2.07 Provisionary Period for New Staff and Faculty

STAFF POLICY: Every staff member hired by Berklee is considered to be in a provisionary period during the first six months of employment. 

The provisionary period permits a staff member to become familiar with the duties and responsibilities of the position and to demonstrate ability to successfully complete position requirements. It is also an opportunity for a manager to clearly define job responsibilities, review the job description, set expectations, and evaluate the new staff member’s performance in the position. During the provisionary period, a manager should closely monitor the new staff member’s performance and provide ongoing feedback to the staff member regarding their ability to complete job requirements. Each new staff member should receive a written job description and should be directed to the Human Resources Policy Manual.

FACULTY: For assistant professors, associate professors, and professors, the first year of the initial appointment will be considered provisional. Please refer to article 15, section 5, of the Faculty Contract Agreement for detailed information.

Outcomes of the Provisionary Period

Completion of the Provisionary Period

If a staff member’s overall performance meets all expectations, the manager should complete a six-month provisionary appraisal form, and it should be administered to the staff member on or before the end of the provisionary period. In this appraisal, the manager will verify that the new staff member has completed all required training, orientation, and administrative responsibilities for new staff members. In addition, this appraisal should document the staff member’s overall performance to date.

The manager will receive a Workday task to complete the appraisal. Once submitted, a copy will be saved to the staff member’s Workday personnel file. The manager should also give a copy of the completed provisionary appraisal form to the staff member prior to or during the appraisal meeting.

Extension of the Provisionary Period

If, during the provisionary period, the manager is not satisfied with the new staff member’s performance, behavior, or ability to meet expectations, and the manager believes that additional time will assist the staff member in meeting the expectations, they may extend the provisionary period an additional 30 days in order to further assess the staff member’s performance. Managers must consult with Human Resources before making a determination to extend the provisionary period. Additionally, the extension must be communicated to the staff member in writing by the end of the six-month provisionary period. Managers must communicate the specific areas needing improvement and collaborate with the staff member to develop an improvement plan. During the extension, the manager should closely monitor the staff member’s performance. Should the staff member meet expectations during the extension period, the manager should complete the provisionary appraisal form and administer the appraisal to the staff member at the end of the extended provisionary period.

Should the staff member not meet the expectations during the extension period, the manager may terminate the staff member’s employment.

Annual Increase Implications

Berklee, in its sole discretion, may grant an annual salary increase to all eligible staff. The decision to grant an annual increase and the percent of the annual increase are determined by the administration after reviewing external and internal factors. Should a staff member’s provisionary period be extended for improvement, they will not be eligible for consideration in the upcoming annual increase review.

Termination within the Provisionary Period

If, during the provisionary period, the manager is not satisfied with the new staff member’s performance, behavior, or ability to meet expectations, and the manager believes that additional training, time, or resources will not improve the staff member’s overall performance, the manager may terminate the staff member’s employment.

Note: Managers must consult with Human Resources before making a determination to terminate the staff member’s employment within the provisionary period or at the completion of the extension of the provisionary period. In addition, terminating one’s employment within the provisionary period must occur on or before the end of the provisionary period or the extension.

Actions taken during the provisionary period are not subject to the Human Resources Policy 2.02, Corrective Action. Completion of the provisionary period does not create substantive rights and does not change the employment at-will status of any staff member.

Berklee reserves the right to amend, suspend, or cancel this policy at any time, with or without notice. In the event that a conflict exists between this policy and the terms and conditions of the Berklee faculty union contract agreement, the union contract agreement will supersede this policy.

June 2025