SAMPLE OFFER LETTER:                                           RESEARCH  FACULTY POSITION                                          Non-Departmentalized College/School 

<Date>

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Dear <Candidate's Name>:

I am pleased to inform you that the Administration of                                            has authorized me to offer you an appointment to the faculty of the College/School of                                      at The University of Texas at Austin with the rank of Research Assistant Professor.  Your full-time appointment, which will be effective                              , 20XX, will comprise both an affiliated instructional appointment with a nine-month academic rate of $                       and a research appointment with a twelve-month Administrative and Professional (A&P) rate of $                 .  Your appointment as Research Assistant Professor (Affiliate and A&P) has been approved through August 31, 2011, and you may be employed up to 100 percent time in any combination of the two titles during this time.  This appointment may be renewed on an annual or three-year rolling basis thereafter.  For as long as you continue to hold an affiliated research faculty appointment, your annual nine-month academic rate will be derived from, and be proportionate to, your twelve-month A&P rate.

For the 2011-12 academic year only your appointment will be structure as follows:

Title:                                              Research Assistant Professor (Affiliate)

Period of Appointment:                   09/01/11 – 05/31/12

Percent Time:                                 0%

Nine-month Academic Rate:            $67,500

Total Stipend:                                 $0

Title:                                              Research Assistant Professor (A&P)

Period of Appointment:                   09/01/11 – 08/31/12

Percent Time:                                 100%

Twelve-month A&P Rate:               $90,000

Total Stipend                                  $90,000

As an affiliated research faculty member, you will be expected to become involved in academic activities of the Department.  These may include, but are not limited to, collaborative research projects with academic faculty, participation in seminars and colloquia, teaching courses, supervising student research, committee service, and attendance at both College and Department events. You also are responsible for submitting a Faculty Annual Report to the Department at the end of each academic year and for forwarding a copy to the Vice President for Research.

The faculty has approved you to teach at the undergraduate level, and we will seek approval from the Graduate School for you to teach at the graduate level.  Your 2011-12 teaching assignment will be one section of                                            in the fall and spring semesters.  Faculty members who teach are expected to participate in Course-Instructor Surveys.  Questions concerning your course assignments, which are determined by the Chair of the Department, should be addressed to                                        at 512-                                   .

As stated above, you will also hold an Administrative and Professional (A&P) appointment as a Research Assistant Professor in the <College/School/Research Center>.  As a Research Assistant Professor (A&P), you are expected to develop a research program with extramural funding that will eventually cover your salary in the A&P title.  Initial funding for your A&P appointment will be provided by departmental sources associated with Dr.                                 and/or extramural funding available to <him/her>.  Information about the UT Austin research community is available on the home page of the Office of the Vice President for Research at http://www.utexas.edu/research/.

This commitment is for a temporary appointment without tenure for the indicated period only.  All appointments to the faculty are subject to confirmation by the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System and to the provisions of the Rules and Regulations of The Board of Regents and the Handbook of Operating Procedures of The University of Texas at Austin.

Include the following paragraph on Moving Expenses where relevant:

The <college/school> will reimburse you for the actual expenses of moving your family and household goods on a documented basis and for the reasonable expenses necessary for one or more trips to Austin for personal relocation purposes up to a maximum of $           .  Expenses for moving household goods and personal effects may be paid as an out-of-pocket reimbursement or directly to the moving company.  Expenses that meet the criteria set forth in IRS Publication 521 (http://www.irs.gov/publications/p521/index.html) are non-taxable.  Please present receipts to <Dept Contact Name> in the departmental office for reimbursement.  We can also assist you in accessing the relocation services offered by Human Resource Services.  Please let us know if you are interested in pursuing this option.

The enclosures cover important information for new faculty members at The University of Texas at Austin, including an overview of retirement and other benefits.  You will be entitled to all employee benefits authorized by the state legislature.  Human Resource Services will provide you with full information on available University services and resources at the New Employee Welcome/Orientation.  You should attend this as soon as possible upon your arrival.  For this purpose please note new benefits eligible employees have 31 calendar days from their hire date (enter date) to enroll for insurance coverage. 

This offer is contingent upon satisfactory completion of all pre-employment screening requirements.  These include (1) completion of the form and provision of documentation required by the Federal Immigration Reform and Control Act to verify employment eligibility to work in the United States; (2) a background check for security sensitive positions, which include all faculty positions; and (3) satisfaction of a credentialing requirement that is a criterion for institutional accreditation.  The first must be satisfied within three working days of the start date of your appointment and will be handled upon your arrival.  To meet the last two requirements, please complete and return both the enclosed Background Check form and the Official Transcript Authorization for New Faculty form to the department for handling.  The enclosures contain additional information on these requirements.

We are enthusiastic about having you as a member of the faculty and hope that the terms of this offer are satisfactory to you.  If you have any questions regarding this offer you can contact me at 512-                  .  Please indicate your acceptance of this appointment by signing the original of this letter and returning it to me.  The copy should be retained for your records.

Sincerely,

<Name>                                                         <Name>

Department Chair                                          Director,                       Center/Institute

Enclosure:       HOP 5.A.  Research Professor (Non-tenure Track)

                        Attachment B to PM 3.110 – Information for New Non-tenure Track

                        Faculty Members

Background Check Form

                        Official Transcript Authorization for New Faculty

cc:        Executive Vice President and Provost Steven W. Leslie

Dean                                      

I accept this offer of appointment and attest that the credentials reflected in the curriculum vitae submitted with my application are correct:

                                                                                    Date:                                      

<Candidate's Name>