College Policy Number/Title:

• 63.04     Compensation

Awards of Merit
Awards of merit are based on the ratings received by a faculty member on the division chairperson's evaluation of the Faculty Annual Summary and supporting materials including student evaluations, classroom observations, student comments and other appropriate information. The Faculty Annual Summary is part of the Faculty Evaluation and Merit System; copies of the form are on file in the office of the vice president of academic affairs.

On a periodic basis, the board of trustees may award additional merit to all faculty based on the achievement of specific levels of student learning as measured by indicators established in the board of trustees Strategic Information System.

Faculty who are approaching the maximum of the salary range for their grade are eligible to earn merit pay, but the portion of merit pay that exceeds the maximum of the salary range will not accrue to the base salary. Instead, it is paid as non-base merit with the base salary remaining at the maximum.

Merit awards will be adjusted for faculty hired after the start of the fiscal year and are contingent upon available resources.

Specific Criteria for the Awards of Merit

CRITERIA FOR PERFORMANCE RATINGS

Outstanding:  Faculty must receive an Excellent performance evaluation to be eligible for consideration for an Outstanding performance level. For this highest performance level, the faculty member must document significant accomplishments related to the mission, goals and objectives of the institution and the initiatives and priorities of the instructional unit's core work. The focus will be on the scope and depth of the accomplishments. This level is recommended by a division chair for accomplishments greatly exceeding expectations in instructional excellence and/or the accomplishment of instructional initiatives in the following areas:

In any of the above areas scholarly, professional, research, or creative activity, as well as community service or development could also be considered if the accomplishments reflect a high level of discipline-related expertise, break new ground, and have significant or impact to the institution.

Division chairs will produce a summary report at the end of each college year summarizing the activities and outcomes that qualified faculty for the Outstanding level.

Resulting Contract Agreement:

Faculty on Continuing Contract: two-year continuing contract with Outstanding level award

Faculty on Probationary Contract: one-year probationary contract with Outstanding level award.

Excellent:  High quality performance on all of the faculty performance expectations in outlined in the FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES section of the Faculty Handbook in the areas of:

• Teaching, including class load, office hours, general teaching responsibilities, and institutional student outcomes.
• College responsibilities, including routine responsibilities, and major college responsibilities.
• Instructional improvement, including teaching and learning improvement, professional development, and program development (optional).

Resulting Contract Agreement:

Faculty on Continuing Contract: two-year continuing contract with Excellent level award
Faculty on Probationary Contract: one-year probationary contract with Excellent level award.

Acceptable: This rating will be given by a chairperson where performance problems can be documented that are not significant enough for the rating of Needs Improvement and where the faculty member is striving to improve the problem. It may also be given where projects and activities are partially incomplete.

Resulting Contract Agreement:

Faculty on Continuing Contract: two-year continuing contract with Acceptable level award
Faculty on Probationary Contract: one-year probationary contract with Acceptable level award.

Needs Improvement:  This rating will be assigned when the chairperson has documented several minor problems or one serious problem in the faculty member's performance on the established faculty performance expectations.

Resulting Contract Agreement:

Faculty on Continuing Contract

1. First Needs Improvement:  two-year continuing contract  - no merit
2. Second Year Needs Improvement:  Second year of two-year continuing contract - no merit
3. Third Year Needs Improvement:  Notification by January 30 of non-renewal of contract based on interim evaluation.

Faculty on Probationary Contract

1. First Needs Improvement:  one-year probationary contract- no merit. (Requires submission and implementation of plan to improve)
2. Second Year Needs Improvement:  Notification by March 15 of non-renewal of contract based on interim evaluation.

Unsatisfactory:  This rating will be assigned when the chairperson has documented serious problems in a faculty member's performance on the established faculty performance expectations.

Resulting Contract Agreement:

Faculty on Continuing Contract

1. If "Unsatisfactory" is received while on two-year continuing contract:   First year of two-year continuing contract - no merit.
2. If "Unsatisfactory" is received while on second year of two-year continuing contract:  Notification by January 30 of non-renewal of contract based on interim evaluation.

Faculty on Probationary Contract

Notification by March 15 of non-renewal of contract based on interim evaluation.