Council is considering salary increase recommendation

Members of the Professional and Scientific Council looked over a proposed FY18 salary recommendation (PDF) introduced at their May 4 meeting. They'll vote on the motion at the May 25 meeting.

Introduced by the compensation and benefits committee, the recommendation asks for "the greatest salary increase feasible within the FY18 budget" for employees with positive performance reviews. It states that "more is being expected of our employees than ever before," citing continued growth and an average salary increase of 2.6 percent annually over the past 10 years.

The recommendation also "encourages:"

  • Competitive compensation
  • Performance-based increases
  • Policy research (such as flexible work, maternal/family leave and childcare)
  • Additional institutional support (for example, professional development, wellness and communication)

Class/comp review update

Emma Mallarino Houghton, compensation and classification director in university human resources, provided an update on the P&S compensation and classification review, which launched last month. The three-phase project is targeted for implementation in fall 2018.

"We all have an interest in making it successful," Mallarino Houghton said. "This process is being led and driven by P&S staff."

Activities in the three phases include:

  • Phase one: plan project, develop compensation philosophy, document jobs
  • Phase two: review job documentation, conduct market assessment, develop salary structure
  • Phase three: benchmark and slot positions, plan for financial impact, implement new structure

Mallarino Houghton said an advisory committee of stakeholders, including P&S Council representatives, is being formed. An extended project team, with up to a dozen members, also is being created. That team would include individuals with broad knowledge of the current structure. Feedback from both groups will help in developing the new structure.

She said updates will be provided through UHR, Inside Iowa State and direct emails. In-person meetings and presentations also will be scheduled.

"Our communication strategy is transparency, consistency and timeliness," Mallarino Houghton said.

Other business

Other motions that will be voted on at the next meeting:

  • A proposal (PDF) to adopt a campus-wide definition for shared governance and establish a central website that includes information and resources about university groups that participate in shared governance
  • Proposed changes (PDF) to the council's bylaws that clarify the responsibility for regular reviews of its own rules and bylaws by the policies and procedures committee