Special Salary Practice

UCSC Special Salary: The Campus practice of awarding more generous off-scale salary increases in conjunction with senate faculty personnel actions in order to improve the equity of UCSC faculty salaries within the UC system.

Note: the special salary practice is assessed on new work since most >>>recent review. If the entire review period covers several past actions (like in promotion cases) – rank/step is assessed on the entire review period while the additional off scale choices only applies to the new work since the most recent review.

The Division has implemented a new rubric to describe performance in the areas of Teaching, Research, and Service.

The following rubric will be used to assess performance in each area:

Does not meet expectations

Reg: Meets expectations (formerly "Excellent")

G1 or G2: Exceeds expectations (formerly "Outstanding")

AC: Greatly exceeds expectations (formerly "Exceptional)"

Special Salary Vote Options: (Based on work done in the most recent review period)

Reg Merit:  An advancement of one step reflects performance that meets expectations in all areas of review: Teaching, research, and service for ladder-rank faculty.

G1:  Advancement of one step plus an increase in off-scale salary equivalent to one-third the difference between the new step and the next highest step, rounded to the nearest $100.

• This level of advancement indicates performance that exceeds expectations in one area while meeting expectations in the other two, representing a case closer to a normal action.

G2:  Advancement of one step plus an increase in off-scale salary equivalent to two-thirds the difference between the new step and the next highest step.

• This level of advancement reflects performance that exceeds expectations in two areas and meets expectations in the third, representing a case closer to an accelerated action.

AC (Acceleration):  Advancement of two steps with no increase in the off-scale amount.

• This level of advancement reflects performance that greatly exceeds expectations in all areas, warranting a greater step movement but without an accompanying off-scale salary increase. 

A1:  Advancement of two steps with an increase in the off-scale salary component equivalent to one-third the difference between the new step and the next highest step, rounded to the nearest $100.

•  In rare and exceptional circumstances, acceleration files that significantly exceed the standard for a two-step advancement will be considered for an off-scale salary increase of one-third of a step

The department finds that XXXX’s teaching [meets/exceeds/greatly exceeds expectations], research [meets/exceeds/greatly exceeds expectations], and service [meets/exceeds/greatly exceeds expectations]. 

Initial Above Scale advancement is based on both career distinction and additional merit; advancement to Above Scale only occurs after a distinguished career record. At this high level, the criteria for advancement become even more elevated per systemwide policy, APM 220-18-b(4). There is not an expectation that faculty continue to advance beyond Step 9, although we do recognize continued outstanding achievement. Further Above Scale actions must show new evidence of merit and distinction; a further above scale review may have an outcome that is “satisfactory” without salary increase if there is only continued excellence. The Special Salary Practice does not apply at Above Scale. In order to have more consistency across campus for these relatively rare and infrequent actions, we provide the following guidance:

In order to have more consistency across campus for these relatively rare and infrequent actions, we provide the following guidance: