Full Tenure Relinquishment Program

Applicability
Academic Faculty
Section
1300 Separation from Employment
Policy Number
1314
Revised

Human Resources Manual

Policies, Guidelines and Reference Material
Statutory Authority

ORS 351.070

PURPOSE

The Full Tenure Relinquishment Program provides an opportunity for a tenured academic faculty member to voluntarily relinquish their indefinite tenure, either by resigning or retiring, in exchange for up to 1,040* annual hours of employment for up to three calendar years following the relinquishment of tenure. The purpose of this program is to assist the University in responding to changing personnel needs, availability of resources, student demand, changing curricular offerings, or similar academic or fiscally based reasons.

*An employee’s retirement plan may have different ‘work after retirement’ restrictions (see Other Considerations below).

ELIGIBILITY

Any academic faculty member with indefinite tenure is eligible to apply. An administrator on a professional faculty appointment, who holds an underlying academic faculty appointment with indefinite tenure, is also eligible to apply.

Approval of a full tenure relinquishment request is at the discretion of the employee’s unit head and the dean, director, vice provost, and/or vice president. The request must be approved by the Provost before becoming effective.

Tenure relinquishment accompanies resignation, as well as retirement, and is permanent.

PARTICIPATION

An employee indicates their voluntary request to participate in the program by completing a Full Tenure Relinquishment Program Application and Agreement form.

CONSIDERATIONS

Appointment Basis

Employees who participate in the Full Tenure Relinquishment Program are placed into an academic wage appointment for the specified post-tenure employment. The academic wage appointment basis (9- or 12-month) is generally consistent with the appointment basis held prior to the employee’s tenure relinquishment, but can be changed. If the appointment basis is changed:

  • The salary for the academic wage appointment will be converted using the per the Change of Appointment Basis policy (no exceptions).

  • Leave (sick and/or vacation) will accrue based on the new appointment (no exceptions).

Tenure Relinquishment Effective Date

The start date(s) for the academic wage appointment should be based upon unit needs. Academic faculty members on a 12-month basis appointment can relinquish tenure at any point during the fiscal year (July 1-June 30) and academic faculty members on a 9-month basis appointment can relinquish tenure at any point during the academic year (September 16-June 15). Academic wage appointment start dates are typically the day after the tenure relinquishment effective date.

9-month academic faculty members that relinquish tenure at the end of the academic year (June 15) are placed on an academic wage appointment (9-month basis) at the beginning of the following academic year (September 16). Benefits are typically provided over the summer through the “tripling” process in May.

Work over the summer for 9-month academic wage employees is set up on a separate summer academic wage appointment, and is not part of the program.

Duration

Following a program participant’s tenure relinquishment, they are appointed to an academic wage appointment for a period of up to three calendar years, at the discretion of the unit head and college/division administration.

At the completion of the final year of employment under the program, as agreed to in the employee’s finalized Full Tenure Relinquishment Application and Agreement form, the unit head may continue the employee’s academic wage appointment for a specified period of time, subject to approval by the dean/division leader, and as necessary, by the Office of Faculty Affairs. Continuation of the appointment should contribute to and further unit, college/division, and university goals and initiatives.

Annual Salary Rate

The employee will be appointed to an academic wage appointment at their full-time annual salary rate* at the time of their tenure relinquishment. This rate will remain in effect for the duration of the agreement, unless (1) the employee is granted a merit salary increase or (2) the university reduces the employee’s salary rate due to fiscal requirements or constraints.

*An employee’s annual salary rate will be converted per the Change of Appointment Basis policy, if the academic wage appointment basis is different than the appointment basis held prior to tenure relinquishment (no exceptions).

Other Considerations

Academic wage appointments are subject to the applicable Oregon State University Policies and Standards.

Continuation of the individual’s employment at Oregon State University, as part of the program, is contingent upon fully satisfactory service as determined by the unit head and college/division administration.

The academic wage appointment, if non-supervisory, will be represented by United Academics of Oregon State University (UAOSU), AAUP/AFT, AFL-CIO, and subject to the collective bargaining agreement between Oregon State University and UAOSU. More information regarding the contract is available on the Academic Faculty Resources website: (https://beav.es/faculty-union-bargaining).

An academic wage position is temporary in nature and in no way assures or implies an appointment to a regular status position with Oregon State University.

Work Assignment

Assignment of duties to an employee at the inception of and during their participation in the program will be at the discretion of the unit head and described in a position description, which will be modified as needed throughout the term of the appointment and in consultation with the employee. The initial position description must be signed by the unit head and the employee prior to submitting the Tenure Relinquishment Application and Agreement form.

Compensation and Benefits

Payroll - Deferred Pay

An employee on a 9-month academic wage appointment is not eligible to defer (distribute) their pay over 12 months.

Health Insurance

The employee will receive university provided health insurance contributions if eligible based on employment FTE, PEBB eligibility requirements, and as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Contact [email protected] with questions or concerns.

Retirement Contributions

The employee may or may not have retirement contributions made on their behalf by the university during the employment period under the program. Eligibility for contributions depends on the employee’s individual retirement plan provisions and the employee’s receipt of retirement benefit payments. Contact [email protected] with questions or concerns.

Work After Retirement Restrictions 

The employee is responsible for knowing and adhering to the terms and restrictions of their retirement plan, including without limitation those that may apply to the employee’s acceptance of a post-retirement position with Oregon State University.

Employees who would like further information regarding resources to help them in understanding the terms and restrictions of their specific retirement plan should contact [email protected]. The university is not responsible for assisting the employee in tracking or monitoring compliance with retirement program provisions or eligibility for retirement program benefits.

Vacation and Sick Leave Accrual

An employee returning in a post-retirement academic wage appointment will begin the position with zero leave accruals (sick and/or vacation). University policies, procedures, and guidelines for leave administration and usage (sick, vacation) are applicable to program participants.

  • Sick Leave: Employees appointed to a 9-month or 12-month salaried academic wage appointments will accrue sick leave proportional to the employee’s academic wage appointment FTE.
  • Vacation Leave: Employees appointed to a 12-month academic wage appointment at 0.50 FTE or above will accrue vacation leave proportional to the employee’s academic wage appointment FTE. Vacation accruals will be available for use after a 6-month waiting period. An individual on an academic wage appointment does not receive terminal vacation payout upon conclusion of the academic wage appointment.