5.21 - P&S Staff - Appointment Types

A. Appointment Definitions

1. Temporary Appointment:

   Designated when the service of a P&S staff member is required on a short-term basis to complete a particular project, temporarily backfill another P&S position and/or carry out certain duties and responsibilities. Such appointments may be rendered with a full or part-time schedule for an appointment period which shall not extend beyond one (1) year, without approval from the HRS Director or designee (HRS Director) in limited circumstances. P &S temporary appointments are not considered fully benefit-eligible. 

2. Term Appointment:

   Designated when the service of a P&S staff member is for a specific period of time required with a project, grant, contract, special activity offering, or in connection with a program for which a limited funding period may exist and/or renewed funding periodically may be required. An initial term appointment may be designated with a full or part-time schedule when service is to be provided for a period of at least nine (9) months, unless the funding renewal cycle occurs earlier.  Re- appointments involving a like service schedule may be granted. Term appointments scheduled for at least half-time for at least nine (9) months are considered fully benefit-eligible. 

3. Contract Appointment:

   Designated when the service of a P&S staff member is tied to the performance of an intercollegiate athletic sport program (e.g., coaches). All staff members holding a contract appointment shall execute a written contract detailing the salary and benefits associated with the contract appointment. Subsequent contract appointments may be granted by executing a contract addendum or new contract. Contract appointments with a schedule of at least half-time for a minimum of nine (9) months are considered fully benefit-eligible. 

4. Regular Appointment: 

   Designated when the service of a P&S staff member is required on an ongoing basis and does not otherwise match the temporary, term, contract or annual appointment definition Regular appointments may be sustained by general funds, auxiliary funds and/or funding identified by the university as recurring. Regular appointments with an ongoing schedule of at least half-time for a minimum of nine (9) months of each year are considered fully benefit-eligible. 

5. Annual Appointment: 

   Designated for positions involving major administrative assignments, policy development, and/or other related exempt duties and responsibilities. Annual appointments must be at a department director level or higher and typically report to a division head. Annual appointments with an ongoing schedule of at least half-time for a minimum of nine (9) months of each year are considered fully benefit-eligible. 

B. Appointment Changes 

1. Interim Status:

   Interim status may be applicable when a non-temporary employee is reassigned to a P&S position to cover an identified vacancy for a period which shall not extend beyond one (1) year, without approval from the HRS Director in limited circumstances. 

2.  Appointment with Staff Unit Transfer  

   a. Instructional - P&S.

   Following consultation with the HRS Director, the Provost  may elect to reassign  or reclassify a non-tenured faculty member to a P&S position in accordance with P&S classification procedures (see policy 5.26 ). A faculty member holding a temporary, probationary, or term appointment may be reassigned in accordance with P&S Policies and Procedures applicable with appropriate appointment provisions. 

   Following consultation with the HRS Director and with the mutual agreement of the Provost and  tenured faculty member, a reassignment or reclassification to a P&S position may be effected in  accordance with P&S classification procedures (see policy 5.26). Eligible P &S staff members may be granted temporary part-time adjunct appointments in accordance with the provisions of policy 4.41 Special Compensation & Summer Appointments. 

   b. Regents Merit System to P&S.

   A change  from Regents Merit System employment to P&S service may occur as a result of a re classification  or through university search procedures in accordance with university policy 4.02.    Re classification occurs when a Regents Merit System position, as a result of revised duties and  responsibilities, is judged in accordance with FLSA rules and university policies and procedures  to be a P&S position. University service is considered to be continuous for the staff member who is reclassified.

   When the services of a staff member serving with a Regents Merit System position are temporarily needed in a P&S position, interim status in a P&S appointment may be given. 

   P&S employee who formerly served i n the Regents Merit System with a permanent appointment may be reinstated to a former or related position in accordance with applicable Regents Merit System Rules. The university administration's decision to return a P&S staff member to a former Regents Merit System assignment of comparable position is not subject to grievance proceedings. University service is considered to be continuous for the P&S staff member who returns to a position within the Regents Merit System when service with the latter employment group is contiguous with the former. 

   P&S Policies and Procedures will be applicable with the re classification or search outcome of  Regents Merit System employees  to  positions in  the  university's P&S employment group . 

P&S Council, approved February 8, 2024  
Human Resource Services, approved February 8,  2024   
University Council, approved April 8, 2024  
President, approved April 10, 2024  
[Last reviewed and/or updated, 4/2024, 1/2013]