Italics-Optional Statements
Blue – Required for offers with Startup Request
Revised 2/9/2011
Assistant Professor – No Credit for Prior Service
Date
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear ______:
I am pleased to offer you a position as Assistant Professor of ______in the Department of ______at MississippiStateUniversity, beginning on August 16, ____. The salary for this nine-month, tenure-track position is $_____ payable in semi-monthly installments over a nine or twelve month period. This offer does not include or guarantee summer employment, but it is frequently available.
The faculty workload consists of the teaching equivalent of twelve credit hours per semester and includes time allocated for teaching, research, service, (and outreach). Your teaching responsibilities will be _____ classes in both the fall and spring semester. Since this is ___ credit hours, or ____ percent of the total workload, the remaining ____ percent of your time will be devoted to scholarly activities. Service and outreach contributions are considered an integral part of your teaching and scholarly activities and therefore are not usually designated as a separate time allocation. This workload is subject to review and can be maintained only with measurable productivity in scholarship. The most important measure of this activity is peer reviewed work in your field. Research grants, presentations at professional meetings, research reports, and other evidence of scholarship may also be considered.
As part of your startup package, you are receiving a reduction in teaching load of ______course(s) per semester which is valued at ______including salary and fringe.
In addition to the initial reduced teaching load referenced above, you will also receive a startup package of (if applicable) ______.This includes $XXXXX for graduate teaching assistantships including tuition waivers for XXXX semesters. It also includes $XXXX in direct support of your laboratory activities and $XXXX in relocation costs. In total, your startup package amounts to $XXXXXX.
Teaching Release / Graduate Assistants / Laboratory Support / Relocation Costs / Total Startup Package$ / $ / $ / $ / $
All new faculty are expected to provide a detailed spending plan to the Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) for their startup funding within sixty days of beginning full time employment and an annual report of startup expenditures will be required at the end of each academic year of employment. Details concerning the submission of theses documents will be provided by ORED.
(This section should be modified according to the nature of the start-up package)
As a faculty member at Mississippi State University, you will be expected to meet the highest professional standards in your contributions to teaching, research, service, (and outreach). You will be evaluated annually on your performance in these areas and that evaluation will be the basis for decisions for future salary increases. Your annual evaluations will also include statements about your progress in the promotion and tenure process. By the time you are ready to apply for tenure and promotion to associate professor, you should have an academic record that demonstrates progress toward developing a national reputation, and later at the full professor level you should have an established national reputation within your profession or field. I would be pleased to discuss the expected levels of achievement with you, and I suggest that you refer to the MSU promotion and tenure document at more information and to the documents in your department and/or college.
Date ______
Dr./Mr./Ms. ______
Page two
MSU policy states that a tenure-track faculty will apply for tenure in year six of the probationary period of seven years. You must apply for tenure during the Fall of ______. Failure to receive tenure in the sixth year of employment will result in a terminal seventh year contract.
To apply and be considered for tenure requires that you be a citizen of the United Statesor be a permanent resident, or have begun the permanent residence process (verification required) in order to be eligible for permanent employment in this country.
This offer is contingent upon approval by the University President. A copy of the contract you will be asked to sign, should you accept this offer, is enclosed for your review. As an employee, you will be required to comply with the laws of the State of Mississippi, policies of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, and University policies. This offer is also contingent upon your being a United States citizen or having lawful authorization to work in the United States for the full term of the contract. This offer will be withdrawn if you are not authorized to work at MississippiStateUniversity by the beginning date indicated above. This offer is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background screen.While every effort will be made to complete the background screen prior to your first day of work, you will be allowed to start work with continued employment contingent upon successful completion of the criminal background screen. (Please remove the previous two sentences regarding background screening if currently employed by MSU.)
The department (or school or college) will reimburse normal moving expenses up to $______(or list an exact dollar amount allowed) provided acceptable estimates are obtained.(Must leave this sentence in if moving expenses are being reimbursed).
It is my sincere hope that you will accept this offer to join our faculty. I believe that you have much to offer our program, and you will achieve professional advancement and fulfillment as a member of our department. Please notify us of your acceptance or rejection of this offer by ______. Should you decide to accept this offer, please return a signed original of this letter to me by the above date. In addition to your acceptance, please see the attached list of required documents that must be completed prior to your employment at Mississippi State University.
Sincerely,
Name
Department Head
Date ______
Dr./Mr./Ms. ______
Page three
Approved:
______
Insert NameDate
Dean, College of ______
______
Jerome A. Gilbert Date
Provost and Executive Vice President
Offer Accepted:Faculty Rank/Title______at the salary of $ ______, effective date: ______
Submit tenure application fall of _____
______
Insert NameDate
c:Department of Human Resources Management
Date ______
Dr./Mr./Ms. ______
Page four
Employment Information
The documentsand completed employment forms listed below are required and must be submitted to your department/unit head prior to the first day of your employment.
- Official transcripts of college work verifying all degrees earned.
- Completed state and federal tax forms (see forms attached)
- An I-9 form with appropriate identification must be completed prior to your initial employment date. Instructions for completing the form and lists of acceptable documents are available at:
- Completed Direct Deposit Authorization Form available at:
- Completed Personal Demographic Data form at:
- Two letters of recommendation.
Human Resources Management Information
An enhanced orientation to MSU employee benefits and services is now available at that allows newly-hired MSU employees to complete their new employee orientation online.
New employees enrolling in the State of Mississippi Health Insurance and certain other benefits must complete enrollment forms within their first 31 days of employment to ensure coverage effective with their date of hire. Benefits information is available at:
Please call 662-325-3713 if you have any questions.
Permanent Residency Information
Note that it is important to consult with your department/unit head regarding permanent residency (if applicable) as early as possible to ensure that you have ample time to explore your options. Faculty may apply for tenure prior to receiving permanent residency status as a long as a petition has been filed with USCIS. If a faculty member is recommended for promotion and/or tenure prior to attaining permanent residency status tenure will be withheld until such time that status is granted, but it will not affect promotion in professorial rank. However, the timeline for attaining permanent residency status will be governed by USCIS regulations such that if a faculty member is denied permanent residency or residency status in the United States expires then the university will be under no obligation to grant tenure. Information regarding permanent residency can be accessed through the following link: