On Feb. 8, 2008, the UNT System Board of Regents approved the university’s spending plan for Fiscal Year 2009 (Sept. 1, 2008 - Aug. 31, 2009), which included a 4 percent merit pool for eligible faculty and staff members. This information addresses merit raises for staff members only. The provost will issue separate information about faculty merit raises.
As we began to review how best to allocate the funds available for pay increases to staff, we focused on acknowledging that we are at the beginning of a Staff Classification and Compensation Study that will yield a program for future implementation and use. With the study just underway, we will focus on a way to ensure that classified staff receive an across the board salary increase in addition to being able to receive merit pay. All classified staff positions (salary grades C16 to C70) will automatically receive a 1 percent cost-of-living increase effective Sept. 1, 2008.
Following the cost-of-living increases for classified staff positions, an estimated $2.7 million will be available for staff merit raises. While this amount reflects an average of about 3.2 percent of existing salaries, each vice president will determine the amount available for distribution within individual departments. Individual merit increases may be greater or lesser than 3.2 percent. This pool of funds is for performance-based merit increases only and will not be used for promotion, market adjustment and/or job reclassification purposes. Merit raises awarded will be effective Sept. 1, 2008.
UNT’s revised budget calendar sets July 2008 for supervisors to make formal merit recommendations so that the full impact of each employee’s accomplishments and contributions in support of departmental and university goals may be taken into account in determining merit awards. A detailed calendar prescribing specific deadlines will be distributed along with merit provisions and forms.
Andrew Harris
Vice President for Finance and Administration