Category A: Title Change to Senior
Q. How do I know when I’m eligible
for a title prefix review?
A. For a Category A title promotion from “No Prefix” to “Senior,” normally
you must have been in your current No Prefix title for at least 3 FTE years.
You must also have had at least 7 FTE years of relevant professional experience
within or outside of UW-Extension. If you have been a part-time employee, convert
your part-time employment to full-time equivalent by converting years of employment
by part-time percentage of employment. For example, 5 years part-time employment
@ .60 FTE would be 5 x 60 = 3 full-time years.
If you want help calculating your full-time equivalent years, contact your immediate supervisor or the Cooperative Extension Human Resources Office. You must also demonstrate increased competency in your position to be eligible.
Q. When can I submit a
title prefix review
request?
A. You can submit a request any time of the year after you have met the years-of-service requirement.
Q. Who initiates the process?
A. You initiate the request for your own
title prefix review
by submitting the required forms and support materials to your immediate
supervisor. Be sure to alert Mary Detra (mary.detra@ces.uwex.edu or
608-265-9887) in the Cooperative Extension Human Resources Office
when you’ve submitted your materials to your immediate supervisor
so Mary can help monitor the progress of your request. If you
ever have a question about its progress, contact Mary or your immediate
supervisor.
Q. How long will the process take?
A. It will probably take two to three months. The more
levels of supervision
you have, the longer the process will take because each supervisor has
10 working days to indicate support or nonsupport for your request.
Your immediate supervisor first indicates if he or she supports your
request and can add a letter outlining justifications. Your immediate
supervisor then forwards it to the next higher supervisory level. All
levels of supervision will have input. (See Role of Supervisors.)
Q. Will anyone else review my
title prefix review
request?
A. After your supervisors have reviewed it, your request
goes to the Academic Staff Title Review Committee for a formal peer
review. This three-member group includes a member of the Academic
Staff Council, another Category A academic staff person, and a representative
from the Cooperative Extension Human Resources Office. The review
committee will forward its recommendation to the Dean of Cooperative Extension.
(See Role of the Academic Staff Title Review Committee. For information
on the Academic Staff Council, go to http://www.uwex.edu/secretary/AS/.)
Q. What happens when the Dean receives
my
title prefix review
request?
A. You’ll be alerted by e-mail when your request
reaches the Dean. If the Dean agrees that a title prefix change is warranted, he or she forwards
a letter to the Chancellor, along with a summary of your credentials
justifying your request and a recommended salary increase. If the Dean
does not support your request, he or she will communicate this to you
in a letter.
Q. Can I appeal the Dean’s decision
if my
title prefix review
request is not approved?
A. Yes, you can appeal the Dean’s decision to
the Academic Staff Hearings Committee, a group of six members elected
from the academic staff at large to hear appeals, complaints, and grievances
of academic staff. This committee will forward a recommendation to the
Chancellor, who then decides. The Chancellor’s decision is final.
(See UPG #15 for more information.)
Q. What do reviewers look for in a
title prefix review
request?
A. The success of a request is based on the packet of materials you submit. The reviewers evaluate your materials using criteria established by UPG#15. To increase your chances of success, you’re encouraged to create and maintain a work-record portfolio to be reviewed with your supervisor at each annual review. You’re also encouraged to ask your supervisors and academic staff co-workers to review your promotion packet and share helpful suggestions
before
you submit.
Q. What are the requirements for a“No Prefix” title prefix to be changed to “Senior”?
A. Based on UPG #15, a complete packet includes three sets
of the following materials.
(Note: Actual language used
in UPG #15 is in "quotes" below.)
- A blank Supervisory Review - Category A form found at
 http://www.uwex.edu/ces/hr/policies/documents/Superva.pdf.
- A completed Title Review Request - Category A: Professional
Title Series form. Go to
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/hr/policies/documents/CATASR2.pdf for
a blank copy.
- “A minimum of seven (7) full-time equivalent (FTE) years of
relevant professional experience.” If you have been a part-time
employee, convert your part-time employment to full-time equivalent.
Documentation might include:
- Résumé equaling 7 or more full-time years of relevant professional work, including 3 years in your current prefix.
- Position descriptions for all your professional experience, including your current position. Provide descriptions of your duties and competencies, including a narrative linking the relevance of your background to your current position.
- “The time criterion may be replaced with skill attainment and
competencies criteria for specific title series and/or functional roles
that have been previously approved by the UW-Extension Human Resources
Director in consultation with the Academic Staff Council.” For
further description of this exception, look at the attachment
to UPG #15 at http://www.uwex.edu/secretary/policies/section7/upg15.pdf.
- “Normally a minimum of three (3) full-time equivalent (FTE)
years in the current No Prefix title.” If you have been a part-time
employee, convert your part-time employment to full-time equivalent.
- “A consistent record of exemplary performance (e.g. exceeds
the expectations of performance for this position, high merit salary
award).” Other evidence includes:
- Annual performance evaluations for at least 3 years indicating successful performance.
- Awards including commendations and letters of recommendation that reflect performance at or above expectations.
- “Participation in relevant professional development activities.” Provide
titles, dates, and brief descriptions of each relevant activity.
For each activity, include a brief statement of how the training or
event directly contributed to your skill or competency development
and how it was related to your position.
- “Development and/or implementation of new approaches, methods
or techniques to resolve problems with little or no expert guidance,
and demonstration of the ability to work independently and to cope
with new, unexpected or complex situations. May be involved in the
training or supervision of other staff members.” To meet this criteria you need to include documentation, such as:
- Success stories highlighting your contributions to a project that have made a difference for participants or the community.
- Impact reports detailing evidence of how your work has resulted in positive community or individual changes.
- Brief descriptions or success stories that describe your roles in significant team efforts that have enhanced programming or the work environment.
- Summaries of your work where you have applied your professional skills to work activities you carried out in your present position. These could include written documents you prepared, videotapes you produced, and photos of and examples from a display you created.
- Action plans that show how you engaged in planning and how you implemented plans (goals, objectives, audiences, resources, evaluations, and impacts).
- Narrative on how your work is “creative” and “innovative.”
- Narrative on your work built on and added to the professional content of your work area of your content area.
- Description of how your work builds on the work of others and extends the practice or understanding.
- Description of how your work has been shared with and/or used by others.
- Description of how your work has been valued by your clients. Document any changes, improvements, and impacts.
You essentially need to convince the reviewers, especially those who don't know your work. Include multiple examples, not just thank you notes.
- “Demonstrated professional contributions such as participation
in professional organizations, publications, or recognition for professional
presentations or materials developed/produced.” Documentation
includes:
- Regional, state, or national association meetings where you were a planner, organizer, presenter, or panel member.
- Reports that you have written or co-written that have been shared with others.
- Workshops that you have given or co-presented where your work was used to help others improve their work activities.
- Materials that you have developed or co-developed that have improved the development, behaviors, or activities of clients.
- “Participation in UWEX or departmental/unit activities (e.g.
institutional or departmental governance, committee work).” For
example:
- Service on the Academic Staff Council or its subcommittees.
- County and district work teams developing materials and practices
in your content areas.
- Regional, state, or national association meetings where you were
a planner, organizer, presenter, or panel member.
- Reports that you have written or co-written that have been shared
with others.
Q. What if my request packet is
not complete?
A. If your packet is incomplete, your supervisor should return it to you, stating what is missing. You'll be given a chance to complete your packet and resubmit it into the process at any time.
Q. What if my request packet doesn't demonstrate that I have met the criteria?
A. Anyone in the review chain could forward a recommendation of nonsupport. When there isn't agreement, the review committee meets to determine appropriate next steps. You may be expected to make changes or additions, and could resubmit the required set of materials for reconsideration.
Q. Who will tell me if my request has been approved ?
A. You’ll find out the decision by e-mail from the Cooperative Extension Human Resources Office, unless your supervisor requests the option to personally inform you.
Q. When will my title prefix change become effective ?
A. If approved, the change is effective the first of the month after you submitted a complete title review packet.
Q. What is the salary increase amount associated with a title change to "Senior"?
A. To find out your salary increase, look at the Supervisors Review Form at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/hr/policies/documents/Superva.pdf.
Q. Where can I find out more information?
A. UWEX Unclassified Personnel Guideline #15 lists guidelines for the “No
Prefix” to “Senior” title review in Sections 15.01 and 15.02 ( http://www.uwex.edu/secretary/policies/section7/upg15.pdf.
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