Faculty Merit Compensation

I write to outline the 2024-2025 faculty merit increase guidelines and process.

Schools should use an average 3.0 percent increase, as authorized by the University for the 2024-2025 merit cycle.

I request that each school provide a faculty merit increase narrative by Thursday, June 27, 2024. It should contextualize the individual and cumulative merit recommendations, including any proposed deviation from the authorized average that may have resulted from budgetary considerations or other factors.

All faculty salary increases are based on performance. Your narrative should address how your school evaluates performance. It should also include how you incorporate considerations related to promotions, market, and equity in relation to performance for the purpose of salary setting.

The following are additional academic faculty salary increase guidelines to keep in mind:

• Schools are required to submit both a narrative, as described above, and a spreadsheet with individual-level merit recommendations. Schools are encouraged to submit the narrative as soon as possible. Regardless, both the narrative and the spreadsheet are due on or before Thursday, June 27, 2024.
• All salary increases are subject to the availability of funding. Merit increase proposals should correspond to each unit’s approved budget.
• Salary increases must be awarded in accordance with the Policy on University Faculty Salaries and Bonuses.
• Increases should not be awarded “across the board” or on a pre-determined scale.
• Increase recommendations of zero percent (0%) or greater than fifteen percent (15%) require narrative justification and supporting documentation.
• For Schools and units with faculty who are partially funded by the Dual Career Program: Please note that the DCP will not contribute to salary increases of more than the average of 3%. Any increases above 3% will need to be covered by the faculty member’s home unit(s) according to the DCP MOU.
• Schools should coordinate salary recommendations for faculty who hold joint appointments.
• On behalf of the President, the Provost’s Office will coordinate salary recommendations for faculty who hold University Professor appointments. Schools should submit these recommendations along with a narrative evaluation directly to Maggie Peña Harden by June 27 as well.

If you have any questions regarding the implementation of the faculty merit increase, please email or call Maggie Peña Harden at 434-924-0778.