Compensation

In order to attract and retain an effective, committed work force, Wright State University strives to offer competitive levels of compensation and recognize the achievements of its employees.

Recognizing that most faculty and staff are meritorious and deserve compensation increases which recognize their accomplishments while remaining competitive with other Ohio public universities, the University employs a system that begins with a university-wide salary increase pool and combines across-the board increases with merit increases for effective faculty, unclassified, and classified staff. Merit awards should reflect real and measurable differences in individual or group performance. Increases should be denied to faculty and staff who fail to meet minimum performance standards.

Successful compensation policy relies upon reliable procedures for evaluating employee performance. Such evaluations will occur regularly for employees. Evaluations of managers/administrators will include an assessment of their effectiveness in evaluating those who report to them, as well as their demonstrated commitment to the University's affirmative action and equal opportunity goals and their commitment to quality team performance.

• New external appointments.  New external appointees are hired at the minimum for the position as posted.  If a department believes that a pay rate of up to 10 percent above the range minimum is necessary, a request endorsed by the dean or vice president and accompanied by supporting documentation must be presented to the Department of Human Resources.  The Starting Salary Request form is available in the Department of Human Resources.  The documentation requesting the exception may include such information as:  difficulty in recruiting for the position; the specialized requirements of the position; and, the candidate's experience, credentials, or other factors.  The Department of Human Resources will evaluate the request and forward its decision to the hiring manager.  If the dean, vice provost or vice president disagrees with the decision made by the Department of Human Resources, the issue may be presented to the Provost for adjudication.  Applicants who do not exceed the minimum requirements posted for a position shall normally not be approved for a pay rate above the minimum.  The Provost will communicate the final decision on the request to both the dean, vice provost or vice president and the Department of Human Resources.  Any request for starting salary above 110% of the posted minimum must be approved by the Office of the Provost.

  Salaries up to 110% of the minimum will be funded from the University Compensation Pool.  Any approved increase above 110% will be paid for by the hiring department.  The Provost may make an exception to this policy and fund the entire increase from the Compensation Pool.  Request for increased funding must be approved prior to any offer to a candidate.

• Internal promotions.  Requests for internal promotions are made through submission of appropriate documentation to the Department of Human Resources and must be recommended by the appropriate dean or vice president.  An employee who receives an internal promotion will receive an increase to the minimum posted salary to 5% of his or her current salary whichever is greater.

  The salary increase awarded to an employee who receives an internal promotion to a vacant position will be funded by the compensation pool.  Any promotion awarded to an employee where there is no existing vacant position will be considered a reorganization of that unit/department and will be funded by the requesting unit/department.

• Position audits.  If the duties and responsibilities of a position have changed by at least 25%, a position audit may be requested by the employee who currently holds the position.  All audit requests must be validated by the department/unit head and endorsed by the dean or vice president.  The results of the audit will be communicated to the employee, the department/unit head and the dean, vice provost or vice president.  Classified Job Audit forms and Unclassified Position Review forms are available in the Department of Human Resources and on the department's web site.

  If a position audit results in a reclassification, the employee who currently holds the position will receive a 5 percent increase or an increase to the minimum rate of pay for the position, whichever is greater.  Human Resources will determine if the increase is due to external market analysis or by department driven changes to the position.  Funding for external market driven changes will be provided by the compensation pool.  Funding for internally driven position changes will be funded by the unit/department.

• Fully Affiliated Faculty

  1. A faculty member's initial compensation shall recognize the relevant academic market and his or her rank within disciplines.

  2. A faculty member's annual compensation adjustments shall normally reflect performance in an annual evaluation.

  3. The salary of a newly promoted faculty member shall be increased 7.5% of the individual's academic or fiscal base salary.  Funding will be provided by the compensation pool.

  4. As appropriate, a faculty member's salary may be adjusted in response to changes in the relevant academic market, to inequities, and to internal and external economic conditions.  Funding will be provided by the department.

• Adjunct Faculty and Overload Assignments shall be compensated at customary rates within individual colleges and departments, which are periodically adjusted to reflect market conditions.  Funding will be provided by the department.

• Summer Quarter Salaries

  1. A faculty member with an academic year appointment who has completed three quarters of service will receive the basic pay rate per quarter credit hour for full-time assignment, which is 1/36th of the faculty member's base salary for the preceding three quarters. Salary for teaching in excess of full-time assignment will be calculated at the overload rate, as specified in paragraph 8510.3 b).

  2. Summer salary for a faculty member who was not employed full time by the university during the preceding three quarters shall be determined on the basis of rank and other relevant considerations.

  3. A full-time teaching assignment during only one five-week term is six quarter credit hours per term. A full-time teaching assignment for courses that are scheduled for the full ten-week term is twelve quarter credit hours.

  4. Summer salaries will be funded by the department.

• Off-Campus Teaching Assignments

  As part of a faculty member's commitment to the university and the community, it may be necessary for a faculty member to teach courses off campus as part of his or her regular teaching responsibilities. A faculty member who has been assigned duties beyond a 25 mile radius of his or her campus office may be authorized inconvenience compensation at customary rates within colleges and departments. Any payments specific to travel must also conform to university travel policies.

1. New External Appointments

   1. New external appointees are hired at the minimum for the position as posted.  If a department believes that a pay rate of up to 10 percent above the posted minimum is necessary, a request accompanied by supporting documentation must be presented to the Department of Human Resources.  The Starting Salary Request form is available in the Department of Human Resources and on the department's web site.  The documentation requesting the exception may include such information as:  difficulty in recruiting for the position; the specialized requirements of the position; and, the candidate's experience, credentials, or other factors.  The Department of Human Resources will notify the principal investigator or hiring supervisor if the request is approved.  If the hiring manager disagrees with the decision made by the Department of Human Resources, the issue may be presented to the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies for adjudication.  Applicants who do not exceed the minimum requirements posted for a position shall normally not be approved for a pay rate above the minimum.  The Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies will communicate the final decision on the request to both the hiring manager and the Department of Human Resources.  Any request for starting salary above 110% of the posted minimum must be approved by the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies.

   2. All new hire salaries will be funded by the grant and/or the department/unit.  Only with the approval of the Provost will any costs be covered by other university funds.

2. Internal Promotions

   1. An employee whose responsibilities have increased can be recommended for a promotion.  The principal investigator should forward documentation to the department chair and the college/ school dean for approval.  If approved, this recommendation shall be forwarded to the Department of Human Resources for review.  If the Department of Human Resources finds merit in the recommended promotion, the request will be sent to the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies for final approval.  If disapproved, the recommendation will be returned to the college/school dean.

   2. An employee who receives an internal promotion will receive an increase to the minimum posted salary or 5% of his or her current salary whichever is greater.  All salary increases will be funded by the grant and/or the department/unit.  Only with the approval of the Provost will any costs be covered by other university funds.

3. Position Audits

   1. If the duties and responsibilities of a position have changed by at least 25%, a position audit may be requested by the employee who currently holds the position.  All audit requests must be validated by the department/unit head and endorsed by the dean or vice president.  If the Department of Human Resources feels the position should be upgraded, documentation will be sent to the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies for final approval. The results of the audit will be communicated to the employee, the department/unit head and the dean or vice president. Classified Job Audit forms and Unclassified Position Review forms are available in the Department of Human Resources and on the department's web site.  If a position audit results in a reclassification, the employee who currently holds the position will receive a 5 percent increase or an increase to the minimum rate of pay for the position, whichever is greater.

   2. All salary increases will be funded by the grant and/or the department/unit.  Only with the approval of the Provost will any costs be covered by other university funds.

Special salaries and/or fringe benefits proposed to attract professional personnel, especially for those projects using Federal awards, must meet the test of reasonableness and meet university guidelines.