EPA Non-Faculty SAAO Positions

Position qualifying for designation as Senior Academic and Administrative Officers (SAAOs) are specifically identified below or characterized by the duties and responsibilities noted:

• The chancellor, vice chancellors, provost, deans, and the directors of major administrative, educational, research and public services activities of the University designated by the Board of Governors.
• Associate and assistant vice chancellors and associate and assistant deans. UNC General Administration has also clarified that this also includes other derivations of the preceding titles including vice deans, executive associate deans, senior associate deans, and assistant and associate provosts.
• "Other Officers" to include:
  • members of the chancellor's professional staff;
  • those responsible for the administrative direction of separately designated divisions or departments of institutional activity commonly associated with institutions of higher education;
  • those positions whose primary responsibility is to attract external funds for and/or market the University; and,
  • other officers holding positions characterized by active, continuing involvement in formulating, interpreting, and implementing institutional policy and exercising substantial independence of administrative authority and discretion in areas such as program planning and design and allocation of resources.

All positions to be classified as SAAO must be approved by the Office of Human Resources and UNC General Administration's EPA-Non Faculty Classification committee.  These approvals therefore require a longer period of time than an EPA Research or Instructional position.  To ensure a department does not unnecessarily invest a large amount of time going through the SAAO classification process, and thereby delaying recruitment, extra care should be exercised before presuming a position qualifies for SAAO status.

Note: SAAO positions may only be appointed as "at-will" employees and may not be appointed to "term" appointments as can EPA Research or Instructional employees.

Listed below are the various individual sub-categories of SAAO positions and their respective specific criteria.

Criteria: The position incumbent must have the authority to commit the University to an admissions or financial aid decision. Positions that support the admissions or financial aid process but do not directly engage in this decision making are not eligible for EPA status.

Minimum Education and Experience: Minimum of a bachelor's degree required with related experience; specific minimum experience standards are at the discretion of the Director of Undergraduate Admissions or the Department Head in other units that may employ such positions based on hiring market conditions and accepted professional standards of practice within the field.

Criteria: The position incumbent must be at the Director-level, have responsibility for marketing the University and its programs or services to external audiences, and must supervise one or more staff within the communications/marketing function or unit. These positions must direct the full range of strategic marketing/communication activities for the unit in question. Marketing Assistants, Graphic Artists, Writers/Editors, Webmasters, and other professional-level communications and marketing specialists who only have responsibility for a specific segment of the communications function as opposed to the broader scope of communications responsibilities and/or do not meet the organizational reporting criteria specified above do not qualify for SAAO status. In addition, the position must perform these duties at an institutional level (e.g. University Affairs), at a School-wide level residing in the immediate Office of a Dean, or at a free-standing University Center that is revenue supported.

Minimum Education and Experience: Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required with 3 years or greater of related professional experience in marketing, communications, journalism, public affairs, or a related field; for candidates demonstrating comparable professional backgrounds, will accept a relevant undergraduate degree and 5 years or greater of relevant experience in substitution.

Note: Guidance was requested from UNC General Administration Office of the Associate Vice President for Human Resources in October, 2006 which confirmed the EPA SAAO status of School-level Communications Directors reporting within the Office of Dean with responsibility for marketing the School-externally.

Criteria: At least 50% of the position's work effort must involve directly soliciting prospective donors to the University for contributions to qualify for this classification. Positions whose principal duties involve supervision of Fundraising & Development Officers would likewise qualify for this classification. Positions that provide support to fundraising activities including special events planning or management do not qualify for this classification.

Minimum Education and Experience: Minimum of a bachelor's degree required with related experience; specific minimum experience standards are at the discretion of the Department Head based on hiring market conditions and accepted professional standards of practice within the field.

Criteria: Functions as an attorney that provides legal advice to University officials and managers.

Minimum Education and Experience: Minimum of a JD degree required; specific minimum experience requirements at the discretion of the Vice Chancellor and General Counsel as appropriate based on professional standards of practice in the field.

Criteria: The position incumbent typically either directs a University-wide office or serves as a principal deputy to such an individual. These positions are characterized by active, continuing involvement in formulating, interpreting, and implementing institutional policy and exercising substantial independence of administrative authority and discretion in areas such as program planning and design and allocation of resources. In addition, the University is authorized to convey SAAO status to senior officials within Schools or Administrative units that have the title Assistant or Associate Dean, Assistant or Associate Vice Chancellor, or Assistant or Associate Provost. Derivations of these titles such as Executive Associate Provost, Senior Associate Vice Chancellor, Vice Dean, Executive Associate Dean and so forth also qualify. The use of a title that includes "Dean" must receive the direct approval of the relevant Dean and should be discussed by the Dean with the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost prior to being requested from the Office of Human Resources. The use of a title that includes "Chancellor" must receive the direct approval of the Chancellor through the relevant Vice Chancellor. And titles that include "Provost" must be approved by the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost.

Minimum Education and Experience: Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required with 3 years or greater of related professional experience; for candidates demonstrating comparable professional backgrounds, will accept a relevant undergraduate degree and 5 years or greater of relevant experience in substitution.

Note 1: With the approval of the relevant Vice Chancellor or Dean, a Department Head may request approval of lesser minimum education or experience requirements from the EPA Classification Committee. Such requests must document the specific business need or unique qualifications to support such a request and be exceptional in nature.

Note 2: These minimum education and experience criteria do not apply to Vice Chancellors, Deans, or the Provost (SAAO Tier I positions) where minimum qualifications are at the discretion of the Chancellor in accord with relevant UNC General Administration guidelines.

Note 3: Department and School-level professional positions whose primary duties are management of financial/budget, grants, human resources, and facilities management activities or supervision of staff who coordinate such activities do not generally qualify for SAAO status absent an Assistant or Associate Dean designation. While such positions may have been previously approved and presently filled as EPA under differing EPA non-faculty classification guidelines, such positions will not be newly approved for EPA non-faculty status.

Note 4: Newly created Vice Chancellor positions must be approved by our campus Board of Trustees and the UNC System President prior to any appointment being conferred (see UNC General Administration Policy # 600.3.4, Section D.1.b.).