Academic Affairs and Personnel

Synopsis of Academic Personnel Manual Section 330 (pdf)

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I. Definition of a Specialist

Most Specialist appointments are made to provide research projects with special skills, experience, and knowledge. A Specialist provides considerable independent input into the planning and execution of research; however, he or she generally works under the direction of an appointee in the Professional Research or Professorial series. A few individuals are appointed in the Specialist Series to positions in which conducting research is not the principal responsibility, and in which they provide specialized skills in support of research. The Specialist may work without immediate supervision, but not usually independently. He or she provides a service to a supervisor, a group, or the institution.

 

II. Guidelines for Appointment

Specialist appointments are made when Professional Research series appointment is not appropriate because of the subordinate status or service nature of the position, or because the appointee may not fulfill the academic requirements. The Specialist appointment is not meant to be a route into the Professional Research Series; Specialist appointments are generally inadvisable in cases where the individual appears qualified, or is likely in the future to be qualified, for appointment in the Professional Research Series. Nor is the Specialist series a category to which Staff Research Associates and other staff personnel appointees can expect to be transferred - such transfers are confined to cases where aptitude for academic work at the Specialist series level has been demonstrated.

 

III. Characteristics of Series

A. Ranks and Steps

B. Term of Service

IV. Required Documentation

A. Establish Position

All positions must be approved by the Chancellor prior to the initiation of any search process:

1. detailed request from Chair requesting that a position be established. Include at what rank the position should be established as well as a target date for appointment; 
2. endorsement from the Dean;
3. a job description detailing duties and responsibilities of the position; and
4. an organizational chart including all reporting relationships.

B. Appointments

Appointments to the Specialist series require full searches. Membership in the Academic Senate is not acquired by appointment to these series. Neither tenure or security of employment is acquired by appointment to these series.

1. Letter from the Chair requesting appointment indicating scope of search and outlining qualifications of recommended individual. Include rank, step, working title and effective date of proposed appointment. Indicate individual who previously held the position.
2. Endorsement statement from the Dean.
3. Solicited letters of recommendation if individual does not currently hold an appointment with UCLA or is currently holding a non-academic title at UCLA.
4. CV of proposed appointee.
5. Current job description for the position.
6. JPF Number.

C. Merits

Eligibility does not imply automatic advancement. Departments are required to review the record of each individual when the individual becomes eligible for normal advancement to determine whether or not advancement should be recommended. Advancement follows only upon demonstration of qualification following review.

1. Letter from Chair requesting advancement, outlining achievements and accomplishments since last review. Include rank, step, and effective date of proposed appointment;
2. CV of proposed appointee; and
3. Endorsement from the Dean if merit is either accelerated or deferred.

D. Promotion

Eligibility does not imply automatic advancement. Departments are required to review the record of each individual when the individual becomes eligible for promotion to determine whether or not advancement should be recommended. Promotion follows only upon demonstration of qualification following review.

1. Letter from Chair requesting promotion, outlining achievements and accomplishments during the time at the lower rank. Include rank, step, and effective date of proposed appointment;
2. Endorsement from the Dean; and
3. CV of proposed appointee.

E. Criteria for Advancement

In framing a request for advancement in the Specialist series, the following criteria should be addressed:

1. performance in research in specialized areas;
2. professional competence and activity; and
3. University and public service.

 

V. Review and Approval Authority

Please note that advance approval is required in most cases.

 

All Schools and Colleges

* Note: Acceleration is defined as advancement in step prior to the number of requisite years as described in section I or a salary increase in excess of one step.

Deferral is advancement in step after a period longer than the stated number of requisite years or a salary increase of less than one step.

 

VI. Compensation

An individual appointed to this series is compensated on the salary scale appropriate to the circumstances of service.

Off-Scale salaries are not applicable for this series.

 

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Revised 2/3/11

Web page updated 5/6/21