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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">Dear Faculty,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">Texas A&M University-Commerce is offering a Voluntary Separation Program (VSP) for eligible faculty as part of our planning efforts to respond to the unprecedented
financial impacts associated with COVID-19. The VSP is for tenured faculty, who meet certain eligibility requirements, to voluntarily terminate employment with A&M-Commerce.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">This program is designed to honor the impact and service to those faculty who have made a career of public service to the State of Texas, The Texas A&M
University-System, and Texas A&M University-Commerce. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">Faculty members who wish to participate in the VSP must submit an application. The application period for the VSP begins at 8:00 a.m. on March 31, 2021
and ends at noon on May 14, 2021. Requests received after noon on May 14, 2021 will not be considered.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">The VSP is not an entitlement and any approvals under the VSP must be consistent with the needs of A&M-Commerce, must result in a net benefit to the university
as determined by departmental and college administration, and ultimately, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Therefore, not every eligible faculty member’s request to participate in the VSP may be approved.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">Receipt of requests submitted during the application period will be acknowledged electronically using the primary email address listed in the application
form. Faculty members whose requests are approved will be notified no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 14, 2021, using the primary email address provided in the application form.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">Each faculty member, whose request to participate in the program is approved, is required to relinquish tenure and must terminate full time employment with
the university no later than August 31, 2021. The VSP is not a retirement program; therefore, eligible faculty members are not required to retire.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Each accepted faculty member who separates from the University in accordance with the VSP will receive a lump-sum payment of their 9 month budgeted salary (excluding stipends)
as of May 31, 2021. All payments are subject to deductions required for taxes, or required benefit or obligations existing upon separation for the faculty member.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<span style="background:white">Faculty members who are uncertain whether they are eligible to participate in the program may contact
</span><a href="mailto:Facultyvsp@tamuc.edu"><span style="background:white">Facultyvsp@tamuc.edu</span></a><span style="background:white">. Questions about separating from the university, including benefits, should be directed to
</span><a href="mailto:HR.Benefits@tamuc.edu"><span style="background:white">HR.Benefits@tamuc.edu</span></a><span style="background:white">.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">Full details of the Voluntary Separation Program are available below:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">VSP Webpage:
</span><a href="http://www.tamuc.edu/aboutUs/administrativeOffices/academicAffairs/VSP/default.aspx">http://www.tamuc.edu/aboutUs/administrativeOffices/academicAffairs/VSP/default.aspx</a><span style="color:#1F497D">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;background:white">VSP Guidelines<span style="color:#1F497D">:
<a href="http://www.tamuc.edu/aboutUs/administrativeOffices/academicAffairs/VSP/documents/VSP_Guidelines.pdf">
http://www.tamuc.edu/aboutUs/administrativeOffices/academicAffairs/VSP/documents/VSP_Guidelines.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">VSP Application:
<a href="https://dms.tamuc.edu/Forms/VSP?_ga=2.226709341.136508758.1617026721-1260961511.1533678146">
https://dms.tamuc.edu/Forms/VSP?_ga=2.226709341.136508758.1617026721-1260961511.1533678146</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Sincerely,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">John Humphreys<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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