UW-River Falls

Faculty and Academic Staff Handbook

19th Edition, 2008

Chapter V: Compensation Procedures and Issues

5.2. Merit Salary Increases - Procedures

5.2.1 Responsibility

The principal responsibility for merit determination rests at the unit (academic department or support group) level.

5.2.2 Pooling of Departments

Departments or support groups with only one or two persons will be pooled with another department or support group for purposes of merit pay distribution. This will be done in consultation with the Dean or supervisor of the units involved.

5.2.3 Appointments in More than One Unit

Persons with appointments in more than one unit shall be rated by their colleagues within each unit.

5.2.4 Special Merit and Equity Pool

Each of the following offices will receive for the purpose of special merit and equity adjustments that share of 10% of the merit salary total which is proportional to the total merit amount that the office directly oversees: Chancellor; Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance; Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Dean of the College of Business and Economics; and Dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies.

5.2.5 Merit Dollars to Departments

Ninety percent of the merit total is allocated to the departments and support groups. Each unit will receive merit dollars equal to 90% times the percentage merit increase times the continuing salary dollars in that unit. Faculty and support staff members holding permanent positions in more than one unit will have that portion of their merit dollars commensurate with their part-time positions pooled within the respective units.

5.2.6 Separate Evaluation Procedures

Instructional academic staff and support staff are to have separate evaluation procedures that are appropriate to their work. See Chapter VI for information on the respective performance evaluation processes.

5.2.7 Scope of Authority

In a support group the supervisor will determine merit for those within the scope of his or her authority.

5.2.8 Annual Options

Each academic department is to have an annual option of (a) using a departmental merit committee, (b) allowing the chair to distribute the merit increase funds, or (c) developing their own merit distribution plan, subject to approval of the Dean of the College. The Deans will administer this voting by confidential ballot and a simple majority will decide. (See OPTIONS below in sections 5.2.18, 5.2.19, 5.2.20.)

5.2.9 Guidelines Required

Merit adjustments and notification will be made in accordance with guidelines.

5.2.10 Availability of List of Ratings

The rating of a unit member and an anonymous list of ratings of others in the unit shall be available from the department chair or administrative head when such rating is completed.

5.2.11 Appeals

Appeals from staff members shall proceed through the channels designated in Chapter IV Faculty and Academic Staff Handbook "Faculty Personnel Rules-Chapter 10: Procedure for Handling Grievances."

5.2.12 Informing of Faculty Members

Faculty members shall be informed of their salary adjustments when they have been approved by the Board of Regents.

5.2.13 Across-the-Board Adjustments

Any across-the-board adjustment shall be considered at time of receipt of the Board of Regents' policy statement for the current academic year.

5.2.14 Promotion Increments

Additional increments will be made for promotion to professor, associate professor, and assistant professor. Promotion adjustments do not come from salary increase funds. Persons who receive a promotion adjustment should not be penalized in the merit distribution.

5.2.15 Terminal Degree

No fixed amount shall be given upon completion of terminal degrees, but an adjustment may be made through the use of administrative funds.

5.2.16 Regular Review for Equity

Regular review will be made to ensure that all salary adjustments are made in accordance with the guidelines regardless of gender, race, color, creed, ethnic origin, marital status, or physical handicaps.

5.2.17 Interpretations and Decisions

Interpretations and decisions regarding the operation of the merit pay system shall be made by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance in consultation with the Faculty Compensation Committee.

After a department has determined which option it is to use [see 5.2.8 above], it implements its chosen merit procedure.

5.2.18 Option A: Departmental Merit Committee Procedures

(1) Any member of a unit is eligible to be involved in the evaluation procedure providing he or she has been reappointed for the following academic year. Persons with appointments in more than one unit shall be eligible to rate their colleagues within each unit.
(2) All committee members will be elected by members of the department.
(3) One member of the committee is to be from outside the department but within the University.
(4) If a department has three or four faculty members, it will have a committee of the whole together with one outside member. If a department has five or more faculty it has two options:

a) a committee of the whole together with one outside member or
b) a fourmember committee consisting of the chair, two elected from within, and one elected from outside the department.

(5) All members of a committee are equal.

5.2.19 Option B: Department Chair Merit Procedures

In Option B, the department chair distributes the merit increase funds based on information described under 5.3 “ Rating Procedures” below.

5.2.20 Option C: Departmental Merit Distribution Plan

In Option C, the department members develop their own merit distribution plan which must be approved by the Dean of the College.