Table of Contents:

1. Policy
2. Files/Forms

Section 1: Policy

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1. Administrative faculty merit is determined through the following process:
   1. The employees immediate supervisor will provide recommendations for merit adjustments based on the results of the employees Annual Evaluation. These recommendations will be reviewed, approved or revised by other supervisors up the reporting line to the President.
   2. To be considered for merit, a professional staff member must have been employed by WNC for six months prior to the end of the evaluation period (e.g., July 1 hire date) must have not been given notice of termination of employment and must not be on an emergency appointment contract. Exceptions require the approval of the President.
   3. Normally, merit awards will not be made to professional staff members who have received a salary increase due to a promotion (including promotions from classified to professional status) that occurred during the calendar year covered by the annual evaluation. Exceptions require the approval of the President.
   4. The pool for merit awards will be set when and if funded and is awarded as of July 1 of any given year.
   5. Merit Shares: The President will review the supervisors summary recommendations with supervisors and will determine a final performance rating (Unsatisfactory, Satisfactory, Commendable, Excellent) for professional staff. Staff members whose performance is rated Commendable or Excellent will be considered for merit awards.
      1. Calculation of Merit Increase:
         The following assumes an annual merit pool of k% of total salaries. See calculation example spreadsheet below.
         1. Ratings and Initial Merit
            1. Ratings of Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory earn no merit increase
            2. The percent increase for Commendable is 80% of that for Excellent
         2. Formulas for percent increase:
            1. Percent increase for Excellent:
               k% of total salaries / [(sum of excellent salaries) + .8*(sum of commendable salaries)]
            2. Percent increase for Commendable:
               .8*(Percent Excellent calculation listed in item a)
         3. Important consequences of this model:
            1. 100% of the merit pool is distributed (unless all ratings are satisfactory or lower)
            2. The percentage increase for a rating of excellent is always higher than that of commendable
            3. Percentage increase is the same for all employees who earn a particular rating regardless of salary or grade
            4. If all ratings are excellent, each merit increase is exactly k% e. If all ratings are commendable, each merit increase is exactly k%
      2. Cost of Living Allowance (COLA):
         COLA, if funded, will be awarded to professional staff on July 1 of any given year.

Section 2: Files/Forms

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1. Calculation Example

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