Appointments & Promotion

The State University of New York at Albany has established the following procedure as the principal method of providing promotional opportunities for its professional employees.

Professional employees holding a professional title and appointed as term, probationary or permanent are eligible for applying under this process. Temporary employees employed by UAlbany for three or more consecutive years are also eligible.

This policy is applicable to appointments to vacancies at the SL-3 and SL-4 level and most SL-5 levels in the bargaining unit, except as listed in Appendix A of the Policies of the SUNY Board of Trustees. At the discretion of the Appointing Authority, Management/Confidential positions may also be filled under these procedures.

1. When a vacancy meets the requirements of this program, Human Resources will announce via email the existing vacancy to eligible campus employees, inviting their applications for consideration in filling the vacancy. The announcement will provide 10 working days for receipt of applications from campus professional employees.
    
2. A professional employee interested in being considered for the vacancy must apply to the posted vacancy announcement during the 10-day period.
    
3. Human Resources will examine the resume submitted by the applicant to determine whether the employee meets the basic qualifications. The resume(s) of employees meeting the basic qualifications will be forwarded to the initial recommending official or committee for consideration.
    
4. All eligible UAlbany professional employees who apply for a vacancy within the ten-day period must be given consideration before the vacant position is posted for off-campus recruitment. If the application of any UAlbany professional employee is received after the ten-day employee application period, it shall be considered with other applications received if off-campus recruitment is necessary. A personal interview will be provided to selected finalists.
    
5. The initial recommending official or committee may take one of three actions, in writing, on the application of eligible UAlbany professional employees:
   • Find an applicant highly qualified for appointment and recommend appointment.
   • Find the applicant(s) qualified to be considered for appointment and request off-campus recruitment. The employee(s) will again be considered along with off-campus applicants.
   • Find the applicant(s) unqualified for appointment and request off-campus recruitment to fill the vacancy.
      
6. Upon notice by the recommending official or committee that no campus professional employee has applied or has been selected, Human Resources will release the position for off-campus recruitment as required by existing employment procedures.

2024 DSI Guidelines & Due Dates

Article 20 of the Agreement between United University Professions and the State of New York, 2022-2026 (“Agreement”), provides for a discretionary pool for increases which will be distributed as a performance-based award to eligible employees.  

DSI is scheduled for distribution no later than December 31, 2024.  

DSI funds are comprised of 0.5% of the university’s payroll for UUP employees and are distributed at the discretion of the campus president.

General Information

The Discretionary Salary Increase (DSI) process is designed to recognize and reward exceptional performance and contributions of our employees.  

The present round of DSI recommendations is intended to recognize performance primarily from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, for professionals and the 2023-2024 Academic/College Year for those who have obligations less than 12 months.

DSI is not intended to correct inversion or compressions issues or be used as part of a promotional package.

Performance-based Adjustment

Managers are to consider performance related to the employee's primary obligation to the University, and not activities for which additional compensation, such as extra service, is being provided.  

Managers are strongly encouraged to use the following criteria to determine awardee merit:  

• Performance: As demonstrated by the level of success in carrying out assigned duties and responsibilities, efficiency, productivity and relationship with colleagues. 
• Professional Ability: As demonstrated by invention or innovation in professional, scientific, administrative or technical areas. 
• University Service: As demonstrated by such things as successful committee work, participation in local campus and university governance, and involvement in campus or university-related student or community activities, continuing education, participation in professional organizations, enrollment in training programs, and research. Also as demonstrated by degrees, licenses, honors, awards and reputation in professional field.  

Merit Amount

Discretionary salary increases for full-time employees will generally be at least $400 and not greater than $1,250. Increases for part-time employees shall be prorated based on full-time employment (FTE). All increases will be added to the base salary.  

Eligibility

The following information governs eligibility for DSI:  

• Full-time persons on payroll on June 30, 2024, and at time of payment, and part time employees on payroll on April 30, 2024, and who continue in service during the 2024-2025 year may be considered for discretionary salary increases. 
• Employees must have been employed before January 1, 2024, in a UUP position at the University at Albany.  
• Supervisors of professional employees must be current on their employees' performance programs and evaluations as of June 30, 2024.  
• Academic faculty required to complete a Faculty Activity Report (FAR) must have it completed and on file by June 30, 2024. 
• All employees shall have completed all required mandatory training (Skillsoft) including the New York State Comprehensive Ethics Training by May 3, 2024.

Revised Timeline for the Division of Academic Affairs

Revised Timeline for All Other Divisions

Recommendation Procedures  

Human Resources will provide a DSI Recommendation Spreadsheet to all VPs.  

Unit/department heads up through to the AVP/Dean must complete their recommendations using that spreadsheet, consistent with the timelines above.

Employees being recommended for a DSI award shall be provided corresponding notice, via email or letter, informing them that they are being recommended.  

In instances where an employee does not receive notice they were recommended by a level below the VP, the employee may submit a 2024 DSI Appeal Form to their respective VP or designee, consistent with the timelines above. 

Purpose

This procedure identifies UAlbany’s instructions and procedures for a UUP-represented professional employee to request a promotion or salary increase in adherence with Appendix A-28 of the Agreement between the Agreement between the State of New York and UUP, Memorandum of Understanding relating to Systems of Promotion and Certain Salary Increases for Professional Employees.

If a change in campus title only, without change to salary or budget title and Salary Level is being requested, this process does not apply. Please consult with HR and submit an appropriate HRTS transaction in IAS / PeopleSoft.

Definitions

• Applicant: Either the employee or the immediate supervisor may initiate a request. If a supervisor initiates, the employee may need to assist with completing the application and/or gathering supporting documentation.
• Complexity: The difficulty, intricacy, level of involvement, or complicated nature of the duties and responsibilities.
• Permanent: Long-term, in duration, with no anticipated end date. Assuming additional duties to cover for an employee on leave, sabbatical, or temporary assignment does not constitute a permanent condition and therefore not a basis for promotion or salary increase under this process.
• Promotion: An increase in a professional employee’s basic annual salary accompanied by movement to a higher salary level with a change in title, resulting from a permanent and significant increase or change in the employee’s duties and responsibilities due to a permanent increase in the scope and complexity of function of the employee’s position.
• Salary Increase: An increase in an employee’s base salary due to a permanent and significant increase in duties and responsibilities as demonstrated by the employee’s performance program.
• Scope: The range, extent, capacity, or span of an employee’s responsibilities; the scale or reach of an employee’s responsibilities.
• Significant: Results in a substantive impact on an employee’s professional obligation (effect on daily or weekly workload). Not typically a task or responsibility that is done occasionally.

Procedure

• a. Before applying for promotion or salary increase, be sure that your performance program is current and on file with HR. If you do not have a current performance program, please provide a listing of your current responsibilities.
• b. It is your responsibility as the applicant to fill out the application and gather all required supporting documentation set forth in the application. If a supervisor is the applicant, the employee may need to assist in the compilation of required documents. Complete the request form at the end of this document. Please keep a copy of your submission for your records.
• c. Gather required supporting documentation and include with the request. Failure to submit the required documentation may result in a delay of decision and implementation of any approved actions.
• d. The employees will be notified of the recommendation or decision at each level of supervisory review.
• e. An employee’s request for promotion or salary increase shall be regarded as “denied” at any organizational level below that of the college president if such request is not acted upon within 45 calendar days of receipt by that organizational level.
• f. If an application is denied or not recommended for approval at any level below the college president, the employee may appeal the decision to the College Review Panel.
• g. Applications for promotion (change in title, salary level and increase in salary) which are disapproved by the college president may not be resubmitted for a period of 18 months, or until the employee’s performance program has been changed, whichever is sooner. There is no contractual limitation on salary increase reapplication.

Criteria Considerations

• a. Criteria for Promotion as listed in Appendix A-28 of the Agreement, Memorandum of Understanding relating to Systems of Promotion and Certain Salary Increases for Professional Employees.
• b. Changes in duties and responsibilities as evidenced in the Performance Program.
• c. The professional employee request for promotion or salary increase process is not the same as, or a supplement to, a Discretionary Salary Increase (DSI). The DSI process is the collectively negotiated pool of money that can be distributed to members of the UUP bargaining unit as specifically detailed in the UUP Agreement. 
  
  The DSI process may consider an employee’s participation in short-term projects, community service related to position, level of performance, etc. The Promotion and Salary Increase process does not take these into account unless they are directly tied to a permanent and significant increase in responsibilities.
• d. This process is not used to correct inequity. Inequity is pursued at the discretion of the President, through the DSI process or directly with the employee’s supervisor.
• e. This process does not recognize requests based solely on salary comparisons with others in similar positions.
• f. The attainment of a new degree or certification alone does not qualify for a salary increase or promotion. It could, however, be utilized for a DSI under certain conditions. An employee who attains a degree or certification and has a corresponding significant and permanent change in duties and responsibilities (e.g., the employee is assigned personnel to supervise, or the employee is now responsible for a new program area) may warrant a promotion or salary increase under this process.
• g. There are differences between a salary increase and a promotion. An employee can receive a salary increase for assuming additional responsibilities that do not necessarily require more knowledge, skills, or abilities, but are at a similar level as the employee’s current duties (e.g., an employee has routinely reported activities to New York State and the State has recently made a significant increase in its reporting requirements which directly impacts the requirements of the employee).
  
  A promotion is to recognize an addition or change in duties or responsibilities that increase the scope or complexity of the employee’s work and usually requires a higher level of knowledge, skills and abilities to carry out those responsibilities (e.g., an office is responsible for multiple program areas and to comply in a change in regulations, the office has added a substantial program and made the employee responsible for it).   
• h. When an employee is given additional responsibilities but also has some responsibilities taken away, a salary increase would not be warranted if duties were ‘exchanged’ and the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the new responsibilities are similar to those required to perform the removed tasks. If the new tasks require a new skill set and have a significant impact on the employee’s professional obligation (effect on daily or weekly workload), the employee may apply for a salary increase and/or promotion.

Award Determinations

Salary increase determinations at UAlbany are based on a combination of factors including, but not limited to:

• Increase in job responsibilities
• Change in required knowledge, skills and abilities related to the new or increased responsibilities
• Internal peer equity
• Evaluation of the changes in significance, complexity, scope and autonomy
• Applicable federal, state, local laws, funding, contractual requirements
• External market analyses

Human Resources is responsible for maintaining a fair, equitable and consistent classification and compensation program for all unclassified employees and will provide its recommended salary increase amounts for final consideration by the appropriate Vice President.

Note: Consideration may be requested for salary increases outside of the general guidelines due to extraordinary situations/circumstances. Increases greater than 10% require approval by the Vice President of Finance & Administration.

The College/School/Department needs to demonstrate funds are available within their budget to fund the increase. Requests if approved will not be denied due to a lack of funds.

Resources

• Salary Increase or Promotion Request Form
• Salary Increase or Promotion Appeal Form
• SUNY Professional Title Standards
• SUNY Salary Schedules
• Agreement between the State of New York and UUP
• UUP Guide for Professional Employees
• UAlbany UUP Chapter Officers

Academic professional employees should visit the Promotion & Tenure section of the Provost’s Office website for additional information on the following topics:

• Term renewals
• Expedited tenure (consideration of new faculty for continuing appointments)
• Promotion and tenure