The UW 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program (SRP), formerly the UW Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) 403(b) Program, offers all UW System employees the tax-advantaged opportunity to invest a portion of your income to help prepare for a secure financial future. The UW 403(b) SRP is unique, because it’s managed by the UW System and an advisory committee (The SRP Advisory Committee (SRPAC), formerly the TSA Review Committee) specifically for UW System employees. Currently, the program is under review for updates and enhancements with the following goals in mind:
- Offering leading provider(s)
- Providing proven investment options
- Communicating with participants in a simple and engaging manner
As a part of this process, UW System and TSA Review Committee teams reviewed the program, including current providers and investment options, with an eye to cost-effectiveness, simplification and ease of use for our participants. UW System’s goal is to make it easy to enroll, select investments, and monitor investment performance on an ongoing basis.
The UW System team is committed to sharing more throughout this review process and as decisions are made over the coming year. UW System’s objective is to be transparent and informative, with regular communications to participants and the UW System community as a whole. We will be sending out communications from time to time, but this website will serve as an ongoing communication tool that will be regularly updated with information as it is available. Bookmark this site and check back to stay updated on our progress.
Program Information
What is the UW 403(b) SRP?
The UW 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program (SRP), formerly the UW Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) 403(b) Program, allows employees the opportunity to invest a portion of their income for retirement on either a before-tax basis, an after-tax (Roth) basis, or a combination of both. Participation in the UW 403(b) SRP is voluntary with employees making the entire contribution.
What is the SRPAC?
The SRP Advisory Committee (SRPAC), formerly the TSA Review Committee (TSARC), is a nine-member committee consisting of faculty, academic, and university staff that provides oversight of the program and advice on program issues.
Learn more about the SRP Advisory Committee here.
Program Changes
Program Name
A part of the program review was to determine if UW Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) 403(b) Program was still an appropriate name for the program or if there were better options. After consulting with a wide range of stakeholder groups and discussion with a focus group of UW System employees, including shared governance representatives, the TSA Review Committee decided to change the name to the UW 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program, or UW 403(b) SRP for short. You will notice changes to applicable web pages and some materials in the coming months.
Recordkeepers
After completing a request for proposal (RFP), the TSA Review Committee Recordkeeping Review Subcommittee worked through the process of choosing a new recordkeeper or recordkeepers. The new recordkeepers for the UW 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program (UW 403(b) SRP) are TIAA and Fidelity.
Investment Line-up
As a part of this process, UW System and the TSA Review Committee reviewed the investment options and chose 18 best-in-class options that will be available through TIAA and Fidelity, along with a Guaranteed Fixed Rate Annuity for each provider. Participants can also choose to work through a self-directed brokerage window.
Fee Structure
The UW 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Program continues to provide options that are no-load with no sales commissions or broker fees. Participants have access to institutional share classes through the core line-up.
This fee structure provides more transparency of administrative recordkeeping fees, which may be reduced by moving to this new structure. Recordkeeping fees will be charged as a flat-dollar amount per participant and be automatically deducted from your account. You will see them listed as an “administrative fee” on statements.
Investment Pre-selection Window
If you have an existing account with TIAA or Fidelity through the UW System (opened prior to October 22, 2021), you are able to pre-select your 2022 investments starting November 1, 2021.
If you elected TIAA or Fidelity during Annual Benefits Enrollment (September 27 – October 22, 2021), you should have received a notification from your new recordkeeper that your account was established. Once your account is established, you are able to pre-select your investments.
If you elect TIAA or Fidelity between October 23 and December 10 you will be able to pre-select investments once you receive notification from your new recordkeeper that your account has been established.
Educational Resources
Town Halls
- September 17, 2021 – 12:00pm CST – Recorded Presentation
Overview of changes - October 26, 2021 – 2:00pm CST – Presentation Slideshow – Pre-recorded Presentation
Investment discussion with a short review of changes - November 15, 2021 – 11am CST – Presentation Slideshow – Recorded Presentation
TIAA Counseling Sessions
Counseling Sessions
Visit the registration page for available times.
Recorded Webinar
Investing in Your Financial Future – Announcing enhancements to the UW 403(b) SRP
Fidelity Counseling Sessions
Counseling Sessions
Visit the registration page and select Virtual for available times.
Timeline
If you’re experiencing trouble viewing the timeline below, you can view it in this PDF version as well:
- – updated 10/1/2021
| Date | Event |
| September 27 – October 22, 2021 | Open Enrollment (Annual Benefits Enrollment) |
| End of September – Early October | Fidelity will send Transition Guide to current Fidelity, T. Rowe Price, Ameriprise, and Lincoln participants. |
| October 26, 2021 | Town Hall – 2:00pm CST Topics: Investment Line-up and How to Choose Your Investments |
| November 1, 2021 | Investment Options Window Opens for Fidelity and TIAA participants |
| November 15, 2021 | Town Hall – 11:00am CST Topic: Reminders of Upcoming Dates and Deadlines |
| Mid-November | TIAA will send Transition Guides to current TIAA, T. Rowe Price, Ameriprise, and Lincoln participants. |
| December 10, 2021 | Final Day for T. Rowe Price participants who are currently contributing to submit a Salary Reduction Agreement or EZ Enrollment to have their future contributions and existing account balance automatically moved to Fidelity.
Final Day for T. Rowe Price participants who are not currently contributing to notify Fidelity to move their existing account balance to Fidelity. See the T. Rowe Price Action to Take page for more details. Participants who do not take action by December 10, 2021 will be moved to TIAA. |
| December 31, 2021 at 3pm CST, ending the week of January 16, 2022 | Black out period for T. Rowe Price participants moving to Fidelity. Mutual fund account balances will transfer to new investments in the Fidelity recordkeeping platform.
Be advised: you will not be able to initiate a transaction on your account until after the blackout period has completed. |
| January 7, 2022 at 3pm CST, ending the week of January 24, 2022 | Black out period for T. Rowe Price participants moving to TIAA. Mutual fund account balances will transfer to new investments in the TIAA recordkeeping platform.
Be advised: you will not be able to initiate a transaction on your account until after the blackout period has completed. |
| Week of January 10, 2022 | TIAA mutual fund balances will transfer to new investment selections. |
| January 13, 2022 | First paycheck with contributions to new provider and/or investment elections. |
Communications
We understand that emails can get overlooked or lost in junk mail. As communications are available, you can find them here.
- Your TSA 403(b) Program — Reimagined! — news article, posted August 10, 2021
- 403(b) Program Enhancements: Town Halls — news article, posted September 10, 2021
- — email, sent September 11, 2021
- — email, sent September 28, 2021
- – mailer (for current and potential participants of Fidelity) sent week of October 8, 2021
- – mailer (for current participants of TIAA) sent week of October 8, 2021
- – mailer sent week of October 8, 2021
Resources
Resources listed below are also linked in the appropriate areas throughout the web page.
Transition Guides
Annual Benefits Enrollment Through MyUW Portal Guide
Fee Information
Investment Information
Contact Information
Review the information in the sections above, on your current recordkeeper page, and in the FAQs to see if what you seek is available there. If you do not find what you are looking for, use the contact information provided below based on the topic you have questions.
403(b) Account Questions
For questions on your current 403(b) account, contact your recordkeeper:
- TIAA
(800) 842-2776 - Fidelity Investments
(800) 343-0860 - T. Rowe Price
(800) 922-9945 - Ameriprise/RiverSource Life Insurance
(608) 819-0500 - Lincoln National Life Insurance
In Madison: (608) 231-2231
Statewide: (800) 967-2046
ABE Process Questions
If you have questions about how to navigate these changes in MyUW Portal during Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE), review the or contact your institution benefits office. Informational sessions are available
Note: Depending on your question, your message may be referred to another benefits specialist.
Updated: 01/23/2024