As the University of Washington prepares for the upcoming academic year, this month’s eDigest highlights key deadlines, new training requirements, policy updates, faculty onboarding opportunities, international scholar guidance, and community recognition initiatives. Academic personnel administrators will find important information to support hiring, appointments, faculty development, and compliance efforts in the months ahead.
Key Dates
Due Dates
August 19, 2026: Submit Appointments for September Board of Regents Meeting
Appointments requiring Board of Regents approval at the September Board meeting must processed in Workday and ready for review.
Training Opportunity
Sabbatical Leave Training
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 | 10–11 a.m.
Join us for a virtual training session in preparation for the upcoming sabbatical leave cycle. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the sabbatical process and highlight recent updates that may affect case initiation and management.
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
This session is designed to help participants feel informed, prepared, and equipped to navigate the upcoming cycle. All individuals involved in the process are encouraged to attend.
Policy and Process Updates
Pilot Program Launches for Faculty Search Committee Training
Effective July 1, 2026, the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty (APF) requires faculty search committees to complete a 90-minute training before reviewing applications. In non-SOM units, Interfolio Administrators should not grant Evaluator access to faculty search committee members until the training requirement has been met. Interfolio User Guides are being updated to reflect this process change.
School of Medicine (SOM) Units
Interfolio Administrators in the School of Medicine should continue to follow SOM-specific guidance and processes, which differ from those described below. SOM offers its own required training for faculty search committees and maintains a separate system for tracking training certification.
Details on completing the SOM training and verifying certification status are available on the SOM Faculty Recruitment and Retention webpage. Questions may be directed to Sylvia Woods, SOM Academic HR Manager.
Non-SOM Units
For the 2026–27 pilot year, only the chairs of tenure-track and teaching-track faculty search committees must complete the APF training before any committee members are granted access to application files in Interfolio.
Beginning in future years, all faculty serving on faculty search committees outside of SOM will be required to complete the training before gaining access to application materials.
Training certification is valid for three years. Until a self-service verification option becomes available, certification status for non-SOM faculty can be verified by emailing facadv@uw.edu.
Please note that this APF training is separate from the UWHR 20-minute Workday Learning training required for hiring authorities. The APF and UWHR trainings serve different purposes and are not interchangeable.
Training Opportunities
APF will offer multiple sessions of the required 90-minute faculty search committee training beginning in early October (dates and locations to be announced). Sessions will be available both online and in person across all three campuses. Units that need training before October may request a custom session by contacting facadv@uw.edu.
APF will also offer a two-hour companion training for Interfolio Administrators in non-SOM units. The session will cover:
- Updates to the Evaluator access process in Interfolio
- Verification of faculty search committee training certification
- Key content from the faculty search committee training
Save the Date the Interfolio Administrator Training
In person: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, 10 a.m.–noon
Online: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, 2:30–4:30 p.m.
Registration details will be shared in the August eDigest.
Additional information about the APF training requirement will be posted on the APF Inclusive Excellence website in the coming weeks.
Review Upcoming Administrative Appointments and Supplements
Units are encouraged to review locally appointed administrative roles — such as associate chair and program director appointments — and any associated Administrative Duty Supplements (ADS) that may be approaching expiration.
For straightforward renewals, units should update the appointment and associated ADS in Workday. If there are changes to the duties associated with an administrative appointment, a new appointment letter should be uploaded in Workday.
If changes to an Administrative Duty Supplement are needed, units should end the existing allowance and create a new one. Please include a brief explanation in the notes field describing how the revised supplement amount was determined.
Conducting a periodic review of administrative appointments and supplements can help ensure records remain current and accurately reflect assigned responsibilities.
Updated Criminal Background Check Guidance Clarifies Hiring Requirements
The Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty (APF) has updated its guidance on criminal background checks for academic personnel positions. The revised policy provides expanded guidance on the types of positions that require background checks, including certain roles with access to sensitive information, financial resources, IT systems, controlled substances, and other security-sensitive infrastructure.
The update also introduces a new Criminal History Disclosure process for finalists in Child and Adult Abuse Law (CAAL)-covered positions and clarifies unit responsibilities related to initiating background checks, contingent employment offers, review of criminal history findings, and records retention.
Academic administrators involved in recruitment and hiring are encouraged to review the revised guidance and ensure local hiring practices align with the updated requirements.
Learn more: Academic Personnel Criminal Background Checks.
Please Share with Faculty
New Academic Leaders Onboarding
Please share this information with newly appointed associate deans and department chairs in your unit.
New Academic Leader Onboarding will take place Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. Designed specifically for faculty who are stepping into academic leadership roles at the University of Washington, this in-person program introduces new leaders to the people, programs, and resources that support success in their administrative responsibilities.
Participants will have opportunities to build connections with colleagues across the University and learn about key resources available to academic leaders.
Formal invitations and additional event details will be shared in the coming weeks.
Welcome Week for New Faculty
Please share this information with faculty in your unit who are newly joining the University of Washington.
To support the successful transition, development, and engagement of new faculty members, the University will offer Faculty Welcome Week from Sept. 8–11, 2026, in partnership with colleagues across all three campuses. These University-wide programs complement school-, college-, and department-level onboarding by introducing new faculty to UW’s teaching resources, research ecosystem, academic policies, and professional communities.
Teaching@UW
Sept. 8–9, 2026 | In person and Zoom
Hosted by the UW Center for Teaching and Learning, this two-day program introduces incoming faculty to evidence-based teaching practices, instructional resources, and UW’s core expectations for effective teaching. Register for Teaching@UW.
New Faculty Onboarding
Sept. 10–11, 2026 | In person and Zoom
Presented by the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty in collaboration with partners from across the University, this program provides an overview of research resources, academic policies, professional development opportunities, and services that support faculty success. Sessions also offer opportunities for new colleagues to build connections across disciplines and campuses. Register for New Faculty Onboarding.
Invitations and registration information will be sent directly to new faculty and will also be available at New Faculty@UW.
Note: Unlike the Sept. 2 New Academic Leader Onboarding event, which is designed for faculty entering leadership positions such as department chair or associate dean, Faculty Welcome Week is intended for faculty who are newly hired to the University, regardless of leadership role.
International Scholar Updates
New Rule Ending “Duration of Status” for J-1 Exchange Visitors
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.
This new rule 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.
ISO Walk-In Availability & J-1 Check-In Resources
ISO would like to remind units where to find current and relevant information surrounding our Walk-In Service Hours and our procedures for J-1 Check-In and Validations.
Walk-In Service Hours are updated quarterly and can change location based on closures of Gerberding Hall to the public. ISO staff are available by appointment only outside of these service hours and scholars should not attempt to enter Gerberding when it is closed to the public without an appointment. Please refer scholars to our scholar resources landing page for current in-person service hours as well as a calendar of availability and location.
Since 2020, ISO has been conducting all mandatory check-ins for J-1 scholars remotely. Scholars do not need to come in person to the ISO office to initiate this process. Details regarding the procedure can be found on our Mandatory Remote J-1 Check-In and Travel Validation Signature page. When a J-1 scholar arrives in the U.S., please have them email ISO at acadvisa@uw.edu as soon as possible instead referring them to our walk-in service hours for check-in.
ISO Resources for New Unit Administrators
If you are new to the visa process (or just need a refresher), we invite you to check out the following resources:
- Visa Guidance for Unit Administrators — ISO’s landing page for unit administrators, with links to Visa Intake Forms, Visa Request Forms, How to Sponsor pages, and more
- Training Resources Archive — Slide decks from past ISO presentations, including Visa Basics 1 (Visa Types), Visa Basics 2 (Process & Tools), as well as more in-depth presentations on specific visa types (J-1, H-1B, etc.)
- Stay up-to-date on immigration changes by subscribing to the ISOcontacts mailing list! Email acadvisa@uw.edu to join.
Introducing Darya Anoshei, ISO’s new Specialist
ISO welcomes Darya Anoshei as our new ISO Specialist! Darya has worked at UW since 2017 across several different units and has deep and varied experience with academic immigration matters, and we’re excited to have her join the ISO team.
I’m excited to join UW International Scholar Operations and APF. I have extensive experience in international enrollment management, F-1 and J-1 immigration advising, and global partnership development. Most recently, I served as the International Admissions and Outreach Lead at UW Continuum College. I also currently serve as a NAFSA Academy Coach, mentoring emerging professionals in the field of international education.
Before moving to the United States, I practiced immigration law in Rome, Italy, where I supported low-income immigrants and refugees. Outside of work, I’m a proud soccer mom and spend many weekends cheering from the sidelines at youth soccer tournaments.
Recognition and Community
Help Us Celebrate a Colleague Who Inspires
Nominate an APF Team Member for the 2026 Core Values Achievement Award
Have you worked with someone in the Office for Academic Personnel & Faculty (APF) who consistently brings excellence, collaboration, innovation, diversity, respect, service, or integrity to everything they do?
Here’s your chance to recognize their dedication. Nominations are now open for the 2026 Core Values Achievement Award, which honors APF staff who exemplify these values in their daily work.
Submit your nomination for a current APF team member by August 10, 2026 using the nomination form.
Your perspective matters — and your recognition can make a meaningful difference. Questions? Contact us at vpap@uw.edu.