The UW Faculty Code contemplates part-time lecturers as having a duration of one year or less. It also references shorter-than-one-year appointments as “quarterly.” Evidence suggests units may be fluctuating the FTE of annually-appointed part-time lecturers and interpreting 3 consecutive quarterly appointments as constituting an annual appointment. Three consecutive quarterly appointments do not constitute an annual appointment.
Workday has provided increased awareness of potential misalignment with the UW Faculty Code and the Provost’s Lecturer Guidelines, and alerted the Office of Academic Personnel to the opportunity for clarification. Administering faculty correctly in Workday is a best practice that supports workforce analysis and accurate reporting.
No. Per the Provost’s Lecturer Guidelines, the lecturer part-time title is not eligible for quarterly appointment. The individual must receive an annual appointment with a fixed FTE averaged over the entire academic year. The only lecturer title eligible for quarterly appointment is lecturer part-time temporary. Units should consult the Provost’s Lecturer Guidelines or contact their Academic HR Specialist to understand the limitations associated with these appointments.
The commitment to an annually-appointed part-time lecturer is for a full academic year inclusive of teaching in each quarter and other duties and responsibilities as assigned (e.g., scholarship, service). The annual salary reflects the year-long commitment. Unless a unit meant to hire on a quarterly basis, there is no over-/under-payment.
It is possible an annually-appointed part-time lecturer could resign before the bulk of his/her teaching assignments are fulfilled. If the unit is concerned about that possibility or if the workload is expected to have extreme variations from one quarter to the next, the unit should offer a quarterly appointment instead of an annual appointment. Offering a quarterly appointment may not be possible if the individual has timed out on eligibility for the lecturer part-time temporary title. Units should consult the Provost’s Lecturer Guidelines or contact their Academic HR Specialist to understand whether an individual is eligible to hold the lecturer part-time temporary title.
No, once a commitment has been made, it needs to be honored. If a course doesn’t ‘make’ and an offer has already been extended and accepted, a unit may assign other duties and responsibilities in place of the cancelled course commensurate with the course’s FTE impact on the lecturer’s workload.
No, but the period activity pay should be commensurate to lecturer’s rate of pay and the effort associated with the additional course(s).
Yes, just be sure to note the total compensation in each quarter and end dates for each of the quarters assigned. Also keep in mind that with quarterly appointments, the lecturer should be reappointed in Workday each quarter in which they have a workload assignment.
Yes, but the appointment must be less than 50% FTE.
Lecturers part-time temporary may be appointed on a quarterly basis at any FTE or on an annual basis provided the appointment is less than 50% FTE. If appointed annually, there is no limit to the number of annual reappointments.
Those appointed on a quarterly basis every quarter for 3 consecutive academic years, where the FTE each year averages out to 50% or greater, are not eligible for reappointment. For example, the table below shows a quarterly-appointed lecturer part-time temporary who would not be eligible for reappointment after Year 3.
| Autumn Quarter FTE | Winter Quarter FTE | Spring Quarter FTE | Average Annual FTE | |
| Year 1 | 100% | 50% | 30% | 60% |
| Year 2 | 100% | 0% | 100% | 67% |
| Year 3 | 50% | 50% | 50% | 50% |
The unit should conduct a recruitment that would support the fulfillment of its instructional needs (e.g., professorial teaching track or lecturer part-time position). Individuals who have exhausted the 3-year limit on temporary lecturer positions are not eligible for subsequent appointment in an acting, temporary lecturer (part-time or full-time), or teaching associate title.
Units are expected to adhere to the Provost’s Lecturer Guidelines, which includes a 3-year limit on lecturers in temporary appointments (full-time and part-time with an annual average of 50% FTE or greater). The combined time in these titles shall not exceed 3 years. Switching from full-time to part-time or part-time to full-time does not extend the total appointment limit. Those who have exhausted the 3-year limit are not eligible for reappointment in either of these titles.
The unit should provide the individual with an amendment to the original offer letter. The amendment should detail the new (higher) FTE, the impact on the individual’s total compensation, and the end date for the temporary FTE change. The amendment should make it clear that the individual will revert back to the FTE agreed upon in the original offer letter at the end of the temporary additional assignment. The amendment should be agreed to by signature or email acknowledgement.
If the individual agrees to the amendment, the unit may process the FTE increase via the Change Job > Data Change > 01 – Data Change – Voluntary FTE Change (Staff and Academic) business process. Note in the Comments field of Workday the exceptional circumstances that warrant a temporary increase for an annually-appointed part-time lecturer.