Senate Reference No. 08-13

Response to SR 08-9

Per Senate Document SD 06-09, which requires the Faculty Affairs Committee to send questions concerning faculty salary increment distribution to the administration:

1.         What were the total increment monies allotted, how were they dispersed and by      whom?

The salary increment funding available for 2008-09 was apportioned as follows:

2.0% allocated to departments

0.5% allocated to deans

1.0% allocated to Vice Chancellors

Salary increments are recommended by chairs to deans, by deans to Vice Chancellors, and by Vice Chancellors to the Chancellor.  Increments for academic promotions in rank were added to these funds.

2.         Of the increment monies distributed by the Deans and VCAA, how many faculty    received increments for equity and special merit and what was the total dollar          amount distributed in each category?

Deans were expected to make awards that were based on merit and to make awards of at least $300.  Deans were limited to recommending no more than 33% of their faculty for extra merit awards from the VCAA.  Deans were also invited to recommend faculty for equity adjustments. 

Faculty             Funds

School-level Merit Awards                    182                  $97,823

EMME-Merit                                       125                  $139,019

EMME-Equity                                      35                    $61,000

3.         How many faculty were recommended to the VCAA by the Deans in each   category? How many faculty received funds from the VCAA who were not             recommended by the Deans in each category?

Records are maintained about the awards that are made, not about the original recommendation lists and changes to them.

4.         From which administrative level(s) does recommendations for equity,                                             compression, and/or super merit come?

Recommendations are made by chairs.  Chair recommendations are reviewed and compiled in priority order by deans.  Dean recommendations are reviewed and compiled in priority order by the VCAA and then are reviewed with the Chancellor.

5.         How are promotion increments determined?

Promotion increments are determined by Purdue University.

6.         Why has the focus of equity increases been at the full professor level?   How have equity increases been distributed among the faculty ranks (including Continuing      Lecturers)?

Equity increases have been focused on full professors for two reasons: (a) on average, they have historically been the farthest below national averages, and (b) the university encourages associate professors to seek promotion to full rank and provides a significant salary adjustment for those who are promoted. 

Equity awards for the 2008-09 academic year were made to

Professors                                11

Associate Professors                11

Assistant Professors                    1

Continuing Lecturers                   5

Note that Continuing Lecturers are excluded from the response to Question 2 because their funding comes from the administrative category for budget purposes.

7.         Why must the department be sure to give some extra merit to those that are           recommended for merit increases at the college or university level?  How can we        encourage those working adequately or even to their full ability when we must           award them less than the suggested increment.

Departmental increments are expected to be based on differences in performance, with those who demonstrated the highest levels of performance earning the highest percentage of increment.  In turn, the highest levels of performance become the justification for additional merit awards at the school and campus level.   The university does not have a “suggested increment” since all increments are based on merit and funds available.