| Live Search | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
This page describes the process for hiring 12-month professional-track research faculty only. See also EVPP: Hiring Research Faculty.
For guidance on hiring 9-month professional-track faculty, go to COE: Hiring Professional Track Faculty.
...
| bgColor | #DEEBFF |
|---|
Related content:
...
For information about the College’s initiative to hire research faculty, see COE Research Faculty Initiative.
...
For general information about research faculty, see COE: About Research Faculty.
...
| Live Search | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Panel | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
Related content:
|
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||
See also EVPP: Hiring Research Faculty. This page describes the process for hiring 12-month professional-track research faculty only. For guidance on hiring 9-month professional-track faculty, go to COE: Hiring Professional Track Faculty. The key distinction between research faculty and research staff positions is evidence of engagement with the academic enterprise through teaching, mentorship, or supervision of students at some level. See COE: Comparison of Research Positions for more information. Because the expectation of academic service typically lies beyond the scope of sponsored projects, UT requires that faculty positions are funded no more than 95% from sponsored projects (26-accounts), and that at least 5% must be funded by a non-26, less restricted source in order to account for the expected academic service. For 12-month research faculty only, IDC is an acceptable funding source for that 5%. See COE: About Research Faculty > Funding research faculty. Research faculty must be 100% FTE unless an exception is granted by the Dean, APS, and VPR, which requires submission of justification for the reduced appointment. |
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Managing research faculty appointmentsAll faculty positions, including those of 12-month research faculty regardless of funding source, have their primary administrative home in an academic department. Some but not all research faculty also have an affiliation with a research center. For research faculty who work in a COE research center, the table below summarizes the distribution of administrative responsibilities between the academic department and the research center.
|
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Principal Investigator (PI) statusProfessional-track research faculty are eligible for PI status. See a list of PI-eligible titles at Principal Investigator (PI) Eligibility for Sponsored Projects – UT Austin.pdf Some new research faculty may need PI status prior to their official start date, for instance to transfer sponsored projects from another institution or apply for new projects that begin after their official UT start date. For guidance, see COE: Requesting PI Status Prior to New Faculty Start Date. |
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
About the PARFor Provost’s Office guidance, see EVPP: Prior Approval Request (PAR). For section-by-section instructions for processing a PAR in DEFINE, see COE: PAR - Electronic Document Processing Guide. When is a PAR needed?PARs must be processed for hires of new faculty, and former faculty whose employment has been terminated. Faculty are not hired via Workday. Once the PAR is final-approved, EVPP loads the appointment into Workday via the PAR. A PAR is needed in the following situations:
A PAR is not required in these situations:
Contact COE-FacultyAffairs@austin.utexas.edu with any questions. |
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Responsible party | Step | Action | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Department | 1 | Before beginning, the department should determine the most appropriate track and rank for the prospective faculty member, based on their education level and experience. See EVPP: Research Faculty Titles. Contact COE-FacultyAffairs@austin.utexas.edu with questions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | If faculty member will be hired to the rank of Research Professor, EVPP pre-approval is required before proceeding. Do not proceed until EVPP approval has been confirmed. If approved, include documentation of pre-approval in the PAR packet. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Complete recruiting or posting exemption request as appropriate. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Process a faculty job requisition in Workday, ensuring there are sufficient openings for the hire. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | a) Process FPR in DEFINE. See COE: PAR - T/TT Electronic Document Processing Guide b) Collect all required supplementary documentation listed at COE: PAR - Supplementary Documentation Checklists > Research faculty hires | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | a) Approve completed FPR (DEFINE PAR document) forward to COE Faculty Affairs. b) Forward completed but unsigned PAR packet as a single PDF to COE-FacultyAffairs@austin.utexas.edu. PAR packet should include all documentation listed on the tab "PAR documentation checklist" on this page, in the order described. If financial commitments beyond academic salary (example: relocation) are included in the PAR/offer letter, cc the department accountant/Cost Center Manager. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COE Faculty Affairs | 7 | a) FPR and PAR packet review. b) PAR routed for signatures in DocuSign. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | After PAR is fully-signed in DocuSign, adds approval comments to FPR document in DEFINE and approves forward to APS. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | COE Faculty Affairs submits PAR packet to APS for approval via ServiceNow: APS/Faculty Affairs requests help ticket. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
APS | 10 | APS reviews PAR and forwards to the Vice President for Research (VPR) for final review and approval. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
VPR | 11 | VPR reviews PAR and provides final approval. If approved, this is communicated to COE Faculty Affairs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COE Faculty Affairs | 12 | After both APS and VPR have approved the PAR, offer letter is sent to candidate. Offer may be extended only after receiving approval from VPR. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Department | 13 | Department forwards signed offer letter to COE Faculty Affairs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
COE Faculty Affairs | 14 | Signed offer letter is uploaded to same ServiceNow ticket as for the PAR and uploaded to the faculty member’s personnel folder on Box. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
APS | 15 | APS reviews and accepts PAR and signed offer letter and pushes the hire to Workday. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Department | 16 | The department is responsible for maintaining all research faculty personnel files. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Managing research faculty appointmentsAll faculty positions live in an academic department, and all research faculty will have an appointment in an academic department. The table below summarizes the distribution of administrative responsibilities between the academic department and the research center.
|
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Pre-review requirement for Research Professor rankFor prospective hires at the rank of Research Professor, pre-approval is required from EVPP, following the process described below. See EVPP: Hiring Senior-Level Faculty. For more on titles and ranks see COE: Titles and Ranks - Professional Track Faculty. Process
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hire process
Background checksDepartments should initiate a background check as soon as a finalist has been determined. Effective fall 2025, APS will not accept the PAR nor push the position into Workday until after the background check has been confirmed clear. Faculty may not begin teaching or assumption of other work activities until after their background check has been confirmed clear; delays may also result in a postponed start date and impacts to employee benefits. See HR: How to Request a Background Check for more information. Per HOP 5-1140: Criminal Background Checks, VII.A.2: No applicant may start work for the University, formally or informally, before having a Criminal Background Check completed and being approved by the University’s central Human Resources office. An employee that authorizes an applicant to begin work in violation of this provision may be subject to discipline, including potential termination of their employment. Process table
|
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PAR documentation checklistResearch Faculty titles are professional-track 12-month faculty appointments and follow September 1-August 31 employment dates (see Dates for Faculty Employment Changes). Research faculty ranks are Research Assistant Professor (0037), Research Associate Professor (0027), and Research Professor (0017). In *DEFINE, the document type for tenure-track faculty PARs is FPT.
InstructionsAfter approving the DEFINE FPR document off the creator's desk, order materials as they are listed below and saved as a single PDF and send to COE-FacultyAffairs@austin.utexas.edu.
|
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Offer lettersContracts for Research faculty are normally for one year only (September 1-August 31), but can be longer if determined by the Dean to be in the best interest of the institution. Note that every commitment of funding (relocation, early start date, TA/GRA, etc.) must be captured in both the offer letter and Section 2 Funding Commitments of the PAR. For assistance with wording of non-standard offer items not included in the EVPP template, please contact COE Faculty Affairs. Who writes professional track offer letters?Offer letters for research faculty hires are drafted by the hiring departments, in collaboration with any joint hiring departments. Please contact COE Faculty Affairs with any questions. Where do I find offer letter templates?In order to ensure the most current template is being used, each offer letter should be drafted based on a newly-downloaded template for the appropriate hire type based on the Provost's Office current template at FA/APS ServiceNow Portal > Knowledge (top right corner) > FA/APS Knowledge Articles (top left corner) > Offer Letter Templates > Departmentalized CSUs. What is the offer letter process?A draft of the offer letter, including a "DRAFT" watermark on each page, should be included in the PAR packet. The draft offer letter does not represent a promise of employment or any other commitment. Once the PAR is final-approved by the Dean, COE Faculty Affairs will email the PAR packet signed by the Dean to the department Administrative Manager, indicating that the PAR has been approved. When this email indicating approval has been received, the department can send an offer letter to the candidate. However, all PAR information is thoroughly reviewed in the Provost’s Office to ensure compliance, and if errors are found, corrections will still need to be made even if the contract has been signed by the faculty candidate. After the offer letter has been signed by the candidate, the Administrative Manager should upload the signed letter to the same Faculty Affairs & Academic Personnel Services Portal help ticket on which they submitted the PAR. Once APS has processed the signed offer letter, they will push the hire to Workday. The department is responsible for maintaining research faculty personnel files, including PARs and offer letters. Can I share a draft of the offer letter with the candidate prior to PAR final approval?The department may, if they wish, share the draft with the candidate. It must be clearly indicated via watermark that the copy is a draft, and any associated correspondence must explicitly state that the draft is “pending final modifications and approval of the Dean and Provost.” The draft offer letter should not be signed by anyone, as it does not represent a contract. |
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||
PAR-Workday integration processUpon final approval of the PAR, the following information is brought over to Workday from the PAR, overwriting the initial data entered on the job requisition:
|
| Cfm tabs page | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Closing the positionImmediately after the conclusion of a faculty search and/or once the posting is no longer needed, be sure tothe department should close the Interfolio position (archive) and indicate an outcome. Online training for this step is available at the following links: For searches that did not result in selection of a candidate , add:
Online training for this step is available at the following links: Close a Position - Interfolio Faculty Search Institutional Administrator Training
|
Please send suggested additions to this page and notifications about broken links to COE-FacultyAffairs@austin.utexas.edu.