UCLA Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost
Deans, Directors, Department Chairs, Administrative Officers, and Faculty
Dear Colleagues:
I am pleased to confirm that President Mark Yudof has approved a Furlough Exchange Program (FEP) for eligible faculty with extramural funding and others in equivalent academic titles.
In response to feedback from the campuses, the Office of the President has modified earlier plans for the program in two important ways. First, faculty can now participate in the program for either the full year or on a partial (i.e., quarterly) basis, because contracts and grants are awarded throughout the year. Second, eligibility for participation in the program has been extended.
Faculty who would like to participate in the Furlough Exchange Program should review the information posted on the Academic Personnel Office website and complete the Furlough Exchange Program agreement. Faculty who enroll in FEP for the full year must obtain approvals, so that payroll entries can be completed by September 23, 2009, to enable adjustments in the payroll system before October 1, 2009, paychecks are issued. UCLA staff stands ready to make every effort to accommodate this very tight schedule.
Please see my website for more information about Furlough Exchange Program policies, including recent changes. I will add additional information as it becomes available. Highlights include:
- Faculty members participating in the Furlough Exchange Program will devote additional effort to extramurally funded projects in exchange for the furlough time they would otherwise accrue.
- The program is available to full-time faculty in the Professorial or Lecturer with Security of Employment series. It also applies to the Academic Title series and ranks designated as equivalent to those of the Professor series. If you have questions about your eligibility for this program, please contact your academic personnel coordinator. Participation for members of a Health Science Compensation Plan or staff employees will be addressed separately.
- Eligible extramural awards include federal, state, other government or private contracts, grants, cooperative agreements or restricted gifts that can be used for research.
- The FEP is in effect for the duration of the Salary Reduction/Furlough Plan, September 1, 2009, through August 31, 2010. Faculty may participate in the FEP for the entire period, or for one or two quarters.
- Retroactive participation to restore pay previously cut is not permitted.
- Participation in the Furlough Exchange Program requires an assessment to determine whether the changes are compliant with contract or grant award terms and conditions, including federal requirements. At UCLA, this assessment will be verified by the Office of Contracts and Grants Administration.
Implementation of the FEP must be consistent with guidelines from the Office of the President while addressing technical, procedural and compliance challenges. It requires the involvement of Payroll Services, Office of Academic Personnel, Office of Research Administration and almost every academic unit. Payroll Services and the Office of Academic Personnel staff will provide training for the academic personnel coordinators in the various Dean’s offices on Friday, September 18, 2009, to review the entries that need to be made in the payroll system and to answer questions about the program. Sessions will be held at 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. in the Wilshire Center 6th floor conference room.
Given the number of staff members involved, this is a Herculean task. Staff will make every effort to work efficiently with faculty, and I know you join me in expressing appreciation for their dedication.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Esther Hamil, assistant director of the Academic Personnel Office, at ehamil@conet.ucla.edu or x5-5462.
Sincerely,
Scott L. Waugh
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost