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Office of Sponsored Programs

Preamble

A procedure for establishing research base rates for tenure-track faculty members was developed to provide incentive to increase research productivity at the University of Montana. This involves a system where separate position lines for research are issued after being proposed on an individual basis, reviewed and approved by all administrative levels up to the President, and which have clear expectations for sponsored research and scholarly activity. These contracts are separate from the regular state-based contracts for tenure-track faculty members and they have a five year life at which time they are renewable subject to evaluation of researcher performance and market conditions.

Purpose

The fundamental purpose of separate research-based contracts is to ensure nationally competitive salaries for the execution of research done by tenure-track faculty members at the University of Montana. The standard for establishing competitive salaries is CUPA, which publishes salaries by rank and discipline annually based on a survey of participating universities. The University of Montana comparison group is Public Research Universities with High Research Activity.

Salary Standard

The basic comparison standard is the average national salary for rank and discipline as defined by CUPA. In nearly all cases at the University of Montana a research base salary that is 20-30 percent higher than the state base salary will equal or exceed the standard. Thus, most research base salaries will be calculated at a rate between 20 to 30 percent of the state base salary, with the result being not less than the CUPA average and in some cases somewhat higher than the CUPA average.

For highly productive faculty members (based on grant volume and publication record) the average of maximum salaries for the rank and discipline may be considered. It is likely that only a few faculty members will be considered for this standard since these are individuals competing at the highest level nationally. In nearly all cases at the University of Montana a research base salary that is 30-45 percent higher than the state base salary will equal or exceed the standard. Thus, most research base salaries for high performing faculty members will be calculated at a rate between 30-45 percent of the state base salary.

If justification using CUPA statistics can be made for a higher percentage it will be considered.

Consideration of Existing Research Base Salaries

All research base salaries that have not been renewed within the past five years will be re-evaluated and extended for five years, terminated (if not used during the past three years), or subject to submission as new research base salaries if they are below 80 percent of the CUPA average for rank and discipline. Additions to the research base only will be considered if they are within the salary standard guidelines noted above.
All research base salaries that have been established within the last five years will be continued at current rates, unless the faculty member wishes to establish a new rate under the salary standard guidelines noted above. At the end of their five year life these salaries will be re-evaluated and extended for five years, terminated (terminated if not used during the most recent three years), or subject to new research base salaries if they are below 80 percent of the CUPA average for rank and discipline.

Institutional Procedures for Establishing Research Base Salaries

  1. The faculty member reviews CUPA (available from the Office of Planning, Budgeting and Analysis) or the Office of the Provost (Director of Budgets and Personnel).
  2. The faculty member completes the Request for Research Base form, with the salary documentation attached, and submits it to the Department Chair or equivalent. Justification for being considered highly productive must be provided if a request for high productive consideration is made.
  3. The Department Chair is responsible for thorough vetting, and if supportive, adds justification/comments (especially for those claiming highly productive research performance) to the Request for Research Base form and forwards all materials to the Dean.
  4. The Dean evaluates the request, and if supportive adds justification/comments (especially for those claiming highly productive research performance) to the Request for Research Base form and forwards all materials to the Provost.
  5. The Provost reviews, rechecks CUPA information, and if approves forwards the documentation to the Vice President for Research and Creative Scholarship (VPRCS).
  6. The VPRCS reviews, and if approves forwards the request to the President.
  7. The President reviews, and if approves sends the documents back to the VPRCS.
  8. The VPRCS records the approval of the request, and forwards the original documentation to Human Resource Services.
  9. Human Resource Services (HRS) retains the original documentation and forwards the request to the Commissioner’s Office (OCHE) for approval.
  10. Once OCHE has approved and notified HRS, HRS notifies the VPRCS in writing.
  11. The VPRCS notifies the faculty member, chair, dean and/or director, and the Provost of the decision.

Evaluations at the end of the five year period will be initiated by the VPRCS and faculty members will be notified that the term is ending and that they will have an opportunity to request extension of an existing research base salary or seek a new research base salary.

The University of Montana allows a faculty member to request the establishment of a separate position (research base). The requested research base will be reviewed and considered on an individual basis.  It is possible to request a new base after five years following the same process outlined below.

The process:

  1. The faculty member collects and documents current salary information for at least three peers secured from nationally-recognized resources.
  2. The faculty member completes the Request for Research Base form, with the salary documentation attached, and submits it to the departmental chair (or equivalent). 
  3. The chair is responsible for thorough vetting, and if supportive, adds justification/comments to the Request for Research Base form and forwards all materials to the Dean.  
  4. The Dean reviews for appropriateness and includes his justification/comments to the Request for Research Base form and submits the form along with attached documentation to the Provost.
  5. The Provost reviews all materials, adds CUPA information, and, if approves, gives all documentation to the Vice President for Research.
  6. When approved by the Vice President for Research, the signed request and all attachments are forwarded to the President.
  7. Once the President’s approval is secured, all documentation is returned to the Office of the Vice President for Research.
  8. The Office of the Vice President for Research forwards the original documentation to Human Resource Services.
  9. Human Resource Services (HRS) retains the original documentation and forwards the request to the Commissioner’s Office for approval.
  10. Once approved, HRS notifies the Vice President for Research in writing.
  11. The Vice President for Research or his/her designee notifies the faculty member, chair, dean and/or director of the decision.

NOTE:  When approved, an individual’s research base must be used for all organized sponsored activity. Also, active research bases are automatically adjusted in Human Resource Services for merit, promotions, and across-the-board increases.  Market adjustments are not automatically adjusted and must be made as a specific request for research base change.

Appeal process

  • If the request for a research base is denied after vetting by the Dean, the faculty member may write a formal appeal to the Vice President for Research. 
  • Upon receipt of the formal appeal, the Vice President for Research will convene a meeting and include the Provost, the departmental Chair and Dean, three professional colleagues as suggested by the faculty member, and the Director of Human Resource Services. 
  • The eight individuals on this appeal committee will meet to review and make a final determination.
  • If the final determination is supportive, the Vice President for Research will endorse the request on the Request for Research Base form to the President, and the process continues.    
  • If the final determination is to deny the appeal, there is no further appeal and the decision stands.