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Academic Promotion Policy

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Section 1 - Overview

(1) The rationale for academic promotion at the University of New England is to strengthen and develop the University's academic staff profile, as part of its commitment to enhancing a culture that values and recognises high performance.

(2) The purpose of this Policy is to provide high level information about the promotion of academic staff from one classification/salary level to the next, based upon the evaluation of meritorious performance that will lead to a realisation of the University's goals and mission (as outlined within the UNE Strategic Plan). The key features informing academic promotion at UNE, and the UNE Position Classification Standards utilised as the evaluative tool to assess performance, are located at Section 19 and Schedules 5 and 6 of the University of New England Academic and ELC Teaching Staff Collective Agreement 2014-2017 (the Academic Enterprise Agreement).

(3) The evaluation of applications for promotion is undertaken on an annual basis by members of the Academic Promotion Committee (the Committee) whose membership is informed by Section 19.7 of the Academic Enterprise Agreement.

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Section 2 - Scope

(4) This Policy applies to members of academic staff who hold full-time or fractional, continuing or fixed-term appointments of more than twelve (12) months duration. Staff who are on a period of leave without pay in excess of twelve (12) months at the time of the promotions round, are not eligible to apply for that round.

(5) The following categories of staff may apply for promotion as an exception to the Policy under special circumstances, but their application will not be considered eligible, unless it receives approval to proceed by the Chair of the Academic Promotions Committee or his/her nominee:

  1. Staff who have been in their current appointment less than twelve (12) months prior to the promotion round; or
  2. Staff who have been unsuccessful in their application for promotion for two consecutive years. These members of staff would normally be excluded from reapplying the following year, in accordance with Section 19.2 of the UNE Academic Agreement. Exceptions to this requirement must also have support from the applicant's Head of School/Supervisor outlining their special circumstances.
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Section 3 - Policy

(6) Information sessions will be conducted before each promotion round, for all prospective candidates and their supervisors. The sessions will outline the steps to be undertaken by candidates, supervisors and members of the Promotion Committee, across the academic promotion process.

(7) It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide all relevant material relating to their application, for consideration by the Committee.

(8) The supervisor of an applicant seeking promotion is to provide them with constructive feedback about their application based upon their knowledge of the staff member's performance. The feedback will incorporate an evaluation of performance against the classification criteria for academic staff positions (at Schedule 5 of the Academic Enterprise Agreement) to determine the applicant's 'readiness' for promotion to the level being sought.

(9) The Committee applies the principle of equal opportunity to all applicants seeking promotion. Evidence of an applicant's performance as outlined within their application, will be rated against the UNE Position Classification Standards — Academic Staff (at Schedule 5 of the Academic Enterprise Agreement). Performance outcomes will be considered in light of opportunities that have been available to each applicant.

(10) Applications and the Committee's deliberations relating to each applicant's meritorious performance will be considered 'In Confidence' by all staff involved in the promotions process. Discussion relating to the applications, recommendations or deliberations is to be restricted to the Committee meeting.

(11) An application for promotion will be recommended to the Vice-Chancellor if two-thirds (2/3) of the Committee members are in agreement that the meritorious performance of the applicant meets the classification criteria for the level of promotion being sought.

(12) A successful application for promotion does not constitute an extension of employment in circumstances where the staff member's employment is not continuing.

(13) Feedback to be given to unsuccessful applicants will be discussed by the Committee and formally approved by the Chair before being provided to the applicant.

(14) All applicants will be advised in writing of the outcome of their application.

(15) Appeals may be lodged only on the grounds of a breach of procedure, where it can be shown that the breach affected the outcome of the application. Appeals will be lodged according to the Academic Promotion Appeals Procedures associated with this Policy.

(16) Actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest between those involved in the promotions process, must be disclosed. The management of any potential conflicts of interest is to be in accordance with the UNE Conflicts of Interest Policy and its associated Procedures.

(17) The Director, Human Resource Services, is responsible for ensuring that this Policy is implemented effectively and consistently across all academic promotions processes.

Authorisation

(18) The Director, Human Resource Services, is authorised to administer this Policy and to make procedures and local guidelines to apply under this Policy. The procedures and any other material to support the application of this Policy must be consistent with this Policy and the relevant Sections of the Academic Staff Agreement.

(19) This is a Vice-Chancellor's policy and vested authority is granted for decisions made under this Policy to the nominated parties. The Vice-Chancellor retains discretion over decisions made under this Policy.

Compliance

(20) All staff must comply with this Policy. A failure to comply with this Policy may amount to misconduct/serious misconduct and/or unsatisfactory performance.

(21) Where there is any unresolved interpretation of this Policy in relation to the provisions of the relevant Collective Agreement, the provisions of the relevant Collective Agreement take precedence.

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Section 4 - Definitions

(22) Academic Enterprise Agreement means the UNE Academic and ELC Teaching Staff Collective Agreement 2014-2017 as extended or varied from time to time, and is taken to include any Enterprise Agreement that replaces or varies one or more of these documents.

(23) Academic Staff means employees covered under the UNE Academic and ELC Teaching Staff Collective Agreement 2014-2017 or the replacement Enterprise Agreement, with the exception of English Language Teaching Staff.

(24) Exceptional circumstances are normally those that are considered unusual, uncommon or abnormal and are beyond a staff member's control. Examples include serious illness or injury; death of an immediate family member, partner or close relative; acute or substantive illness or injury of a partner, immediate family member or close relative.

(25) Head of Cost Centre normally means the Head of School or Director (as the case may be) of the relevant School or Directorate. Where it is not appropriate for the Head of School or Director to act, or where the circumstances relate to a position reporting directly to a Senior Executive, the Head of Cost Centre will be taken to mean the relevant Senior Executive. Where the matter relates to a Senior Executive, the Head of Cost Centre will be the Vice- Chancellor.

(26) Head of School means Director of Centre, Head of Cost Centre or equivalent.

(27) Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) means the DVC or nominee.

(28) School means School and other organisational units such as Oorala, Teaching and Learning Support and UNE research centres.

(29) Supervisor means the role to whom a position reports to.

(30) Where the word "normally" is used, it means that it is the default position that must be followed unless exceptional circumstances exist that require a departure from the default position, as determined by the Policy Administrator acting reasonably.