Policy Name: Range Adjustment Program Procedures
Policy Number: 03-04-012
Version Effective Date: February, 2002
Last reviewed on: January 1, 2019
Policy Applies To: Faculty
Responsible Office: Human Resources


INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
A range adjustment program for full-time faculty is provided for in Article XXI, J4 of the 1999-2003 Agreement between the Council of State College Locals, AFT, AFL-CIO, and the State of New Jersey.

A range adjustment program will be established at each College/University except Thomas Edison State College. Full-time faculty members who meet or exceed the merit-based criteria established for range adjustments are eligible to be considered for and may apply for a range adjustment within rank. The merit-based criteria will be established by the College/University and published for the understanding of affected employees. The procedures for consideration will be negotiated between the College/University and the Local Union. The procedures for consideration utilized in the College/University, universally applicable, or in a division, department or similar unit in which the faculty member is employed, shall be fairly and equitably applied to all applicants and nominees.
(p. 35).

POLICY
An applicant for a merit-based range adjustment in rank, must meet one of the following three criteria:

1.  A full-time faculty member, who has not yet achieved the academic rank of professor, must demonstrate significant accomplishments/contributions to any one or more of the criteria for promotion as set forth in NJCU Procedures/Guidelines/Criteria for Promotion early in her/his time in the current academic rank and before achieving the full range of experience and accomplishments normally associated with promotion to the next higher academic rank.
2. A full-time faculty member at the academic rank of assistant or associate professor who has made contributions to the University over a long period of time that are consistently and demonstrably beyond meeting one's normal professional obligations and that have a profound impact on issues of importance to the University community.
3.  A full-time faculty member who has achieved the academic rank of professor and who has demonstrated extraordinary accomplishments applicable to the criteria for promotion as set forth in the NJCU Procedures/Guidelines/Criteria for Promotion during the period following promotion to professor or a range adjustment within the academic rank of professor.

The President shall inform the full-time faculty (Campus Wide Committee on Range Adjustments for Faculty) of the total number of range adjustments available for the University. The number of range adjustments made in any fiscal year shall be subject to budget considerations and limitations as determined by the President.

Procedures for Consideration for a Range Adjustment within Academic Rank
A full-time faculty member who wishes to apply for a merit-based range adjustment within academic rank may do so by submitting a written application for consideration to his/her appropriate Dean and the Campus Wide Committee on Range Adjustments for Faculty (CWC) no later than January 31st setting forth justification for the range adjustment. The application shall include a current curriculum vita, a concise cover letter indicating the faculty member's accomplishments related to the specifically applicable merit-based criterion, and any additional materials the faculty member wishes to submit that are directly relevant to an assessment of those accomplishments. See Appendix A for composition of Campus Wide Committee.

After the application has been received and reviewed by the applicant's Dean, the Dean will forward the individual's application with a written evaluation and recommendation for range adjustment to the Vice President for Academic Affairs within thirty (30) days of the closing date for receipt of all applications, with a copy to the applicant.

Simultaneously with the Deans' review, the Campus Wide Committee will also review the applicant's application and forward the individual application with an evaluation and recommendation to the Vice President for Academic Affairs within thirty (30) days of the closing date for receipt for all applications with a copy to the applicant. The CWC shall evaluate the applicant/candidate against the applicable criterion and issue a written assessment/evaluation and recommendation to the Dean with a copy to the applicant.

The confidentiality of the applicant's file is the responsibility of the CWC and others who official review the file. An applicant may withdraw his/her application at any point in the process without prejudice by submitting a letter to his/her Dean.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall review the application documents in addition to the evaluation/recommendation submitted by the dean and the CWC. The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall prepare a written statement indicating concurrence or non-concurrence with the Dean's and CWC's evaluation/assessment and recommendation, and shall issue a corresponding recommendation to the President. A copy of the Vice President's written statement and recommendation shall be issued simultaneously to the applicant.

The applicant shall have the opportunity to submit a written response to the evaluation and recommendation at each stage in the process noted above. The next level officer must receive such response within five (5) days of receipt of evaluation and recommendation. If received within the specified time, the applicant's response will be reviewed and taken into account by the next-level officer and shall become a part of the application packet.

The President shall notify the faculty member by April 15 as to whether or not a merit based range adjustment has been awarded, and if awarded, the amount of the range adjustment. The decision of the President is final. If awarded, the adjustment shall be the immediately following September 1.

Applicable range adjustments by rank shall include: assistant professor – R24,25; associate professor – R 28,29; and full professor Range 32, 33. It is expected that a faculty member who is at R 22 (assistant professor) or R 26 (associate professor) or R 30 (professor) at time of application will be eligible for a range adjustment to two steps higher than his/her current range if he/she is awarded a range adjustment for the first time under this procedure.

Faculty members who are granted a range adjustment under these procedures shall not be eligible for consideration for an additional range adjustment or for promotions consideration for a period of two (2) years from the effective date of such range change/promotion.

APPENDIX A
CAMPUS-WIDE COMMITTEE ON RANGE ADJUSTMENTS FOR FACULTY

COMPOSITION:
The campus wide committee shall consist of five (5) full-time faculty members. No more than two (2) members from any one college shall be appointed to the committee. In order to assure equitable representation of the three colleges, the Union President shall appoint three (3) members and the University President or his/her designee shall appoint two (2) members to the committee. The Presidents shall consult with each other before making their appointments.

Faculty chosen for the campus wide committee shall not hold membership during their terms on the committed on the university wide committee (UPC) for faculty promotions. Committee members shall not be candidates/applicants for range adjustments during their committee service.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT:
Committee members shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years except for the first year of the committee's existence when one shall be appointed for a one-year term, one committee member shall be appointed for a two-year term, and three for three-year terms. For the initial three-year appointments, one member shall be selected from each college. Committee members shall not be appointed for two consecutive terms.

MERIT-BASED RANGE ADJUSTMENTS FOR FULL-TIME FACULTY

CALENDAR:

January 31
Submission of Application for a merit-based adjustment
within academic rank to appropriate Dean and the
Campus-wide Committee on Range Adjustments

February 28
Dean and Committee recommendation/evaluation to Vice President for Academic Affairs with copies to the applicant

March 31
Vice President's recommendation to the President with
a copy to the applicant

April 15
President's decision to the applicant

Decision of President made known to the candidate in
writing by US Postal Service to the candidate's
home address. The decision of the President is final.

DATE TO INITIATE REVIEW AND UPDATE
As deemed necessary or appropriate by the Policy Coordinator but at a minimum, at least every 5 years from the date of last review.