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, 2024. 

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 $88,914.
• 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 3.75 percent. Some schools and centers may have financial constraints that can only support budget growth of less than 3.75 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 5.0 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 3.75 percent. The merit increase range is zero to 5.0 percent. Individual merit increases may not exceed 5.0 percent regardless of a staff member’s performance rating.
• Staff in monthly-paid, weekly-paid, or limited service positions are eligible for a merit increase if their time type is full-time (including phased retirement) or part-time and they were employed by the University on or before February 29, 2024. The following groups are not eligible: student workers, contingent workers, temporary workers, interns, residents, 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 Performance Review in Workday. Salary increases should be based on performance contributions within the parameters of the merit increase budget. The Performance Review in Workday documents each staff member’s performance and contributions and establishes performance goals for the new fiscal year. All staff must receive a 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 7, 2024. The Division of Human Resources/Staff and Labor Relations is available to discuss performance management issues.
• Aggregated merit increases within a school or center may not average more than 3.75 percent regardless of staff performance rating distributions, however, may average less if a school or center establishes a lower percentage merit pool based on financial constraints. 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. 

Division of Human Resources/Compensation is available to discuss specific merit increase parameters with schools and centers. 

— John L. Jackson, Jr., Provost
—Craig Carnaroli, Senior Executive Vice President