Category B: Title Change to Senior
Q. How do I know when I’m eligible
for a title prefix review?
A. For a Category B 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 four-member group includes a member of the Academic
Staff Council, another Category B academic staff person, a representative
from the
Cooperative Extension Human Resources Office, and a representative
from a similar program area or discipline. The review committee will
forward its recommendation to the Dean of Coopoperative 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 request is not supported?
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 include four sets
of the following materials. (Note: Actual language used
in UPG #15 is in "quotes" below.)
- A blank Supervisory Review - Category B form found at
 http://www.uwex.edu/ces/hr/policies/documents/Supervb.pdf.
- A completed Title Review Request - Category B: Instructional
Title Series form. Go to
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/hr/policies/documents/CATBSR2.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 of work equaling 7 or more full-time years,
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.
- “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 might include:
- 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.
- “Extensive teaching experience and subject matter expertise.” You
might list the programs you have taught or facilitated, and include
a narrative describing the content-matter expertise that you have developed.
- “Highly developed skills in the development, teaching and evaluation
of educational programs and curriculum or in the conduct of research.” 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.
- “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.
- “Demonstrated professional contributions such as participation
in professional organizations, publications, or recognition for professional
presentations or materials developed/produced.” Documentation
might include:
- 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).” Examples
include:
- 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/Supervb.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 15.03 and 15.04 ( http://www.uwex.edu/secretary/policies/section7/upg15.pdf).
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