The Office of Academic Human Resources negotiates and administers the University’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Lecturers’ Employee Organization (“LEO”). We provide guidance to and advise academic units regarding application and interpretation of the Agreement.
This page is designed for general information and does not constitute advice or guidance. Please refer to the consult the U-M|LEO Lecturers Collective Bargaining Agreement and consult your HR representative with specific questions.
To ensure most efficient responses to questions about the topics below, please contact the following offices:
Resources
Below are a set of helpful tools and resources for academic unit partners regarding the LEO Lecturers contract, including template letters, model job postings, and other documents that support daily operations, performance management, and contract compliance.
- Contracts: Click here to find academic union contracts at the University of Michigan.
- Policies: Click here to find the official repository for the institution-wide policies and procedures of the University of Michigan.
- Dropbox: Click here to access unit resources to help facilitate contract administration.
Still have LEO Lecturers contract interpretation questions?
Contact Academic HR, Dearborn HR, or Flint HR with the pertinent contract language and relevant facts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What faculty titles are covered by the UM|LEO Lecturers Collective Bargaining Agreement?
All non-tenure-track instructional staff are covered by the agreement.
This does not include, however:
- Persons given courtesy appointments (i.e., 0% effort)
- Persons who hold a tenured/tenure track faculty appointment at the university
- Clinical and adjunct clinical faculty appointments
- Visiting Professor titles
- Those who supervise members of the LEO Lecturers' bargaining unit
If a Lecturer has supervisory duties over other Lecturers, should they be excluded from the bargaining unit?
Determinations as to whether or not specific non-tenure-track instructional positions are subject to, or would legitimately be excluded from, the terms of the UM/LEO Agreement can be complex and nuanced. Contact Academic Human Resources, or the Offices of Human Resources in Dearborn and Flint, with specific questions about whether an individual should be excluded from the bargaining unit.
Please contact Academic Human Resources, or the Offices of Human Resources in Dearborn and Flint, with specific questions about whether an individual should be included or excluded from the bargaining unit.
What are the Lecturer classifications?
The classifications for Lecturer appointments are specifically described in Article XI Appointments, Reviews, and Renewal. The classifications are:
- Lecturer I: Primarily teaching duties. Lecturer Is promote into the Lecturer II classification upon successful completion of a Major Review
- Lecturer II: Primarily teaching duties
- Lecturer III: Teaching and administrative/service duties. Lecturer IIIs promote into the Lecturer IV classification upon successful completion of a Major Review
- Lecturer IV: Teaching and administrative/service duties
- Intermittent: Teaches one or more regularly occurring courses as an ongoing part of the curriculum one semester per academic year
- Adjunct Lecturer: Those who have 50% or greater non-instructional appointments (i.e., staff, research fellows, research faculty, LACs) that are interdependent and not separate from the Lecturer appointment
What Workload Standards for Lecturers?
Schools/Colleges are required to publish workload standards for full-time equivalent employment and course credit equivalencies for all Lecturers. Please see Article XXVIII Workload of the U-M|LEO Lecturers’ Agreement for more information.
What are the Posting, Hiring and Notification requirements for Lecturer positions?
Article XXVII Posting, Hiring and Notification addresses posting, hiring and notification for LEO Lecturers.
All Lecturer positions must be posted on the U-M Careers website via the eRecruit system. The contract provides for circumstances when the posting requirement may be waived, subject to advance approval. Please email [email protected] for Ann Arbor posting waiver requests or the Offices of Human Resources in Dearborn or Flint.
Additionally, Article XXVII addresses the elements that must be included in all Lecturer appointment letters. Units are strongly encouraged to use the appointment letter templates in the LEO Unit Resources Dropbox to ensure contractual compliance.
Please review Article XXVII in the UM/LEO Agreement for more information.
LEO representatives want to meet with new Lecturers in our department, school, or college. Is this permitted?
Article V Union Rights allows a one-hour time period for LEO to make a presentation at any orientation session that a department, school, or college may provide for new Lecturers at the beginning of each academic year. If LEO’s representatives are interested in presenting, they must contact the academic unit’s designated contact person to arrange for the presentation. If you have questions about a request by LEO to meet with new Lecturers, please contact Academic Human Resources or the Offices of Human Resources in Dearborn or Flint.
What are Special Case Appointments?
Article XIV Provisions for Special Case Appointments defines categories of Lecturer appointments that fall within the purview of the contract, but have distinct characteristics associated with them. The “Special Cases” are: Endowed Positions, Dual-Career Appointments, Program to Hire Recent University Graduates, Exchange Programs, Noted Professionals, and Post-Retirement Lecturer.
These appointments must be approved in advance by Academic Human Resources. Please see Article XIV in the U-M|LEO Lecturers’ Agreement for more information.
When may a working title be used for Lecturer appointments?
Working titles for LEO Lecturers may be used only in limited circumstances. The limited use of a working title does not distinguish, enhance, or otherwise alter the appointment title.
Please review Articles XI.B.8., XIV., and Memorandum of Understating #4 in the U-M|LEO Agreement for more information.
What constitutes a layoff?
Layoffs are specifically described in Article XII Layoff, Reduction in Appointment Effort, and Recall.
An involuntary separation, due to lack of work, programmatic change or budgetary considerations, that occurs during the term of an appointment or between appointments is a full layoff.
An involuntary reduction in effort, due to lack of work, programmatic change or budgetary considerations, that occurs during the term of an appointment, between appointments or during a multi-year appointment is a partial layoff.
Layoffs may not be used for:
- Used for performance reasons
- Work break or leave of absence
- A reduction in effort at a Lecturer’s request
- A rejection of appointment or course assignment
- A spring/summer appointment cancellation (unless 12 month appointment)
- Used for Adjunct Lecturers (who have neither layoff nor recall rights)
- Termination for cause or rejection of a course assignment is not a layoff
What are Layoff/Recall Lists?
HRRIS provides an updated seniority list to each school or college on August 15, November 15, and March 15 of each academic year. However, it is the responsibility of the unit to maintain the layoff/recall list. The HRRIS seniority list should be used, if needed pursuant to the language in Article XII, in conjunction with the unit’s own data to provide the most accurate information.
What are Recall Rights and Interviews?
Employees on full layoff with recall rights who apply for an open position within the bargaining unit and meet the required qualifications will be guaranteed an interview. This guarantee will last for the duration of the employee’s full layoff as defined in Article XII.
Employees on partial layoff must contact the HR representative from the area in which they received their layoff in order to guarantee an interview if the Employee meets the required qualifications.
Please review Article XII.E.1-7 for more additional information regarding layoff and recall. You may also consult the LEO Unit Resources Dropbox for the “Calendar of Important Dates” and the “Layoff and Recall Rights for LEO Lecturers” chart.
What are the requirements for Lecturers’ performance evaluations?
There are four (4) types of performance evaluations:
- Interim Review
- Major Review
- Continuing Review
- Remediation reviews
Performance revaluations MUST conform to Article XIX Performance Evaluation in the U-M|LEO Agreement. There are 19 general provisions in Section A.
Please review Article XIX in the UM/LEO Agreement for more information.
Are Intermittent and Adjunct Lecturers entitled to performance reviews and the accompanying salary increase?
Intermittent and Adjunct Lecturers may request a review after five and nine years of service in rank, respectively. Please see Article XI.B.5-6. in the U-M|LEO Agreement for more information.