A. Policy Reference
APM 620, Off-Scale Salaries for Appointments and Advancements
B. Use of Off-Scale Salaries
In order to preserve the significance and values of the salary scales, salaries should be on-scale to the greatest extent feasible. Nevertheless, when properly justified, appointment or advancement to a position with an off-scale salary may be approved in exceptional situations such as:
C. Limitations on Off-Scale Salaries
1. Assistant Professor and other eligible titles at the Assistant level
The off-scale salary for Assistant Professors, Steps 1 through 4, shall not be higher than $100 less than the published salary for the equivalent step at the Associate Professor rank. The salary limit for Assistant Professor, Steps 5 and 6, shall be no more than $100 less than the published salary of Associate Professor, Step 4, barring exceptional circumstances.
2. Associate Professor and other eligible titles at the Associate level
The off–scale salary for Associate Professors, Steps 1 through 3, shall not be higher than $100 less than the published salary for one step higher at the Professor rank. The salary limit for Associate Professor, Steps 4 and 5 shall not be higher than $100 less than the published salary of Professor, Step 4, barring exceptional circumstances.
3. Professor, Steps 1 through 5, and other eligible titles at this level
The off-scale salary of a Professor, Steps 1 through 5, shall not be higher than $100 less than the published salary of a Professor, Step 6, barring exceptional circumstances.
It is not appropriate for a faculty member to receive a Step 6 salary without a Step 6 review. A candidate with an excellent record who chooses not to proceed with such a review, but requests review for a salary increase, may be considered for a modest off-scale increase, such as a quarter or a half step. If the faculty member's performance continues to be excellent, the department may wish to recommend a further modest salary increase in recognition of the faculty member's overall performance during the review period.
4. Professor, Steps 6-8, and other eligible titles at this level
The off-scale salary of a Professor, Steps 6-8, shall not be higher than $100 less than the published salary scale for Professor, Step 9, plus 8.5 percent, barring exceptional circumstances.
5. Professor, Step 9, and the other eligible titles at this level
The off-scale salary of a Professor, Step 9, shall not be higher than $100 less than the published salary scale for Professor, Step 9, plus 11 percent, barring exceptional circumstances.
It is not appropriate for a faculty member to receive an above-scale salary without an Above Scale review. A candidate with an excellent record who chooses not to proceed with such a review, but requests review for a salary increase, may be considered for a modest off-scale increase, such as a quarter or a half step. If the faculty member's performance continues to be excellent, the department may wish to recommend a further modest salary increase in recognition of the faculty member's overall performance during the review period.
D. Future Advancement for those with Off-Scale Salaries
Off-scale salaries are awarded for a variety of reasons including recruitment and retention, as well as to reward extraordinary performance during a particular review period. In addition, off-scale salaries are also awarded in lieu of a step advancement or promotion. In subsequent actions, reviewers should consider the merits of the file during the review period to determine the appropriate salary recommendation. A reduction, or increase, in an off-scale increment or an alignment to an on-scale salary may be the appropriate action at the time of next advancement.
E. Range Adjustment
1. Except as noted below, anyone with an off-scale salary at the time of a general range adjustment will receive the same dollar increase in salary as those of the same title, rank and step on the regular salary scale in question. The off-scale portion of the salary is not subject to range adjustment.
2. When a faculty member is appointed or advanced to an off-scale salary, the deciding authority may specify that the salary is to be unaffected by the first concurrent or subsequent range adjustment.
F. Authority
In addition to this section on authority, please review the June 21, 2011 Extension of the Delegation of Authority for Greater-than-Normal Merits for Appointees in the Ladder Rank Professor Series; Astronomer Series; and Professional Research Series.
1. The Dean has authority to approve:
a. Off-scale salaries for delegated actions up to the salary limits outlined in C above.
b. Off-scale salaries for delegated appointments at Assistant Professor, Steps 1 through 3, up to the campus off-scale salary limit for the Assistant Professor rank.(Delegation of Authority Memo, March 16, 2007)
c. Off-scale salaries for delegated actions in excess of the campus off-scale salary limits once the Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor has approved the initial exception for that off-scale amount (except as outlined in F.2.b, c, and d).
2. The Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor has authority to approve other
exceptional salary actions, including:
a. Initial exceptions to an off-scale salary in excess of the campus off-scale salary limits (except as outlined in F.1.b).
b. Any increase in the amount of the off-scale increment.
c. Off-scale salaries for Professor, Steps 1 through 5, if salary is higher than $100 less than Step 6.
d. Off-scale salaries for Professor, Steps 6 through 8, if salary is higher than $100 less than Step 8 plus 8.5 percent.
e. Off-scale salaries for Professor, Step 9, if salary is higher than $100 less than Step 9 plus 11 percent.
f. Off-scale salaries up to the annually indexed Regental Threshold. Salaries above this threshold require Presidential approval. (Refer to UC Academic Salary Scales, Appendix – Thresholds for Approval of Academic Salaries.)
3. The Chancellor has authority to approve:
Merit increases of 10 percent or less that exceed the Regental Threshold. Presidential approval is still required for new appointment and retention salaries above this threshold (regardless of the amount), and for proposed merit increases greater than 10 percent that exceed the threshold. (Delegation of Authority Memo, December, 1, 2004).