Job Security of Academic Staff at UW-Madison by Gender

An issue of on-going concern to academic staff is the question of job security. Academic staff appointments may have one of several types of continuity status, implying different levels of job security. This analysis provides a brief description of the continuity status categories available to academic staff. (See also Academic Staff Policies and Procedures Manual for further information.) Two tables which show the number of academic staff by job category, continuity status and gender are included.

Three general types of appointments are used at UW: indefinite, probationary, and fixed term. Academic staff with indefinite status have the most job security – their appointments are permanent and for an unlimited term. This appointment type is used to recognize academic staff for outstanding performance and importance to the continuing mission of the unit. It may be considered only when the dean or director can assure long-term funding. A probationary appointment is an appointment with a probationary period of up to seven years leading to a review and decision on granting an indefinite appointment. A probationary appointment shall only be made when it is anticipated that the position will continue indefinitely.

Fixed term appointments can be renewable, rolling horizon, or terminal. The fixed term-renewable appointment is the most common appointment given to academic staff. This appointment is renewable so long as the appointee renders satisfactory service, funds are available, and the directions or needs of the program do not change. A rolling horizon appointment is a form of fixed term-renewable appointment that is extended daily for the term specified in the letter of appointment. The term may be for one or more years. For example, a three-year rolling horizon appointment automatically renews every day and entitles the employee to a full three years notice of nonrenewal. Generally, a rolling horizon appointment is considered to have more job security than other fixed term appointments. Fixed term-terminal appointments are given to academic staff for appointments that carry no expectation of continuing employment. These are often used for lecturers who are hired to teach for one or two semesters while a faculty member is on leave.

The tables below show academic staff by continuity status, job category, and gender for those employed in March 1997. Note that not all academic staff appointments are included in this analysis. Individual employes at UW-Madison may hold more than one appointment and may therefore have more than one type of job security. For the purpose of the tables below, each individual is included only once and is reported under the "highest job security" appointment (e.g., a person with both an indefinite and a fixed term appointment is shown under indefinite). In addition, several types of positions that would not generally be eligible for rolling horizon or indefinite status are excluded. Thus academic staff positions which are normally held by faculty (such as chancellor) are excluded, as well as volunteer staff, visiting faculty and emeritus faculty. Individuals who hold unpaid appointments are also eliminated.

Table I shows the job continuity of academic staff by Category A/B/C. Titles are assigned to one of these three categories based on job responsibilities. Category C is reserved primarily for executive positions (such as chancellor, dean, and academic program director) and also includes athletic coaches. Many Category C staff have faculty appointments in addition to academic staff positions and are not included here. Academic staff titles with duties and responsibilities similar to the instructional or research duties typical of UW faculty are included in Category B. Category B instructional academic staff (collateral faculty) titles include CHS and clinical professors, lecturers, and faculty associates. Research academic staff contained in Category B include researchers, scientists, research animal veterinarians, and instrumentation innovators. Category A academic staff comprise all other non-instructional professional and administrative positions. These positions include limited appointments such as registrar and director, and administrative and support titles such as research specialist, programmer analyst, administrative program specialist, librarian, student services specialist, advisor, etc. (For further information on these categories, see the university Unclassified Title Guidelines.)

The number and percent of men and women with indefinite, rolling horizon, limited, fixed term renewable, and fixed term terminal appointments by Category A/B/C is shown in the first table. Men and women are approximately equally likely to hold indefinite appointments (4.3% of women vs. 4.7% of men). Men are slightly more likely to have rolling horizon appointments (15.6% of men vs. 14% of women). Women instructional academic staff are more likely to have rolling horizon appointments than men (10.9% of women vs. 7% of men). These differences are too small to be considered statistically significant, however.

The final table looks at indefinite appointments and rolling horizon appointments for Category A staff. Staff are further divided by functional area and pay range. Nearly all indefinite appointments are in pay ranges 6 and above. Furthermore, a large number of these appointments are in the library functional area. Over half of the women and a quarter of the men with indefinite appointments are in the library. If the library functional area were excluded from the analysis, 4.5% of men in Category A positions would have indefinite appointments compared with 2.1% of women.

Note that eligibility for indefinite status or rolling horizon appointment is related to the certainty of future funding for the position. Source of funds for positions may differ for men and women and may explain some of the difference in the numbers of men and women with higher job security. Most individuals paid with research funds would not be considered for increased job security, since their positions would normally end when the grant is no longer funded. Further analysis would be needed to determine whether differences in job security between men and women occur for those who are paid on state funds, where positions are more likely to continue.

Prepared by: Margaret Harrigan, Office of Budget, Planning and Analysis

March 1997

TABLE I

TABLE II

This Page was last updated on November 4, 1998