The UNC Policy Manual
300.1.6[R]
Adopted 03/21/03
Amended 05/02/10
Amended 06/05/24
1.
Administrative Separation and Return to a Tenured Faculty Position.[1]
a.
Return
to a Tenured Faculty Position. An administrator who holds a concurrent tenured
faculty appointment may return to that appointment with all the rights and responsibilities
of faculty in the home department unless a proceeding is initiated to discharge
or demote the tenured faculty member. If there has been an administrative
stipend during the appointment, that stipend shall be removed. The salary shall
be adjusted from a 12-month administrative salary to a 9-month or 12-month
faculty salary that is commensurate with the salaries of comparable faculty
members.
b.
Scholarly
Leave. At the discretion of the Chancellor, or the President in the case of a
UNC System Office employee, the Chancellor or President may provide for up to a
one semester Scholarly Leave for any tenured faculty member who has served in one
or more consecutive Senior Academic and Administrative Officer (SAAO) or Exempt
Professional Staff (EPS) positions subject to Policy 300.1.1, I.A for at least
five years in order to provide an opportunity for the faculty member to prepare
for teaching and research responsibilities. Prior to the beginning of the Scholarly
Leave, the administrator shall submit a work plan for the leave period to
include expected outcomes. The plan will be reviewed and approved by the
Chancellor. In the event that an employee of the UNC System
Office is returning to the faculty of a constituent institution, the President
shall review and approve the work plan. The leave will be paid at a salary
commensurate with the salaries of comparable faculty members.
c.
Exception
Provision. Exceptions may be made to recognize extraordinary circumstances
including, but not limited to, extended or superior service in administrative
roles. Any exception to these provisions must be approved by the Board of
Trustees and by the President.
d.
Failure
to Return to Faculty Role. In the
event that the faculty member
does not assume faculty responsibilities for at least a semester after the Scholarly
Leave in accordance with this policy, the Chancellor, or the President in the
case of the UNC System Office employee, is authorized, in their discretion, to
require repayment of compensation paid during the leave period from the non-returning
faculty member. For the avoidance of doubt, such a failure to return to a
faculty role shall be deemed a voluntary resignation from employment with no
right of appeal notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter VI, Section 603, The Code.
2.
Appointment
of an Administrator without Faculty Return Rights. An administrator leaving a
position that is categorized as “at will” and who does not have contractual
faculty retreat rights has no claim to a position at the university; however,
there may be circumstances in which assignment to another administrative or
teaching position would be beneficial for both the institution and the
employee. In these cases, the new salary should be appropriate to the
assignment. Any exception must be approved by the Board of Trustees and by the President. This Regulation does not supersede any notice
or severance pay required by Board of Governors policy.
3.
Separation
from the University. In some cases, it may be in the best interests of the
institution to negotiate a severance agreement with an administrator. UNC
policy addresses timely notice for termination of Senior Academic and Administrative
Officers and Exempt Professional Staff hired pursuant to Policy 300.1.1.
In certain circumstances, these employees are entitled to notice of the
discontinuation of their employment with full pay for up to 90 days or
severance pay, depending on their length of service. A Chancellor or the President
may, at their discretion, determine that the circumstances justify continuing
full pay for employees subject to Policy 300.1.1. for up to 90 days. Any
agreement that results in a longer period of compensation must be approved by
the Board of Trustees, or by the Board of Governors for employees of the UNC System
Office.
4.
Retirement.
Nothing in these Regulations shall prevent a tenured faculty member from
immediately participating in phased retirement, consistent with existing UNC
policies.
5.
Coverage.
These regulations apply to Senior Academic and Administrative Officers hired on
or after the approval date. Employees serving as Senior Academic and
Administrative Officers prior to the approval date remain covered under the
previous regulations dated 03/21/03.
300.1.6[R]
Adopted 03/21/03
1.
Retreat
to a faculty position. An administrator who holds a concurrent tenured faculty
appointment may return to that appointment with all the rights and
responsibilities of faculty in the home department, unless a proceeding is
initiated to discharge or demote the administrator from the faculty position. If
there has been an administrative stipend during the appointment, that stipend
should be removed. The salary will be adjusted from a 12-month administrative
salary to a 9-month or 12-month faculty salary that is commensurate with the
salaries of comparable faculty members. At the chancellor’s discretion, the
chancellor may provide for a reasonable period of time
with full administrative salary to provide an opportunity for the employee to
prepare for teaching and research responsibilities. The reasonable period of time should be related to the time spent in
administrative duties. If the chancellor proposes to pay the administrator full
or partial administrative pay after the termination of the administrator’s
administrative duties for longer than one year, the agreement must be approved
by the Board of Trustees of the constituent institution.
2.
Reappointment
of an administrator without faculty retreat rights. An administrator leaving a
position that is categorized as “at will” has no claim to a position at the
university; however, there may be circumstances in which assignment to another
administrative or teaching position would be beneficial for both the institution
and the employee. In these cases, the new salary should be appropriate to the
assignment. If a chancellor or the president proposes to pay the administrator their
full administrative salary after moving the administrator to a position that
would normally be lower paying, or if paid leave is to be granted, the
agreement with the administrator must be approved by the Board of Trustees of
the constituent institution or by the Board of Governors for employees of the
Office of the President or the General Administration. This Guideline does not
supersede any notice or severance pay required by Board of Governors’ policy.
3.
Separation
from the University. In some cases, it may be in the best interests of the
institution to negotiate a severance agreement with an administrator. UNC
policy addresses timely notice for termination of Senior Administrative
Academic Officers hired pursuant to Policy 300.1.1, I.B. In accordance
with The University of North Carolina Policy 300.1.1, III.B, in certain
circumstances these employees are entitled to notice of the discontinuation of
their employment with full pay for up to 90 days or severance pay, depending on
their length of service. A chancellor or the president may, at their
discretion, determine that the circumstances justify continuing full pay for
employees subject to Policy 3001.1.I.A for up to 90 days. Any agreement that
results in a longer period of compensation must be approved by the appropriate
Board of Trustees or the Board of Governors for employees of the Office of the
President or General Administration.
4.
Retirement.
Nothing in these guidelines shall
prevent an administrator from retiring or an administrator who holds a
faculty appointment from participating in phased retirement consistent with
existing University of North Carolina policies.
[1]Campuses that do not have tenured faculty
positions will follow campus-based policies approved by the President that are
consistent with the intent of this Regulation.