Policy

Range Elevation Policy for Temporary Faculty

1.00 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish a means by which temporary faculty (full or part-time) may be granted range elevation consistent with the appropriate sections of Article 12 of the CSU-CFA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). For the purposes of this policy, the term "lecturer" is inclusive of temporary instructional faculty, non-instructional faculty, librarians, and counselors.

This policy is intended to reflect the University's commitment to the principles, goals, and ideals described in the CSUMB Founding Vision Statement and to its core values.

2.00 Definition

Range elevation is the process by which a lecturer moves from one classification (salary range) to another. An applicant who is awarded a range elevation moves from his/her current salary range to the next higher range (for example, from A to B), receives a salary increase consistent with Article 31 of the CBA, and becomes eligible for Service Salary Increases (SSI) in the new range.  Range elevation applies only to the Department in which range elevation is granted.

3.00 Eligibility for Range Elevation

In accordance with the CBA article 12.17, those eligible to apply for lecturer range elevation shall be limited to lecturers who have no more eligibility for SSI salary increases in their current range, and have served five (5) years in their current range. Eligibility is determined separately for each department, school or division (hereafter Department) in which the lecturer is appointed. As per the CFA Memorandum of Understanding ratified in 2022 and in effect until June 30, 2024, range elevation eligibility is also extended to lecturers and temporary librarian faculty unit employees in Academic Fiscal Years 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24 who have six our more years Full Time Adjusted Service (FTAS) in their current range. For each academic or fiscal year, FTAS is defined as the average full-time equivalent (FTE) over the Academic or Fiscal Year, divided by 0.8, up to a maximum of 1.0 for the year.

No later than December 1 each year, Human Resources shall notify those lecturers at the SSI maximum who have five (5) years of service in their current range that they may be eligible for range elevation, and shall provide Departments with a list of eligible lecturers. In the notification to lecturers, Human Resources shall inform each lecturer that receipt of a previous Faculty Merit Increase will not affect their eligibility for range elevation, and that, if granted, range elevation will be accompanied by a salary increase of at least 5% or the minimum percentage increase required to reach at least the minimum of the next range, whichever is greater.

4.00 Requirements & Criteria for Granting Range Elevation

Applicants for range elevation must satisfy the following two requirements:

1. Lecturers demonstrate proficiency in fulfilling the responsibilities in their formal work assignment [1] by achieving levels of at least "commendable" on average, or the equivalent ratings in all the Lecturer Periodic Evaluations during the previous five (5) years. Lecturers with ratings lower than commendable may supply explanatory text describing mitigating circumstances. Those lecturers who supply explanatory text will not be categorically denied range elevation if their extenuating circumstances are sufficiently justified in written form.
   
   
2. Lecturers demonstrate professional growth and development in the last five (5) years appropriate to their formal work assignment. For those with instructional assignments, professional growth and development includes demonstrating excellence in facilitating student learning by maintaining currency in the field and by refining and improving teaching practices based on self-reflection and assessment, as indicated in Table 1 below. Faculty whose primary assignments are non-instructional shall demonstrate excellence in facilitating student success by maintaining currency in their field and by refining and improving professional practices (Table 2).

Table 1: Criteria for Range Elevation for Lecturers with Instructional Assignments

Table 2: Criteria for Range Elevation for Faculty with Non-Instructional Assignments

5.00 Application

Application materials shall be submitted to the Human Resources Office no later than the date specified on the Academic Personnel Calendar. Application materials shall consist of the following:

5.10 Materials Supplied by Applicant to Human Resources

1. Temporary Faculty Range Elevation application form;
2. Up-to-date curriculum vita;
3. Narrative, approximately five (5) pages long, that describes the evidence of how the proficiency and professional development requirements and criteria stated in Section 4.00 of the CSUMB Range Elevation Policy, including professional growth have been met in the last five (5) years;
   1. The narrative may include a description of activities or accomplishments that contribute to the instructional mission of the university but are not part of the formal work assignment.  In this case, the applicant must explain how those activities contribute to the applicant’s excellence in their formal work assignment (see Appendix A, Examples).
4. A list of the applicant’s work assignments (or workload agreements) for the previous five (5) years;
5. Evidence to support narrative description of the ways that the applicant has satisfied the criteria for Range Elevation as described in Section 4.00 of the CSUMB Range Elevation Policy:
   1. For lecturers with instructional appointments:
      1. Syllabi from all courses taught in the last two (2) years and may include more syllabi in support of the application;
      2. Sufficient examples of course materials and student work
      3. The applicant may provide peer evaluations and/or peer recommendations for the period under consideration.
      4. Evidence of professional growth and development as described in Section 4.00(b) and Appendix A.
   2. For faculty with non-instructional appointments:
      1. Evidence of impact on student learning or success.
      2. Evidence of professional growth and development as described in Section 4.00(b) and Appendix A.
      3. The applicant may provide peer evaluations and/or peer recommendations for the period under consideration.

 5.20 Materials Supplied by Department

The Department Chair will provide evaluators access to the applicant’s student evaluations for the past five (5) years.

5.30 Materials Supplied by Human Resources to Evaluators

Human Resources shall provide evaluators with access to the application materials and the applicant’s Personnel Action File (PAF) in order to review periodic evaluations or other relevant material for the work done during the period under consideration.  Evaluators shall sign the PAF access log.

5.40 Additional Materials

If statements in the applicant’s narrative are deemed to be insufficiently supported by the evidence provided with the application, evaluators may seek additional written documentation from either the applicant or from faculty peers.  Any additional documentation provided by faculty peers at the committee’s request must be signed by the faculty peer and submitted to Human Resources.  Human Resources shall notify the candidate that the materials have been added to the application file.

When an applicant is asked to provide additional documentation, the applicant shall supply this documentation within ten (10) days of receipt of the request.  Failure to provide requested information shall not delay either the evaluation process or the preparation of the committee's recommendation.

6.00 Composition and Election of Range Elevation Committee

The departmental Range Elevation Committee shall be comprised of the Department Chair and two other eligible faculty from the Department, elected for a one-year term.  “Eligible” faculty include tenure-track faculty, tenured faculty, and lecturers in a range at least equal to the range being sought.  To be “eligible” to serve on a Department’s range elevation committee, lecturer must have a three-year appointment in that Department, and be willing to serve on the committee on a voluntary basis.  Two (2) of the three (3) committee members must be tenured or tenure-track.

A Department with three or more eligible faculty (in addition to the Department Chair) shall elect a Range Elevation Committee consisting entirely of faculty from the Department. If there are three or fewer eligible faculty in the Department (including the Chair), then they all shall serve, and the Department shall nominate eligible faculty from related academic disciplines to compose the remaining members of the committee.  Potentially eligible lecturers may decline “eligibility” to serve, since the service is on a voluntary basis. 

All Unit 3 faculty in the Department, regardless of the time base of their appointment, have an equal vote on the composition of the department Range Elevation Committee.

7.00 Evaluation

7.10 Range Elevation Committee

The Range Elevation Committee must assess the quality and appropriateness of the applicant’s qualifications as presented in the application materials.  The assessment shall be based on the criteria in Section 4.00.  Materials submitted by the applicant shall be evaluated in relation to the applicant's work assignment while in the Department in the last five (5) years. 

The Range Elevation Committee shall prepare a recommendation regarding range elevation for each eligible applicant.  This shall be a written report that includes the Department's recommendation as well as the reasons for reaching that recommendation.  The Committee shall forward this recommendation to Human Resources by the date specified on the Academic Personnel Calendar. 

Human Resources shall provide a copy of the recommendation report to the applicant.  The applicant has the opportunity to provide a written response to Human Resources within ten (10) days of receiving the report.  The response shall not introduce new evidence or documentation that was missing from the initial application materials except as in accordance with Article 15.12 of the CBA. Human Resources shall add the committee report and any applicant response to the application file.

7.20 The Dean

The Dean (or appropriate administrator) must assess the quality and appropriateness of the applicant’s qualifications as presented in the application materials.  The assessment shall be based on the criteria in Section 4.00.  Materials submitted by the applicant shall be evaluated in relation to the applicant’s work assignment while in the Department in the last five (5) years. 

The Dean shall make the final decision regarding range elevation for each eligible applicant by the date noted in the Academic Personnel Calendar. 

The written decision of the Dean shall be forwarded to Human Resources by the date noted in the Academic Personnel Calendar. Human Resources will send copies of the Dean’s decision to the applicant and the Department committee. The applicant has the opportunity to provide a written response to Human Resources within ten (10) days of receiving the Dean’s decision.  The response shall not introduce new evidence or documentation missing from the initial application materials except as in accordance with Article 15.12 of the CBA.

7.30 Human Resources

The applicant’s receipt of the Dean’s written decision serves as the official notification that copies of committee recommendation, Dean’s decision, and any responses from the applicant will be placed in the faculty member’s PAF within 5 days.  Human Resources will also file materials as indicated in section 5.10 (items 1 through 3) in the applicant’s PAF.

8.00 Salary Increase and Effective Date

In accordance with the CBA, a successful range elevation award shall be accompanied by a salary increase of at least 5%. Any range elevation that is granted shall be effective at the beginning of the next academic year.

9.00 Authority

The Dean shall grant or deny range elevation after receiving the written recommendation from the Department’s Range Elevation Committee.

10.00 Denial

In the event an application for range elevation is denied, appeal of the decision shall be subject to the peer review process consistent with the CBA.  The appeals hearing committee shall consist of three tenured or tenure-track faculty elected annually by the Academic Assembly, no two of whom may be from the same College, and will adhere to the process described in Article 12.20.  The applicant must rely on the application materials and responses submitted and shall not introduce new evidence at the time of the appeal hearing except as in accordance with Article 15.12 of the CBA. 

11.00 Continuous Renewal

This policy shall be reviewed two years from its effective date to determine its utility and effectiveness. The policy may be revised before that time if necessary.

s/President Eduardo M. Ochoa

Effective Date: 05/25/2022

Certification of Process

Reviewed by: Academic Senate Executive Committee, Human Resources,  and Provost.

download a signed .pdf copy of this policy

 

                        Appendix A (Range Elevation Policy for Temporary Faculty):

                        Examples of Professional Growth and Development Activities

 

The Temporary Faculty Range Elevation application includes a narrative section where the applicant’s professional activities can be described in light of the evaluation criteria of Tables 1 and 2 of the Temporary Faculty Range Elevation Policy.  Examination of Tables 1 and 2 of the policy indicate that professional growth and development activities for lecturer Range Elevation are those activities that foster growth in the scholarship of teaching and learning.  Further, they are activities that can be linked, by explicit evidence, to improved teaching and learning in the classroom.  For non-instructional faculty professional growth and development activities are those that are linked to student success in the context of their work assignments.

Appendix A is a non-exhaustive list of professional growth and development activities that could be used in the narrative, given the restrictions described above.

Maintaining Currency in Subject Areas

• Increased mastery of the discipline evinced by additional relevant education or an additional degree
• Contributing to and planning professional development activities on campus
• Presenting original work at professional meetings and conferences
• Collaborative research and creative activity involving the campus and the community
• Publications, exhibitions, and/or performances that advance knowledge
• Research and/or creative activity in discipline related pedagogy
• Editing professional publications
• External fundraising and resource development related to the mission of the University
• Grant proposals to conduct research in the discipline, to support pedagogy, or to further the mission of the University

Developing Learning Experiences and Resources

• Participating in activities sponsored by the CSUMB Institute of Teaching Learning and Assessment
• Developing or leading activities sponsored by the CSUMB Institute of Teaching Learning and Assessment
• Developing and improving teaching and assessment methods
• Developing and revising outcomes-based curriculum and assessment
• Developing innovative or original teaching materials (manipulatives, activities, etc.)
• Contributing to the achievement of department curriculum goals
• Successfully employing new technology to foster student learning objectives
• Curriculum and program development
• Collaborative teaching

 Advising, Supervising, Guiding, and Mentoring Students

• Advising and mentoring students
• Supervising teaching assistants and student assistants.
• Advising and mentoring student associations
• Recruitment and retention of students
• Involvement of students in the research and creative processes

Service to University and Community

• Organizing events and activities for the sharing of ideas and knowledge
• Professional contributions to the community, including professional efforts that bring the community and the campus together
• Leadership in faculty governance and campus life at the department, college, university, or CSU system level.