Any continuing appointment system specialist currently in the continuing system (as of Spring 2020) and scheduled for a probationary reappointment or reappointment with continuing review beginning in academic year 2020-2021 or beyond receives the automatic one-year extension.

The one-year automatic extension does not apply to the current probationary period of those who were reviewed in the 2019-2020 academic year. However, assuming a successful reappointment, the automatic extension will be automatically applied to this cohort’s second probationary period.

If you were in a continuing system appointment at MSU during spring 2020, a one-year extension will be applied automatically to your probationary end date.

You can be reviewed for reappointment as you were previously scheduled (the pre-COVID-19 extension timeline).  However, the academic specialist is bound by the outcome of the reappointment review if unsuccessful.

Yes. The one-year COVID-19 extension can be used in your second probationary period if the extension is needed due to COVID-19 impact on your performance. You must notify your chair/school director that you will use the one-year COVID-19 extension no later than the due date for the submission of your Form C materials reappointment and granting of continuing status to your department/school.

1. Academic specialist informs chair/school director and dean that they would like to be reviewed at the pre-COVID-19 extension scheduled time no later than the due date for the submission to the department/school of the dossier for the next reappointment review.
2. The dean’s office provides a formal notice back to faculty member notifying them of their request and documenting the request.
3. The request gets signed and sent to HR Academic Operations.

No. At the time that the policy was revised to include the automatic one-year extension to the probationary appointment because of COVID-19, the 2019-2020 review cycle was nearing its completion and the record of academic specialist as indicated in those dossiers was not affected by the pandemic. 

Yes. The automatic COVID-19 extension is in addition to any other approved extensions. 

In 2020, Michigan State University granted all continuing system academic staff members an automatic one-year extension of their probationary appointment because of the impact on scholarly productivity caused by adjustments to COVID-19.  The extra time provided by this extension should not in any way be viewed harmful to the candidate.  As with other extensions granted under this policy, it should not lead to an expectation that “more should have been accomplished” by the academic specialist given the extra year in the probationary appointment.

No. The automatic extension only applies to academic specialists currently in the continuing appointment system at MSU during Spring 2020. At this time, there are no plans to provide an automatic extension for new hires who start in the fall. However, if circumstances caused by the coronavirus adversely affect one’s ability to demonstrate a record for reappointment or awarding continuing status, the Office of the Provost will consider such requests for approval on a case-by-case basis.