U of A Announces Merit Raises and Bonuses for Next Fiscal Year

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees has approved funds for faculty and non-classified staff merit raises for the 2017 fiscal year. A 2.0 percent pool of funds will be made available for raises for faculty and non-classified employees at the University of Arkansas. Raises will be awarded based on merit and performance evaluations.

The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration has determined that state employees, including classified staff at the U of A, will receive lump sum merit bonuses for the 2017 fiscal year. Classified employees will be eligible for bonuses of up to 4.5 percent based on performance evaluation ratings.

“The University of Arkansas has as a major goal to provide highly competitive compensation packages for the purpose of recruiting and retaining the best faculty, staff and graduate students,” said Chancellor Joe Steinmetz in a campus-wide email message. “We have tried hard to do as much as possible each year given financial constraints, and always wish it could be more.”

Governor Hutchinson has ordered the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration to conduct a comprehensive review of current pay plans and personnel policies. This review is expected to result in the development of new, more competitive pay plans and streamlined policies to be implemented by July of 2017.

FACULTY AND NON-CLASSIFIED RAISES

For the 2017 fiscal year, the Board of Trustees has approved a 2.0 percent pool of funds for faculty and non-classified staff merit raises. These funds will be allocated by the vice chancellors, deans, vice provosts, and associate vice chancellors responsible for budgets and awarded based on merit and performance evaluations.

Salary allocations will be effective as of July 1 which is the start of the 2017 fiscal year. Administrators, defined as 12-month employees, who are hired or promoted on January 1 or later during the current year are not eligible for a raise at this time.

CLASSIFIED STAFF MERIT BONUSES

One time lump sum merit bonuses will be based solely on performance evaluation ratings and will be distributed in the July 15 supplementary payroll. The bonuses will take the place of cost of living adjustments, and will not count as salary increases.

Performance Rating        Lump Sum Merit Pay%

U- Unsatisfactory                            0.0%

S- Satisfactory                                 1.5%

AA – Above Average                      3.0%

E- Exceeds Standards                      4.5%

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.