Academic Support Staff consist of Full and Part time Staff at the University of Pennsylvania and are not eligible for an appointment to the Standing or Associated Faculty. Each appointment to the Academic Support Staff is for a term of years and is without tenure or tenure significance. Full definition can be found on the Provost's website - Faculty Handbook Policy II.B.4 -Policy defining the structure of the academic staff.
What are the two Academic Support Staff positions?
Instructor - Used primarily for part-time clinical personnel in the health professional schools; there is no limit to the length of part-time service in this position. In addition, the instructor position is occasionally used in some schools for Full-Time appointments of scholars still in professional training. In this case appointments are limited to (3) three consecutive years, except where additional appointments are approved by the Provost.
Research Associate - Research Associates work in sponsored research programs and must hold the appropriate terminal professional degree in their disciplines. Full time service in this position may not exceed three (3) years, except with approval of the Provost.
Why are Academic Support Staff hired?
These positions contribute to the University’s teaching, research, or clinical missions in a variety of ways. Instructors are primarily in pursuit of additional professional training and Research Associates are recruited to work in sponsored research programs.
All applicants must apply to an approved Academic Support Staff position in Interfolio Faculty Search (Interfolio FS). This process starts with the Department Faculty Coordinator, who submits a position in the Ad Generator. Please ensure that the text in the Ad adheres to the handbook definition for Academic Support Staff.
After generating the ad/position description, the department must submit the position to Interfolio FS for Faculty Search Advisor (FSA) review and approval. [OAA Staff serves as FSA for this position.] Neither a Search Committee nor publishing the ad in a journal is required for Academic Support Staff. However, positions descriptions do need to be posted in Interfolio Faculty Search for a minimum of 14 days before a preferred candidate can be identified.
*Exception – Fellows in unaccredited fellowship programs are not required to apply online in Interfolio FS at all. Only the RTR and Offer Letter are required to be processed and approved. Examples of Departments with unaccredited fellowships are: Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, Otorhinolaryngology, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
The Process to Create a Position
Step 1: Submit a position in the Ad Generator (completed by Department Faculty Coordinator)
Ensure that the text adheres to the handbook definition for Academic Support Staff
Ensure that opportunities for academic and professional development are highlighted. Recommended practice: include a sentence such as “The successful applicant will have an opportunity to develop…” and then list the opportunities.
Step 2: Review position description thoroughly (completed by Department Faculty Coordinator)
Instructor: Reminders
Highlight opportunities for candidate to grow
Include option to search for someone with “expertise”, if needed
Ensure clarity of description of job responsibilities and development
Research Associate: Reminders
Do not imply a leadership position - this position provides support to a sponsored research program
Include any required minimum years of postdoctoral research experience
General Reminders:
Only post position for a max of 2 years
Include which terminal degree/s the applicants must hold
Do not imply a future full-time faculty position for either Academic Support Staff position
Avoid using language like: “this position will have the potential for advancement into a future faculty position”
Step 3: Submit the position to Interfolio FS for Faculty Search Advisor (FSA) review and approval (OAA Staff serves as FSA for this position)
Academic Support Staff do not require a Search Committee or external advertising. However, positions descriptions do need to be posted in Interfolio Faculty Search for a minimum of 14 days before a preferred candidate can be identified.
Managing Applications
When managing applications in Interfolio FS, the best practices are:
Track internally - Keep track of the reasons a candidate has been interviewed or not in a department file outside of the Interfolio FS system
Track in the application - Use the Applicant Status: “Selected - Appointment Approval not Required” to identify preferred candidates in the Interfolio FS system.
Candidate Ben Franklin has been selected as the preferred candidate, so the department selects the status: “Selected - Appointment Approval not Required”
After the position has been posted in Interfolio FS for a minimum of 14 days and the preferred candidate is selected, Academic Support Staff require a Request to Recruit (RTR) submission in the RTR Online Application.
Note: Since Academic Support Staff are not faculty, they do not require a dossier
Instructions on how to access the RTR online application
Know exactly which documents are required for Academic Support Staff
Step 2: Submit RTR in online system with all attachments for Dean’s signature and approval (completed by Department Faculty Coordinator)
This includes:
Draft Offer Letter in PSOM standardized format
Candidate’s CV (FEDS format not required)
Step 3: Double-check the RTR for the following:
Matching appointment start dates on the RTR and on the offer letter
Matching Citizenship status on RTR and on candidate’s CV
Correct spelling of the candidate’s name on RTR and across all documentation
Workday Process for Hiring
After RTR is approved in the online system, the Department receives an email notification and enters the candidate in Workday.
Important reminders - entering an Academic Support Staff Appointment in Workday:
Attach Dean’s Office Approved Offer letter and ensure that:
Signatures are present
Date signed is present
Include Start date
Start date on the Workday request must match the offer letter
Include End date
The end date must be one full year from start date (if the start date is September 1, 2023 --> end date should be August 31, 2024)
Include Identifier
Select “Primary – Primary" for the Identifier section – if Workday produces an error because of this selection, contact the Solutions Center to troubleshoot
Include Roster Percent
Roster percent is 100% for Full-Time Academic SS – if Workday produces an error because of this selection, contact the Solutions Center to troubleshoot
If the candidate and the department decide to continue the Academic Support Staff role for another year, then the department must submit a Reappointment request via Workday in the candidate’s Academic Unit record. Submit the reappointment request prior to the end of each one-year term that the candidate serves, which can be up to three one-year terms.
Reappointment Letter
A Reappointment Letter is required to submit the reappointment in Workday Academic Unit (AU). You can find the Reappointment Letter template in the “Letter Templates” BOX folder located in the Quick Links section at the top of this webpage.
Workday Process for Reappointment
Important reminders – Requesting a Reappointment for Academic Support Staff in Workday AU:
Attach Reappointment letter and ensure that:
Signatures are present
Date signed is present
Include Start date
Start date in the Workday request must match with the reappointment letter
Include End date
The end date must be one full year from start date.
For example: if the start date is September 1, 2023 --> end date should be August 31, 2024
Full-time Academic Support Staff are limited to 3 consecutive years at the University. If the department determines that the candidate should continue in their Academic Support Staff position beyond their 3rd year, an Extension Request form must be submitted to OAA six months before the end date. (For example, if the candidate’s end date of their third and final term was 6/30/23, then the Extension Request form must have been submitted to OAA before 12/30/22.)
