APPENDIX III

ACADEMIC BENEFITS AND SERVICES GUIDE

Summary of Benefits by Appointment Category

The following pages summarize benefits for members of the four appointment categories at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (i.e., faculty/other ranks, academic professional, graduate assistant, and [civil service] staff). These categories are defined below. For more complete information about benefits for members of the academic staff, consult the relevant section of the Academic Staff Handbook or call the Office of Academic Human Resources (333-6747). Visiting and part-time faculty and academic professional staff members may be eligible for most of these benefits depending on the length and percentage of their appointments except as noted. Graduate students with appointments should consult the Graduate Student Handbook which may be obtained from the Graduate College (333-0035). General employment information for members of the civil service staff may be obtained from the Personnel Services Office (333-2137). For more information refer to NESSIE -- Summary of Benefits.

DEFINITION OF APPOINTMENT CATEGORIES

Faculty and other Academic ranks: Included within the faculty are those in the tenured/tenure-track professorial ranks (i.e., professors, associate professors, and assistant professors). Other academic ranks recognized within the academic staff are (1) lecturer; (2) instructor; and (3) teaching associate, research associate, and clinical associate.

Academic Professional (A/P): Academic professionals are those employees whose positions have been designated by the president and the chancellor as meeting specialized administrative, professional, or technical needs. Academic professional employees receive an academic contract issued by the Board of Trustees for a term appointment. They are accorded the rights and privileges pertaining to other academic staff members except those that apply specifically to academic staff with faculty rank, such as eligibility for tenure. (Academic staff on the hourly payroll do not receive University benefits.)

Graduate Assistant (G/A): Graduate assistants are students with appointments (e.g., teaching assistant, research assistant).

Civil Service Staff (Staff): Civil service (i.e., "staff") employees are those members of the University staff who are subject to the rules of the State Universities Civil Service System.

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RETIREMENT

EARLY RETIREMENT OPTION

Faculty/other ranks

New employees must become participants in the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) immediately upon employment if they are employed at least 1% time and continuously for at least four months, except for employees with F-1 or J-1 visas and SURS annuitants. Contributions of 8% to SURS are deducted from the employee's earnings. Employees who terminate their employment may elect to receive a refund. Those employees who are not eligible to participate in SURS will be enrolled in Social Security (except employees with F-1 and J-1 visas or annuitants), but will have the option of electing to contribute at least 7.5% to a tax-sheltered annuity instead, thus eliminating the payment of Social Security taxes. Employees with J-1 visas who are classified as "Resident Aliens" must participate in SURS or Social Security, as appropriate.

The plan that allows those who retire between age 55 and 60 with at least 8 but less than 35 years of service in SURS to avoid the normal reduction of ¹/₂ of 1% of the initial annuity for each month that the retirement age is under 60 expires on September 1, 2002. Retirement legislation is currently in effect that reduces the 35-year service requirement (to retire at any age without penalty) progressively to 30 years in the year 2002. In the year 2003, the 35-year requirement will be reinstated unless the bill to make "30 and out" permanent (which was on the Governor's desk as this handbook went to press) is signed into legislation. Questions about retirement should be directed to SURS (378-8800).

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TUITION WAIVERS AND FEE EXEMPTIONS

CHILD OF EMPLOYEE TUITION WAIVER

Faculty/other ranks

All faculty members who register for University courses are eligible for a tuition waiver if they hold an appointment of 25% or more, provided that services are required for not less than ³/₄ of a term. Faculty members who qualify for tuition waivers are exempt from all fees. Spouses and dependent children of faculty members having an appointment of at least 25% are treated as residents for purposes of tuition assessment. Tuition is not waived for spouses but may be for dependent children (see Child of Employee Tuition Waiver).

A waiver for 50% of tuition is available for up to four years for children of current employees. Children must be enrolled in and making satisfactory progress toward an undergraduate degree at an Illinois state institution of higher education, be younger than 25 years of age at the beginning of the academic year, and fall under one of the following relationship categories: natural child, adopted child, child of current spouse, or child under court-appointed guardianship. Parents must be employed in a position that makes them eligible for University-paid insurance and have seven years of U of I (or other Illinois state university) service in positions that made them eligible for University-paid insurance. Illinois State Survey, Alumni Association, and UI Foundation employees who are paid on UIUC payroll are not eligible for this waiver. SURS annuitants are also not eligible.

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