Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Procedure – Same-level appointment of existing staff to an Education-focused academic role

Parent Policy

Recruitment, Selection and Appointment

Preamble

Monash University recognises that excellence in learning and teaching is vital to its success in transforming the lives of students. As a member of the Group of Eight, the University seeks to continue to build upon its reputation for research excellence while attracting, supporting and retaining outstanding educators who are committed to high-quality student experiences and outcomes.

To this end, the University has introduced education-focused academic roles as part of its Education Excellence Strategy, for the purpose of recognising and rewarding existing academic staff members for outstanding contributions in learning, teaching and scholarship.

The expectations for education-focused academic staff at each of the levels have been developed in line with Monash University Teaching and Research Academic Standards, the Australian Learning and Teaching Council’s criteria for teaching excellence and the education-focused role requirements used in other Go8 Universities. The role requirements are defined further in the Education Performance Standards.

Existing academic staff members, who meet the criteria for an education-focused academic role may have their current engagement profile modified as outlined in this procedure. Education-focused staff will continue to be employed under the terms and conditions of the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009.

This procedure applies to all eligible, existing fixed-term and continuing academic staff classified at levels A through to E.

Definitions

Education-focused academic: An academic staff member whose primary role is to provide a high standard of learning and teaching; educational design and delivery; and educational leadership.

Head of Unit: The head of an academic or organisational work unit.

HR Business Partner: is a member of the Monash HR community who operates as a strategic partner responsible for providing a range of human resources services for an assigned Faculty or administrative Division. HR Business Partners are located within a HR Service Hub.

SAAC (Special Academic Appointments Committee): is a Committee chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor responsible for academic staffing matters and comprised of the President of Academic Board, a Pro Vice-Chancellor and a Dean. For the purposes of this procedure, SAAC assumes the responsibilities of the former Education Excellence Appointment Committee to assess applications for translation to an education-focused role at levels C, D and E.

Mechanisms for the appointment of academic staff to education-focused roles

There are three mechanisms for appointing an academic staff member to an education-focused role. The:

• Dean makes an offer to an individual academic staff member following their performance review;
• Dean calls for expressions of interest for education-focused roles via email; or
• Academic staff member seeks to re-negotiate his/her contract.

1. Deans, on the advice of Heads of Schools or Departments and designated academic performance supervisors may, in the course of discussions arising from the performance development process, and consideration of the Faculty’s research and teaching requirements, offer academic staff who meet eligibility criteria the option of accepting a contract variation for an education-focused role.
2. In responding to teaching load requirements, and in developing and fostering teaching excellence in their disciplines, faculties may decide to call for expressions of interest from current academic staff to education-focused roles. Calls for expressions of interest may be made from time-to-time at the discretion of the Dean by way of internal email and will emphasise eligibility criteria.
3. Building upon the Faculty’s research and teaching requirements it may be possible for academic staff to renegotiate academic roles. The key mechanism for this is the performance development process. At this time, academic staff can signal their interest in changing roles and propose practical steps to move to the new role. A timetable for the transition to the new mix of duties will also be discussed. The duties will focus on demonstration of eligibility criteria for the education-focused role.

Eligibility criteria

When considering eligibility criteria, the academic performance supervisor, head of unit or Dean should take into account the staff member’s:

• teaching and learning achievements;
• performance development records;
• three-year work goals and career aspirations; and
• unique or specific skill sets.

The academic staff member must have demonstrated, relative to their level:

• a commitment to learning and teaching excellence;
• consistently outstanding teaching evaluations;
• leadership in the development of teaching practice and curriculum; and
• innovations in curriculum and pedagogy that have influenced and enhanced learning.

The template position descriptions for education-focused roles will provide guidance on the application of these eligibility criteria at each academic level. The template position descriptions are available under “Forms” below.

The University’s Education Performance Standards will help to guide decision-making.

Variation to engagement profile

When seeking authorisation for an appointment to an education-focused role, the staff member, academic performance supervisor, head of unit and/or Dean should take into account that:

• all appointments of existing staff to education-focused roles are made in accordance with this procedure;
• terms and conditions for education-focused appointments remain the same, that is the offer of appointment is made as an offer of academic employment on the full range of conditions of employment specified under the relevant enterprise agreement and under relevant University policies applying to academic staff;
• education-focused staff may apply for Outside Studies Program (OSP) and academic promotion during their appointment; and
• specific advice about employment terms and conditions may be sought from the Workplace Relations Branch, Monash HR via extension 20400.

Recommendation for appointment to an education-focused role and approval of appointment

The head of unit, in consultation with the staff member and the performance supervisor, will prepare a written recommendation for appointment of the staff member to an education-focused role and will submit the recommendation to the Dean.

All recommendations should include:

• a statement prepared by the staff member and/or the performance supervisor assessing the staff member’s case for appointment to an education-focused role against the eligibility criteria outlined above; and
• an up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV).

The Dean will consider the recommendation and where necessary, will consult with the Associate Dean (Education) or an expert in teaching and learning.

The recommendations for appointment of existing academic staff to education-focused roles must be approved as follows.

• Level A and B appointments may be approved by the Dean (or Pro Vice-Chancellor for non-faculty staff).
• Level C,  D and E appointments must be endorsed by the Dean (or Pro Vice-Chancellor for non-faculty staff) and then referred to SAAC for approval.

The Dean or SAAC’s decision will be communicated as soon as possible to the Dean and to the applicant.

Finalisation of appointment

Where the recommendation to appoint to an education-focused role is approved, a formal offer of the appointment will be made to the academic staff member.

The relevant HR Business Partner will send the staff member a formal Offer of Variation of Contract, with a copy to the Dean and, where applicable, to the head of unit.

The variation will stipulate the terms of engagement including any probationary conditions that will continue to apply.

The positions that will be offered for education-focused academic staff are:

• Assistant Lecturer (Education-focused)
• Lecturer (Education-focused)
• Senior Lecturer (Education-focused)
• Associate Professor (Education-focused)
• Professor (Education-focused)

The staff member must return the signed Offer of Variation of Contract to the HR Business Partner.

Education-focused workloads

Upon confirmation of the appointment to an education-focused role, the performance supervisor must meet with the staff member to ensure that:

• the performance development plan is updated to reflect work requirements of an education-focused role; and
• workload allocation takes into account the education-focused role and is consistent with the requirements of the relevant Enterprise Agreement. (currently Clause 60, 2009)

Workload allocation for education-focused staff should be managed consistent with the requirements outlined in the relevant Enterprise Agreement. In the case of education-focused academic staff, a significantly greater emphasis should be placed on learning and teaching, and less emphasis on research.

A flexible approach to setting workload is recommended in light of the diverse range of teaching-related activities that may be described under ‘research and scholarship’, including scholarship of teaching, educational research, and honours and HDR supervision. Workload allocation should not disadvantage education-focused staff considering applying for promotion.

Consistent with workload allocation requirements, staff in education-focused roles should be fully engaged in teaching activities during teaching periods.

Education-focused academic staff may be invited to participate in a third teaching period in one year (i.e. teaching periods include a summer teaching period). Education-focused staff agreeing to participate in a third teaching period will be offered a summer teaching loading.

Responsibility

Staff Member

The staff member is responsible for completing their own performance development plan, aligning their three-year goals to the University's objectives for learning and teaching excellence and maintaining an up-to-date portfolio of evidence to substantiate performance.

Performance Development Supervisor

The performance supervisor is responsible for:

• identifying academic staff who meet the eligibility criteria for education-focused roles and supporting their appointment to an education-focused role;
• using the academic performance development process and Performance Development Online (PDO) system to manage education-focused staff performance; and
• reviewing the staff members’ workload models to take into account education-focused role requirements, consistent with the relevant Enterprise Agreement workload allocation clause (Clause 60, 2009).

Head of Unit

The head of unit is responsible for coordinating the preparation of a written recommendation for appointment of a staff member to an education-focused role in consultation with the staff member and the performance supervisor.

Dean

The Dean is responsible for ensuring that performance supervisors carry out a fair and objective assessment of staff member eligibility for appointment to an education-focused role. In addition, the Dean is responsible for endorsing appointments to an education-focused role for academic staff.

Monash HR Responsibilites

HR Business Partner

The HR Business Partner is responsible for:

• preparing and sending the Offer of Variation of Contract to the staff member;
• communicating with the performance supervisor and Dean in relation to the contract of employment; and
• forwarding the signed Offer of Variation of Contract to HR Operations for processing.

HR Operations

HR Operations is responsible for updating the staff member’s SAP record to ensure that the staff member is identified as education-focused.

Related procedures

• Conduct and Compliance Procedure – Conflict of interest
• Recruitment Selection and Appointment Procedure - Direct appointments
• Recruitment Selection and Appointment Procedure - Recruitment of fixed-term and continuing staff
• Staff Development Procedure – Performance Development Process: Academic staff
• Staff Development Procedure – Outside Studies Program
• Staff Development Procedure – Academic Promotion for Candidates Level B
• Staff Development Procedure – Academic Promotion for Candidates Level C-E

Related enterprise agreement clauses

• Clause 60, Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009

Related documents

• Flowchart – Appointing existing staff to an education-focused role [pdf]
• Education performance standards
• Guidelines for Ensuring Equal Opportunity in Selection of Staff
• Monash University Ethics Statement

Forms

• Memo for the Dean for appointment of existing staff to an education-focused role (Level A and B) - template [word]
• Memo for the Secretary for appointment of existing staff to an education-focused role (Level C to E) - template [word]
• Position Description Assistant Lecturer (Education-focused) [word]
• Position Description Lecturer (Education-focused) [word]
• Position Description Senior Lecturer (Education-focused) [word]
• Position Description Associate Professor (Education-focused) [word]
• Position Description Professor (Education-focused) [word]