The University’s merit increase program is designed to recognize and reward the valuable contributions of faculty and staff to the University’s commitment to the highest levels of excellence in teaching, research, and administration by paying market-competitive salaries in a fiscally responsible manner. 

Presented below are the merit increase guidelines for July 1, 2023. 

Faculty Increase Guidelines

Below are the standards for faculty increases that the deans are asked to follow. The deans will give the department chairs their guidelines at the school level regarding available resources.

• The minimum academic salary for new assistant professors will be $85,700.
• Merit increases for faculty should be based solely on performance as evidenced by scholarship, research, teaching, and service to the University and the profession. 
• The aggregated merit increase pool for faculty will be 4.25 percent. Some schools and centers may have financial constraints that can only support budget growth of less than 4.25 percent. Salary increase recommendations that are below 1.0 percent for non-meritorious performance, as contrasted with general limits applied to an entire class of faculty, must be made in consultation with the Provost. Likewise, salary increases that exceed 6.0 percent must also be made in consultation with the Provost. Deans may wish to give careful consideration to salary adjustments for faculty who have a strong performance record but whose salaries may have lagged behind the market.

Staff Increase Guidelines

• The aggregated merit increase pool for staff will be 4.25 percent. The merit increase range is zero to 6.0 percent. 
• Monthly, weekly, and hourly paid staff members are eligible for a merit increase if they are regular full-time, regular part-time or limited-service employees and were employed by the University on or before February 28, 2023. The following groups are not covered under these guidelines: student workers, contingent workers, interns, residents, temporary workers, staff on unpaid leave of absence, staff on long-term disability, and staff who are covered by collective bargaining agreements.
• The merit increase program is designed to recognize and reward performance. The foundation of this program is the Workday Performance Review. Salary increases should be based on performance contributions within the parameters of the merit increase budget. Workday Performance documents each staff member’s performance and contributions and establishes performance goals for the new fiscal year. All staff members must receive a Workday Performance Review for the next review cycle whether or not they receive merit increases. Schools and centers are requested to submit performance reviews by June 16, 2023. The Division of Human Resources Staff and Labor Relations team is available to discuss performance management issues.
• Merit increases should average no more than 4.25 percent for staff and may average less if a school or center establishes a lower percentage merit pool based on financial considerations. Individual merit increases may not exceed 6.0 percent regardless of a staff member’s performance rating. Performance expectations should be raised each year as staff grow in experience and job mastery. Performance ratings and merit increases should reflect a normal distribution for all staff. Staff members with unacceptable performance are not eligible for a merit increase.
• The merit increase program does not include bonuses, the same as in prior years.

Within the Division of Human Resources, the compensation team is available to discuss specific merit increase parameters with schools and centers and the Staff and Labor Relations team is available to discuss performance management issues.

—Beth A. Winkelstein, Interim Provost
—Craig Carnaroli, Senior Executive Vice President