Information on employment categories can be found below. Each of the employment categories is unique with regard to type of work performed, job security, benefits package, and/or ability to organize unions. Assignment to an employee category is based upon job title and the role of the position.

Employees can find information on their employment type in their appointment letter or by reaching out to their human resources contact.

The Academic Staff employee category is comprised of employees in non-faculty positions which are unique to higher education. These positions are either fixed term renewable or fixed term with a defined end date.

For more information, see Chapter UWS 10 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code and Section 36.15 Wis. Stats.

The Employee-in-Training employee category within the University Personnel System is limited to persons holding one of the following titles:

  • Research Associate
  • Postdoctoral Fellow
  • Postdoctoral Trainee
  • Postdoctoral Scholar
  • Research Intern
  • Postgraduate Trainee
  • Intern (Non-Physician)
  • Graduate Intern/Trainee

Persons holding one of these titles are normally in the process of acquiring additional training or experience in their field of specialization. All appointments in these titles are fixed-term.

For more information, see Section 36.19 Wis. Stats.

The Faculty employee category within the University Personnel System is limited to persons who hold one of the following ranks in an academic department or its equivalent in a University of Wisconsin institution:

  • Professor
  • Associate Professor
  • Assistant Professor
  • Instructor

There are two types of faculty appointments:

  • Probationary - an appointment by the Board of Regents upon the affirmative recommendation of the appropriate academic department, or its functional equivalent, and the chancellor of an institution and held by a faculty member during the period which may precede a decision on a tenure appointment.
  • Tenure - an appointment for an unlimited period granted to a ranked faculty member by the Board of Regents upon the affirmative recommendation of the appropriate academic department, or its functional equivalent, and the chancellor of an institution via the president of the University of Wisconsin System.

For more information, see Chapter UWS 3 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code and Section 36.13 Wis. Stats.

The Limited Appointee employee category within the University Personnel System is comprised of employees who “serve at the pleasure of the authorized official who made the appointment.”

Positions assigned to the following titles are required by s. 36.17(2) Wis. Stats to be filled by Limited appointees:

  • President
  • Provost
  • Vice President
  • Associate Vice President
  • Assistant Vice President
  • Chancellor
  • Vice Chancellor
  • Associate Chancellor
  • Assistant Chancellor
  • Associate Vice Chancellor

Positions assigned to other Academic Staff titles may also be designated as ‘at will’ and filled by Limited appointees after considering the following:

  • Whether the position has major responsibility for significant functional areas within the UW institution, therefore making it imperative that the institution maintain maximum staffing flexibility.
  • Whether the position has direct management of the day-to-day administrative activities of a school, college, or administrative unit and works closely with the senior administrator of a school, college, or unit, therefore making it imperative that the institution maintain maximum staffing flexibility.
  • Whether the position serves in a critical role as both an advisor and representative of the President, Chancellor, Provost/Vice Chancellor, or other Vice Chancellors, therefore making it imperative that the institution maintain maximum staffing flexibility.
  • Whether the position is an Associate Director or Assistant Director focusing on developing policies which enhance the broad institutional mission with an impact extending beyond the specific office in which the position lies.
  • Whether the position is particularly unique to those institutions participating in NCAA Division Athletics.

For more information, see Chapter UWS 15 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

The Student Assistant employee category within the University Personnel System is comprised of:

  • Graduate students who:
    • hold a fellowship, scholarship, or traineeship;
    • hold an appointment which is intended primarily to further the education and training of the student;
    • are employed to assist with research, training, or other academic programs or projects;
    • and/or have been assigned teaching responsibilities in an instructional department under the supervision of a faculty member.
  • Undergraduate students when:
    • no qualified graduate student is available to perform a function that would normally be assigned to graduate Student Assistants
    • and/or the terms of a supporting grant or contract preclude the use of other normally appropriate titles.
  • Student Help who provide part-time and/or temporary administrative, clerical, laborer, technical, or other general support to administrators, faculty, and staff of the institution.

In order to qualify for a student help position, individuals must be registered/enrolled for academic credit at an educational institution for the current or upcoming semester. An educational institution shall be defined as:

  • an accredited institution of higher learning granting associate degrees or higher,
  • a technical college,
  • a vocational or trade school,
  • or a high school.

The University Staff positions are quite varied and duties include, but are not limited to, administrative support, information technology, accounting, engineering, in addition to custodial, food service, and crafts workers.

Titling for university staff positions, including permanent, project, and temporary staff positions, is consistent with the University Staff Definitions on UW System Titles and Compensation web page.