Academic appointments - types and conditions

Academic staff are normally appointed as 'teaching and research' or research-only' staff. Position classification standards set out the roles and responsibilities (general standard, specific duties and skill base) for Academic staff. Refer to categories of employment: Teaching and Research positions and Research only positions

Appointments may be on an ongoing, fixed-term or sessional basis.

An ongoing appointment may be either full-time or part-time, subject to a probationary period.

A fixed-term appointment may be full-time or part-time. Grant funded appointments are normally for the period for which funding is guaranteed or are annually renewable within the funding period.
A sessional appointee is engaged by the hour and paid the prescribed rate.

General conditions of appointment

Legislative and contractual

A staff member shall hold office subject to the statutes and regulations of the university and the terms and conditions set out in the letter of offer and conditions of appointment which accompany the letter of offer.

Full-time or fractional-time

A staff member is a full-time officer of the university, unless the letter of offer specifies that the appointment is for a fraction of full-time.

Reporting responsibility

An appointment is to an administrative unit and the staff member is responsible to the head of the administrative unit, such as the head of department, school or centre or the dean of the faculty.

Salary

Salary will accrue from the date of taking up duty at the university for the appointment. Salary is payable fortnightly by direct deposit into a nominated account suitable to the salaries system of the university.

Salary increments

Salaries are within an incremental scale.

Incremental progression will be in accordance with the Academic Performance Management scheme and, where applicable, the provisions governing unsatisfactory performance.

Notice periods

• Notice required to be given by staff member on resignation. Refer to Resignation
• Notice required to be given to the staff member by the University. Refer to Termination

Probationary employees

Refer Probation and Confirmation of Employment

The university reserves the right of summary dismissal in the event of serious misconduct.

Confidence

Information gained in the course of employment may not be used otherwise than in the discharge of official duties.

Intellectual property

The ownership of intellectual property is governed by Statue 11.2 - Intellectual Property and the Intellectual Property Regulations. These provide for university ownership of intellectual property created by a staff member in pursuance of employment under contract of service with the university, except in the case of copyright in a copyright work prescribed by the regulations, or where intellectual property arrangements are the subject of an agreement entered into by the university.

Outside work

As a general principle a full-time staff member may not undertake any other paid occupation. A limited amount of work may nevertheless, in certain circumstances, be permitted by the vice-chancellor on behalf of the council. Refer to Paid Outside Work.

Designated campus

Each staff member of the University will be attached to a designated campus of the University and not be assigned unreasonable responsibilities on other campuses, to be determined on a case by case basis.

Where travel between campuses is required, the University will determine the most suitable mode of transport after consultation with the staff member, and any costs incurred in such travel will be reimbursed upon production of receipts.

Members of staff required to travel between campuses shall be provided with reasonable and comparable amenities for the duties to be undertaken at the campuses they visit.

Transfers

Staff members may be transferred within the university as necessary.

Superannuation

Refer Superannuation Policy

Medical examination

If at any stage of the recruitment or selection process, the appointee has concerns about whether she or he is medically capable of performing the essential requirements of the position, the appointee should seek the advice of their private practitioner prior to accepting appointment. As well, the university's Occupational Health and Safety Branch (OHS) may be able to assist in resolving the appointee's concerns, and may be contacted on telephone 9905 4048.

The university reserves the right to require prospective applicants or new appointees to undertake a medical examination and produce evidence or a satisfactory state of health prior to commencement.

The appointment of applicants from overseas is subject to a pre-employment examination. An appointee proceeding from overseas must have received advice that it is satisfactory for the university's requirements before embarkation.

Where a satisfactory medical examination has been completed for a previous appointment at the university, a further medical examination may not be required.

If a medical examination is required for an appointment, a medical report form will be included with the offer of appointment for completion by the appointee and a medical practitioner. The completed form is to be returned to the director of the university health service.

The medical examination will be at the appointee's expense, except where undertaken by the university health service on the Clayton campus.

Professional development and career advancement

Staff members have access to programmes and consultative services available from the higher education advisory and research unit to assist in the development of skills in teaching, the use of teaching materials, assessment of students and, as appropriate, tutorial and course design. Assistance is available also for new appointees to become established in research, either individually or in collaboration with others. Assistance for research development includes research design, data analysis and writing research proposals. Opportunities for professional development may also be provided through the outside studies program and support for attendance at conferences and seminars in areas of research, scholarship and teaching.

Staff may be required to participate in such programs and seminars as the university requires from time to time.

Immigration

An offer of appointment will be conditional upon the appointee receiving any visas required from the Department of Immigration for the appointment. Refer to Visa and Immigration information.

Leave and university holidays

Refer to University holidays

Outside studies program

Refer to Outside Studies Program (OSP)

Travel and removal on first appointment

Refer to Travel and removal costs

Accident reporting

Staff members injured whilst at work or in travelling to or from work are required to report the injury promptly to the head of the administrative unit or supervisor. Appropriate documentation as prescribed by WorkCover should be submitted if necessary.

Retirement date

Normal retirement day in the university is 31 December in the year the staff member attains 65 years. There are provisions for earlier retirement (refer to Retirement policy and procedures).

Information on conditions of employment

It is the responsibility of staff members to keep themselves informed of conditions of employment in the Monash University Workplace Policies and Procedures (WPP), available for reference in each administrative unit.

If information sought is not provided in the WPP, enquiries may be directed to Monash HR Division.

Variations, undertakings and representations

No liability or responsibility shall be accepted by the university for any variation in the terms of the appointment as stated in the letter of appointment, conditions of appointment or for any undertaking or representation given or made concerning the appointment unless the same is in writing and signed by Monash HR Division or an officer of Monash HR. Prospective appointees are responsible for obtaining such written confirmation of any special conditions or undertakings relating to appointment.

Conditions of appointment - continuing staff

Continuing appointments are subject to probation review as set out in Probation and confirmation of appointment Academic staff.

Conditions of appointment - fixed-term staff

A staff member is eligible for consideration under the university's promotion procedures while holding a fixed-term appointment. The staff member may also apply for any advertised position during the currency of the fixed-term appointment.

Conditions of appointment - research-only staff

In most instances a research-only staff member is paid from an outside grant such as the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) and Australian Research Council. As funding cannot be guaranteed on a continuing basis, the period of appointment is normally for the period for which funding is guaranteed or annually renewable within the funding period.

A research-only staff member is required to carry out research under the direction of the chief investigator and in terms of the provisions under which funds for the appointment are provided. By arrangement with the chief investigator, a staff member, other than an Australian Research Fellow, may give a limited number of lectures or seminars relating to the research project provided the appointee agrees such teaching is part of the duties for which the grant is paid.

The classification and step will be determined by the head of the administrative unit and chief investigator after taking into account the nature of the project, the experience and qualifications of the appointee in relation to the funds available and the position classification standards.

Teaching duties - Research Assistants and Level A research-only staff

Full-time Research Assistants and Level A research-only staff may undertake teaching duties where their conditions of appointment specifically provide for this or they agree to undertake the duties as part of the duties for which their salary is paid.

Employment of General staff

General staff employed in support of research such as the provision of skilled assistance in setting up and carrying out experiments, technical advice, the operation of equipment and the recording of data should be employed on the normal conditions for such staff employed elsewhere in the university.

Conditions of appointment - grant supported staff

A staff member whose employment is supported from an outside grant is ordinarily recruited and appointed as far as possible on the same conditions as staff on recurrent funds of the university. Conditions of employment, in so far as the grant permits, ordinarily follow the normal conditions relating to the appointment of Academic staff.

Conditions of appointment - Research Assistant

Degree studies

An appointee occupying a position at greater than 0.2 fraction of full-time will not be permitted to work for a full-time degree but may work for a degree part-time, and the university work may be part of the degree work.

Reclassification

A Research Assistant may apply to have the level of her/his position reassessed in accordance with the job descriptions set out in Position classification standards.

Conditions of appointment - NH & MRC funded staff

NH&MRC salary scales must be used for all graduate research staff paid against NH&MRC funds and salary classification and step determined on years since gaining required qualifications, regardless of other factors.

Salary loadings are applicable to all NH & MRC funded graduate staff with registered medical or dental qualifications, whether or not they perform any clinical duties. Further details on salaries and loadings are included in National Health and Medical Research Council.

The duration of the normal appointment is the end of the calendar year.

Casual Research Assistant

A casual Research Assistant is one who is engaged as such by the hour to work on an irregular or ad hoc basis and normally less than full-time.

A casual Research Assistant is thus a person employed for short work periods on a casual basis. Each work period is a separate and distinct period of service. Casual Research Assistants are employed with no guarantee of work beyond the period of their current hiring.

Hourly salary rates for casual Research Assistants are set out in Casual Research Assistant salary rate.

Academic appointment procedures

Appointments are to be made in accordance with Academic appointment procedures.