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June 2026 eDigest

Academic Personnel & Faculty (APF) and International Scholars Operations (ISO) have several important updates for academic personnel administrators this month. Key June deadlines include completing annual faculty and senior assistant librarian reviews and initiating eligible promotion and tenure clock waiver requests by June 30. Looking ahead, administrators can register for August sabbatical leave training, prepare for new faculty search committee training requirements launching this fall, and take advantage of new Interfolio RPT template management enhancements. This edition also highlights temporary changes to ISO walk-in service locations, updated requirements for national competitive recruitments, and a recent USCIS announcement regarding adjustment of status applications that may affect UW employees and students pursuing permanent residence.

Important Due Dates

June 30, 2026

Complete Academic Reviews for 12-Month Faculty

  • Reviews must be completed, processed in Workday, and outcomes communicated to faculty.

Complete Reviews for Senior Assistant Librarians

  • Ensure all reviews are finalized, entered in Workday, and candidates have been notified.

Initiate Promotion & Tenure Clock Waiver Requests in Workday

  • Departments must submit waiver requests for eligible faculty by June 30.

August 19, 2026

Submit Appointments for the September Board of Regents Meeting

  • Appointments requiring Board of Regents approval must be fully processed in Workday and ready for review.

Promotion & Tenure Clock Waiver: Action Required by June 30

Faculty scheduled for mandatory promotion and tenure review between academic years 2026–27 and 2030–31 are now automatically eligible for a one-year promotion and tenure clock waiver. The extension was implemented in response to ongoing concerns about the effects of federal policy changes on faculty career progression.

Key Information

  • The waiver postpones the mandatory review by one year unless the faculty member chooses to opt out.
  • Eligible faculty may apply the waiver to 2026–27 (or to 2025–26 if it has not already been used).
  • Departments must initiate waiver requests in Workday by June 30, 2026.

Academic personnel staff should coordinate with unit leadership and affected faculty members to confirm preferences and ensure timely processing.

Learn more on the 2026–27 Promotion and Tenure Clock Waiver webpage.

Sabbatical Leave Training Scheduled for August 19

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 | 10–11 a.m.

APF will host a virtual training session to help administrators prepare for the upcoming sabbatical leave cycle. The session will cover recent updates and provide a comprehensive review of the sabbatical leave process.

Topics Include

  • Key dates and deadlines
  • Updates to sabbatical workflow templates
  • Revisions to RPT forms
  • Overview of the sabbatical process
  • Enhancements to the sabbatical website

All individuals involved in sabbatical case preparation and management are encouraged to attend.

Registration: Register through the APF workshops calendar.

Interfolio RPT Introduces New Template Management Features

Interfolio recently released enhancements to the Review, Promotion, and Tenure (RPT) module that simplify template management and improve navigation.

New Features

  • Archive outdated templates to reduce clutter
  • Archive selected templates using the Manage Templates menu
  • Filter and view archived templates when needed
  • Filter templates by type to focus on relevant records

These updates help units keep template libraries organized and improve efficiency when managing review processes.

New Required Training for Faculty Search Committees

APF is launching a new required 90-minute live training program for faculty search committees. The training will be led by Associate Vice Provost Chad Allen and UW ADVANCE Director Joyce Yen and will supplement the existing 20-minute Workday Learning training required for hiring authorities.

2026–27 Pilot Year Requirements

For tenure-track and teaching-track faculty searches:

  • Search committee chairs must complete the training before committee members receive access to application files in Interfolio.
  • All committee members are strongly encouraged to participate.

Upcoming Training

Save the Date

  • October 8, 2026
  • 3–4:30 p.m. (Zoom)
  • Registration will open in late summer.

Additional sessions will be announced and posted on the APF Inclusive Excellence website.

Units interested in customized training sessions may contact facadv@uw.edu.

ISO Summer Quarter Walk-In Hours Move to Schmitz Hall

Due to the temporary public closure of Gerberding Hall, ISO walk-in services will be relocated to the Center for International Relations & Cultural Leadership Exchange (CIRCLE) office in 250 Schmitz Hall from June 22 through July 31, 2026.

Walk-In Hours

Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–Noon

Important Reminders

  • A photo ID is required to pick up documents.
  • Walk-in services are limited to:
    • Brief questions
    • DS-2019 travel signatures
    • Document pickup and drop-off
  • Appointments are required for more extensive consultations.
  • Printing and copying services will be limited at the temporary location.

The Resources for International Scholars calendar will reflect the temporary location throughout the summer.

UW Expands Acceptable Recruitment Advertising Venues

Effective June 2, 2026, UW has updated its requirements for national competitive recruitments. While online recruitment advertising in the Chronicle of Higher Education remains acceptable, additional recruitment venues may now be used.

Approved Online Advertising Options

  • The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • Higher education recruitment sites such as:
    • HigherEdJobs
    • HERC
  • Job boards affiliated with national professional journals in the relevant discipline

These changes provide units with greater flexibility when advertising faculty positions while maintaining compliance requirements for permanent residence sponsorship-eligible positions.

Additional guidance is available on the APF website’s permanent residence sponsorship recruitment resources page.

USCIS Announces Changes to Adjustment of Status Adjudications

On May 22, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would begin approving Form I-485 Applications to Adjust Status (green card applications) only in what it describes as “extraordinary circumstances.”

This policy change has the potential to affect University of Washington employees and students who are pursuing permanent residence from within the United States. Because the announcement raises significant questions about future adjudications and processing standards, ISO is actively monitoring developments and consulting legal resources and peer networks for additional guidance.

Administrators and employees involved in permanent residence sponsorship should review ISO’s detailed blog post on the announcement and watch for future updates as more information becomes available.

If you have questions about how this policy change may affect UW-sponsored permanent residence cases, please contact ISO.

New Rule Ending “Duration of Status” for J-1 Exchange Visitors

Posted 07/24/2026

International Scholars Operations has completed its initial analysis and is preparing resources for scholars and units. Here are some important things to know in the meantime.

Effect on Scholars:

For now:

  • Your current J-1 documents are still valid.
    The new rule does not affect the validity of your DS-2019 or your J visa stamp. You are still eligible to travel using those documents, subject to our guidance at J-1 Travel.
  • The new rule does not go into effect until 09/15/2026.
    It may be delayed by litigation, by a vote of Congress, or by the Department of Homeland Security itself.
  • There’s nothing J-1 exchange visitors need to do now.
    ISO will be in touch soon with more guidance, but there’s no action that individual J-1 exchange visitors should take at this time.
  • Extending your DS-2019 now will help.
    DS-2019 extensions prior to the effective date of 09/15/2026 will be cheaper and easier than after the effective date. ISO is working with departments, schools, colleges, and campuses to extend DS-2019s where possible before the rule goes into effect.

Once the rule goes into effect:

  • J-1 exchange visitors who arrive in the U.S. (either on an initial entry, or on reentry) will receive an I-94 record that lists a “date certain” admit until date. This date will match the end date on their most recent DS-2019, or a date four years out (whichever is shorter), plus their 30-day grace period.
  • J-1 exchange visitors who are already in the U.S. and do not travel will not receive a new I-94 record; however, if UW or another program sponsor extends their DS-2019, these exchange visitors will have two options to extend their period of admission:
    • Filing an I-539 Application to Extend Status with USCIS before their prior DS-2019 expires, or
    • Leaving the U.S. and applying for a new period of admission at a U.S. port of entry.

Effect on UW academic units, departments, schools, colleges, and campuses:

A new rule was recently published that will transition J-1 exchange visitors from “duration of status” to “date certain” admission. This essentially means that once the rule is in effect, exchange visitors would have to apply to USCIS, or exit the U.S. and reenter, every time they get a new extension of their DS-2019. This rule will go into effect on September 15, 2026.

In order to avoid the cost and uncertainty associated with J-1 extensions after that effective date, ISO encourages units to submit J visa requests to extend existing J-1 exchange visitors by August 17, 2026. ISO will make all necessary efforts to process all viable extension requests received by this date and issue new DS-2019s before the effective date of September 15. Please note that the usual limits on and requirements for J-1 eligibility will still apply, including appointment eligibility, funding, and insurance compliance.

Upcoming information sessions and other resources:

ISO is holding information sessions on the upcoming rule change for both J-1 exchange visitors and the units that support them. ISO advisors will share what we already know, answer questions where we can, and gather additional questions for follow up.

ISO is also working to produce additional guidance and support regarding this change, including:

  • Updated documentation and web materials around J-1 extensions and the I-539 Application to Extend Status
  • An FAQ for scholars
  • More trainings and information sessions closer to the effective date of the rule

Please note that this new rule has to be implemented across numerous U.S. government agencies and systems, and implementation may take some time. ISO will continue to update our guidance and this blog post as we learn more.

Posted 07/16/2026:

International Scholars Operations (ISO) is aware of recently-announced changes to “duration of status” for J-1 exchange visitors, which will be published in the Federal Register on July 17, 2026. ISO is analyzing these changes in partnership with peers across campus and in the immigration field. The new rule will not go into effect until September 15, 2026.

As currently posted, the rule is over 500 pages long, and it will take time to analyze and understand fully. Once our analysis is complete, we will reach out to affected parties and to campus with information and next steps. Updates will also be added to this blog post. We understand the anxiety that this change represents for international scholars, whom we greatly value at the UW. Our priority is to complete the analysis and reach out with more information as quickly as possible. To enable this work to happen quickly, we respectfully request that scholars and units not send emails about individual affected cases or scholars until we develop and share these updates.

Finding Your Place at the UW Starts Here: Why New Faculty Should Attend Faculty Welcome Week

The first weeks of a faculty appointment can feel both exhilarating and overwhelming. New colleagues arrive with ambitious research agendas, innovative teaching ideas, and a desire to contribute to their departments and disciplines. Yet even the most accomplished scholars can find themselves navigating a complex institutional landscape: unfamiliar systems, new expectations, and a vast network of resources spread across one of the nation’s leading public research universities.

That is precisely why the University of Washington’s Faculty Welcome Week, scheduled for September 8–11, 2026, has become an essential part of the new-faculty experience.

Designed for faculty across all ranks, tracks, and disciplines, Faculty Welcome Week offers a structured introduction to the people, programs, and support systems that help faculty thrive. As part of Faculty Welcome Week, New Faculty Onboarding, hosted by the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty on September 10–11, a program that goes beyond orientation to help new colleagues begin building the connections and knowledge they need for long-term success.

More Than an Orientation

Faculty often arrive at the UW with a deep understanding of their scholarly field but a limited understanding of the resources available to support their work. New Faculty Onboarding provides a roadmap.

Through sessions led by partners from across the university—including the Office of Research, CoMotion, the Office of Global Affairs, UW Libraries, UW Human Resources, the Graduate School, and Undergraduate Academic Affairs—participants gain practical insight into the many opportunities available to support research, teaching, mentorship, collaboration, and professional development.

The goal is not simply to share information. It is to help faculty understand how a large, decentralized institution can become a partner in their success.

What Previous Participants Valued Most

Feedback from recent participants suggests that the most meaningful onboarding experiences combine useful information with opportunities to build relationships. Survey respondents from the 2025 New Faculty Onboarding consistently reported feeling better informed about the UW resources and support systems. Faculty especially valued sessions that connected them with colleagues and helped them begin developing professional networks across disciplines and campuses.

Among the highest-rated components were networking opportunities, mentoring conversations, and portfolio-based panel discussions during the in-person session on day two of the event, that provided insight into faculty life at the UW. New faculty also highlighted the importance of hearing directly from experienced colleagues about navigating research, service, mentorship, and career development.

These findings reflect what many institutions are coming to recognize: successful onboarding is not only about transmitting information. It is about fostering a sense of belonging.

Building Connections Early Matters

One of the clearest messages from participant feedback was a desire for more opportunities to connect with peers. Faculty requested additional time for informal conversations, networking, and relationship-building throughout the program.

That emphasis on connection is intentional.

Whether a faculty member is launching a research program, establishing a teaching practice, seeking collaborators, or simply learning how things work at the UW, professional relationships often become the foundation for success. Faculty Welcome Week creates opportunities to meet colleagues from different schools, colleges, campuses, and disciplines—connections that can spark collaborations, mentorship relationships, and lasting professional networks.

For faculty who may be relocating to Seattle, joining a new department, or entering a different type of institution than they have previously experienced, those connections can be especially valuable.

A Gateway to Ongoing Support

Faculty Welcome Week is also designed as the beginning of a broader journey rather than a standalone event.

New faculty will be introduced to resources that can support them throughout their first year and beyond—from research development and innovation support to global engagement opportunities, library services, graduate education resources, and human resources programs. The onboarding experience connects faculty to a larger ecosystem of support that continues long after Welcome Week concludes.

In many ways, New Faculty Onboarding serves as a gateway: a chance to discover not only what resources exist, but also whom to contact when opportunities and challenges arise in the months ahead.

Register and Join the UW Community

For faculty beginning their UW appointments this year, Faculty Welcome Week offers an opportunity to invest a few days in building a foundation that can benefit their entire academic career at the University of Washington.

New Faculty Onboarding, taking place September 10–11, 2026, is relevant to all faculty members regardless of rank, track, or discipline. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of university resources, a broader professional network, and a clearer sense of how to navigate and contribute to the UW community.

Register for New Faculty Onboarding

Also Recommended: Teaching@UW New Faculty Program

Faculty with teaching responsibilities are strongly encouraged to participate in the Teaching@UW New Faculty Program, hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning in the Office of Academic Strategy & Affairs on September 8–9, 2026.

Teaching@UW complements New Faculty Onboarding by introducing evidence-based teaching practices, student-engagement strategies, and instructional resources designed specifically for UW educators. Together, Teaching@UW and New Faculty Onboarding provide a comprehensive introduction to academic life at the University of Washington—helping new faculty succeed in the classroom, in their scholarship, and as members of the UW community.