ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT HEAD
Titles:
Academic Department Head
(Tenure Track Assistant, Associate or Full Professor)
Variables:
Starting Date, Reimbursement of Moving Expenses, Start-up Package
Dear ______:
I am pleased to offer you the position of ______ [Faculty title] and Department Head in the Department of ______,
College/School of ______ at the University of Connecticut with a start date of ______. This position reports to
______ and is a full-time ten-month position with a starting salary of ______.
Your salary is based on a ten-month appointment and paid biweekly over twelve months. This is a five year
appointment, subject to annual review and as described in Article 15 of the current AAUP collective bargaining
agreement.
Your salary is structured as follows:
[9- Month Salary]
[1- Month Salary]
for a nine-month appointment in the [School/College]
as a one month supplement for your administrative responsibilities as
Department Head
Pay increases that may be awarded will be applied proportionately to each of the above components of your salary.
Should you not continue as Department Head, you will return to a nine-month faculty appointment and your salary
will be adjusted from the ten-month to the nine-month rate. According to University regulations, ten-month salaries
can be supplemented up to two tenths from external grants for the summer months.
[Discuss responsibilities and expectations.]
The University provides a training program specifically for Department Heads that begins early in the fall semester
and carries over through the academic year. The sessions are approximately monthly and you will be notified
directly concerning time and place. It is my expectation that you will fully participate in this program, both for the
value of the course content as well as the potential for establishing constructive and collegial relationships with other
department heads.
[If outside appointment, use the following:
In your capacity as a faculty member, you are eligible for academic tenure under the University of
Connecticut Laws, By-Laws and Rules. Upon the recommendation of the ______ Department, I will ask the
Provost to submit a request to the Board of Trustees that you be granted academic tenure. This request will
be submitted at the first meeting of the Board following your acceptance of the position. Under present Board
policy, your tenure could become effective upon appointment.
You will receive the first biweekly pay check two weeks after the close of the pay period in which you are
hired, contingent upon all required documentation being in place.
This offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check, and your
continued employment is conditional upon the timely completion of an approved I-9 (Employment Eligibility
Verification Form).
You will be issued a University network identifier, known as a NetID, which allows access to various
computing services at the University. There are multiple methods by which you may learn your NetID: (1)
You will receive a letter via mail to your home providing you with your NetID and instructions for activation
(your Department will also be informed of your NetID); or (2) Retrieve your NetID by visiting
http://netid.uconn.edu; selecting “Find your NetID”; and then selecting “Activate your NetID”. If you have
difficulty with any of the above NetID procedures, and need access to University resources, please call the
University Information Technology Services (UITS) Help Center for assistance at 860-486-4357 and select
option 3. If your NetID is available, they will verify your identity and help you resolve your initial NetID
needs. More NetID information can be found at http://netid.uconn.edu.
[Reimbursement of Moving Expenses, if applicable:
http://www.hr.uconn.edu/docs/ol_FAC_Variables.doc]
[Insert specifics of the appointment such as teaching, research, public engagement, service expectations, startup package. If offering a start-up package, include who will provide the funds and the date range for the
funds to be used-available by x date and must be used by x date.]
Please be aware that the University has a Board of Trustees approved policy regarding consulting. The
policy, related documents, and training materials may be found at consulting.uconn.edu. Approval to consult
must be obtained prior to the start of the activity. If you are currently engaged in consulting activities, you
may wish to contact the Faculty Consulting Office on your campus prior to your hire date in order to ensure
you are compliant with this rule.”
If you accept our offer, we invite you to the University’s New Employee Orientation in the Human Resources
Department on Friday [insert payroll date] at 9:00 a.m. At New Employee Orientation, you will be made
aware of State of Connecticut and University policies, complete payroll forms to expedite your first paycheck,
begin benefits enrollment and obtain a campus parking permit. To facilitate payroll and benefits enrollment,
please bring with you: personal identification noted on the enclosed I-9 Verification Instructions, your
marriage/legal union certificate (if applicable) and a birth certificate for each dependent (if applicable).
Directions to Human Resources are also enclosed.
If you are unable to attend New Employee Orientation, information regarding the University’s
comprehensive benefits programs, including health, life and disability insurance as well as retirement plans,
is available at http://www.hr.uconn.edu. A representative from the Department of Human Resources is
available to discuss enrollment in these benefits. Please contact the Department of Human Resources at (860)
486-3034 to schedule an enrollment session. Other terms and conditions of your employment are contained in
the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Connecticut and the American Association of
University Professors (AAUP). A copy of the collective bargaining agreement may be found on the AAUP
Website at: http://www.uconnaaup.org/.
You are joining a University hallmarked by a sense of community in which diverse views are welcomed and
respected and in which there is a sense of unity which comes from working together to effect constructive
change. UConn is Connecticut’s only public research extensive university, a prestigious designation shared
by only the nation's top higher education institutions. UConn emphasizes the discovery of knowledge through
research and through the dissemination of that knowledge in learning and outreach. We have one goal:
assuring the vitality and viability of the University of Connecticut for the benefit of the state and its citizens.
We are delighted that you will be joining us in this effort. ]
Please indicate your acceptance of the offer by signing below and returning one copy of this letter to me, with your
original signature, no later than ______.
Sincerely,
______________________________
Dean
I ACCEPT THIS APPOINTMENT UNDER THE TERMS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
By accepting this appointment I agree to abide by all University policies including, but not limited to, the
University’s Code of Conduct.
______________________________
Signature of Acceptance
____________________
Date
I am a U.S. citizen/permanent resident or an individual who has proper U.S. work authorization that will
not require assistance/visa sponsorship from the University of Connecticut in the future.
I DO require assistance in extending or obtaining work authorization at the University of Connecticut to
begin employment on the start date stated in this letter or in the future.
My current visa status is:
.
My work authorization is valid until:
.
If you do require assistance in extending or obtaining work authorization at the University of Connecticut, please
contact the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) immediately at (860) 486-3855 and /or
international@uconn.edu.
cc:
Provost
Payroll Department
ISSS (if applicable)
Enclosure: Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf
Policies for review at http://policy.uconn.edu:
“Moving” Expenses Reimbursement:
“Consulting”:
“Extra Compensation”:
“Code of Conduct” Guide:
http://policy.uconn.edu/?p=987
http://policy.uconn.edu/?p=155
http://policy.uconn.edu/?p=366
http://policy.uconn.edu/?p=140
Additional Information
 Faculty and Staff Resource Guide (http://resource.uconn.edu/new_fac_staff/index.html)
 Affordable Care Act Notice (http://hr.uconn.edu/docs/affordable_care_act_notice_2013.pdf)
Last updated November 2015