INTRODUCTION TO STEP-PLUS
College of Agricultural &
Environmental Sciences
August 7, 2014
Brenda Chriss, Kim DeLaughder
Chris diMuro, Julie Fritz-Rubert
Overview – Step Plus
• How did we get here?
• Three committees – looking at streamlining
• Academic Taskforce on Simplifying the Academic
Merit and Promotion Process (STAPP)
• Academic Personnel Streamlining Implementation
Workgroup (APSIW)
• Joint Senate-Administrative Workgroup on Step Plus
Policies and Procedures (SAWSPPP)
• Senate voted and approved the Step Plus System in June
2014
• Implementation 2014-15
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Overview – Goal of Step Plus
• Reduce the number of actions.
• Reduce workload.
• Level the playing field -- encourage more reserved
faculty to seek accelerations (1.5 Steps or greater).
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
So… What does it all mean?
• Applies to Senate Faculty in CA&ES.
• Faculty reviewed on normative time ONLY for merits.
• 2 years for all Asst Prof’s and Assoc Prof’s thru Step 3
• 3 years for Assoc Prof’s Step 4 thru Prof 8
• 4 years for Prof’s 9 and Above Scale
• Appointments will be made only on whole steps.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
So… What does it all mean?
• The Exceptions
• Promotions -- faculty may accelerate in time.
• Reminder: Advancement from Prof step 5-6 or step 9Above Scale is a MERIT, therefore must be on
normative time.
• May seek an action immediately following a:
• Deferral
• Denial
• Five-Year Review – unless the review resulted in
advancement.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
So…. What is Step Plus?
• Faculty can be reviewed for more than a 1 step merit
(i.e. 1.0 step, 1.5 steps, 2.0 steps, etc.).
• A new Step Plus salary scale has been created that has
steps and half steps.
• Faculty members who receive more than a 1 step merit
will also receive a temporary salary supplement that
will remain in effect for the normative time for the
step they were awarded.
• This temporary supplement is to compensate faculty so there is
no salary loss due to the elimination of accelerations in time.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Phased Implementation of Step Plus
• Three year phased implementation from 2014-15 to
2016-17
• A faculty member may pursue an “acceleration in time”
for their first action only during the three year phased
implementation.
• A faculty member may request an “acceleration in time”
in whole step increments only.
• If a faculty member pursues a 2-year “acceleration in
time” in 2014-2015 that results in a denial, they are not
eligible to pursue a merit again until 2016-2017 in
normative time.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Step Plus – Guidelines for Advancement
• 1.0 Step Advancement
• Requires a balanced record, appropriate for rank and
step, with evidence of good accomplishments in all areas
of review.
• All Academic Senate faculty can expect to advance at
normal rates, unless a major flaw in their performance is
evident.
• Service duties are expected to increase as faculty advance
in rank and step.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Step Plus – Guidelines for Advancement
• 1.5 Step Advancement
• Requires a strong record in all three areas of review, with
outstanding achievement in at least one area of review
across research or creative work, teaching, and service.
• Outstanding achievement in one area may not qualify a
candidate for a 1.5 step advancement if performance in
another area does not meet UC Davis standards.
• The dossier should articulate the grounds for an
acceleration beyond simple numerical tabulations,
focusing on impact and significance of work, awards, etc.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Step Plus – Guidelines for Advancement
• 2.0 Step Advancement
• Requires a strong record in all three areas of review, with
outstanding performance in at least two areas.
• In most cases, one of those areas will be scholarly and
creative activity, however, in rare cases exceptional
performance in two other areas may warrant this unusual
advancement.
• 2-step advancement should be considered for individuals
who would have accelerated every year under the
previous system.
• Reviewed by CAP and the Vice Provost has final decision
authority.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Step Plus – Guidelines for Advancement
• Beyond 2-Step Advancements
• Requires an exceptionally strong and balanced record,
highlighted by extraordinary levels of achievement in two
areas (including research and creative activity), and
excellent contributions in the third area.
• These advancements will be extremely rare.
• Reviewed by CAP and the Vice Provost has final decision
authority.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Step Plus – Guidelines for Advancement
• Larger than Normal Above-Scale Advancements
• Requires an exceptionally strong record of excellence in
all three areas of review, with exceptional achievement in
research and creative work, and outstanding
performance in at least one additional area of review.
• The criteria for merit increases are steep at this high
rank.
• Reviewed by CAP and the Vice Provost has final decision
authority.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UC Davis Step Plus Salary Scales
• The UCD Step Plus Salary Tables are the UC Systemwide salary scales, with the addition of half-steps
between Assistant Professor, Step 2, and Professor,
Above Scale.
• Includes the Step Plus Increment and the Step Plus
Temporary Supplement.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UC Davis Step Plus Salary Scales
• Step Plus Increment
• The Step Plus Increment is a salary component equal to
half the difference between full steps which results when
an appointee merits or promotes to a half step.
• The Step Plus Increment is already included in the
Adjusted Scale salary on the Step Plus salary table.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UCD Step Plus Salary Scales
Step Plus Increment
STEP PLUS/TABLE 1/ACADEMIC YEAR
Step
Associate
1
2
71,600
5,966.67
Professor
2
3
4
5
2
2
3
3
75,000
79,200
84,000
90,500
6,250.00
6,600.00
7,000.00
7,541.67
Associate
Professor
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Step
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
2 years
Rank
Years at
7/1/14
Step
Annual
Monthly
Rank
3 years
TABLE 1
FACULTY--LADDER RANKS--PROFESSOR * AY
Adjusted Scale
Normal Adjusted Scale
Years at
7/1/14
Annual
Monthly
Step
$71,600
$73,300
$75,000
$77,100
$5,966.67
$6,108.33
$6,250.00
$6,425.00
$79,200
$81,600
$84,000
$87,250
$90,500
$93,900
$6,600.00
$6,800.00
$7,000.00
$7,270.83
$7,541.67
$7,825.00
Annual
Monthly
Step Plus Step Plus
Increment Increment
$1,700
$141.67
$2,100
$175.00
$2,400
$200.00
$3,250
$270.83
$3,400
$283.33
UC Davis Step Plus Salary Scales
• The Step Plus Temporary Supplement
• Compensates for salary lost due to eliminating
accelerations in time.
• Awarded only for advancements of 1.5 steps or greater.
• For the period of normative time for the step.
• Above Scale faculty
• Eligible if their above scale merit is approved as a greater
than 5% [default] salary increase.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UC Davis Step Plus Salary Scales
• The Step Plus Temporary Supplement
• Equal to 25% of the difference between the newly
achieved full step and the next lower full step.
• Is not included in the Adjusted Scale salary on the Step
Plus salary table.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Step Plus Salary Scales – Temporary Supplement
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
3 years
Associate
Professor
2 years
STEP PLUS SYSTEM ‐ TABLE 2
FACULTY‐LADDER RANKS‐PROFESSOR SERIES‐ FISCAL YEAR
Normal
Adjusted Scale
Years at
7/1/14
Step
Rank
Step
Annual
Monthly
$83,000
$85,000
$87,000
$89,400
$91,800
$94,650
$97,500
$101,300
$105,100
$108,950
$6,916.67
$7,083.33
$7,250.00
$7,450.00
$7,650.00
$7,887.50
$8,125.00
$8,441.67
$8,758.33
$9,079.17
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Annual
Monthly
Total Annual
Step Plus
Step Plus
Step Plus
Supplement Supplement^ Salary
^
$1,000
$83.33
$84,000
$1,000
$83.33
$86,000
$1,000
$83.33
$88,000
$1,000
$83.33
$90,400
$1,200
$100.00
$93,000
$1,200
$100.00
$95,850
$1,425
$118.75
$98,925
$1,425
$118.75
$102,725
$1,900
$158.33
$107,000
$1,900
$158.33
$110,850
UC Davis – Step Plus Voting Guidelines
• General Voting Principles:
• Candidates should be evaluated for a more than one-step
advancement when performance exceeds normal
expectations.
• Step Plus does not supersede departmental voting
procedures, nor mandate particular voting methods.
• Whatever method the department adopts must assure
that all candidates are treated consistently.
• The candidate must select the proposed action set forth
in the department recommendation.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UC Davis – Step Plus Voting Guidelines
Voting Models Options
• Model 1
• Faculty members vote on each of the three options: 1, 1.5
and 2.0 steps.
• The candidate chooses which votes should be included
and discussed in the department letter, and the
advancement level to be proposed.
• This option would require comments to be separated for
each vote.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UC Davis – Step Plus Voting Guidelines
Voting Models Options
• Model 2
• Faculty members vote once to select whichever
advancement option (1.0, 1.5, or 2.0) seems most
appropriate, given the candidate’s record.
• The distribution of votes and the faculty comments go
forward in the department letter, along with a
recommendation for the level of advancement selected by
the candidate.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UC Davis – Step Plus Voting Guidelines
Voting Models Options
• Model 3
• The candidate decides which advancement options
should be voted on by his/her peers.
• Based on those votes, the candidate chooses which votes
to include and discuss in the department letter, and the
advancement level to be proposed.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
UC Davis – Step Plus Voting Guidelines
Voting Models Options
• Model 4
• The department always votes on the regular merit (1.0
step) and presents that vote in the department letter.
• The candidate decides whether any other advancement
options should be voted on by his/her peers.
• Based on those votes, the candidate chooses which votes
(other than the 1.0-step regular merit) should be included
and discussed in the department letter, and the
advancement level to be proposed.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Step Plus Scenarios
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Professor (FY), Step 6=$140,400
Two years at step/Next "normal" merit due 2015-16
Scenario #1
Academic Year
2015-16
2016-17 2017-18
One
Two
Three
Current System with One-year Acceleration in time
Rank/Step
Professor, Step 7
Annual Base
salary
$151,900 $151,900 $151,900
Cumulative
Salary
$151,900 $303,800 $455,700
Step Plus
Rank/Step
Annual Base
Salary
Temporary
Supplement
Cumulative
Salary
Professor, Step 6
2018-19
Four
2020-21
Six
Professor, Step 8
$164,500
$164,500 $164,500
$620,200
$784,700 $949,200
Professor, Step 7.5
Profesor, Step 8.5
$140,400 $158,200
$158,200
$158,200
$2,875
$2,875
$2,875
$140,400 $301,475
$462,550
$623,625
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
2019-20
Five
$171,350 $171,350
$794,975 $966,325
Scenario #2
Academic Year
2015-16
2016-17 2017-18
One
Two
Three
Current System with One-year Acceleration in time
Rank/Step
Professor, Step 7
Annual Base
salary
$151,900 $151,900 $151,900
Temporary
Supplement
Cumulative
Salary
$151,900 $303,800 $455,700
Step Plus
Rank/Step
Annual Base
Salary
Temporary
Supplement
Cumulative
Salary
Professor, Step 6
2018-19
Four
2020-21
Six
Professor, Step 8.5
$171,350
$3,150
$630,200
Professor, Step 7.5
$171,350 $171,350
$3,150
$3,150
$804,700 $979,200
Profesor, Step 9
$140,400 $158,200
$158,200
$158,200
$2,875
$2,875
$2,875
$140,400 $301,475
$462,550
$623,625
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
2019-20
Five
$178,200 $178,200
$3,425
$3,425
$805,250 $986,875