3.4.1 Approval of Administrative Professional Titles

Statutory Requirements and Criteria for Justifying A/P Positions

Administrative/Professional appointments whose duties and responsibilities meet one or more of the criteria under Section 36(e)3 or 36(e)4 of the State Universities Civil Service System Statutes are exempt from civil service coverage. Both types of exemptions provide support in a variety of areas, academic and nonacademic. Titles exempted under 36(e)3 are primarily, but not necessarily, located in nonacademic departments. Administrative/Professional appointments are not intended to be assigned the primary purpose of teaching (credit generating) classes, although A/P positions may require instruction, including credit-generating classes, as part of their assigned responsibilities.

Positions exempted under Section 36(e) include the following:

1. The members and officers of the Merit Board (State Universities Civil Service Merit Board) and the Board of Trustees, and the commissioners of the institutions and agencies covered hereunder;
2. The presidents and vice presidents of each educational institution;
3. Other principal administrative employees of each institution and agency as determined by the Merit Board;
4. The teaching, research, and extension faculties of each institution and agency;
5. Students employed under rules prescribed by the Merit Board, without examination or certification.

If the criteria is met and the position title is not yet an exempted title, the department/unit will be requested by Human Resources to provide a completedPrincipal Administrative Position Exemption(PAPE) form to request exemption from the State Universities Civil Service System.

The PAPE form requires selection of any of four criteria to justify exemption:

1. (1)Primary duty is administrative management of a Campus or Agency division or like unit, and reports to the Chief Executive Officer of the Campus or Agency;
   (2) Performs an independent administrative function and reports to the Chief Executive Officer, President, Vice-President, Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, or Provost of the Campus or Agency.
2. Primary responsibility is the administration of an academic unit engaged in academic instruction or research (e.g., Dean, Associate and Assistant Dean, Department Head, Associate and Assistant Department Head).
3. (1) Charged with high level administrative responsibilities and decisions are based on administrative policies and
   (2) Performs these duties with only general administrative supervision or direction and exercises discretion and independent judgment (e.g., Director, Associate or Assistant Director)
4. Position requires a knowledge of an advanced type in a field of science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction and study (as distinguished from a general academic education) and which requires the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment (e.g., physician, attorney, engineer, architect, archeologist, physicist, biochemist)

Certain titles have been approved by the Merit Board (as referenced in 36(e)3) for use in filling Administrative/Professional positions when appropriate. These are often referred to as "standard titles". A list of these can be obtained from the Office of Human Resources.

Whichever of the four criteria is chosen, the position description must clearly demonstrate that the conditions expressed in that criterion are met. If the choice is criterion C, for example, the discretion and independent judgment required for the position must be demonstrated by listing five to ten duties and responsibilities which point out the discretion and independent judgment involved in the position. Under criterion D, the duties and responsibilities must reflect the need for knowledge of an advanced type and for the exercise of discretion and independent judgment. Since some titles require the approval of the State Universities Civil Service System, adequate time should be allowed for this step of the process.