Find clear answers to common questions about UC San Diego’s staff performance appraisal process—including eligibility, timelines, probationary reviews, and more.
Annual Performance Appraisals - FAQ
Last Updated: April 16, 2025 1:08:00 PM PDT
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Expand section General questions – Eligibility
Who is eligible to receive an annual appraisal in the Staff Performance Appraisal system?
All career staff (both policy-covered and represented) who are past their probationary period are required to be appraised annually per policy or collective bargaining agreement. The Staff Performance Appraisal system (SPA) provides a standard version (Model A) which can be used for all staff. In addition, for MSPs – people leaders may choose the “Model B” version of the form – which is a more narrative version of the form. A people leader with multiple direct reports in the same title code must use the same model (either A or B) for all their employees within that title code. To use Model B, people leaders must work with their department HR contact to make the change.
Can Contract employees be appraised using the SPA system?
Yes. Note, some employment contracts do not require the employee to be appraised, but people leaders may choose to provide formal feedback. If a salary program is available in a given year, contract employees must have a completed appraisal to be considered for an increase.
Are probationary employees included in the May 1 - April 30 performance appraisal cycle, if they have not yet completed their probationary period?
No. If an employee is still within their probationary period at the end of the annual performance appraisal cycle (April 30) and the employee has not received a probationary appraisal, an annual appraisal should not be completed. Employees should receive a probationary appraisal prior to receiving an annual performance appraisal during the annual appraisal cycle.
Are employees who recently completed probation included in the May 1 - April 30 performance appraisal cycle?
Yes. Employees who recently completed their probationary period should be appraised in the annual appraisal for the time between the end of their probation period and the end of the annual appraisal cycle. For example, an employee successfully completed their probation period on January 15 of this year. They should receive an annual appraisal for the dates of January 16 – April 30
If an employee changes jobs during the cycle, how does that affect their appraisal? What if only the people leader changes?
If an employee starts a new position during the cycle, they should be evaluated for the time of the cycle in the new position as they have "moved on" from the previous one. For example, if an employee transitions to a new position that began March 1, (even in the same Department and/or with the same people leader) the people leader for the new position should only evaluate the person on their new role for work completed between March 1 and April 30.
If instead, a person's position stays the same, but their people leader changes, the new people leader can request feedback from the previous one for consideration. If the previous people leader is no longer in the same department (or has left the University), they are under no obligation to provide feedback. If the previous people leader is in the same department, the decision to require them to provide feedback is at the discretion of the Department Head. In all cases, the new people leader has discretion to determine how much weight to provide to any feedback from the previous people leader.
Expand section General questions – SPA System Functionality
Who can see the Performance Appraisal form contents while the people leader is in the process of drafting (Supervisor Draft)?
Only the people leader, indirect supervisor(s), HR personnel, and Department Business Officer can see the details being drafted by the People leader. The employee cannot see the people leader's draft content at this phase but can see the form template.
Who can see the Performance Appraisal form contents while the employee is drafting their self-appraisal?
Only the employee, HR personnel, and Department Business Officer can see the information being drafted by the employee. The people leader cannot see this content until the employee finalizes the self-appraisal by clicking “Finalize Self-Appraisal”
Who can see the Performance Appraisal while it is in HR Review status?
Only the people leader, indirect supervisor(s), HR personnel, and Department Business Officer can see the information. The employee cannot see the people leader’s content at this phase. The difference between this status and Sup Draft status is that the people leader cannot make edits in HR Review status. If the people leader needs to make edits, their department HR contact will need to move the appraisal back to Sup Draft status.
What are the performance ratings descriptions?
Below are the ratings descriptors. Additional detailed descriptions for the campus-wide performance standards can be found here: https://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/_files/UCSD-Staff-Performance-Appraisals---Individual-Appraisal.pdf
E = Exceptional. Performance well exceeds expectations and is consistently outstanding.
A = Above Expectations. Performance is consistently beyond expectations.
S = Solid Performance. Performance consistently fulfills expectations and at times exceeds them.
I = Improvement Needed. Performance does not consistently meet expectations.
U = Unsatisfactory. Performance is consistently below expectations. Deficiencies should be addressed as noted in the performance appraisal.
Expand section Employee Questions
Am I required to complete a self-appraisal?
While not required, you are highly encouraged to complete a self-appraisal so that your people leader can use it in conjunction with their notes to complete your appraisal. This is your opportunity to highlight your successes and accomplishments. It is important to make sure you understand and follow any specific deadlines provided by your people leader or department.
What do I write in my self-appraisal?
The objective of this summary is to provide you with an opportunity to reflect upon actual work, highlight your accomplishments, and foster effective communication between you and your supervisor. In SPA, you can format your self-appraisal and use bullet points, tables, bold text, etc. For additional guidance on writing your self-appraisal, we highly encourage initiating a conversation with your leader about their expectations for this part of the process. We also recommend reviewing this guide: https://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/_files/Tools-to-write-a-self-appraisal.pdf.
I am a new employee who started on or after May 1, immediately following the April 30 cycle end date. Do I need to complete a self-appraisal for the cycle that ended on April 30?
No. Each appraisal cycle covers May 1 through April 30. If you started after the end of the cycle, you may complete a self-appraisal as part of a probationary evaluation or the next annual cycle that includes your first day of employment.
Expand section People Leader Questions
What do People Leaders need to do in the system throughout the completion of an appraisal in SPA?
People Leaders have numerous responsibilities throughout the process to ensure completion. Review the Annual Process Phases and the SPA Quick Reference guides for brief overviews of your responsibilities in the process. For more in-depth training, please review the Staff Performance Appraisal (SPA) system online course. Additional training resources on performance management best practices can be found here: https://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/supervising/performance/index.html.
How do I verify my employee’s Training Assignment Status?
People Leaders will need to visit the Manager Dashboard in the UC Learning Center to verify whether their direct reports are current on all training assignments. Detailed instructions on how to complete the assignment verification can be found here: https://blink.ucsd.edu/_files/HR-tab/learning-center/How%20to%20Verify%20Assigned%20Training%20Status%20for%20Performance%20Appraisals.pdf.
If I want to make changes to my appraisal after it has gone through HR Review, what do I do?
Please contact your department HR contact or SPA administrator for guidance. A system administrator can return the form to the Supervisor Draft status so it can be edited further. However, the form will need to go through each subsequent step in the process (possibly a second time) to ensure all relevant parties are aware of any changes being made. Refer to the Annual Process Phases guide for more information.
How much time do I give my employee to finalize their Employee Comments?
People Leaders should give a minimum of five (5) business days to an employee to finalize their Employee Comments AFTER the appraisal meeting with the employee. People Leaders should clearly communicate the deadline to the employee.
Expand section HR Practitioner/SPA Admin questions
Where do I find FAQs for HR Practitioners and SPA Admins?
Answers to FAQs for HR Practitioners and SPA Admins can be found on the Campus HR Network.
Have a different question? Contact Employee Relations.