A. It is the continuing policy of Washburn University to provide opportunities and incentives for professional advancement of faculty and staff commensurate with the abilities and effectiveness in the institution. Among the incentives to superior performance is recognition through merit increments in salary. Salary at the time of employment shall be established by negotiation between the individual faculty member and the University. Such factors as educational achievement, prior experience, the level and rank in which the individual is employed, prevailing salaries in the discipline or specialty, resources available, and equal opportunity requirements shall be considered in determining the appropriate salary level. To make certain that salaries are based on an equitable and impartial allotment and that there is a recognition of merit, the status, qualifications and performance of all faculty and staff will be reviewed annually by the appropriate administrative officers for possible salary increments. Merit, and not years of service, will be the guide in such matters. The same criteria will be used in evaluating the qualifications of faculty members for possible salary increments as for advancement in rank. Salary and promotion should depend upon the faculty member's total contribution to the University and not upon any single category.

B. The department chairperson through the Dean of the College, and the Deans of the Schools are responsible for making annual salary recommendations. Usually a specific amount of money for salary increments is allotted to each major academic area to be distributed among the faculty and staff. The Equal Opportunity Director will review all annual salary recommendations and may recommend adjustments when appropriate for compliance or equity. Final recommendation to the Board of Regents is made by the President.

C. In the College of Arts and Sciences, department chairs working together with department members shall construct a document describing the criteria for annual faculty evaluation. The departmental criteria shall be consistent with, but may exceed or be more detailed than, the criteria for promotion and tenure described in the University Faculty Handbook. To initiate the process of annual faculty evaluation, the department chair shall provide each faculty member with the departmentally approved document. The department chair shall ask faculty to submit a written annual report explaining how their professional activities relate to the department's criteria for evaluation. The department chair shall then schedule an annual conference with each faculty member to review the faculty member's annual report. The department chair shall use both the written report and the conference for making annual recommendations pertaining to faculty salary, retention or non-retention. The department chair shall indicate to the dean of the College that the process of annual faculty evaluation has been completed by sending to the dean the appropriate forms, which shall be signed by both the chair and faculty members to signify they have seen the completed forms. The department chair shall give a copy of the evaluation form to the faculty member. The department chair shall not forward to the dean any information beyond that required by the form. The faculty member shall have the opportunity to append comments to the form submitted to the dean.

D. In the College and Schools of Law, Nursing, Business and Applied Studies, faculty shall be evaluated yearly for the purpose of salary increments using unit faculty-approved evaluation criteria and procedures, which have been accepted by the appropriate dean. Before completion of this process, each faculty member shall be given a written narrative with a rationale for the recommended evaluation by the appropriate dean or chair.