Professional Roles and Responsibilities - Faculty
Salary Increases
Merit Pay
Within the University, colleges are the primary locus where merit pay processes are undertaken. The guidelines below govern merit pay considerations on this campus and pertain to both the basic principles to be achieved and the operational steps to be undertaken. Within these general parameters, deans and colleges have organized college-level processes, which are available from the dean.
Principles and Parameters to Guide Establishment of a Merit Pay System on this Campus
It is accepted practice at the University of Illinois that salary adjustments for faculty shall be based upon an assessment of merit. The establishment of a merit system on this campus must honor the following principles and parameters:
- Annual salary increments are to be based upon specific assessments of the performance of individual faculty members.
- While there may be established a norm or average, the merit pay process must also include assessments which recognize performance both above and below that norm.
- Colleges must be allowed substantial latitude in the assessment of individual faculty performance within the parameters of faculty personnel policy; however, those assessments will be expected to distinguish differences in individual performance.
- After consultation with the Planning and Budgeting Committee regarding operating budget priorities, the provost shall annually make funds available to the deans, who will recommend salary increments which shall be added to the base salaries of their faculty.
- Funds allocated to each college for salary increments will be a uniform percentage of that college's existing faculty salary base.
Process for Annual Performance Assessment and Merit Pay Recommendation
The performance of each faculty member will be reviewed annually for the purpose of establishing a merit based salary recommendation. This review will examine the performance of the faculty member over the course of a year, in the context of the faculty member's ongoing professional development and accomplishments.
Process
1. At the beginning of the annual review period, each faculty member will develop an annual "Faculty Performance Plan" (FPP) following discussions involving the individual, the department/program and the dean. The FPP sets goals and expectations for performance for the upcoming year. It incorporates the current 12 Hour Workload Plan, which requires approvals outlined in the UIS Faculty Personnel Policy, but goes beyond it to include other major performance goals and which reflect the professional development plans of the individual.*
2. The Faculty Performance Plan (FPP) is intended to accommodate diverse patterns of professional development and assignment as contemplated in Article 9, Professional Responsibilities, of the UIS Faculty Personnel Policy. It incorporates the assumption that, consistent with the criteria for professional evaluation and assessment (Article 3.), each faculty member will undertake responsibilities in teaching, scholarship, and service appropriate to that faculty member's discipline, specific role, and work assignment. The FPP should project activities continuing a pattern of professional growth and development for the faculty member.
3. At the end of the review period, each faculty member will submit to the dean, with a copy to his or her Personnel File, a "Professional Performance Report" (PPR) which describes and reflects on performance over the year, relates the performance to the goals and expectations stated in the FPP, and assesses performance in relation to the criteria for professional evaluation in Article 3 of the UIS Faculty Personnel Policy. Faculty members are free to provide additional information and analysis, as they wish.
4. Each college shall conduct an annual performance review of its faculty, in accordance with its bylaws and policies. At the conclusion of this process, and based on his or her assessment, the dean shall make salary recommendations to the VCAA for final decision.
5. If written performance assessments are prepared during the process by a college, the assessment shall be forwarded to the Personnel Files of the relevant faculty members.
See also:
UIS Faculty Personnel Policy at: http://www.uis.edu/academicaffairs/FacPrsnlPlcy/FacPersPol09-04.pdf
