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December 2025 eDigest

The December 2025 APF eDigest features a year‑end message from Vice Provost Fred Nafukho highlighting strengthened collaboration, expanded leadership development, and community partnerships in 2025, along with a forward-looking commitment to supporting academic personnel in 2026. Key deadlines include mandatory P&T case routing, faculty reappointment notifications, recruitment closures, and January sabbatical and reappointment submissions. Units are asked to review and correct their 2025 census data, with special recognition for schools with zero issues. ISO announces Holly Wolf as the new International Scholar Advisor, outlines holiday closure plans, and notes updated workload priorities focusing on near-term H‑1B cases. Contact information for APF, ISO, and RPT support is provided, along with an invitation for feedback on future eDigests.

A Message from Fred Nafukho, Vice Provost for Academic Personnel & Faculty

Dear Colleagues and Partners,

As we close out 2025, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you — our unit administrators, academic partners, and community collaborators for your dedication and partnership throughout this year. Together, we have advanced our shared mission to engage, elevate and support a thriving community of academic professionals.

This year, we made significant strides in areas that matter most to you:

  • Strengthening Collaboration: We worked closely with units and partners to streamline processes, clarify policies and ensure resources are accessible and transparent.
  • Investing in Leadership and Professional Development: Through expanded mentorship programs and leadership training, we are building a culture of continuous learning that benefits the entire UW ecosystem.
  • Fostering Community Connections: Our partnerships with local organizations and educational institutions continue to address critical challenges, from talent development to housing solutions.

Looking ahead to 2026, we remain committed to deepening these collaborations, anticipating evolving needs and creating an environment where every administrator and partner feels supported and empowered. Your engagement is essential to this work, and we are excited to continue this journey together in support of students, faculty and staff success.

On behalf of the Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty, I wish you a joyful holiday season and a new year filled with opportunity and success.

Warm regards,

Fred M. Nafukho
Vice Provost, Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty
Professor, Management and Organization

Key Deadlines

Dec 15, 2025 — Move all mandatory promotion and tenure cases to the APF case review step in Interfolio.
Dec 26, 2025 — Notify 12-month Faculty of Reappointment Decision.
Dec 31, 2025 — Close recruitments opened between July—December 2023.
Jan 10, 2026 — Deadline to Apply for Sabbatical.
Jan 16, 2026 — Submit “Winter” Spreadsheets for Faculty Reappointments.
Jan 16, 2026 — Submit Early Non-mandatory Faculty Promotion/Tenure Records.

For a comprehensive list of activities, visit the Due Dates Calendar.

2025 Census Review and Data Validation

The Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty, with support from the UWHR HR Benefits, Analytics & Information Systems (HRBAIS) team, has completed work on the 2025 HR Hierarchy Census and the results are now ready for unit-level review, validation and corrections. Our goal is to resolve all census-impacting issues by January 31, 2026.

Action Steps for Units

  • Review your data file located in your APF/SCC SharePoint drive.
  • Follow the instructions included in each folder to guide the cleanup process.
  • Please contact Workday Help if you need assistance in making corrections in Workday.
  • Please contact acadpers@uw.edu if help is needed to determine appropriate rank/title or policy related issues before making changes in workday profiles; APF will involve HRIS if needed.

What’s in Your File?

Data Issues tab: Lists individuals with data issues and changes HRIS made based on Workday analysis.

  • Correct issues in Workday promptly. Resolutions do not need to match HRIS changes but should align with UW appointment policy guidelines (see Academic Titles and Ranks page).
  • For help resolving a profile or appointment, email acadpers@uw.edu; APF will involve HRIS if needed.
    Census tab: Contains the data that will be used for institutional reporting for 2025 and for historical reporting going forward.

We deeply appreciate the effort across our schools, colleges, and campuses (S/C/Cs) that made this year’s census process such a success. Fewer than 1% of the census population had a data issue — the lowest volume since the transition to Workday. This achievement reflects your commitment to accuracy and collaboration. Special congratulations to Dentistry, Education, Public Health, and University Libraries, which had zero issues in their data files. We also extend our sincere thanks to the HRIS team for their invaluable support in providing data files to APF and all S/C/Cs. Your partnership is essential to advancing APF’s mission and the university’s goals.

ISO Updates

(Re)Introducing Holly S. Wolf as ISO’s New International Scholar Advisor

Effective December 1, 2025, Holly S. Wolf (formerly Holly Schneidmiller) has started her new position as International Scholar Advisor. Holly has been a critical member of the ISO team, ensuring business continuity during the COVID shutdown, shaping and documenting internal procedures, and leading the shift to digitizing visa records. We are delighted to have her take this next step in her career with us.

Gerberding Hall Holiday Closure

Gerberding Hall (where ISO is located) will be closed to the public from December 17 to January 4. ISO’s scheduled walk-in hours run through December 16, but we will continue necessary in-person services during the holiday closure on an appointment-only basis. Anyone needing in-person services (including document pickup or travel validation signature) should email acadvisa@uw.edu to schedule an appointment.

ISO Workload Priorities

Following the end of the University’s pause on new H-1B filings and the federal government shutdown, ISO is prioritizing H visa requests with start dates within the next two months. We respectfully request that units and scholars not reach out with status inquiries on cases with start dates or filing deadlines after February 15, 2026. Thank you for your patience — we will be in touch soon.

Contact Information & Support

Questions about RPT processes: Susan Monusko at slmwhite@uw.edu
General academic personnel matters: acadpers@uw.edu
Visa questions: acadvisa@uw.edu

Have feedback or ideas for future eDigest? Email acadcomm@uw.edu.

Applications Open for 2026–2027 BTAA Leadership Development Programs

The University of Washington is now accepting nominations for the 2026–2027 Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Academic Leadership Program (ALP) and Department Executive Officer (DEO) programs. These flagship leadership development opportunities help faculty strengthen the skills needed to navigate complex academic environments and support their units more effectively. Administrators are encouraged to share these opportunities with faculty who may be strong candidates.

Building Leadership Capacity Across Research Universities

The BTAA Academic Leadership Program offers a cohort-based, yearlong experience designed to help faculty refine leadership skills, understand institutional decision-making, and address the challenges facing major research universities. Participants engage with academic leaders across BTAA institutions, take part in facilitated development sessions, and return to their home units with new tools and practices that enhance their leadership effectiveness.

The BTAA Department Executive Officer Program provides structured support for current department chairs through peer coaching, collaborative problem solving, and targeted leadership training. Its hybrid format allows chairs to learn from colleagues across institutions while applying new approaches directly within their departments. Fellows from both programs also participate in UW-based sessions that reinforce key learning and foster leadership capacity across the university.

Faculty who take part in these programs consistently report increased confidence in their leadership roles, stronger cross-campus connections, and a deeper understanding of institutional systems. Their participation strengthens UW’s academic leadership pipeline and supports a more resilient academic enterprise.

Nomination Details

Deadline: Friday, April 24, 2026
Submission: Email nominations to vpap@uw.edu

Required Documents:

  • A cover letter from the dean or chancellor supporting the nominee’s leadership
  • A letter of interest from the candidate describing their motivation for participating
  • A list of previous leadership programs attended, with dates
  • A biographical sketch

Incomplete nominations will not be considered. Candidates should be nominated only if they can commit to attending all program events.

Eligibility Criteria

The Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty requests that each college, school, or campus submit no more than three nominations for each program.

Nominees should:

  • Be faculty in one of the UW’s five professorial tracks: tenured, WOT, teaching, research, or professor of clinical practice
  • Hold the rank of professor or be an associate professor near promotion
  • Demonstrate leadership experience and an interest in further leadership development
  • Currently serve or previously serve in a leadership or administrative role, such as Senate chair-elect, department chair, center director, associate chair, or associate dean

For the DEO program specifically, nominees should ideally be department chairs or directors who are two to three years into their roles.

Program Costs

Food and lodging for in-person seminars are supported by the BTAA through UW’s membership dues. Units are asked to cover travel expenses for their Fellows. Selection will be based on a candidate’s potential to apply new knowledge, engage meaningfully in program activities, and contribute to a diverse cohort of Fellows across disciplines and backgrounds.

Program Schedule

Academic Leadership Program (ALP)

  • Welcome Session: September 18, 2026, 8:00 to 9:15 a.m. PT (Zoom)
  • Seminar I: October 22–24, 2026 at Michigan State University (In Person)
  • Seminar II: February 11–13, 2027 at Northwestern University (In Person)
  • Seminar III: April 8–10, 2027 at the University of Michigan (In Person)

Department Executive Officer Program (DEO)

  • Welcome Session: October 8, 2026, 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. PT (Zoom)
  • Critical Friends Session A: October 15, 2026, 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. PT (Zoom)
  • Critical Friends Session B: October 29, 2026, 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. PT (Zoom)
  • Critical Friends Session C: November 5, 2026, 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. PT (Zoom)
  • Leadership Workshop: November 11–13, 2026, at the Big Ten Conference Center in Rosemont (Chicago), Illinois

Faculty and administrators are encouraged to share these opportunities broadly within their units. These programs support the continued development of academic leaders who help advance UW’s mission and strengthen the university community.

2026–2027 Promotion & Tenure Refresh

This guide consolidates essential administrative guidance from the March 4, 2026 Promotion & Tenure Cycle Refresh Training.

Important Reminders

  • New standing committees may be required. If a standing committee’s membership is changing from the 2025–26 cycle, you must create a new committee. Any changes to an existing committee will update all associated cases, including 2025–26 cases. Update your template to ensure all cases are created with the correct committees.
  • Use the Replace functionality for committees to retain step instructions and requirements.
  • SCCs should coordinate with their department administrators to ensure template updates are complete prior to initiating cases.
  • Notify the candidate when their case is ready.
  • Assign a Committee Manager to steps with required forms.
  • Follow the instructions for putting student and peer reviews in reverse chronological order.
  • Do not move the case to the APF Check step until the 5/7 days have passed for sharing documents. Everyone in the unit loses access when it moves to the first APF step and they will not be able to view or respond to the documents shared unless you wait.
  • Download the case materials prior to sending to APF, if you desire.

Template Updates

  • Removing the External Reviewer Nominee form for candidates (remove from required candidate documents).
  • Replacing your standing committees for 2026–2027.

Case Management

  • How to notify candidates of their case.
  • Case navigation.
  • Case Materials vs. Case Details tabs.
  • Internal Sections.
  • Step instructions and requirements.
  • Fulfilling the data sheet requirement from a case document.
  • Creating a standing committee.
  • Replacing a committee.
  • Designating a Committee Manager on a step.

Website Navigation

  • Promotion and Tenure landing page: Links to Getting Started and Annual Template content.
  • Getting Started: Step-by-step instructions with link to template update information and case initiation. Changed the format of links on this page to accordion style at the bottom.
  • Templates & Forms: Clarifies RPT templates vs APF templates. New information about updating templates annually.
  • FAQ page: Frequently asked questions about process, set up and case management.
  • Unit Materials page: Updated to include information from the P&T Guidelines page, consolidating resources.
  • Interfolio’s candidate view: Preview the faculty‑facing, candidate view of Interfolio.

Updates for 2026–2027

RPT Updates (only minor changes):

  • The External Reviewer Nominee form can be removed from the candidate’s required documents.
  • External Reviewer Grid has had minor tweaks to make it easier to use and so it will display better as a PDF for reviewers.
  • The external reviewer letter templates will be updated in March.
  • Close cases using only the Error or Candidate Withdrew options so we can report on closed cases.

Promotion & Tenure Policy/Guidance Updates

2026–27 Promotion and Tenure Clock Waiver: One Year Extension

  • Automatic Eligibility for Promotion/Tenure Clock Waiver – 2026–27 through 2030–31 Faculty Cohorts.
  • We continue to receive feedback that faculty are concerned about the impact of federal policy changes on career progression. In response, new provisions are being implemented for the 2026–27 academic year.
  • Meritorious clock managed cohorts with a hire date on or before September 16, 2025 (mandatory reviews taking place between AY 2026–27 through AY 2030–31), who have no more than three previously approved clock waivers, are automatically eligible for a waiver of the 2026–27 academic year.
  • Mandatory review deferred for one year unless they choose to opt out. Those faculty who choose to opt out will keep their current end date in effect and go up for mandatory promotion in the last year of their appointment as currently held.
  • We are working on the update to our clock waiver pages but please start gathering opt out information for those in your clock managed cohorts hired on or before January 1, 2026.

External Reviewer Request Guidance

Updated templates will include this context language:

Beginning in January 2025, faculty across the University of Washington experienced significant disruption to their federally funded research activities. Although the impacts of these disruptions are still evolving – and new disruptions to research are emerging – we ask that you consider this unprecedented time when evaluating research contributions since 2025, including the written components of this promotion packet.

Student Teaching Evaluation Guidance

New language regarding interpretation of student evaluations of teaching is in progress. The committee hopes to reach its goal of April 1, 2026 for guidance to be posted.

P&T Due Dates

  • Dec 15, 2026 — Submit Mandatory Faculty Promotion/Tenure Records.
  • Jan 15, 2027 — Submit Early Non-mandatory Faculty Promotion/Tenure Records.
  • Feb 1, 2027 — Submit Non-mandatory Faculty Promotion/Tenure Records.
  • Apr 9, 2027 — Submit Librarian Promotion Records.

P&T Notification Dates

  • Faculty who went through a review for promotion and/or tenure can expect to be notified of a successful outcome by the Office of Academic Personnel.
  • March 31, 2027 — Mandatory.
  • April 30, 2027 — Early Non-Mandatory.
  • June 1, 2027 — Non-Mandatory and Librarians.

Resources