Faculty Salary Increments
Approved: June 12, 1980; Revised November 19, 1987, Revised June 20, 1996; Approved with No Proposed Revisions September 13, 2024
SCHEDULED REVIEW DATE: September 2029
Annual salary increments for faculty members are determined primarily by the evaluation of performance in teaching, research, and service. Initial recommendations for salary increments are made by the chair. The chair's recommendations are reviewed by the dean, who determines the salary for each faculty member in the college within the total salary budget assigned to the college by the provost and vice president for academic affairs. A faculty member may request that the salary decision be reviewed by the provost and vice president for academic affairs. Requests for review must be submitted to the provost and vice president for academic affairs no later than two weeks after the list of all faculty salaries is submitted by the dean. The decision of the provost and vice president for academic affairs is final.
- These procedures are designed to implement the policy on salary increments established by the Board of Visitors. In all matters concerning salary increments, the board policy is governing.
- Based on the anticipated operating budget of the university, the president allocates a certain percentage increment for returning faculty at the institution to the provost and vice president for academic affairs.
- The provost and vice president for academic affairs allocates a specific dollar amount to each dean for salary increments within the college or division reporting to that dean. The provost and vice president for academic affairs may designate certain funds for a specific purpose, such as increments for faculty members receiving promotion.
- The dean, on the basis of the evaluation of the performance of the department chairs, allocates a salary increment to each chair in the college.
- Of the funds remaining, the dean allocates to the chair of each department a dollar amount for use in increments to the other faculty members in the department.
- The chair, on the basis of faculty evaluations, allocates specific dollar amounts for each faculty member in the department. In this allocation, the chair should consider not only the percentage increment being granted but also the correction of inequities in cases in which faculty members of equal merit are receiving salaries that are substantially different. The chair notifies each faculty member of his/her proposed increment. The chair then forwards recommendations for salary increments to the dean.
- The dean reviews the recommendations made by the chair with particular attention to the dean's evaluation of individual faculty members if it differs from the chair's, and to consistency with the merit principle.
- A dean who wishes to change a salary recommendation of a chair first discusses this change with the chair. After such discussions, if any, the dean determines the salary for all returning faculty members in the college for the coming year.
- The dean forwards to the provost and vice president for academic affairs a list of all returning faculty members in the college with the salaries for the coming year. The provost and vice president for academic affairs writes contracts for all returning faculty members specifying the salary as determined by the dean.
- The dean informs each chair of the salaries determined for the members of each department, and the chair informs each faculty member of the salary to be offered to that faculty member in the contract for the coming year.
- The faculty member may request that the provost and vice president for academic affairs review the salary decision of the dean. Requests for review must be submitted to the provost and vice president for academic affairs no later than two weeks after the list of all faculty salaries is submitted by the dean. The decision of the provost and vice president for academic affairs is final.