Renewal of Term Professional Employees

Responsible Office: Human Resources

Policy Type: Personnel and Payroll

Policy Number: 616

Last Date Revised: 7/23/19

INTRODUCTION

The immediate supervisor is responsible for initiating recommendations for renewal and non-renewal of professional employees.In cases of term renewals that do not involve a permanent appointment decision, the department should forward their recommendation to the appropriate approval level in their area, such as the Director or perhaps the Dean’s office.Prior to initiating the recommended term renewal recommendation, the department leader should have required discussions as per established divisional protocol with the necessary individuals, including the Director or Dean of the area as well as the Vice President or Provost of the division.Once the intended recommendation of renewal is discussed and approved by the required individuals, the renewal transaction should be entered into the required systems to begin the transaction. The Office of Human Resources will then receive the recommendation for renewal, process the transaction and then prepare the necessary correspondence to the employee.

Each recommendation for a term renewal is an assurance of continued employment for the duration of the term indicated and therefore should be considered to be a very serious and important matter.The recommendation should be supported, therefore, with information as indicated below, but not necessarily limited to the areas noted.In general, the supportive statements should help the Dean, Vice President and President understand clearly the value of the employee to the unit and the University and reasons for their continuance.As per the UUP Agreement, it is required that all professional employees be evaluated at least once a year.Generally, then, it is usual and expected that an evaluation be part of the basis surrounding reappointment of professional employees.Often, the professional employee’s evaluation is included as part of the recommendation for reappointment.

1.     A statement of the effectiveness of the individual in terms of job performance

2.     How the individual’s services contribute to the mission of the organizational unit and the University for the term specified in the renewal

3.      How the incumbent is perceived by those with whom he/she works and for whom his/her services are necessary

4.   The strengths of the staff member and how those strengths add to the focus of the department, division and University

5.   Excerpts from the employee evaluation to support these comments

This procedure applies to part-time as well as full-time professional employees.

RENEWAL OF TERM APPOINTMENT

A new appointment of not more than three years duration may be recommended for professional employees serving in budget titles other than those designated as management/confidential or listed in Appendix A, B or C of the Policies of the Board of Trustees.Such terms may not extend beyond the employee’s seventh consecutive year of University service if the employee has not had at least two years in the present budget title.New term appointments must end on the day before the employee’s anniversary date (the date of initial appointment).

FIVE-YEAR TERM APPOINTMENTS-APPENDIX A

Term appointments of five years’ duration must be granted to employees serving in positions whose budget titles are listed in Appendix A of the Policies.Such employees are not eligible for permanent appointment in those budget titles.Employees whose initial appointment is to an Appendix A title must serve three years of term appointments before being eligible for a five-year term appointment.

ONE-FIVE YEAR TERM APPOINTMENTS – APPENDIX B

Appendix B appointments are extended to professional employees involved in Division I athletic programs, such as the one at Binghamton University.They must be extended to individuals who are involved in coaching for more than 75% of their time or whose work is affiliated with Division I athletics as per the other appropriate titles in this series.Term appointments in this series may extend between 1 and 5 years and unlike other appointments, have special caveats regarding non-renewal and potential “buy out” of remaining contract time upon non-renewal.The Senior Associate Director of Human Resources should be consulted regarding such appointments and regarding any non-renewal actions in this regard.

APPENDIX C APPOINTMENTS

Appendix C appointments are extended to individuals serving on specific lines that were bargained in the 2003-07 UUP Agreement at designated SUNY campuses. For these individuals whose duties involve fundraising, they may not be granted permanent appointment as per the Policies of the Board of Trustees. For more information regarding the terms of these appointments, please consult with the personnel contacts noted at the bottom of this procedure.

PERMANENT APPOINTMENT

Permanent appointment may be granted to a UUP professional employee who has completed seven consecutive years of full-time service in a professional title, provided the last two or more years have been in the same budget title.Persons serving in titles designated as management/confidential and those listed in Appendix A, B or C of the Policies are not eligible for permanent appointment.

PROBATIONARY APPOINTMENT

A probationary term, for a period not to exceed one year, must be granted whenever there is a change in the employee budget title.Such probationary terms may be terminated at any time by the supervisor, and the employee shall then return to the previous budget title for at least the unexpired portion of the prior term appointment in that title.

NON-RENEWAL OF TERM APPOINTMENTS

Given appropriate and timely notice as specified in the Agreement between the State of New York and UUP, the employment status of any person may be terminated at the end of their current term appointment.For more information on non-renewal procedures, contact the Senior Associate Director of Human Resources.

Notice of non-renewal action is grounded in the UUP Agreement and in the Policies of the Board of Trustees.Written notice that a term appointment is not to be renewed upon its expiration must be provided by the President to the employee not less than as indicated below:

a)     Three months prior to the end of a term expiring at the end of an employee’s first year of service within the University

b)     Six months prior to the end of a term appointment when the employee has more than one year but not more than two years of service within the University

c)     One year prior to the end of a term appointment when the employee has more than two years of service within the University

d)     45 days prior to the end of a term appointment when the employee is serving on a part-time term appointment

The Human Resources office will provide information to supervisors regarding upcoming and important dates of non-renewal for all professional employees in their areas.This information will be entered into the system upon the professional employee’s initial hire and changed/altered as necessary to assure accuracy during the professional’s career.Dates of non-renewal are closely tied to required dates of employee evaluation, thus as evaluation information is gleaned from Human Resources, that information should be appropriately noted by departments, deans and others involved in the personnel processes of the University.

TERMINATION OF TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS

Temporary appointees may have their employment status terminated at any time with no minimum notice requirement.General University protocol is to provide the employee, however, with a two-week notice period as a courtesy, whenever operationally possible.

Contacts:

Employment Team, 7-3321
Senior Associate Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations, 7-4939