The following letter was emailed to all academic and administrative faculties on the morning of November 18, 2020.
Note: Compulsory leave notification for the 2021 financial year
Dear faculty member,
First, let me thank you for your adaptability and perseverance in 2020. In my first month here, I was impressed with the stories I heard about the resilience and tireless work of our academic and administrative faculties to provide our students with a quality educational experience. We will act together against the current pandemic and emerge stronger with more innovation and new educational approaches.
Nevada is experiencing budget constraints due to nationwide trade and revenue disruptions as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. To address this fiscal emergency, Nevada State Legislation convened the 31st Special Session and passed Law on Assembly (AB) 3, which Governor Sisolak signed into law. AB 3 requires all full-time and part-time employees in the state, including the faculty and all employees of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), to take unpaid leave, a 4.6 percent reduction in monthly pay.
On November 13, 2020, the Council of Regency approved and passed the “Vacation Policy for NSHE Faculties and Staff Due to COVID-19 Budget Deficits for Fiscal Year 2021,” which has been codified as Chapter 4, Section 20 of the NSHE Procedures and Guidelines Manual and implements the mandates of AB 3.
You will hereby be notified accordingly Chapter 4, Section 20 of the NSHE Procedures and Guidelines Manual and Title 2, Chapter 5, Sections 5.4.4 and 5.4.12 of the NSHE CodeOn DECEMBER 1, 2020, your position must be on unpaid leave from December 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 as detailed below. Faculty and staff who receive this notification will receive a 4.6 percent reduction in monthly compensation for 6 people monthly paydays that start on January 1, 2021 and end on June 1, 2021.
If you are a member of an administration or academic faculty on a 12 month contract (“A” contract), you must take 6 days (48 hours) of vacation. If you are a member of an academic faculty on a 9 month contract (“B” contract), you must take 4 days (32 hours) of vacation.
If you are a part-time faculty member or an employee who does not hold an A or B contract position, such as For example, a letter of appointment, a part-time instructor, or a temporary hourly employee, your vacation and 4.6 percent reduction in compensation will be calculated based on your compensation on a pro-rated basis in full-time equivalent hours (FTE), or the number of hours you spend during an average work week work.
For faculties with annual or sick leave, the December 1, 2020 vacation will be displayed on your Workday account. Use is subject to the approval of the supervisor. Vacation leave is requested in the same way as another vacation is requested. Any vacation must be taken by May 31, 2021, and unused vacation has no monetary value. Deductions will be made from your monthly allowance regardless of whether or not vacation is taken for that month.
You have the right to request a reconsideration of this decision if you believe that your position is incorrectly contained in this communication. Requests for re-examination are limited to whether there is a reasonable basis for the decision or whether an error of material facts has been alleged regarding the faculty member. No re-examination will be granted to challenge the Board of Regent’s policy decision to approve or administer a vacation or due to personal financial distress. The re-examination procedure is described in Title 2, Chapter 5, Sections 5.4.4 and 5.4.12 of the NSHE Code and a copy of the procedure is included with your review.
To request a re-examination, it must be submitted within 5 calendar days of receiving this notice and sent to the following address: President@unr.edu Please contact Tim McFarling, tcm@unr.edu, if you have Questions or concerns.
With best regards,
Brian Sandoval
president
