ARTICLE 22

MERIT REVIEW PROCESS

 

A.             For those NSF who are eligible for merit increases, such increases are based on academic attainment, experience and performance, and are not automatic.  NSF will be eligible for merit increases in accordance with this Article in those years when the University provides merit increases to non-represented academic employees.

 

B.             Consistent with this MOU, decisions to grant or not grant a merit increase to individual NSF are at the sole discretion of the University.

 

C.             NSF will be subject to merit reviews as follows:

 

1.             Pre-Six year NSF merits ­ For pre-six year appointees, consideration for merit reviews, and decisions regarding the timing and amount of individual increases if any, will be at the sole discretion of the University.

 

2.             Continuing Appointee merits ­ The University retains sole discretion in the evaluation of an NSFıs performance.

 

a.             A Continuing Appointee will be considered for a merit review at the time of the initial continuing appointment, and once every three (3) years thereafter. 

 

b.             Upon review, if the NSF is deemed excellent, the NSF shall receive a merit increase of at least two (2) steps on the NSF salary scale. 

 

3.             Conversion of post-six year appointees to Continuing Appointees ­ For current post-six year appointees who are converting to Continuing Appointees, the NSF's next merit eligibility date shall be three years after the effective date of the NSF's last merit increase or the effective date of the NSFıs last appointment contract, whichever is more recent.  

 

D.             Demonstration Teacher, Supervisors of Teacher Education, or any NSF whose salary is paid on a By Agreement basis may be considered for a merit review at the sole discretion of the University in accordance with procedures established by the University at each campus.

 

E.             Merit guidelines and Procedures

 

1.             The UC‑AFT shall be provided copies of applicable campus merit guidelines and departmental review procedures as they exist or as they are developed.  An individual NSF may request a copy of the applicable campus merit review guidelines or departmental procedure(s).

 

2.             The University may change campus merit guidelines and merit review procedures according to the normal campus processes for revising such procedures.

 

a.             The University shall provide to the UC-AFT proposed changes to campus merit guidelines at least a month prior to finalization.  The University will begin to apply changed guidelines to individual NSF only with the beginning of the NSFıs merit review cycle. 

 

b.             The University shall provide to the UC-AFT proposed changes to departmental review procedures at least a month prior to finalization.  Upon request of the UC-AFT, the University shall meet with the UC-AFT to discuss the effect of the proposed merit procedure changes before the University implements such changes.

 

3.             No later than November 15^th of each year, each campus will provide the UC‑AFT with a list of NSF who were reviewed for merit during the previous academic year.  The information will include the campus, the NSF's name, department, whether the individual was granted a merit increase or not, and the amount of any such increase.

 

F.              The provisions of this Article are not intended to preclude consideration for merit review for the members of this bargaining unit.

 

An arbitrator shall have no authority to substitute her/his judgment for the Universityıs judgment regarding an NSFıs performance or qualifications, nor shall the arbitrator have the authority to order the University to provide a merit increase.  If the arbitrator finds a procedural violation, the arbitratorıs authority shall be limited to ordering the University to repeat the merit review from the point at which the violation occurred.  At the request of either party, the arbitrator may retain jurisdiction.