SUBJECT:  DEFINITION OF STAFF MEMBERS/EEO OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES

APPLICABILITY:  ALL STAFF MEMBERS/ ALL EMPLOYEES 

Staff (Non-Faculty) Members:   

Staff members are persons employed primarily for work other than academic teaching.  Staff members include the following divisions for purposes of University structure, compensation/classification, and benefits: 

1.       Regular Staff Members:

Regular staff members are those individuals in regular salaried appointments as defined by Policy No. 1.3.2, “Types of Staff Appointments”, and are one of the following: 

a.                    Administrative Officials: All individuals in regular salaried appointments to positions carrying duties and responsibilities involving management and direction of the University, or a major division or department of the University.  Positions in this group meet the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board requirements for Optional Retirement Program eligibility and are considered non-classified staff.  Inclusion in this group shall be designated by the Chancellor/President or by his/her designee. 

b.                   Professional Non-Classified Staff Members: All individuals in regular salaried appointments to positions requiring advanced specialized academic or professional training.  Positions in this group meet the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board requirements for Optional Retirement Program eligibility unless specifically designated otherwise, and are considered non-classified staff.  Included in this group are Librarians, Physicians, Coaches, institute and center Directors, Research Scientists, Research Professors, etc.  Inclusion in this group shall be designated by the Chancellor/President or by his/her designee. 

c.                    Classified Staff Members: All individuals in regular salaried appointments to positions classified within the University Pay Plan under the section entitled “Classified Titles and Salary Ranges” and assigned to a specified salary range (pay grade) as defined by the Pay Plan.  Positions in this group confer eligibility for the Teacher Retirement System.  Classified position responsibilities and duties may include administrative, professional, para-professional and technical, office and clerical, skilled crafts, service, and/or police work.  Inclusion in this group shall be all regular staff not designated as either administrative officials or non-classified professional staff members. 

2.    Other Staff Members:

All individuals in non-regular appointments not designated as faculty, administrative officials, senior professional staff members, or classified staff.  Included in this group are hourly student employees and hourly non-student employees, and salaried graduate research, graduate services, or graduate practicum employees.  Employment in these classifications is “at will”; i.e., the employee may be terminated without cause at the discretion of the department official who has the authority to terminate an individual, provided the termination is not in violation of the law.  These include the following: 

1. Hourly Student Employees:  All individuals in hourly student appointments must be current UNT students, either currently enrolled or in continuing status.  Hourly Student Employees are not eligible for retirement or insurance programs or other regular staff benefits unless specified.  Categories include general hourly student appointments regularly recruited through Student Employment Services; and hourly academic assistant, hourly graduate  and undergraduate research assistant appointments which are recruited through the employing academic department.  To ensure their employment status does not confer insurance eligibility, hourly graduate research assistants are limited in number of hours per week to no more than 19 on a continuing basis of 4.5 months or more.  See also Policy No. 1.3.5, “General Hourly Student Employment”, 1.3.4.2 “Employment of Student Research Assistants”, and 1.3.4.3 “Employment of Hourly Student Academic Assistants.”

2. Non-Student Hourly Employees:  All individuals in hourly appointments who are not current UNT students are considered non-student hourly employees.   Appointments in this category may be made for work in any occupational category.   An appointment of a non-UNT student to a minimum of 20 hours per week for a minimum period of 4.5 months confers retirement and insurance program eligibility based on Teacher Retirement System regulations and State of Texas statutory eligibility for employee group insurance program participation; therefore to ensure their employment status does not confer staff benefits eligibility, non-student hourly employees must be limited to hours of employment of either no more than19 hours per week or to terms of appointment for no more than 4 months during a single fiscal year.  Appointments for which the hours of employment meet insurance and retirement program eligibility requirements are required to be established as salaried, benefits eligible staff positions.

3. Salaried Graduate Research Assistants:  All individuals in salaried graduate research assistant positions must be current UNT graduate students either currently enrolled or in continuing status.  Appointments are limited to professional or paraprofessional assignments where the student's academic training is based in part on the research performed or where the research duties being performed will assist the student in fulfilling his or her degree requirements. Employees in this category are recruited through their employing department and are eligible for staff insurance, but not retirement benefits.  See also Policy No. 1.3.4.2 “Employment of Student Research Assistants.”

4. Salaried Graduate Services/Graduate Practicum Assistants:  All individuals in salaried graduate services or graduate practicum appointments must be current UNT graduate students either currently enrolled or in continuing status.  Appointments are limited to professional or paraprofessional assignments which are neither teaching nor research but where the student's academic training is based in part on the work performed (services assistants) or where the work performed will assist the student in fulfilling his or her degree requirements (practicum assistants).  Employees in this category are recruited through their employing department from the appropriate academic disciplines and are eligible for staff insurance, but not retirement benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Office of Civil Rights Occupational Categories:   

The University applies one of the following occupational categories to every type of employment (including faculty) for purposes of federal and state reporting.   These “EEO Code” assignments for specific job titles can be found in the University Pay Plan.  Assignment of job titles within these categories is the responsibility of the Human Resources Department in conjunction with the offices of Equity and Diversity and University Planning. 

1.        Administrative and Executive:  senior executive positions, department heads, and some other management level positions. 

2.        Faculty:  all academic instructional positions.   

3.        Professional:  positions which require a college degree and advanced knowledge and skills.  Examples include many computing positions, accountants, and managers of specific programs.   

4.        Office/Clerical:  positions providing general office and administrative support, and specialized clerical titles.  Examples include secretarial titles and administrative assistants. 

5.        Paraprofessional/Technical:  positions requiring specialized education or training.  Examples include technicians, research assistants. 

6.        Skilled Crafts:  positions performing skilled manual trade work that requires considerable training and skill, often gained through an apprenticeship process.  Examples include carpenters, plumbers, and electricians. 

7.        Service/Police:  this group combines positions that are primarily physically-oriented labor (custodial, food service, maintenance) or positions which supervise or manage such work, and positions performing police and security functions.