UUP Direct Compensation for Discretionary Salary Increases and Salary Compression in paychecks dated March 17, 2021

March 11, 2021 Andrew Bruso

The following message was sent to all faculty and staff via email on March 11.

This communication is being provided to UUP employees to summarize the direct compensation that will be distributed to eligible employees in paychecks dated March 17, 2021. Direct Compensation is defined in the Agreement between the State of New York and United University Professions (The Agreement) under Article 20. A link to The Agreement can be accessed here: Agreement between the State of New York and United University Professions July 2, 2016-July 1, 2022.

Upcoming Payments:

Discretionary Salary Increases (DSI):
During negotiations for the 2016-2022 State/UUP Agreement, the parties agreed that a pool of funds, equal to one-half percent (.5%) of total basic annual salaries, on June 30, 2020, be distributed to eligible UUP-represented employees at the College’s discretion for the purpose of discretionary salary increases. The total pool for this purpose for 2020 was $235,584.82.

Adjuncts who receive DSI will receive retroactive payments for the increase due for the Fall of 2020, and for the first three paychecks for spring 2021 in their March 17, 2021 paycheck. The remainder of the spring 2021 paychecks will be paid at the higher per-credit rate. The per-credit increase is calculated by dividing the total DSI by 12 (equivalent to maximum course load for adjunct faculty)

Increases to Address Salary Compression:

Also, during negotiations for the 2016-2022 State/UUP Agreement, the parties agreed that a pool of funds, equal to one-half percent (.5%) of total basic annual salaries, on June 30, 2020, be distributed to eligible UUP-represented employees to address salary compression. The total pool for this purpose for 2020 was $235,584.82.

Salary compression is when the salaries of more experienced employees have not increased sufficiently with years of experience relative to less experienced colleagues. Compression can be determined by measuring the relationship between salary and several relevant variables.

The College applied guidelines and the methodology developed by a State/SUNY/UUP Executive-level committee to analyze and identify the extent of salary compression at each campus.

As part of this process, the following data sources were used to identify market salary benchmarks:

For Academics
SUNY-UUP guidelines for distribution of these salary increases identified the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) 2019 Faculty in Higher Education Survey as the recommended and standard source for market salary benchmarks. The campus was instructed to use Tenure-Track Faculty, New Assistant Professor, in each department/discipline (except as otherwise specifically allowed).

For Professionals
For distribution of these salary increases, CUPA-HR 2019 Professionals in Higher Education Survey was identified as the recommended and standard source in the SUNY-UUP guidelines.

Exclusions from The Overall Study

Campuses were given the opportunity to apply discretion with respect to excluding certain categories of employees prior to the study being conducted and applied such discretion as detailed below.

Any faculty in a “Visiting” title with less than four years of service
Employees paid on a “fee” pay basis with less than $2,500 annual earnings
Employees who have been on leave of absence from the College for two years or longer

Exclusions After the Study Was Complete

Campuses were given the opportunity to apply discretion with respect to excluding certain categories of employees after the study was completed and applied such discretion as detailed below.

Part-time academics with less than two years of service at the campus
Part-time professionals who are paid on a bi-weekly, hourly, or other non-annual salaried basis with less than two years of service at the campus
New Employees (regardless of pay basis) with less than one year of service at the campus

Thresholds

Campuses were also given the opportunity to apply discretion with respect to a threshold dollar amount of identified compression for full-time employees (pro-rated for part-time employees), below which identified compression would not be remediated and applied such discretion as detailed below.

$2,500 compression threshold was established for all full-time employees. A pro-rated amount was used for part-time employees. Full-time employees under the $2,500 compression threshold (or pro-rated amount) would not receive salary adjustments.
A threshold dollar amount of $83.33 per credit was established for adjunct faculty. Adjunct employees below the compression amount of $83.33 per credit would not receive salary adjustments. This amount was determined by dividing the $2,500 threshold amount by 30 (which is the typical full-time teaching credit load) to arrive at $83.33 per credit. This formula was provided in the guidelines.
A threshold dollar amount of $10.00 per student for student teacher supervisors was established. Student teacher supervisors below $10.00 per student of compression would not receive salary equity adjustment.

The College administration used their discretion in a fair and equitable way so as to better ensure that employees with higher levels of compression and longevity at the College would receive meaningful remediation.

Defining Equity Amounts per Person:
By applying the process defined by the State/SUNY/UUP Executive-level committee, the campus was able to identify the total dollars needed to adjust those employees who were identified as compressed. Once done, we distributed a specific percentage of the compressed amounts evenly to employees to exhaust the pool. That percentage is 13.855%.

Examples: (required to be in whole dollars)

F/T Staff Associate OR Associate Professor
Total compression identified: $3,200

Percentage to pay according to the pool dollars: 13.855%

Total add to base for this employee = $3,200 x 13.855% = $443.00

P/T Staff Associate .50 FTE
Total compression identified (using employee’s salary at a full-time equivalent): $2,800

Percentage to pay according to the pool dollars: 13.855%

Total add to base for this employee = $2,800 x 13.855% = $388.00 divided by .50 (example FTE) = $194.00

Adjunct Faculty (paid per credit)
Total compression was identified (determined by comparison of incoming rates as compared to individual years of consecutive semesters served as an adjunct faculty member at New Paltz):

Predicted per credit rate: $1,299.72 (example)

Actual per credit rate: $1,199.91

Compressed amount: $99.81 per credit

Total A/Y compressed amount = $99.81 X # of credits taught during the academic year 20/21 (this example is 12) = $1197.72

Compressed amount to be paid retroactively according to the percentage allowed: $1197.72 X 13.855% = $165.94

Total increase to per credit rate was determined by multiplying the per credit compressed amount ($99.81) by the percentage 13.855% to equal $13.83, which represents the amount to be added to the employee’s per credit rate.

Employees will receive retroactive payments for the increase due for the fall of 2020, and for the first three paychecks for spring 2021 in their March 17, 2021 paycheck. The remainder of the spring 2021 paychecks will be paid at the higher per credit rate.

Adjunct Faculty (Student Teacher Supervisors)
Total compression identified (determined by comparison of incoming rates as compared to individual years of consecutive semesters served as a Student Teacher Supervisor at New Paltz): Predicted per student teacher rate: $764.00 (example)

Predicted per student rate: $764.00

Actual per student rate: $735.00

Compressed amount: $29.00 per student

Total A/Y Compressed amount = $29.00 X # of students supervised during this academic year (this example is 10) = $290.00

Compressed amount to be paid for fall according to the percentage allowed: $290.00 X 13.855% = $40.18

Total increase to per student rate was determined by multiplying the per student compressed amount $29.00 by the percentage 13.855% to equal $4.02. $4.02 represents the amount to be added to the employee’s per student rate moving forward, beginning with spring 2021.

Payment Date:
Salary adjustments for this purpose and discretionary salary increases are added to base salaries and will appear in eligible employees paychecks dated March 17, 2021 retroactive to the employee’s date of obligation: July 1, 2020, for professional staff and 12-month faculty; Sept. 1, 2020, for 10-month faculty; and Aug. 20, 2020 for adjunct faculty.

Individual Notice to Employees:

Employees may receive a DSI, a salary equity adjustment, or both. Employees who are eligible for these payments can expect Individual communication to inform them of what they have received via email or first-class mail.

Please note that employees who do not receive a letter were not awarded a discretionary salary increase and were not identified as an employee that required salary remediation.

Questions:

Once you have received your letters, questions regarding this process may be directed to Jodi Papa, Director-Unclassified/ Employee Relations/Labor Relations Designee in the Office of Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion via email at papaj@newpaltz.edu.