ACADEMIC DEANS
DEPARTMENT CHAIRS

EQUITY ADVISORS
CHIEF PERSONNEL OFFICERS

As we work through the implications of the COVID-19 crisis, we provide the following guidance on the academic review process. As the situation continues to evolve rapidly, we will continue to update you regularly. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Extension of the 8-year clock: faculty and other academic employees

An automatic one-year Stop the Clock (COVID-STC) will be available to faculty members at the Assistant level in the following series: Professor/Professor of Teaching/Professor In Residence/Professor of Clinical X, Health Sciences Clinical Professor (at more than 50% time) and Adjunct Professor (at more than 50% time), due to the special circumstance of COVID-19. This extension applies to faculty members who were employed as of March 1, 2020. If the faculty member has already used two Stop the Clock extensions, a third year would require approval from UCOP Academic Personnel. To activate the COVID-STC the faculty would complete the UCI-AP-92, Stop the Clock Certification form (select COVID-19 under Purpose), route via the chair, dean and to the assigned Academic Personnel analyst on or before June 30, 2021. If a Midcareer Appraisal or promotion/promotion to tenure is to occur during 2020-2021 review cycle, notification of COVID-STC must be submitted by June 30, 2020. After acknowledgement of COVID-STC, the faculty can still choose to go up for Mid-Career Appraisal or promotion/promotion to tenure at normal time.

Review of future merit & promotion cases: faculty and other academic employees

As in all personnel cases, departments should provide the context for any periods of reduced activity. Further guidelines for documenting the impact of COVID-19 crisis will be developed and shared over the coming months. All eligible faculty at Associate rank and above employed on March 1, 2020 will be eligible for a one-year deferral in their review cycle. To activate this deferral, the faculty member would submit a brief memo, routed via the chair, to the dean for approval and to the assigned Academic Personnel analyst for record keeping.

Processing of current year merit & promotion cases

Current cases with a review period ending September 30, 2019 and an effective date as of July 1, 2020 will continue to be processed. Every effort will be made to have all cases completed on the normal timeline. Any current review file final decisions that are delayed by COVID-19 crisis will be retroactive to July 1, 2020.

Sabbatical leave cancellations

Faculty may cancel sabbaticals that have been approved for Spring and Fall 2020. For Spring, this can be done by submitting an email by April 7, 2020 to their chair and dean that briefly describes the impact of COVID-19 crisis on sabbatical plans, which can then be forwarded to assigned Academic Personnel analyst. Faculty canceling sabbaticals for Spring 2020 will be expected to fully engage in their University duties to the extent possible. This may include advising, assisting faculty with remote courses, or serving as a substitute for faculty members unable to teach for all or part of the term, at the chair’s discretion. Faculty canceling for Fall 2020 (deadline TBD) will be expected to meet their full research, teaching and service duties during that quarter. Individuals will be allowed to accrue sabbatical credit beyond the maximum number if this is an issue created by sabbatical cancellation for Spring or Fall 2020. Individuals will need to submit a memo to accrue beyond the maximum credit via the chair, dean and forwarded to the assigned Academic Personnel analyst for Vice Provost acknowledgement.

Sincerely,

Diane K. O’Dowd
Vice Provost for Academic Personnel

Sharon Block
Chair, Council on Academic Personnel