7.3.6 Merit Categories and Salary Increases
In some fiscal years, merit raises will be available. These raises are separate from cost-of-living increases and are designed to reward the highest performing faculty. When recommending raises, department chairs will evaluate faculty based on performance since the last merit raise process (or up to the three previous years if no merit raises have occurred during that period). Department chairs will rely on annual evaluations and may request additional information such as an updated curriculum vitae or a list of accomplishments since the most recent annual evaluation. Merit raises should be given to the top-performing faculty and should not be distributed equally among the faculty members in each department.
In addition, market factors may contribute to a salary increase. Market factors may contribute to any salary increase only when the faculty member has been meritorious. Market factors may include:
- Data collected in comparative salary studies;
- Internal (College, school, departmental) equity, including gender equity, salary compression and/or inversion.
The respective roles of merit and market factors in salary reviews may vary each year and by school and department and should be communicated annually to faculty as appropriate.
A faculty member may appeal a merit raise by following the procedure outlined in Section VI.E.5 above. The chair, dean, and provost will proceed as in Section VI.E.5. However, the provost’s role in the appeal is limited to ensuring, through discussion with the dean and/or chair, that the merit review decision is consistent with criteria and standards at the Department, School and College level and with the merit reviews of others in the Department or School, as appropriate. (Rev. 2024)
Related Policies, Documents or Forms
7.3.6 Merit Categories and Salary Increases (FAM VI.F) PDF
Revision Log
Web Publication Date: 1/21/2026