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Scientific and Technical Staff: Promotions Process | Scientific and Technical Staff: Competency Profile | Guidelines for the Scientific & Technical Officers Committee
Scientific and Technical Staff: Promotions Process
Click here to download an image of the process flow.
How the Recommendation was developed
Introduction
A task team of Scientific and Technical Officers (S&TO's) was set up in 2005 to:
- develop criteria for promotion for S&TO's;
- make recommendations for the promotions process for S&TO's.
Composition
The task team consisted of S&TO's across different payclasses and HR representatives from the relevant faculties. The process was facilitated by the UCT Skills Development Facilitator.
Broader context
Given the role that S&TO's play in supporting the academic endeavour, performance management, career development and retention strategies need to be made explicit and transparent. The elements below serve to paint the broader context within which the promotion process for S&TO's resides. This proposal, however, deals specifically with a proposal for promotions for S&TO's.
| If | Then |
| the candidate and line manager wish to evaluate performance and determine development plans | apply performance management process |
| the candidate meets criteria for promotion by demonstrating competence and delivering outputs | follow promotion process |
| operational requirements of the job change / grow | apply for job evaluation |
| the candidate wishes to apply for an academic post (see Rate for Job criteria) | consider whether an academic post is available for the candidate to fill |
ToR for S&TO for Promotion Committee
General Rules & Guidelines
These terms of reference should be understood in conjunction with the general rules for procedures for committees, as amended from time to time and published in the Principal's Circular.
These general rules and procedures can be found at: https://intranet.uct.ac.za/opengovernance/committees.
Purpose
- To evaluate applications / nominations for the promotion of S&TO staff
- To make recommendations for promotion to the Dean of each Faculty
Formulation & Composition of Committee
Each year a new centralized Scientific and Technical Officers Committee (S&TOC) for promotions will be set up.
The composition of the Committee will be contingent upon the fields of expertise necessary to make reasonable assessments of the candidates. Membership will be constituted as follows:
| Members on the Committee | Capacity |
| 3 members of relevant faculties* nominated by each Dean of the faculty (1 x HOD, 2 x S&TO not up for promotion from own/other faculty) | Full Voting Rights |
| 3 members nominated by the S&TO constituency (not up for promotion) | Full Voting Rights |
| 1 HR representative | Advisory role and Servicing Officer |
| 1 Deputy Vice-Chancellor nominated by the Vice-Chancellor | Chair with full voting rights (Deputy Chair: The Committee shall nominate its own Deputy Chair) |
* "relevant faculties" refers to those faculties which have applications for ad hominem promotions in the current year
Voting
- The Committee will vote by secret ballot to finalise their recommendations.
- A two-thirds majority is required in order to obtain a recommendation for promotion.
General Provisions
- The structure, function and powers of this Committee, and any sub-committee, must be approved by the DVC with the portfolio for academic leadership and development. No applications may be suppressed by sub-committees (i.e. the final Committee must consider all applications).
- To utilize accepted criteria for the evaluation of S&TO candidates for promotion
- To apply principles of fair assessment to all candidates being evaluated
- To make informed recommendations for promotion to the relevant Dean
- To establish a confidential feedback process to candidates
- To maintain confidentiality of all recommendations until the candidate has been informed of the outcome by the Dean
- To adhere to agreed timelines of promotion process.
Quorum Rules
All members or substitute must be present.
Terms of Office
Each year a new centralised S&TO Committee will be formulated.
Eligibility for UCT Staff
Permanent and T3 UCT staff members who have worked in their current positions for at least two years are eligible.
The application / nomination must be based on achievements in services and support provided at UCT, obtained after the appointment of the person concerned.
Process
This proposal should be read in conjunction with the proposed business process below:
| Stage | Description | Timeline |
| 1. | The HoD and HR Advisor evaluate whether the post needs to be re-graded based on operational requirements or the candidate should be put forward for promotion. | May - June |
| 2. | The Dean calls for applications and nominations for S&TO promotions. | June |
| 3. | The central S&TO Committee (S&TOC) for promotions is formulated. | July |
| 4. | The relevant documentation required for promotion shall be submitted to the S&TOC at least two weeks prior to the meeting of the Committee. | August |
| 5. | The S&TOC evaluates all S&T applications for promotion and makes a recommendation to the relevant Deans. | September |
| 6. | The Dean advises EXCO of the recommendation for promotion and confirms outcome with S&TOC. | September |
| 7. | The S&TOC provides feedback to the candidates. | October |
| 8. | Any appeal decision is signed off by the Chair of the STOC. | October |
| 9. | New Appointment letters are distributed with new COE's. | December |
| 10. | A review of the completed ad hominem exercise is undertaken. | December/January |
Documentation
The following documentation will be reviewed by the Committee for each candidate prior to evaluation:
- Terms of Reference for the S&TO Committee
- Relevant S&TO Competency Profile
- Nomination for promotion from senior staff member / HoD / self
- Candidate motivation with examples of competencies in the competency profile for the next level that the candidate is being considered
- Names and email addresses of up to three job-related referees, one of whom must be the candidate's HoD
- A current CV to focus on the last few years or since the last ad hominem promotion
- Up-to-date record of the candidate's performance evaluations
- Current job description as part of the operational requirements of the section, signed off by both the HoD and the incumbent