Understanding Your Employee Category

Faculty are teaching and research employees with academic appointments at the University of Montana or Missoula College. Faculty positions are governed by collective bargaining agreements negotiated between the University and the applicable faculty association. 

You are likely faculty if your position involves teaching courses, conducting research, or holding an academic appointment such as professor, instructor, lecturer, researcher, or visiting scholar. 

Faculty appointments may be: 

• Non-tenure-track: Fixed-term academic appointments that may be renewed. These employees are also eligible for Letters of Appointment (see below). 
  
  
• Adjunct Faculty: Persons appointed as ranked members of the faculty primarily to provide classroom teaching supported by instructional program funding.
• Visiting Faculty: Short-term appointments typically for one academic year or less who hold faculty positions at other institutions of higher education.
  
  
• Research Faculty: Persons appointed as ranked members of the faculty primarily to conduct research. These employees are typically hired on Non-Faculty Letters of Appointment.
  
  
• Clinical Faculty: Persons appointed as ranked member for the faculty with duties devoted primarily to teaching while providing clinical services at practice sites and who may also contribute to research and creative activities.

Key things to know as a faculty member: 

• Your compensation and many employment conditions are governed by your applicable CBA 

• Performance management is administered through the Office of the Provost, not HRS 

• You accrue sick leave but academic year faculty do not accrue annual leave 

• Tuition waivers and most other benefits are available to eligible faculty 

Staff are employees in classified or skilled craft positions that support the day-to-day operations of the University. Staff positions follow the Montana University System Compensation Plan and the State of Montana pay structure. 

You are likely staff if your position is in an administrative, technical, facilities, or operational role such as administrative assistant, IT technician, facilities worker, accountant, or similar classified position. 

Key things to know as a staff employee: 

• Your position is assigned a classification and pay range under the MUS Compensation Plan 

• Staff are typically paid hourly but may be paid salaried if they are exempt from state and federal overtime regulations.
  
  
• You accrue annual leave and sick leave based on your FTE and length of service 

• You are subject to a six-month probationary period when you begin a new staff position 

• If your position is represented by a union, your CBA may affect certain employment conditions 

• Annual performance reviews are required and administered through NEOED Perform 

This category includes non-faculty professional and administrative employees who are hired through individual non-faculty professional and/or administrative employment contracts rather than the MUS Staff Compensation Plan. These employees perform autonomous or policy-making work and are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement as staff. 

You are likely in this category if your position is a professional or administrative role such as director, dean, program manager, coordinator, specialist, or similar contract position that is not classified under the state pay plan. 

There are two types of appointments in this category: 

MUS Employment Contract: Used for ongoing professional and administrative positions. Contracts have a maximum term of one year and carry specific non-renewal notice requirements under BOR Policy 711.1. 

Board of Regents Employment Contracts: Used for the institution's top executive positions — Commissioner of Higher Education, President, Chancellor, and Deans of independently accredited two-year colleges. Contracts have a maximum term of one year and carry specific non-renewal notice requirements under BOR Policy 711.2.

Letter of Appointment (LOA): Used for temporary or contingently funded positions. The appointment is for a fixed term specified in the letter, not to exceed one year, and ends automatically at the conclusion of the term without notice. Non-tenure-track faculty members are also eligible for Letters of Appointment.

Key things to know as an administrator or contract professional: 

• Your compensation is governed by the BOR Salary Guidelines for Non-Faculty Contract Employees 

• You accrue annual leave and sick leave based on your FTE and length of service 

• Annual performance reviews are required and administered through NEOED Perform 

• Your contract has a fixed term and must be renewed or reappointed to continue 

Temporary employees are hired to meet temporary operational or staffing needs for a defined period of 12 months or less, such as supporting a specific project, filling a temporary vacancy, or addressing seasonal workloads. Temporary appointments have a designated end date, do not automatically lead to permanent employment, and are not intended to serve as a trial period for a permanent position. 

Temporary employees are hired under one of the following appointment types: 

Short-Term Worker 

• Appointed for up to 90 workdays within a continuous 12-month period across the University 

• Not eligible for sick or annual leave, paid holidays, or employee benefits 

• May participate in the optional retirement plan 

Classified Temporary Fixed Term (CTFT) Employee 

• Appointed for more than 90 workdays and up to 12 months. 

• Employment ends automatically at the end of the appointment period 

• Time served does not count toward a probationary period 

• Position falls into the MUS Compensation Plan 

• Leave and benefits depend on the length of the appointment and FTE (hours): 
  • Sick leave and annual leave begin accruing on the first day. Sick leave may be used after 90 days, and annual leave after 6 months 
  • Eligible for holiday pay 
  • Employees appointed for 6 months or longer at 0.5 FTE (20 hours per week) or more are eligible for University System group insurance benefits 

• A background check is required for CTFT appointments lasting or extended more than 6 months. 

Key things to know as a temporary employee:  

• Your appointment has a fixed end date and does not convert automatically to permanent employment  

• You may apply for any permanent position for which a recruitment is being conducted  

• You may telework from home or an alternate work site only within the state of Montana, subjected to supervisory approval and University policy   

• Annual performance reviews do not apply to temporary employees under the MUS Staff Compensation Plan  

Student employees are enrolled students at the University of Montana who hold a paid employment position on campus. Student employment is intended to support students financially while they pursue their education. 

You are likely a student employee if you are currently enrolled at UM and your position is designated as a student position in the hiring system. 

Key things to know as a student employee: 

• You may not work more than 20 hours per week while school is in session 

• You may only work within the state of Montana 

• You are covered by the MUS Workers Compensation Program 

• You are generally not eligible for University group insurance benefits or retirement plans 

• Your employment does not follow the same preboarding process as regular employees. Visit the Preboarding: Student Employees page for more information 

• If you are an international student on an F-1 or J-1 visa, additional work authorization requirements apply. Visit the Foreign National Employees page for more information 

Graduate assistants are graduate students who hold a paid academic appointment at the University of Montana. Graduate assistantships support students in completing their graduate education while contributing to the teaching, research, or service mission of the University. There are two primary types: 

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) assist faculty with teaching responsibilities such as leading discussion sections, grading, or teaching courses independently. 

Graduate Research Assistants/Fellows (GRAs/GRFs) assist faculty or principal investigators with research activities including data collection, analysis, and writing. 

Graduate Student Assistants (GSAs) assist faculty or principle investigators by conducting service not otherwise covered by Teaching or Research Assistants.

You are likely a graduate assistant if you are enrolled in a graduate program at UM and your appointment involves teaching or research responsibilities in exchange for a stipend and, in many cases, a tuition waiver. 

Key things to know as a graduate assistant: 

• Graduate assistant appointments are governed by the Graduate Assistant Collective Bargaining Agreement administered through the Graduate School. Contact the Graduate School at 406-243-2572 for questions about your appointment terms, stipend, and tuition waiver. 

• You have access to NEOED Learn for required training. 

• You are covered by the MUS Workers Compensation Program if you are injured while performing your duties. 

• You are generally not eligible for University group insurance benefits unless your appointment meets the hours and duration thresholds that trigger eligibility. Contact HRS to confirm your eligibility. 

• If you are an international student on an F-1 or J-1 visa, additional work authorization requirements apply. Visit the Foreign National Employees page for more information. 

• For most employment matters, your primary contact is the Graduate School rather than HRS. HRS can assist with questions about benefits eligibility, workers compensation, and accommodation requests.