4.9.10sr - SRTC Procedure: Salary Adjustment Eligibility for Full-Time Faculty and Staff

Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) encourages and supports the efforts of faculty and staff to pursue educational advancement. The College recognizes the hard work and effort necessary to further an employee’s education and realizes the increased benefits to the College. SRTC full-time faculty and staff may be eligible for a salary increase after earning an advanced degree or after obtaining a national or industry recognized certification in field. To qualify, an employee must be employed with SRTC for at least one-year prior to receiving an increase. The course work or activities must be in the teaching discipline or in a field closely associated with the employee’s current position, duties, and/or responsibilities and must be beneficial to the College. Prior approval must be obtained from both the respective Vice President/Division Leader and the College President. Salary increases are not guaranteed and are subject to funding availability and feasibility. An employee who receives an increase for earning an advanced degree or certification is not eligible for an additional increase based on advanced credential attainment in his/her current position for three (3) years. (Examples of national or industry recognized certifications are CEDT, CPA, PHR, etc.) To be considered for an increase in compensation, the employee must adhere to the following procedural steps:

1. The employee must submit the form, Salary Adjustment Eligibility Based on Advanced Credential Attainment for Full-Time Faculty & Staff, to Human Resources PRIOR TO COMPLETION of course work or activities leading to an advanced degree or certification. An employee who has been employed for less than one year at the time s/he begins an educational program may submit a form upon reaching the employment requirement but will have no assumption of approval. On the form, the employee must indicate how the attainment of the planned degree or certification is directly related to the employee’s current position, duties, and/or responsibilities and describe how the planned degree or certification will be beneficial to the College.
2. The Human Resources Department will verify length of employment, regional accreditation of the educational institution for advanced degrees, and will maintain a list of employees who are seeking advanced education for a salary adjustment in accordance with this procedure.
3. The respective Vice President/Division Leader will review the form, attest that certification is a national or industry recognized certification, that the intended program of study or activity relates to the employee’s teaching discipline or current position, and that the employee’s completion of the degree or certification will be beneficial to the College in his/her current position.
4. If the respective Vice President/Division Leader approves the form for submission and recommends eligibility, then he/she will forward the form to the College President for approval. Forms that are disapproved will be returned to the employee with the reason for disapproval listed and a copy placed in the employee’s HR file.
5. If the College President grants approval, the employee will be given a copy of the form and the original retained in the employee’s HR file.

Upon completion of the planned advanced degree or national/industry recognized certification, the employee must submit an official transcript or other satisfactory official evidence of completion to the SRTC HR Office. Upon receipt of the required documentation, the SRTC HR Office will forward the appropriate documentation and form to the College President for review and possible approval of a salary increase. Salary increases are not guaranteed and are subject to funding availability and feasibility.

Responsibility:
The President has the overall responsibility for ensuring this procedure is implemented.

References:Salary Adjustment Eligibility Based on Advanced Credential Attainment for Full-Time Faculty and Staff Form

Status:
Adopted: 02-23-2015
Implemented: 07-01-2015

Revised: 06-28-2022