The UCLA CALL

Appendix 36

Synopsis of Academic Personnel Manual Section 311

I. Definition of the Project (e.g., Scientist) Series

Titles in the Project (e.g., Scientist) series are assigned to those appointees who make significant and creative contributions to a research or creative project in any academic discipline.  Appointees in this series may be ongoing members of a research team or may be employed for a limited period of time to contribute high-level skills to a specific research or creative program.  Appointees in this series are not required to carry out independent research or to develop an independent research reputation.  Appointees with Project (e.g., Scientist) titles do not have teaching responsibilities.  Ordinarily, appointees in the Project (e.g., Scientist) series titles will carry out research or creative programs with supervision by a member of the Professor or Professional Research series.

An appointee in the Project (e.g., Scientist) series does not usually serve as a Principal Investigator.  Serving as a Principal Investigator is not required, nor is it expected for an appointment, merit increase, or promotion in this series.  However, designation as Principal Investigator does not in itself justify an appointment to the Professional Research series.

Appointees may serve full-time, part-time, or without salary.  Project (e.g., Scientist) series titles may be supported by State and non-State funds.

The candidate for a title in this series must have earned a doctorate or its equivalent.  The Chancellor may grant an exception to this requirement.
 

II. Guidelines for Appointment

The Project (e.g., Scientist) series differs from the Professional Research series in that the former need not demonstrate the same capacity for fully independent research, or research leadership, required of the Professional Research series or the Professor series.  Therefore, Project (e.g., Scientist) appointments are made when a Professional Research series appointment is not appropriate because of the subordinate status or service nature of the position, or because the appointee may not fulfill the academic requirements of that series.  Those appointed in the Project (e.g., Scientist) series are expected to have a broader range of knowledge and competency, and a higher level of independence, than appointees in the Specialist Series.

III. Characteristics of Series

A. Ranks and Steps

B. Term of Service

An appointment or reappointment in the Project (e.g. Scientist) series shall have a specified ending date.

C. Limit on Funding

Each source which provides compensation for service in this series must permit research.  Utilization of departmental provisions (except when specifically assigned to this series) and of departmental General Assistance funding for appointment of Project (e.g., Scientist) appointees requires advance approval of the Chancellor.

It is the responsibility of each Department Chair (in cooperation with any employing Principal Investigator or Director) to assure that each appointee to this series is at all times aware of the financial longevity of the source(s) of support for the appointment.

Policies regarding layoffs or involuntary reduction in time due to lack of work, lack of funds, or programmatic change are contained in Appendix 33, "Policy Governing Layoff of Non-Senate Academic Appointees."

IV. Required Documentation

A. Establish Position

All positions must be approved by the Chancellor prior to the initiation of any search process:

1.      detailed request from Chair requesting that a position be established.  Include at what rank the position should be established as well as a target date for appointment;

2.      endorsement from the Dean; and,

3.     a job description detailing duties and responsibilities of position including all reporting relationships.

B. Appointments

Appointments to the Project (e.g. Scientist) series require full searches.  Appointees in this series are not members of the Academic Senate.  Neither tenure nor security of employment is acquired by appointment to this series.  The following materials are to be submitted in support of appointment of an individual in this series:

1.      Letter from the Chair requesting appointment indicating scope of search and outlining qualifications of recommended individual.  Include rank, step, working title and effective date of proposed appointment.  Indicate individual, if any, who previously held the position.

2.      Endorsement statement from the Dean.

3.  Solicited letters of recommendation if individual does not currently hold an appointment with UCLA or is currently holding a non-academic title at UCLA.

4.      CV of proposed appointee.

5.      Current job description for the position.

6.      Academic Selection & Compliance Form.

When extending an offer to individuals in this series, it is necessary for the Dean or Chair to include the following statement in any correspondence regarding their offer of an appointment or renewal of appointment:

"This appointment is for a specific term, with an ending date as
herein set forth, and is not for a longer period unless express written
notification is so given to the appointee.  In the absence of such
express notification, the appointment ipso facto
terminates on the specified ending date."

Additionally, the appointment letter shall set forth any funding requirements for the position.  When there is a reasonable expectation of long-term funding, the Chancellor, by exception, may make an appointment in the Associate Project (e.g., Scientist) and Project (e.g., Scientist) title with no specific ending date.  In such a case, the appointee shall be advised in writing that the appointment does not carry tenure or security of employment.

Change in series actions from the Professional Research series, or from Professorial series, do not require searches, since the intent of the action is to better define a more appropriate series for the individual. It is assumed in these cases that the search for the original appointment was at least equivalent, or more extensive, in character and scope to that which would have been required had the newly proposed position undergone a search.

C. Merits

Eligibility does not imply automatic advancement.  Departments are required to review the record of each individual when the individual becomes eligible for normal advancement to determine whether or not advancement should be recommended.  Advancement follows only upon demonstration of qualification following review.  The following materials are required:

1.      Letter from Chair requesting advancement, outlining achievements and accomplishments since last review.  Include rank, step, and effective date of proposed appointment;

2.      CV of proposed appointee; and

3.      Endorsement from the Dean if merit is either accelerated or deferred.

D. Promotion

Eligibility does not imply automatic advancement. Departments are required to review the record of each individual when the individual becomes eligible for promotion to determine whether or not advancement should be recommended. Promotion follows only upon demonstration of qualification following review.  The following materials are required:

1. Letter from Chair requesting promotion, outlining achievements and accomplishments during the time at the lower rank. Include rank, step, and effective date of proposed appointment;
    
2. Endorsement from the Dean; and
    
3. CV of proposed appointee.

E. Criteria for Advancement

In framing a request for advancement in the Project (e.g. Scientist) series, the following criteria should be addressed:

1.      provision of high-level skills to a specific research or creative program;

2.      professional competence and activity

Teaching or service requirements are not applicable to the Project (e.g., Scientist) series.

V. Review and Approval Authority

Please note that advance approval is required in most cases.

Senate review is waived for this series.  Five-Year Reviews are not applicable to the Project (e.g., Scientist) series.  Also, Fourth-Year appraisals, and Eight-Year Limit Reviews, are not applicable to the Project (e.g., Scientist) series.

All Schools and Colleges

* Note: Acceleration is defined as advancement in step prior to the number of requisite years as described in section I or a salary increase in excess of one step.

Deferral is advancement in step after a period longer than the stated number of requisite years or a salary increase of less than one step.

VI. Compensation

An individual appointed to this series is compensated on the salary scale appropriate to the circumstances of service, as defined in Table 42 and Table 43 of University of California Academic Salary Scales.

Table of Contents

Appendix 37