Dear Colleagues,
Now that the fall semester is underway, I want to provide faculty and staff with an update about Winthrop University’s faculty and staff classification and pay study. Communicating with you is part of our commitment to keep you informed about the status of this ongoing project.
It is anticipated that this project will be completed in late 2019 or early 2020.
Recapping our progress to date…
-Sibson (our consulting partner on the study) conducted discussions at Winthrop University in early 2019 to gain insight and context around the current and desired state of staff and faculty pay.
-Interviews and focus groups included representation from leaders, faculty, and staff from a variety of areas across the university. Interview findings were (and will be) used to inform and assist in the development of the pay philosophy and resulting pay programs.
-We have finalized the draft of our pay philosophy, which is a formal statement that summarizes the university’s position about employee pay. It documents pay strategy and essentially explains the “why” behind faculty and staff pay, and creates a framework for consistent decisions around pay. We refer to this as a “finalized draft” because it will remain a living document as we move the study to completion. But, we want to share it with faculty and staff now, so please understand that adjustments could be made.
-We have finalized the lists of peer institutions (our “peer groups”) that will be used in our compensation evaluation process.
What’s Happening Now…
-Sibson is conducting a market assessment, which includes:
• Reviewing and evaluating salaries paid by higher education institutions in the appropriate peer group for positions similar to those held by Winthrop University faculty and staff members.
-Not all of the staff positions at Winthrop will match with positions at other higher education institutions or organizations, but we expect to have market data for the majority of positions.
• Reviewing and evaluating salaries paid by organizations outside of higher education whose staff members perform jobs similar to those at the university.
• Reviewing classified positions to ensure that positions are classified appropriately.
-Position matches have been reviewed with university leadership. Market assessment data is incomplete at this point and has not been shared with Human Resources, Employee Diversity, and Wellness or university leadership.
-As a reminder, the new salary structure won’t result in salary decreases for any faculty or staff members; it may result in salary increases for some faculty and staff members, although any increases will be implemented gradually, over several years, and in a way that is fiscally responsible for the university.
What’s Happening Next?
-Sibson will complete the classification and market assessment and will work to begin developing recommendations around salary structure, classifications, and pay administration guidelines that will support the new pay program and direct decision-making. This phase will take place through the end of the year. (See project timeline.)
Have Questions?
We encourage you to review the Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions, please connect with:
Zan Jones, Human Resources, Employee Diversity, and Wellness
Project Team Lead
jonesz@winthrop.edu
Sincerely,
Dan
