Feb. 11, 2010

Compensation, performance management top council business

by Erin Rosacker

Professional and Scientific Council members learned at their Feb. 4 meeting that compensation policies and a new compensation structure are on the horizon.

A P&S compensation policy draft -- what compensation and benefits committee co-chair Trevor Riedemann described as a top-level compensation philosophy -- is headed to the vice presidents for approval. The draft combines four current policies (salary increases, salary structure, starting rate of pay and change in status) into one. Next, the draft will move to the policy library for feedback from the council and campus community.

A pay administration policy, which Riedemann said offers "more nitty, gritty details" about issues such as pay for new hires, is in the works. Also meant for the policy library, this draft likely will contain procedures for implementation of the compensation policy.

March roll out

A new P&S compensation structure is set to debut this year. It was one of the recommendations from a 2008 report by the Towers Perrin consulting firm.

Council member Dave Biedenbach said the implementation committee reassigned every P&S classification to the new structure. He said human resource services staff are working to identify positions that fall below their pay minimums, and executive vice president and provost Elizabeth Hoffman has committed general funds to fill those gaps.

Implementation of the new P&S compensation structure is anticipated to begin July 1. The new structure will have 12 pay grades, beginning at pay grade 30.

Mike Otis, associate director of human resource services, will talk about the new structure at the council's March 4 open forum (noon-1 p.m., Gallery, MU). Otis said that an AccessPlus informational tool for P&S employees also will be available in March.

"You would be able to log in individually," Otis said. "Based on your position, it will tell you what your new pay grade is and what your new pay range will be."

Other business

  • A unanimous decision endorsed the current performance management training program, and recommended its continued availability to employees who supervise and manage P&S staff
  • Council members approved (33-4) a recommendation to keep copies of annual P&S performance appraisals on file in the HRS office
  • Ken Kerns, associate director of environmental health and safety, ran unopposed to earn the council's 2010-11 president-elect chair