Chapter IV Contents: [ IV.1 Orientation of New Staff ] [ IV.2 Employee Benefits: Overview ] [ IV.3 When a Staff Member Retires ] [ IV.4 Joint Governance Appointments ] [ IV.5 Awards and Honors for Faculty and Staff ] [ IV.6 Faculty and Staff Liability ] [ IV.7 Review of Tenured Faculty ] [ IV.8 Reporting Outside Interests & Activities ] [ IV.9 Overloads and Summer Appointments ] [ IV.10 Sexual Harassment Policies & Procedures ] [ IV.11 Nepotism, Conflict of Interest ] [ IV.12 Vacation Policy ] [ IV.13 Sick Leave Policy ] [ IV.14 Leave of Absence, Temporary Assignment ] [ IV.15 Extensions of the Tenure Clock ] [ IV.16 Absences from Madison ] [ IV.17 Disability Accommodation ] [ IV.18 Personnel Records: Content & Preservation ] [ IV.19 Tuition Reimbursement ] [ IV.20 Faculty Personnel Committee ] [ IV.21 UW-Madison Domestic Partnership Policy ] [ IV.22 Inclement Weather Guidelines ] [ IV.23 Telecommuting Policy ]

Policies govering personnel records are found in several places, including Chapter 11 of the Academic Staff Policies and Procedures (see p. 45 ff. at http://acstaff.wisc.edu/ASPP/ASPP2007.pdf), Faculty Senate Document 348, Policy Statement on Departmental Personnel Records, and policy on University Archives. These documents address the questions of the purpose and content of departmental personnel records, who may have access to them and for what purposes, and the confidentiality of these records. Briefly, personnel records should ordinarily contain only information relevant to the staff member's status and performance as an employee and to the commitments made to and by him or her. Individual staff members may inspect their own files, except as limited by portions of the "confidentiality" policies, and may add statements to the files concerning material in them. Other members of the University staff may have access to the files only when the information sought is related to a legitimate University purpose. Information may be released to those outside the University only if it is public by law or with the staff member's prior consent (see Chapter I, "Public Records").

The University Archives has the dual mission of securing and preserving the University's historical and permanently valuable recordings, and of assisting campus offices with their records management needs. Approval of the Archivist is required before University records may be destroyed. It is particularly important to retain adequate documentation of the job application and hiring process. University Archives offers general guidance about records management, as well as specific information about system-wide policies on maintaining personnel, payroll, and criminal background check records.

For more information, contact the Records Management Office at (608) 265-9287.

Links updated July 2009