Cash Awards Policy

College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
April 23, 1997

Guidelines

This program is meant to offer one time cash bonuses to staff members (including faculty, A&P, CCS, and specials and wages employees, including students) to reward extraordinary accomplishments. Cash awards are not substitutes for annual raises. The awards should not be pre-arranged or negotiated before a task is undertaken or completed. In so far as possible, the awards should remain surprises and not become expectations.

An individual award may range up to $1500, though awards at the high end of the range should be infrequent. The award amount should depend on the extent to which the quality of performance on a particular task exceeded normal expectations, on the amount of time expended over and above compensated and expected time for the task, and on the recipient's base salary level. On an annual basis, a department may award in this manner no more than 0.15% of the faculty and staff salary and specials permanent budget allocations amount for that department. College based awards may amount to no more than 0.05% of the college total faculty and staff salary and specials permanent budget allocations.

Procedures and fund sources:
Initially awards will require prior approval from the college office. Department chairs should submit to the college a "wage correction notice" for the disbursement of funds (This will change when ARMS is operational.) together with a supporting letter with describes and justifies the award. The dean, with concurrence from his fiscal officer, may also initiate and authorize an award. Awards amounts must be stated as flat cash amounts and not as a percentage of salary.

Please remind recipients that the awards are taxable distributions and will be reported as such. On the other hand, these awards have no effect on retirement contributions or benefits.

Funds for awards may come from any unrestricted cash account. This policy will be continuously reviewed and may be revised at any time.