August 2026 eDigest

Policy and Process Updates

Sabbatical Case Initiation Opens Sept. 1

Units preparing for the upcoming sabbatical cycle should note that sabbatical case initiation opens September 1, 2026.

The APF Sabbatical Leave webpage serves as the central resource for sabbatical planning and administration, with guidance for faculty, librarians, unit leaders, and administrators. Resources include step-by-step instructions for initiating sabbatical cases , annual template preparation guidance, an overview of the sabbatical review process, and additional RPT support materials.

Administrators are encouraged to review their unit’s sabbatical templates and processes before initiating new cases. Faculty and librarian sabbatical cases must be forwarded to APF through Interfolio RPT by February 1.

Learn more: Sabbatical Leave webpage.

Interfolio Administrator Information Session: Supporting the New Faculty Search Committee Training Requirement

The Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty (APF) invites Interfolio Administrators in non-School of Medicine units to attend an information session on the new required training process for faculty search committees. For convenience, APF will offer two opportunities to attend the same session: an in-person option and a virtual option.

Effective July 1, 2026, APF requires faculty search committees in non-SOM units to complete a 90-minute training before reviewing applications. During the 2026–27 pilot year, only the chairs of tenure-track and teaching-track faculty search committees must complete the training before committee members are granted access to application files in Interfolio. Training certification is valid for three years.

The Interfolio Administrator Information Session serves as a companion to the required faculty search committee training. It is designed to help Interfolio Administrators, in non-SOM units, understand the new requirements, their role in verifying training completion, and the resulting changes to access management and faculty search processes within Interfolio.

RSVP for an Interfolio Administrator Information Session

• In person: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, 10 a.m.–noon, HUB 250
• Online: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, 2:30–4:30 p.m.

The information session will cover:

• Updates to the Evaluator access process in Interfolio
• Verification of faculty search committee training certification
• Key content from the required faculty search committee training

Please note: The APF training is separate from the UWHR 20-minute Workday Learning training required for hiring authorities. The two trainings are not interchangeable.

For School of Medicine (SOM) Units: SOM offers its own required training for faculty search committees and maintains a separate system for tracking training certification. Interfolio Administrators in the School of Medicine should continue to follow SOM-specific guidance and processes. Questions may be directed to Sylvia Woods, SOM Academic HR Manager.

International Scholar Updates

Updated Information Regarding the End of Duration of Status

A new rule ending Duration of Status for J-1 exchange visitors is scheduled to go into effect on September 15, 2026. ISO thanks units for their hard work in preparing J-1 extension requests in anticipation of this new rule.

• More information, including slide decks from recent information sessions, is available on our blog post.
• New web content for J-1 scholars has been added to the ISO webpage: Changes to Duration of Status.
• ISO is still accepting J visa requests for extensions and will endeavor to process as many extensions as possible before the rule goes into effect. See our How to Sponsor a J-1 page for more information.

Please note: While appointment eligibility, funding and insurance compliance requirements still apply, ISO will generally not require a new reappointment letter, Postdoctoral Scholar Data Sheet or CV for extension requests if the position is UW-paid and the requested extension does not exceed eligibility for the title or visa.

In these cases:

• Units should select “The unit requests sponsorship up to the maximum period allowed by UW appointment eligibility and U.S. immigration law” under Sponsorship Duration in Section Three: Appointment Information on the J visa request form.
• Appointment eligibility limits still apply. For example, sponsorship for a postdoctoral scholar beyond the five-year postdoctoral limit requires approval of a sixth-year exception before the J visa request can move forward.
• Similarly, externally funded/PDR scholars must still demonstrate funding for the entire requested period.

Units trying to submit extension requests as quickly as possible may find it helpful to use the “Copy to New” function in the Lux visa request system:

1. Go to the APF portal to view Submitted J Visa Requests and use the search bar to locate the scholar by name.
2. Locate the scholar’s most recent J visa request.
3. Select the yellow Action button and choose Copy to New to populate a new request with information from the prior submission.

Please contact ISO with any questions at acadvisa@uw.edu.

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.

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 the 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.