The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, approved the fiscal year 2015 (FY15) salary policies for Iowa’s public universities and special schools during its meeting in Ames Wednesday, June 4.

For the upcoming fiscal year, funds equal to two percent of the recurring faculty and non-bargaining P&S staff salaries will be allocated to General Education Fund (GEF)-supported budgetary units for July 1 salary increases, pending board approval of the UI’s budget at its Aug. 6 meeting.

Not every faculty and non-bargaining staff member will automatically receive a two percent salary increase, however.

“While the General Education Fund primarily supports university salaries and benefits, many university positions are also funded by other income and funding sources,” says Susan Buckley, UI vice president for human resources. “Individual salary increases will also be impacted by the funding available from those sources supporting a particular budget unit. Those funding sources may increase at a different rate than the GEF allocation, or even decrease.”

The university asks each college and division to provide salary increases, regardless of source of funds, that on average fall within a targeted range. The current overall target range for a college or division is two percent to three percent.

“While the college/division average provides a measure of salary movement within the unit, it may not be representative of typical individual increases because of the variety of factors that impact organizational average,” Buckley says.

For example, P&S individual salary increases within a budget unit likely will vary based upon a number of factors.

• For one, the university’s new P&S compensation structure continues to emphasize the recognition of individual performance in salary planning.
• The market ranges and median zones provide new information to understand individual salaries in the context of a market position.
• Differences in July 1 salary increases may also be based on transactions outside the July budget application process that reflects special circumstances (for example, promotions or pay equity adjustments based on protected class status).

Non-bargaining professional and scientific (P&S) staff

The UI’s board-approved compensation plan provides a framework for making salary decisions that includes personal performance and competitive marketplace conditions. Individual salary increases may range from 0.1 percent to 6.0 percent. (Written justifications for individual P&S staff salary increments at zero percent and greater than six percent must be submitted for prior approval by the vice president for human resources.)

Lump-sum payments for performance or an increase to base for employees whose salary is above the market range maximum must also receive prior approval from UI Human Resources.

Throughout the fiscal year, the university will continue to use the regents-approved non-recurring exceptional performance pay policy for non-bargaining P&S staff. Achievements recognized by these awards include activities such as completion of a major project, sustained exceptional performance, outstanding productivity and revenue generation.

Faculty

As with non-bargaining P&S staff, salary increases for individual faculty will reward performance and address any equity issues. Individual salary increases may range from 0.1 percent to 6.0 percent. Written justifications for individual faculty salary increments at zero percent and greater than six percent must be submitted for prior approval to Tom Rice, associate provost for faculty.

Promotion increments are in addition to performance increments and to any other salary adjustment authorized for the promoted faculty member. (A promotion involves change in rank.) Promotion increases for FY15 are set at the following levels (tenure and clinical tracks):

• Assistant professor to associate professor: $2,500
• Associate professor to full professor: $3,500

The Carver College of Medicine and the Colleges of Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Nursing will continue to be authorized in FY15 to pay variable compensation to faculty based on productivity, as previously approved by the Board of Regents, subject to approvals by the Office of the Provost and UI Human Resources.

Employees Covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement and Supervisory/Confidential Merit Staff

Contract-covered employees should refer to their respective contracts regarding FY15 salary rates. As customary, the pay policy for supervisory/confidential merit staff is the same as that negotiated with AFSMCE for employees in statewide bargaining units.