Martin is an 11-month instructional faculty member who just got awarded tenure at Aʻā Community College on a neighbor island (congratulations, Martin!). Unfortunately, he had no ability to negotiate higher than the base salary upon hire. In fact, he was a mid-year hire who requested a raise based on the salary info on the UHPA website. His VCAA told him she’d get back to him when the HR director returned from Christmas break, and then called his Department Chair to request the name of the next candidate, accusing him of walking out on salary negotiations! Fortunately, Martin’s DC called him to check if this was true. In any event, he was forced to take the lowest possible salary in order to get the job.

When looking back at his dossier, Martin realizes that he has gone above and beyond what was expected to receive tenure and promotion. After reflecting for a bit, Martin decides that summer 2015 is the perfect time to compose a document asking for a special salary adjustment. How exactly does that work?

Answer:

Martin can find information on the process for Special Salary Adjustments in R-18, Memorandum of Understanding on the Procedures for Special Salary Adjustments and Bonus Payments:
http://www.uhpa.org/contracts/contract-2009-2015/r-18-memorandum-of-understanding-on-the-procedures-for-special-salary-adjustments-and-bonus-payments/

He also checked the paper copy of the 2009-2015 contract, and found the same information on page 99 (in the blue section in the back).

Martin cleverly decided to encourage some of his colleagues to do also apply for special salary adjustments with him since they had worked on many of the same projects. Since there were no written departmental procedures as to how to apply for a special salary adjustment, he requested that writing those up be added to the agenda at the next department meeting. An email to UHPA staff revealed that the underlying principle of the contract language is a discussion with one’s colleagues. UHPA staff also told him that it’s good to get down some procedures (ex. some departments take a formal, recorded vote), because it may be optimal to avoid Administration feeling it necessary to solicit the opinions of one’s colleagues privately and/or independently.

Lastly, in the composition of his request, Martin found the salary info available on the UHPA website helpful, and a good starting point: http://www.uhpa.org/salary-research/

Good luck, Martin! UHPA is rooting for you!