Employee Merit FAQ

Effective January 1, 2025, eligible University Staff who earned a 3,4, or 5 on their most recent performance evaluation and earn less than or equal to $85,000 for a 100% full time appointment are eligible for a 2 percent merit increase.

Deans will receive a pool of funding equal to 2% of the total of all eligible faculty salaries less than or equal to $85,000 in their college. Each dean will determine how best to distribute those funds to faculty making less than or equal to $85,000, for a 100% full time appointment, based on existing college practices for merit. 

Faculty and staff with a salary greater than $85,000 or with a performance evaluation rating of 1 or 2 are not eligible for a merit increase.

BOR policy 11.B.3A defines merit increases for faculty and university staff. Since UCCS is increasing pay for levels three, four and five ratings, the merit increase is determined by performance ratings. Employees with level two or one ratings are not eligible.

Over the past few years, we have made meaningful strides in enhancing our compensation practices for the university community. This year, we conducted a comprehensive review of compensation structures across the Family Development Center, Dining and Hospitality Services, and the Office of the Registrar, as well as for both instructional, research, and clinical and tenure-track faculty. These reviews were focused on ensuring fairness, equity and alignment in compensation practices to promote consistency across all areas of campus.  

In addition, we have launched a university-wide Compensation Strategy Project aimed at establishing more consistent and equitable compensation practices for both faculty and staff. Complementing this initiative, we are undertaking a Qualifications Data Project to capture accurate data on current experience, education, and other relevant qualifications. This effort will provide a solid foundation to further refine our compensation strategies and ensure our practices continue to reflect our commitment to equity, fairness and consistency.  

In the past, merit percentage increases were determined within each college or unit which allocated a pool of funds without a campus-wide standardized rubric for performance evaluation or percentage allocation.

This year’s compensation plan for non-classified campus employees was developed based on extensive consultation with cabinet and deans, shared governance leaders including faculty assembly and staff council, the university budget advisory committee (UBAC), and the compensation taskforce.  

This year’s compensation plan assists our university staff who work so hard to connect face-to-face with our students and provide stellar service to them by aligning their merit increase with their performance evaluation scores. It also ties compensation for higher paid individuals to our shared responsibility for increased enrollment, whether from new students, from transfer students, or from retaining our existing students.
 

Effective FY 2025-26:

• Lecturers will see their minimum increase to $3,000 per 3-credit hour class.
• Student employees will increase to $15.50 per hour.
• Classified and University Staff will have a minimum pay rate of $16.22 per hour.
• Assistant Teaching Professors have a minimum pay to $50,000 for a 100% appointment.
• Associate Teaching Professors have a minimum pay of $55,000 for 100% appointment.
• Teaching Professors have a minimum pay of $62,000 for a 100% appointment.

Your pay is not the only component of your total compensation. Vacation and sick time, CU's contributions to your health, dental and vision insurance, CU's contributions to your retirement plan, and many other benefits add to your overall total compensation. It’s important to know what your total compensation package is worth and includes. Go to the following website to learn more.

Campus Human Resources is collaborating with campus, through a task force comprised of over 20 unit representatives, to design a comprehensive compensation strategy to achieve several key objectives: attract and retain a diverse and talented workforce; motivate and engage employees in achieving the university's strategic goals; ensure internal and external equity; foster a culture of fairness and inclusion; and sustain fiscal responsibility while rewarding performance and contributions.  Through this, we will: 

• Promote Research and Creative Excellence: Reward faculty and staff for innovations, research, and contributions to creative works.
• Enhance Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation: Tie performance incentives to key student enrollment, retention, and graduation metrics.
• Foster a Community of Learning, Engagement, and Inclusive Belonging: Recognize and reward all faculty and staff contributions to cultivate community and inclusivity.
• Strengthen Fiscal Position: Ensure fiscal sustainability by aligning compensation with available resources.
• Support Distinctive Programs: Strive to offer competitive compensation for all employees, including those in programs unique to UCCS.

Throughout this process, the compensation task force will reference the compensation philosophy to guide the creation of a comprehensive strategy document, detailed and competitive salary structures, training and communication materials, and progress reports throughout this project. 
 

For additional information and project updates, please visit: https://hr.uccs.edu/compensation-strategy

Classified Staff are not included in this increase. Classified staff received an increase in July 2024, in accordance with the state personnel rules.

The fiscal year 2025 plan included a possible 1% merit salary pool for faculty and university staff with an annual salary above $85,000, contingent on meeting a revenue threshold of $1.5 million in tuition revenue above FY 2024-25 revenue estimates. This merit increase plan was developed based on the recommendation of the University Budget Advisory Committee (UBAC) and feedback from our shared governance partners Faculty Assembly and Staff Council. 

Unfortunately, employees earning over $85,000 are not eligible for a merit increase because we did not achieve the increased tuition revenue threshold. While our tuition revenue did show an increase, the campus did not meet the necessary $1.5 million new tuition revenue threshold needed to unlock the possible 1% merit pool for those earning over $85,000.  

An increase that raises an employee’s continuing/ongoing salary is considered a “base-building” pay increase. A non-base building pay increase is temporary and has an end date. For more information, please see Human Resources policy 300-016 Compensation Principles for Faculty https://vcaf.uccs.edu/policies/uccs/policies

To be eligible for a January merit increase, employees must be in an active, regular (not temporary) faculty appointment or university staff, on the effective date (January 1) and earn less than $85,000 for a 100% full time appointment.

• University staff, research faculty or regular faculty must have a completed performance evaluation for the most recent performance cycle with a rating of meeting expectations or higher (3, 4, or 5).  No merit increases will be provided to employees who received a level 1 or 2 rating.
• Merit increases are applied to base salary only. Additional temporary non-base building pay is not eligible for a merit increase.
• University staff transferred or promoted into a new position after June 30, 2024, will receive their merit increase based on the salary as of June 30, 2024, if the salary is at or below $85,000 (based on 100% FTE). The amount of the merit increase will be added to the staff member’s current salary, even if that amount increases their salary to over $85,000.

• Employees that are transferred or promoted into their positions after November 30th will not be eligible for the merit increase. Instead, the merit increase the employee would have received, if not for the promotion or transfer, will be factored into the pay recommended for the promotion or transfer after November 30th.
• New employees hired July 1, 2024 or after are not eligible for the merit award.
• Employees earning over $85,000 in base salary.

Employment classes not eligible for merit increases:

• Classified staff
  • Classified staff receive increases based upon the State of Colorado Department of Personnel Administration schedule, which provides for increases (when available) starting July 1 each year.
• Temporary research faculty and research affiliates
• Student employees
• Temporary staff (including working retirees)