Frequently Asked Questions
Additional Employment/Overload/125% rule
How many units can I teach during Winter, May, and Summer Intersessions?
Emeritus Status
What is the criteria for Emeritus Status?
It is expected that a faculty member will have at least ten uninterrupted years of distinguished service at California State University, Los Angeles prior to resignation/retirement in order to qualify as a candidate for Emeritus status, although exceptions may be made for faculty with fewer years of service who have made outstanding contributions. The successful candidate for Emeritus status will have maintained an instructional and professional profile that demonstrates a high level of achievement. In addition, the candidate is expected to have made significant contributions to the University.
How can I request Emeritus Status?
What are the benefits of being granted Emeritus Status?
Faculty granted Emeritus status shall enjoy all the courtesies accorded retired faculty plus the following benefits: inclusion at the head of the corresponding department's/division's/school's faculty list, as well as in the consolidated Emeriti list in the General Catalog; recommendation for life membership in the Alumni Association; a special identification card; receipt by mail of copies of the University Reports, Calendar of Events, and similar informational publications (unless declined); selective invitation to participate in campus councils as consultants, where appropriate and legal; free admission to musical, dramatic, athletic and other University performances; access to electronic communication and information as long as they are legally and fiscally feasible; faculty library borrowing privileges; access to campus rooms and facilities for meetings and reunions of Emeriti; and a faculty parking permit and office space on a space available basis.
Evaluations
What should be included in Lecturer evaluations?
FERP
Who is eligible to participate in FERP?
Tenured instructional faculty, library faculty, and Student Health Center Counselors, hired before 1/1/2011 and have reached the age of 55, hired between 1/1/2011-12/31/2012 and have reached the age of 60, or hired on or after 1/1/2013 and have reached the age of 62, and have decided to retire but have not yet done so, are eligible to participate in FERP. The program is not available to coaching faculty unit employees. FERPing is an entitlement, as long as the relevant procedures are followed and courses appropriate for the faculty member are scheduled or other appropriate work is available.
When do I need to decide whether or not to participate in FERP?
If I want to participate in FERP in fall of next year, when must I retire?
Your retirement date must be before the start of the academic year in which you wish to enter the FERP program. To begin FERPing in 2019-20, you must retire prior to August 18, 2019. If you retire during the academic year, you must wait until the following academic year to participate in FERP.
If I participate in FERP, what will my work assignment be?
FERP faculty may choose to participate in FERP for up to five years, at up to 50% of your regular time base in the last full year preceding retirement. If you worked full-time in the last full year preceding your retirement, your regular time base was the equivalent of 30 semester units, of which 24 are weighted teaching units (WTUs) for course instruction, and 6 are SETUs (Standard Equivalent Teaching Units) for indirect instructional activity (advising, service, and other faculty responsibilities). Therefore, FERP faculty may work up to 15 semester units per year (12 WTUs and 3 SETUs), performed in one semester or split evenly between the Fall and Spring semesters.
Can I accept other CalPERS compensated work in addition to FERPing?
No - you cannot exceed the 50% time base limit (or 960 hours per academic year) for CalPERS retirees. Participants shall not be eligible for other CSU appointments while in FERP. This includes all university-funded compensation, including Professional and Global Education summer session and special sessions, other stipends, and additional pay. Participants in the FERP may be appointed in a CSU auxiliary, provided the auxiliary does not participate in CalPERS. Such appointments shall not exceed the limits on additional employment established in Article 36 of the CFA CBA.
What happens if I want to reduce my FERP assignment?
A FERP participant may request a reduction in the time base (units) of the FERP appointment. This is done by submitting a revised FERP Participation form, which must be approved by your chair, college dean, and the AVPFA. Once approved, the reduction in unit entitlement is permanent, and will continue for the duration of your FERP appointment.
Do FERP faculty earn sick leave?
FERP Faculty earn sick leave credit on a pro-rata basis for each active pay period. A maximum of one hundred and sixty (160) hours of sick leave may be accrued during FERP. At the end of the FERP appointment, any remaining sick leave is forfeited and may not be converted to service credit. If you would like to ensure that you have more sick leave available during FERP employment, you may decide prior to retirement to carry over up to 48 hours of sick leave credit for use during FERP participation.
Can FERP faculty take a leave of absence?
FERP participants are eligible for one leave of absence without pay for personal illness for all or part of the period of employment. Although ineligible for CSU Family Medical Leave, FERP participants are subject to federal and state family medical leave statutes. However, time spent on leave status counts towards the five year employment duration under the FERP program.
Can FERP faculty serve as department chairs?
FERP participants may serve as department chairs during the period of FERP employment. This includes faculty who were not serving as department chair at the time of retirement. Appointment is at the same rank as at retirement. However, the timebase may not exceed the allowable FERP timebase.
Paychecks
When is my paycheck issued?
CSU Paychecks are issued by the State Controller’s Office (SCO) at the END of the month. Academic Year Faculty are paid on a twelve month cycle- six pay checks for each semester. The general pay cycle is as follows:
1 Yr, 3 Yr, and Tenure Track Faculty
Pay Period | *Pay Day | Check Number |
September | September 30 | 1st Fall Check |
October | October 31 | 2nd Fall Check |
November | November 30 | 3rd Fall Check |
December | December 31 | 4th Fall Check |
January | January 31 | 5th Fall Check |
February | February 28 | 1st Spring Check |
March | March 30 | 2nd Spring Check |
April | April 30 | 3rd Spring Check |
May | May 31 | 4th Spring Check |
June | June 30 | 5th Spring Check |
July | July 31 | 6th Spring Check |
August | August 31 | 6th Fall Check |
*For actual pay dates, please see the Payroll Faculty, Graduate Assistants, and Teaching Associates Pay Schedule.
Fall Semester Only
Lecturers, FERPS, and Teaching Associates |
*Pay Day |
Check Number |
Graduate Assistants |
*Pay Day |
Check Number |
September | September 30 | 1st Fall check | September | September 30 | 1st Fall check |
October | October 31 | 2nd Fall check | October | October 31 | 2nd Fall check |
November | November 30 | 3rd Fall check | November | November 30 | 3rd Fall check |
December | December 31 | 4th Fall check | December | December 31 | 4th Fall check |
January | January 31 | 5th Fall check | January | January 31 | 5th Fall check |
February | February 28 | 6th Fall check |
*For actual pay dates, please see the Payroll Faculty, Graduate Assistants, and Teaching Associates Pay Schedule.
Spring Semester Only
Lecturers, FERPS, and Teaching Associates |
*Pay Day |
Check Number |
Graduate Assistants |
*Pay Day |
Check Number |
February | February 28 | 1st Spring check | February | February 28 | 1st Spring check |
March | March 30 | 2nd Spring check | March | March 30 | 2nd Spring check |
April | April 30 | 3rd Spring check | April | April 30 | 3rd Spring check |
May | May 31 | 4th Spring check | May | May 31 | 4th Spring check |
June | June 30 | 5th Spring check | June | June 30 | 5th Spring check |
July | July 31 | 6th Spring check |
*For actual pay dates, please see the Payroll Faculty, Graduate Assistants, and Teaching Associates Pay Schedule.
Range Elevation
Who is eligible for a Range Elevation?
Lecturers become eligible to apply for a range elevation when they have at least five years of service in their current range and have no more eligibility for a service salary increases (SSIs). Campuses notify Lecturers who are eligible to apply for a range elevation at least 30 days prior to the campus deadline for submitting the range elevation application. However, you should also keep track of your potential eligibility.
For more information, please go to our Range Elevation for Temporary Faculty page.
How do I prepare for a Range Elevation?
To prepare for a range elevation application, keep copies of your periodic evaluations, reports of your student evaluation data, and documents showing your professional contributions in your teaching (or other assigned duties) as well as any other contributions you have made to the department, campus, or your discipline.
When are Range Elevation increases effective?
Range elevation increases shall be effective at the beginning of the first appointment in the academic year following the range elevation review procedure established by the campus.
Service Salary Increase (SSI )
When is an SSI awarded?
A Service Salary Increase (SSI) is awarded when collectively bargained.
Am I eligible for an SSI?
In order to receive an SSI, your salary must be below the SSI maximum in the range, with a limit of one SSI per year. If your salary is at or above the SSI max, then you have no more SSI eligibility in your current range. The SSI maximum increases each time there is a General Salary Increase (GSI); so you need to look at the most recent faculty salary schedule. If you do not qualify for an SSI, you may be eligible to apply for a Range Elevation provided you have served five years in the current salary range.
Temporary faculty who completed 24 semester WTUs including state support summer terms in a single department since the last SSI or range elevation are eligible for an SSI.
Tenured or probationary faculty unit employees who meet other eligibility criteria and has at least one year of qualifying service since either appointment to the range or award of the last SSI in that range would be eligible for an SSI on the employee’s anniversary date.
Substitute Pay
Can FT tenure-track faculty be paid as a substitute?
Yes. A faculty employee who is assigned temporary substitute duty of a short duration, which shall normally be up to twenty (20) calendar days, shall be compensated at the faculty substitute rate. Temporary substitute assignments of a longer duration, which shall normally be greater than twenty (20) calendar days, shall be compensated by an appropriate workload reduction as soon as practicable or, if the employee is not employed in the next academic term, the employee shall be appropriately compensated upon separation for the class hours taught. For compelling reasons, a faculty employee may decline such an assignment. Nothing in this provision shall preclude faculty employees from making informal voluntary substitute arrangements of short duration with a University colleague, subject to the approval of the department chair.
Do the units that a faculty member substituted count as part of their entitlement?
A temporary faculty unit employee who is granted a leave of absence without pay shall maintain any rights under provisions 12.3, 12.7, 12.9, 12.10, 12.12 and 12.13 in the same manner as if that employee had taught his or her scheduled courses rather than taking a leave. Faculty who replace the temporary faculty member during the leave period will not accrue rights under provisions 12.3, 12.7, 12.9, 12.10, 12.12 and 12.13 for work performed as a replacement for the temporary faculty employee on leave.
Student Positions
What restrictions are there on appointments for Graduate Assistants (GA) and Instructional Student Assistants (ISA)? Can they work additional hours when classes are not in session?
GAs and ISAs can work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and up to 40 hours per week when classes are not in session.
Can Teaching Associates (TA) be appointed for more than 20 hours per week?
Yes. TAs can be appointed to any time base up to full time (40 hours per week.) However, a TA who also holds a GA or ISA appointment (or a non-represented Student Assistant appointment) can only be appointed up to a combined 20 hours per week.
Can a student hold a Unit 11 appointment concurrently with a staff or faculty appointment?
No
Are there any exceptions to the requirements for treating trainings and orientations as part of the workload for the term?
Yes. Exceptions will include mandatory coursework for: a) accreditation requirements; b) approved curricular requirements; and c) required training per University Executive Orders.
We have a 1-unit TA training course that all TAs are expected to take every fall semester. Must we build this into term workload?
That depends. If the course is not a curricular requirement, you must build it into term workload (in effect, pay students for the time they spend) each time they enroll. To the extent that the course is an actual degree requirement, it is not necessary to build it into workload because it would fall under exception (b) above. However, if the student is only required to take 1 unit, and you require subsequent enrollment, the TA must be compensated for time spent in the course as part of their workload.
Volunteer
Can a current CSU employee volunteer?
No. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provides that, if a public sector employee (including a CSU employee) is otherwise employed by the agency to perform the same type of services as those for which the individual proposes to volunteer, the employee shall not be considered a volunteer. As such, a CSU employee may not volunteer to take on additional duties related to their primary job for which he/she could be paid. The term "same type of services" shall be defined as any duty or responsibility that is closely related to the duties performed by or responsibilities assigned to the compensated CSU employee.
For more information, please refer to https://csyou.calstate.edu/Policies/HRPolicies/HR2015-10.pdf#page2
Lecturers on a Three-Year Contract
If a lecturer on a three-year contract declines classes, do they still get to stay on their three-year contract?
Yes. They still get to continue the remainder of their contract and the classes declined count toward their entitlement units that year. However, if the faculty declines all their entitlement units during the last year of their three-year contract, their entitlement has been met and they the contract ends.
If a lecturer on a three-year contract receives additional classes or declines classes, does their entitlement change?
It depends. If their appointment is in year one or two, their entitlement will remain the same for the remainder of the contract. If their appointment is in year three, the entitlement for their next three-year contract will be the units that they taught in the last year of their three-year contract.
If a lecturer on a three-year contract declines classes due to a LWOP, does their entitlement change?
No. If a leave without pay is granted, they will still maintain any rights under provisions 12.3, 12.7, 12.9, 12.10, 12.12 and 12.13 in the same manner as if they had taught their scheduled courses rather than taking a leave.
What if there is no work available to offer them?
In the event there is no work available to satisfy the time base entitlement during any academic term of a three-year appointment, the temporary faculty employee shall continue to maintain this contractual entitlement for the duration of the three-year appointment.
What if there is no work for them during the third year?
If no work exists in the department to support the initial or subsequent three-year appointment of the temporary faculty unit employee, or if the time base of the temporary faculty unit employee was zero during the third year of her/his three-year appointment, s/he shall be placed on a departmental list pursuant to provision 38.48. When such a temporary faculty unit employee is officially notified that no work exists to support the initial or subsequent three-year appointment, the official notification shall also inform the temporary faculty unit employee of the right to be placed on a list for a period of three (3) years. No later than July 1 of each year during the period the temporary faculty unit employee is on the list, the temporary faculty unit employee must inform her/his department chair of the temporary faculty unit employee’s interest in and availability for employment. Included in this written notice shall be current, accurate contact information. Failure to notify the chair shall result in removal from the department provision 38.48 list.
Does the time there was no work available constitute a break in service?
The period in which the employee was on the department provision 38.48 list shall not constitute a break in service regarding rights previously accrued under Article 12.
If a lecturer on a three-year contract only works the first year because there was no work for them during the second and third years, do they still have to be evaluated?
Yes
Sabbatical/DIP
If I apply for a one semester sabbatical and I indicate willingness to be considered for a DIP if not awarded the sabbatical, can I switch to a two semester Difference-in-Pay (DIP)?
No, because the chair, college committee, dean, and provost all reviewed based on a one semester leave. The leave approved must be consistent with the term length indicated.
How is the DIP calculated?
A standard monthly rate is used for the minimum instructor salary. That monthly rate is $4,229. Below we used a sample monthly salary. Hopefully this helps you all to be able to calculate your personal DIP.
See example below for the Difference-in-Pay calculation:
Monthly salary of T/TT faculty - $6590
Minimum Instructor Salary - $4229
DIP Salary- $6590-4229= $2361 per month (6 months for AY faculty taking a one semester DIP) (12 months for AY faculty taking a two semester DIP)
Does a two semester sabbatical at half-time pay mean that I am working half-time and would be asked to serve on committees during the time?
A two semester sabbatical means that the faculty is on full leave for the entire two semesters, but receiving half-time salary during that time. There should be no committee service or instruction at this time.
Leave Without Pay
What is the maximum unpaid leave that a faculty can take?
Article 22 of the CBA indicates that a leave of absence can be granted for up to two (2) years. An extension of such leave may be granted for up to one (1) year at a time.
S-factor units
Can lecturers bank S-factor units?
No, lecturers cannot bank supervision or s-factor units. They should be paid for the work done during a given term. Due to the complexities of entitlements there is no ability to bank units.