Policy 04:030
Faculty Salary Administration

The University shall strive to achieve and maintain categorical faculty salaries by rank and academic discipline which are at 100% of the corresponding College and University Personnel Association (CUPA) regional averages for appropriate peer institutions. The University shall further strive to achieve and maintain minimum individual faculty salaries by rank and academic discipline which are at 85% of the corresponding CUPA regional averages for appropriate peer institutions. Detailed below are the two methodologies used to achieve these goals.

70%/30% Across-the-board/Merit Increases

Full-time or part-time regular faculty members as of April 1, who are doing at least "satisfactory" work are eligible for any salary increase approved by the Board of Trustees for the succeeding academic year. "Satisfactory" means receiving a 3.0 or higher annual evaluation.

Eligible faculty members will be awarded salary increases determined in the manner outlined below. Dollars for salary increases are defined as money approved by the Board of Trustees for faculty raises in the annual operating budget. This amount does not include any money reserved for correction of inequities, for increases in salary associated with promotions in rank, for the hiring of new faculty, or for adjustments necessary because of changing market conditions.

1. Dollars for salary increases will be calculated for each Evaluation Unit proportionate to its percentage of the University's projected faculty salary budget for eligible faculty in each Evaluation Unit. An Evaluation Unit is defined as all of those faculty members who are evaluated by the same person. If the percentage actually awarded to each Evaluation Unit is not the same as the above-referenced percentage, the reasons for the differences will be explained to the head of each Evaluation Unit so affected.

2. Thirty percent of the dollars for salary increases awarded to each Evaluation Unit will be awarded to individuals on the basis of faculty annual evaluations so that members of an Evaluation Unit receiving the same evaluation number will receive the same percentage increase, and that increase will be directly proportional to the difference between the individual evaluation and the number 2.9. If salary increases are not given in a particular year, the evaluation scores for that year will be averaged with the scores in the next year in which a salary increase is given. Such performance increases can be calculated in a number of ways, the precise methodology for a given year to be selected by the President.

3. In addition to the performance-based increase noted above, each faculty member who achieves a 3.0 or higher level of evaluation will receive a percentage increase equal to seven-tenths (.7) of the percentage awarded to the Evaluation Unit for salary increases.

4. The new base salary for each individual is the sum of present nine-month base salary plus the increases defined in paragraphs 2 and 3 above.

5. For faculty holding positions funded in two Evaluation Units (e.g., part-time teaching and part-time administration), salary increases will be computed, where feasible, as if they hold two part-time positions, with separate salaries and evaluations for each position.

CUPA Increases

By April 1 of each year or as soon thereafter as possible, the University Salary Review Committee shall provide the President with salary data to be used in salary administration for the coming academic year. The Committee shall identify and recommend appropriate peer institutions and present the latest CUPA and University data to include:

1. a listing of regional peer institutions used in calculating CUPA regional average salaries;

2. overall average salary for faculty/librarians at the identified peer institutions and at the University;

3. average faculty/librarian salaries by colleges and by rank/academic discipline for the identified peer institutions and for the University (CUPA “colleges” will be composites of disciplines contained in corresponding colleges within the University);

4. the University's actual dollar and percentage deviations by categories of rank/academic discipline and by college from corresponding CUPA regional averages;

5. a listing of individual University faculty/librarian salaries indicating actual dollar and percentage deviation from the CUPA average for corresponding rank and academic discipline;

6. a listing of the most recent salary data from comparable Alabama state universities; and

7. any other pertinent data which may be requested by the President.

Each year the President shall designate a portion of available faculty salary funds to be applied exclusively toward attainment of CUPA regional averages by rank and academic discipline. Remaining salary funds shall be administered according to the University's 70%/30% across-the-board/merit increase policy.

Allocations of designated “CUPA Funds” shall be made to colleges and the library proportionate to their respective deviations from the appropriate CUPA averages. Deans (after consultation with appropriate department chairs) and the library director shall, upon approval by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, use “CUPA Funds” to enhance individual salaries which are below 100% of corresponding CUPA rank/academic discipline averages.

The following general guidelines shall be employed to determine appropriate salary adjustments for individuals who are below CUPA rank/discipline averages:

• years of experience

• possession of terminal degree, date earned, and other qualifications/credentials

• annual evaluations

• extent of deviation from appropriate CUPA average

• other appropriate factors

The President shall monitor progress toward salary goals and provide an annual report to the University.

Approved 2/94

Last Revised 3/08