Extension Faculty Moving from Continuing to Tenure

Current Continuing Status - Fiscal (12 month) appointment. Institutional Base Salary is paid over 12 months.

Options for Tenure Status:

Fiscal (12 month) appointment. Institutional Base Salary is paid over 12 months.
Academic (9 month) appointment
- Institutional Base Salary is paid in 9 months with the option to supplement your salary during the summer months with grant funding.
- Option for 9-month, pay 12: 9-month salary is paid over 12 months with the option to supplement your salary during the summer months with grant funding.

Please see the chart below for an explanation of the options available to Specialists moving forward:

	Twelve Month/Fiscal Contract	9 Month/Academic Contract	9-Pay-12/Academic Contract
Effective Date	7/1/2024	8/19/2024	7/1/2024
Work Calendar	Fiscal 12-month (July 1 - June 30)	Academic 9-month (8/19/2024 - 5/25/2025)	Academic 9-month (8/19/2024 - 5/25/2025)
Compensation	Annualized fiscal salary paid over 12 months	Annualized academic salary paid over 9 months	Annualized academic salary paid over 12 months
Benefits	*Premiums are deducted each pay period throughout the fiscal year	Premiums are deducted each pay period throughout the academic year Spring semester will have additional benefits deducted (pre-collected) to cover the following Summer (See Page 53 of the 2024 Benefits Guide: https://hr.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/2024%20Guidebook.pdf)	Premiums are deducted each pay period throughout the fiscal year Can only enroll during the annual 9/12 Pay Plan enrollment window with a July 1 effective date (See 9/12 Pay Plan Option website: https://hr.arizona.edu/employees-affiliates/compensation/912-pay-plan-option-academic-year-employees )
Supplemental Compensation	*No summer/winter session	Winter session beginning in Dec 2024 Summer beginning in May 2024	Summer beginning July 2024 Winter session beginning Dec 2024
Vacation	Eligible to accrue and use vacation (accrues at 22 days/year) For the transition to Fiscal Faculty, you will retain your accrued vacation balance	Academic Faculty are not eligible for vacation For the transition to Academic Faculty, you must use all accrued vacation prior to 8/19/2024 or it will be forfeited	Academic Faculty are not eligible for vacation For the transition to Academic Faculty, you must use all accrued vacation prior to 7/1/2024 or it will be forfeited
Promotion and Tenure	Transfer from current Continuing or Continuing-Eligible status level to corresponding Tenure or Tenure-Eligible level effective 7/1/2024	Transfer from current Continuing or Continuing-Eligible status level to corresponding Tenure or Tenure-Eligible level effective 8/19/2024	Transfer from current Continuing or Continuing-Eligible status level to corresponding Tenure or Tenure-Eligible level effective 8/19/2024

For those choosing 9/9 (nine-month contract/nine-month pay schedule), all accrued vacation must be taken before the transition date (August 19, 2024). For those choosing 9/12 (nine-month contract/twelve-month pay schedule), all accrued vacation must be taken before the transition date (July 1, 2024). Any remaining vacation not taken will be forfeited. Academic faculty do not earn vacation.

Your coverage remains the same, but the way benefit deductions are billed in your paycheck will change. Nine-month benefits eligible employees pay extra benefit deductions in the Spring semester to cover benefits during the summer months when not being paid (called a pre-collect). Because you are an existing employee making this continuing to tenure move off the normal cycle, the process for Summer 2024 is different. If you choose to move to a nine-month contract you will receive two contracts: one effective July of 2024 as a fiscal contract covering July and part of August and another contract effective August 19, 2024, transferring you to the new academic contract. This ensures no loss of benefits.

This is for all nine-month employees who are paid on a nine-month schedule. Employees who choose a nine-month schedule paid out over twelve months will see their benefits deductions remain the same throughout the calendar year.

No, you are not required to switch to nine-month appointment. You may elect to remain with a twelve-month faculty appointment.

No, once you elect to transition to a nine-month academic appointment, you cannot return to a twelve-month fiscal appointment. This is a one-time decision.

Your choice needs to be communicated to Extension Administration by March 1, 2024. Please see the email from Dr. Edward Martin dated 2/8/2024 for details.

Questions? Concerns? Please add your comments and questions in the box below and we will respond as quickly as we can. Thank you so much for your understanding during this process.