TEMPLATE for a Research Associate Fixed-Term letter of offer.
(Notes in red are advisory; they are not to be included in the letter)

DATE

NAME

ADDRESS

Dear Dr.

On behalf of the Department of ______and the College of Osteopathic Medicine, I am pleased to recommend to the administration at Michigan State University that we extend to you a full time appointment in the Academic Fixed-Term Appointment System as a Research Associate to be effective ______.

I do not expect any difficulty with obtaining the approvals for this appointment, but I am advised to direct your attention to Attachment A: Statement Regarding Degree Verification and Relevant Background Information.

A criminal background check is a prerequisite for all academic appointments at Michigan State University. This offer of appointment is contingent on satisfactory criminal background check results, including degree verification. You will be contacted by (insert name of Authorized Dept Personnel)to initiate the background process.

This appointment provides for a limited employment commitment. All fixed-term appointments have a specific end date. The University has no obligation to provide reappointment or extension beyond the ending date.

The basic package consists of the following:

  1. FINANCIAL COMMITMENT
  1. SALARY

This appointment will be on an annual year (12 month) basis with the salary based on 100 percent time, paid in twelve installments on the last working day of each month. The Full Time Equivalency (FTE) salary for the initial year will be $______. Following the initial year, annual merit based salary adjustments is normally effective on the first day of October. Although your appointment is on an annual year basis, the University’s basic appointment commitment is to an academic year

(9-month) appointment. Your annual appointment is justified by the mission of the Department and your specific duties and responsibilities. Although changes in your appointment status are not foreseen, in the event that either the Department’s mission changes and/or your specific duties and responsibilities are modified so that an annual appointment is not appropriate, your appointment status will revert to an academic year appointment.

  1. DUTIES

Include specific responsibilities here (including % efforts for each responsibility totaling 100% if full time)

Your primary job responsibilities will be ______% research, ____% teaching and ____% outreach/service. (Add statement regarding teaching, research and/or outreach/service responsibilities and expectations for position.) The X% teaching assignment can include student advisement, course instruction, and/or program development. The college/department/schoolrecommend ateaching loadof____ courses per semester. There are some courses in place with which you will have a legitimate concern and interest. There also will be opportunity for you to develop additional courses/seminars which will serve your interests and the goals of the Department and College as well. We will discuss and negotiate instructional as well as research and outreach assignments that would ensure a productive and mutually beneficial future for you here at MSU.

  1. INFORMATION

A.GENERAL

Academic Staff appointed at MichiganStateUniversity are subject to policies approved by the Board of Trustees, the Academic Council, the Academic Senate, and other bodies. The UMSU Academic Specialist Handbook can be found electronically at:

A copy of the College and Department Bylaws will be made available to you. It is important that you carefully review this material. Further, all University policies are subject to review and possible modification by action of the MSU Board of Trustees, and in some cases by the Academic Council, and other Academic governance bodies.

MichiganStateUniversity provides its faculty and academic staff with a variety of benefits. Benefits, such as health and dental care, life insurance, and other items as described in the Faculty Handbook, will accrue from your base salary only. The University contribution to the MSU Base Retirement Plan is subject to the compensation limitations imposed by OBRA ’93. Information about benefits can be found on the MSU Human Resources website at You can access benefit program information and enroll in selected benefits on the web once your MSU NetID is activated.See the attachment for additional benefit program information.

All requests for vacation and leave, administrative and medical, must be submitted to the Department Chair for approval. During each twelve months of appointment you will be eligible for one month (22 weekdays) of vacation. Medical leave will be approved according to University personnel policies.

  1. OUTSIDE WORK FOR PAY

Outside work for pay is any work performed for a person or entity other than Michigan State University. Faculty members who are appointed at least 50% time and on an annual basis must request and obtain the written approval by the department chairperson and the dean before engaging in outside work for pay. Approved outside work for pay must be related to the faculty member’s normal university duties and will not interfere with the performance of the faculty member's University duties, including those nonclassroom responsibilities expected of all faculty members. The total amount of time expected by the faculty member outside activities for pay and overload pay will not exceed a total average of four (4) days a month. See Faculty Handbook for further details.

  1. EVALUATIONS FOR REAPPOINTMENT

Reappointment evaluations shall be based upon each faculty member's specific duties and responsibilities and any additional job responsibilities assigned and/or acquired since the initial appointment. Each faculty member shall be notified when his/her evaluation is to take place, what procedures are to be followed, and what criteria are to be used in the evaluation. This evaluation will take place between the faculty/academic staff member and the applicable unit/departmental administrator.

It is also required that the applicable departmental chairperson seek advice on additional appointment decisions from an appropriate Academic Unit Review Committee (e.g. a unit advisory/executive committee or Promotion and Tenure Committee) in order to obtain a peer faculty opinion about the performance of the individual. Departmental Administrators (Chairs) will recommend additional appointments to the Dean, who will make the recommendation on both additional appointment and the length of that appointment to the Provost who will make the final decision.

If the academic staff member’s duties change as a result of the additional appointment evaluation discussion, that information (new expectations and duties) will be reflected in a letter to the individual with a copy to be maintained in his/her personnel file. The academic staff member will normally be informed of the decision to additionally appoint shortly after the evaluation and review process has taken place.

  1. OFFER AND CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT CONTINGENCIES

By accepting this offer you warrant that you have disclosed any disciplinary and/or matter that may constitute a restriction of any form on your ability to (practice medicine or) perform other assigned duties.

Additionally, this offer is contingent upon proof of a qualifying degree, a successful criminal background check, the signed appointment memorandum, and an appropriately completed Immigration and Naturalization Service I-9 form. The statute and regulations make it unlawful for an employer to knowingly hire an alien not authorized to work in the United States. Appended you will find a copy of the Immigration and Naturalization Service Form I-9 which must be completed prior to your first day of employment. Please complete Section 1; you will be required to complete Section 2 of the I-9 form in the presence of an official MSU representative. You are required to provide for inspection original documents as described in Section 2 that establish identity and employment eligibility. Please review the I-9 form carefully. This offer is contingent upon your eligibility to meet the requirements of the statue and regulations regarding employment prior to your appointment. Failure to meet any of the above-stated requirements will result in this offer being vitiated. Please return the I-9 form with your signed accepted offer letter to my office as soon as possible in order that we may proceed with your appointment. You will also be required to provide for inspection and copying, an original U.S. Government issued Social Security card for payroll purposes.

The attachment to this letter describes a variety of important issues pertaining to faculty appointments at MichiganStateUniversity. Please read it carefully.

Your signature in the appropriate space below constitutes acceptance of this offer of an appointment recommendation. Your signature acknowledges your understanding and acceptance of the terms and conditions of the appointment being recommended. With receipt of your acceptance of this appointment offer, a completed I-9 form, proof of your qualifying degree, and the signed appointment memorandum, I will make the appropriate recommendations for your appointment.

We look forward to having you join the University community. Please contact me at 517-XXX-XXXX if you have additional questions regarding this opportunity. Otherwise, please sign below to indicate your acceptance of this position and return this acceptance at your earliest opportunity but no later than DATE.

Sincerely,

______

(Chair’s name) Date

Professor and Chair

Department of (name)

ENDORSED:

______

William Strampel, D.O. Date

Dean, College of Osteopathic Medicine

Please sign and return by ______(insert date)

______

(Name) Date

I accept the offer of this Fixed-Term appointment and agree to abide by the terms stated in this letter.

Enclosures:Attachment A

Offer Letter Attachment

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-9

Attachment A: Statement Regarding Degree Verification and Relevant Background Information

Final approval for your appointment rests solely with the [President/Provost/Board of Trustees]. As part of the final approval process of your appointment, the University may verify the receipt of your academic degrees and other academic credentials. Any falsifications related to your degree or academic credentials may constitute grounds to revoke your offer of appointment.

Additionally, I must inform you that the decision to recommend an academic appointment takes into account all available information regarding an applicant’s professional and personal conduct. Your appointment is contingent on the University having your cooperation in learning information needed to assess your candidacy. For this reason, the University requires you to disclose all relevant facts needed to give the University a full and fair understanding of an past conduct that could adversely affect your ability to fulfill successfully your responsibilities as a [faculty or academic staff] member, including:

1)Professional misconduct or sanctions (e.g., debarment by federal agency; and form of professional discipline or license restriction or surrender; an admission or determination that you have committed research misconduct);

2)any formal employment disciplinary action;

3)any civil rights violation that you admitted or were determined by a court or other adjudicative process to have committed (e.g., sexual or racial harassment or discrimination); or

4)any serious crime for which you were convicted or pled “no contest” (e.g., any felony; any crime that requires you to register as a sexual offender; any crime of violence; and fraud, theft, or other crime involving money).

Engagement in any such conduct will not, in and of itself, disqualify you for appointment at the University. But, your failure to disclose such information, or any misrepresentation you make in connection with the disclosure, would be grounds to revoke your offer of appointment.

Offer Letter Attachment – Important Information for New Faculty

We are pleased that you have decided to join us at Michigan State University! A CDentitled “Starting State—Your Guide to Employment at MSU” is available on the web or from my office. The CD will provide an introduction to MSU, an overview of important policies, a summary of benefit programs and provide on-line access that will enable you to enroll in selected benefits on the web. Note, however, that you cannot enroll in benefits until your MSU NetID, the University- provided e-mail account, is activated. It is important that you enroll in benefit programs within sixty (60) days of your appointment beginning date. (

Additional Information about Benefits:

  • Visit the Faculty and Academic Staff Home Page on the MSU Human Resources website
  • Attend the optional Benefits/Retirement Orientation available on the third Wednesday of each month from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. in Room 125 Nisbet Building on campus (please call 517/353-4434 to register).
  • Call the MSU Human Resources Benefits Office at 800/353-4434.

MSU ID Card:

  • Can be obtained at the MSU ID Office located at 170 International Center. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The MSU ID Office serves as the single point of contact for all identity management activities at MSU and provides first-level support for the variety of services tied to MSU NetIDs and Spartan Cards. Phone: (517) 355-4500

MSU NetID

  • Your MSU NetID allows access to the official MSU e-mail system and many other online services on campus. E-mail Account -- Contact your department representative for assistance.
  • Accessing NetID Services: Initial activation, password changes, and other services directly related to your NetID are available via netid.msu.edu
  • MSU NetID's are automatically generated for all current MSU faculty, staff, students and retirees. A MSU NetID is a unique, alphanumeric identifier of two to eight characters and is generated automatically from the user's name. For example, Sparty may have an email address of "" and thus, his NetID is "sparty." Individuals may change their NetIDs for a fee.

MSU East Lansing Campus Parking Permit:

  • Can be obtained at one of the optional orientation sessions (see above)
  • Available at the Department of Police and Public Safety Building located at 87 Red Cedar Road. Monday - Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 4:45 p.m.
    Note: You must show your vehicle registration to apply for a parking permit.

Payroll Forms including W-4 and optional Direct Deposit:

  • Use the Employee Self-Service (ESS) tab after your MSU NetID is activated.

Moving Expenses:

  • In accordance with the federal tax law, payments or reimbursements for moving expenses of household goods and personal items are reportable as taxable income on Form W-2, but are not subject to income tax withholding. Tax withholding, however, is required for other kinds of moving expense reimbursements, which will also be reported on Form W-2.
  • Helpful information about moving expenses is available on the Payroll website.

Appointment Approval:

While we do not expect any difficulty with obtaining approval for this appointment, the right of final appointment approval rests solely with the Provost/President/Board of Trustees.

Form I-9:

Appointment approval is also subject to completion of a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-9. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 require MSU to verify the employment eligibility and identity of all new hires via the I-9 form. The I-9 form may be completed by a notary or when you arrive at Michigan State University.

Information for non-U.S. Citizens/non-Permanent Residents:

If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have not been issued an H-1B visa by your appointment start date, your initial appointment will be as a fixed term (non-tenure system) faculty member. Your appointment will be transferred into the tenure system following the issuance of the visa. The award of tenure is contingent upon receipt of U.S. citizenship, permanent residency status in the U.S. or execution of a Faculty Tenure Policy Exemption Agreement approved by the Provost.

There may be laws (e.g., Export Administration Regulations and International Traffic in Arms Regulations) that limit or prohibit your employment activities because you are not a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with and abide by such laws. The Office of Regulatory Affairs can provide you with information about such laws and answer any questions.

University/College/Department Policy Information:

The complete commentary regarding the appointment, reappointment, promotion, and tenure process is contained in the MSU Faculty Handbook. A useful document is the Faculty Guide for Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure at Michigan State University.

Reasonable Accommodation:

MSU employees with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodations as long as such accommodations do not impose undue hardship to the University.