Montclair State University

AFT Local 1904

7. MULTI-YEAR CONTRACTS FOR FULL-TIME PROFESSIONAL STAFF (NON-FACULTY)

    7.1 Reference to State Contract Provisions

    Appendix I (pages 55-58) of the State Contract includes the provisions for multi-year contracts for (non-faculty) Professional Staff. Included below are the Local Provisions negotiated to implement the State Guidelines.

    7.2 ELIGIBILITY FOR MULTI-YEAR CONTRACTS

    Each member of the professional staff not holding faculty rank or concurrent academic rank who is a member of the State College bargaining unit will be eligible for a multi-year appointment after completion of five years of probationary service.

    7.3 LENGTH OF MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT

    Length of the multi-year contract will be governed by the provisions of the State Contract regarding this issue.

    7.4 REVIEW FOR A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT

    Each candidate for a multi-year appointment contract will undergo a thorough and rigorous review of his or her qualifications for continued employment at the University, and such employee will be expected to present evidence of past performance and future potential such as to warrant the granting of a multi-year contract in the candidate's professional staff position.

    7.5 EVALUATION PROCESS

        7.5.1

        The steps in the evaluation process will take place according to the dates established in the University calendar.

        7.5.2

        All materials used in this evaluation must be made available to the candidate.

        7.5.3

        At each step in the evaluation process the candidate will have three (3) working days in which to respond to evaluations and/or recommendations before these documents are submitted to the next step in the process.

        7.5.4

        The President or her or his designee will develop and disseminate a list of all candidates for multi-year contracts and identify the non-unit supervisors responsible for each evaluation. That non-unit supervisor will be responsible for insuring that the candidate receives all necessary documents, a minimum of five (5) working days before the first step in the application and evaluation process. In the event that the candidate does not receive the material by the deadline he or she will still have the full five (5) days to prepare the self-assessment. This will include an action timetable.

        7.5.5

        The entire professional performance record of a member of the professional staff will be considered at the time such employee is being considered for a multi-year appointment contract. The candidate may include any additional materials which he or she deems appropriate.

       7.5.6

        Each member of the professional staff who is eligible for a multi-year appointment contract will prepare a written self-evaluation, which will include: (1) a complete description of current professional responsibilities; (2) a review of current and past performance and achievements bearing on the contemplated personnel action; (3) an analysis of professional contributions and potential for continued development; and (4) a statement of professional goals and objectives for the term of the appointment (Form B). The candidate may include any additional information which he or she deems appropriate; for example, prior years' evaluations.

     7.6 EVALUATION PROCEDURES

         7.6.1 INITIAL CONFERENCE WITH IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR

        The candidate will meet with his or her immediate supervisor to:review the evaluation process and procedures;
update his or her job description (see Section 7.10);discuss the specifics of the criteria that will be applied to the candidate's assessment.

        The criteria will relate to the responsibilities of the candidate and the contributions to the University and community in the period or periods evaluated.

        Following the consultation the candidate will receive, in writing, a statement of the specific criteria to be applied by the immediate supervisor in evaluating the candidate. If the candidate and the immediate supervisor disagree on the appropriate evaluative criteria, the candidate may attach a statement to this effect for inclusion in his or her review folder.

         7.6.2 EVALUATION BY THE SUPERVISOR

        The supervisor will consider the self-evaluation and he or she will develop an evaluative report of the candidate’s professional performance and potential for future growth. The candidate must have a copy of the report. The candidate will indicate by written signature that he or she has had opportunity for review and comment.

         7.6.3 RECOMMENDATION BY DIVISION HEAD

        The entire reappointment file will be forwarded to the appropriate division head who will react to the appraisals and will make a recommendation to the President with a copy to the candidate. In cases where the division head’s recommendation differs from that of the immediate supervisor, a statement of reasons must be provided.

         7.6.4 RECOMMENDATION BY THE PRESIDENT

        The President will consider all of the material submitted on behalf of the candidate and will present only positive recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The candidate will be notified of the President's decision to recommend or not recommend reappointment not less than ten (10) days prior to the Board of Trustees' meeting at which positive recommendations would be considered.

         7.6.5 NOTIFICATION OF BOARD ACTION

        Professional Staff members must be notified no later than December 15 in their fifth full year of service of their appointment to a multi-year contract.

         7.6.6 FILING OF MATERIALS

        Upon completion of the process, the evaluation materials will be placed in the candidate's personnel file in accordance with the provisions of Article XXIX of THE STATE/Union Agreement. The candidate's personnel file will be available to the supervisor and appropriate administrative officers for use in making subsequent recommendations.

     7.7 DEFINITION OF IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR

    For the purposes of this Article, the immediate supervisor will be construed as that supervisory management level person not included in the State College negotiating unit and who is first reached in the normal chain of command leading from the candidate.

     7.8 APPEAL

    Within three (3) working days following the decision of the division head, any candidate may request the convening of the University Professional Staff Review Board to review any recommendations, providing the complaint is inadequate consideration.

     7.9 STATUTE GOVERNING MULTI-YEAR CONTRACTS—18A:60-6

    Members of the professional staff not holding faculty rank may be appointed by a Board of Trustees for one-year terms; provided, however, that after employment in a college for five consecutive academic years, such employees may be offered contracts of no more than five years in length. During the period of such contracts, such employees will be subject to dismissal only in the manner prescribed by sub-article B of Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and must be notified by the President not later than one year prior to the expiration of such contracts of the renewal or nonrenewal of the contract.

7.10 PROFESSIONAL STAFF RECLASSIFICATIONS

    If, as a result of the initial conference with the immediate supervisor (see Section 7.6.1), an employee believes that a substantial change in job responsibilities has occurred, he or she may apply to the first level non-unit supervisor for a position reclassification.