to offer tenure to the candidate must clearly state that tenure is conferred by the Board only after the Board has reviewed the candidate's credentials, upon recommendation of the president, and only if it votes to concur with the university president's recommendation.

(c) No General Faculty contract or letter of appointment shall be for a term exceeding one year. The contract or letter of appointment shall be issued in accordance with the requirements of the BOR/UFF Agreement. The contract or letter of appointment of tenured General Faculty members is subject to nonrenewal in accordance with the notice provision set forth in the BOR/UFF Agreement. The General Faculty contract normally shall be for 39 consecutive weeks. A supplemental contract may be offered for part or all of the remaining year.

(4) Administrative and Professional Employee Search and Selection

Administrative and Professional

(a) The selection of Administrative and Professional employees shall be the responsibility of the appropriate administrative officer having supervisory responsibility over the position.

(b) The appropriate administrator should secure reliable and detailed information on candidates and reach decisions on their relative merits. Candidates selected for final consideration should be provided with information such as: title and nature of position, approximate salary, type of contract, basic assignment and other duties inherent in the position. The candidate should also be provided with information concerning the University and the State University System.

(c) If practicable, the candidate reaching the final stages of the search should be invited to the campus for personal interviews with appropriate personnel.

(d) In making preliminary contacts with candidates, it should be made clear that no offer of employment is being made.

(5) All faculty positions shall be assigned a title, a classification code, and an appointment status modifier which defines certain conditions of an appointment and is, unless otherwise noted, included in that class title. The following are descriptions of appointment status modifiers:

(a) Regular (B) - This modifier identifies a continuing appointment or an original temporary appointment expected by the University to be followed by a continuing appointment. The modifier is not included in the title.

(b) Acting (D) - This modifier applies to an appointment for a limited time to fill a vacancy that occurs in a General Faculty position to which primarily administrative duties have been assigned. The appointee may or may not receive compensation for the additional or replacement duties. The appointment time will not be counted as tenure-earning service unless the University notifies the employee in writing otherwise at the time of appointment.

(c) Adjunct (F) - This modifier applies to temporary appointments extended to persons of satisfactory professional qualifications who perform temporary teaching, research, or extension functions in connection with established programs. Such persons are appointed for one academic term at a time, are normally compensated on a per course basis, and are compensated from Other Personal Service funds. Persons with adjunct appointments may not be employed for more than 50% of the time throughout an academic year or full-time for more than twenty-six weeks of a fiscal year, unless approved by the president or president's designee on an individual basis due to special circumstances. Time spent in such an appointment shall not be counted as tenure-earning service.

(d) Provisional (G) - This modifier applies to the appointment of a person who is not fully qualified, according to the class specification, but who is expected to acquire such qualifications in a short period of time. The appointment time may or may not be counted as tenure-earning service. The University shall notify the appointee in writing of the tenure-earning status of the position at the time of appointment.

(e) Visiting (C) - This modifier applies to an appointment extended to a person having appropriate professional qualifications, but who is not expected to be available for more than a limited period of time, or to an appointment to a position at the University which is not expected to be available for more than a limited period of time. The title may not be held for more than three years, except that such appointments may be extended due to special circumstances as determined by the University, and the appointment time may or may not be counted as tenure-earning service. The University shall notify the appointee in writing of the tenure-earning status of the position at the time of appointment.

(f) Joint (J) - This modifier is used in those situations where a General Faculty member is regularly participating in the teaching and/or graduate supervision responsibilities of more than one department or academic unit, and may or may not be budgeted in one or more departments or units. Tenure is normally accrued in the primary department. The General Faculty member shall be informed in writing at the time of appointment of the department in which tenure-earning service is to be accrued.

(g) Research (E) - This modifier may be used in those instances where a person holding professional rank is engaged primarily in research. Appointment time may or may not be counted as tenure-earning service. The University shall notify the appointee in writing of the tenure-earning status of the position at the time of appointment.

(h) Clinical (N) - This modifier may be used in conjunction with those professional positions involved in teaching, research, or extension functions in a hospital or other clinical environment in connection with established programs. The University shall notify the appointee in writing of the tenure-earning status of the position at the time of appointment.

(i) Courtesy (H) - This modifier applies to those appointments to a department which do not include compensation, but which may include special privileges such as voting in departmental affairs, and are made in accordance with normal General Faculty qualifications. Persons appointed with this status may or may not be otherwise affiliated with the University.

(j) Honorary (S) - This modifier applies to those appointments extended to individuals having distinction and honor in their fields, but who do not possess the normal requirements for the position. Compensation is not provided with such an appointment.

(k) Emeritus (T) - An honorary title which may be conferred upon General Faculty members at retirement in recognition of distinguished service to the University.

(l) Affiliate (K) - This modifier applies to those situations where a General Faculty member appointed in one department or unit participates in some functions of other departments or units. Appointment time as an affiliate may or may not be counted as tenure-earning service; however, such General Faculty member may not be granted tenure in a department unless the employee is appointed as a member of the department. The University shall notify the appointee in writing of the tenure-earning status of the position at the time of appointment.

Joint College (I) - This modifier applies to the appointment of a faculty member to a college or similar unit administered jointly by more than one university. Although appointed and employed by only one of the participating universities, each faculty member so designated is considered a faculty member of the other participating universities for purposes of carrying out the teaching, research, and service responsibilities of the college or similar unit.

(6) Administrative and Professional Appointments

(a) After deciding to recommend a particular candidate, the official in charge of the employment unit should transmit the recommendation to the appropriate administrative officer.

(c) No contract or letter of appointment for members of the Administrative and Professional Classification Plan shall be for a term exceeding one year.

(d) The contract or letter of appointment shall be issued in accordance with the requirements of the BOR/UFF Agreement.

7.6.2 BOR-UFF Agreement, 1991-1994, see Article 8.

7.6.3 University Policy and Procedures

a. University Constitution, Article VI, Section A.

b. The initial responsibility for seeking candidates for authorized faculty positions lies at the departmental level. In accordance with BOR rules and University policy regarding the announcement and filling of position vacancies, the department surveys the field to locate the best qualified candidates for the position to be filled. (See University Policy on employment of faculty members with terminal degree from the University, section 7.39)

The authorization of any faculty position is subject to reconsideration whenever it becomes vacant. When a vacancy occurs, or is anticipated, the departmental chairman is expected (l) to report the fact promptly to the principal administrative officer concerned who will ascertain from the Vice President for Academic Affairs whether the vacancy may be filled, and (2) if it is to be filled, to initiate search for the most highly qualified available candidate for the approved position.

A recommendation for appointment should be made by the department chairman after proper consideration of the proposed appointment by a search committee or department members. A Handbook for Search and Screening Committees has been prepared by the Assistant to the President for Human Affairs; to ensure conformity with Equal Opportunity practices. Search Committees and department chairmen should remember that under the Florida Public Records Act, Florida Statutes, Chapter 119, letters of recommendation are considered public records and shall be open to any person who desires to see them. Requests for such letters should contain a statement concerning this Act.

After the appointment has been authorized by the appropriate administrative official and extended to the faculty member who shall have provided the necessary documents to prove identity and employment eligibility, and the offer has been accepted, the completed faculty appointment papers are to be submitted to the Dean of the Faculties by the academic dean or academic director. The following supporting documentation is to be attached: offer letter, faculty contract, current vita with a date stamp indicating the date the vita was received in the employing office, confirmation of academic degree by registrar of the degree-granting institution, three letters of recommendation, Affirmative Action Form AA318 and two copies of the Position Vacancy Announcement Form (SUS Form PFR-001/75) with Part B completed. Spoken English Competency must be certified on the appointment papers for teaching faculty members. In addition, with appointment documents for non-citizens, two copies of both sides of Form I-94 for aliens in this country temporarily, or Form I-151 or I-551 for aliens with immigrant status are required to process the appointment papers.

The contract and offer letter shall specify any limitations and any special understanding involved in the appointment including whether the appointment is tenure-earning or not, if tenure credit for prior service is being transferred, or whether permanent status is being earned in appointments of employees at the Developmental Research School.

When the faculty member first reports at the University, the department will give the faculty member a copy of the new appointment form. The faculty member must take this form to the Personnel Relations Department to complete forms for tax deductions, retirement information, group insurance authorizations, campus directory, and the loyalty oath required by the State of Florida.