APPENDIX III
BOARD OF TRUSTEES RESOLUTION TO AWARD MERIT INCREASES
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the University to recognize and promote excellence in employee work performance through the annual granting of merit salary increases; and
WHEREAS, the University has not been able to award merit increases to employees for several years because of the unavailability of funds; and
WHEREAS, it is both desirable and equitable to take into account the past meritorious performance of employees when future funds become available to award merit increases; and
WHEREAS, this policy of the University’s Board of Trustees is not intended to guarantee future merit increases to employees in the absence of funds to pay for such increases, but is intended to make it possible for an employee to receive future credit for past meritorious performance for which no increase was awarded due to a lack of available funds;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Board of Trustees of the University hereby approves, reaffirms and adopts the following policy on merit increases:
(a) It is the policy of the University to include in its annual budget submission to the Legislature a request for funds to cover the cost of merit increases awarded to UVI employees.
(b) It is also the policy of the University to award merit increases annually to deserving employees to the extent that funds are available for that purpose.
(c) Subject to the availability of funds, as determined by the President in the exercise of his judgment, it is the goal of the University to award annually a merit increase of 4.5% to any employee whose overall performance is rated as “excellent” for the year, a merit increase of 3% to any employee whose overall performance is rated as “very good’ for the year, and a merit increase of 1.5% to any employee whose overall performance is rated as “good/satisfactory” for the year.
(d) Performance for which an employee is eligible to receive a merit increase under this policy is called “meritorious performance.” Merit increases are deemed to be awarded in the year in which funds are available, not in the year in which meritorious performance is rendered.
(e) Whenever, due to the unavailability of funds, the University is unable to award a merit increase for meritorious performance in a given year or years, then, in any subsequent year in which funds become available, it is the goal of the University to award and pay a merit increase based on meritorious performance from the preceding year or years. However, merit increases shall be awarded only to full-time employees at the time that funds shall become available for such purpose. As long as an employee remains a full time employee of the University, the employee is eligible to receive a merit increase for each year of meritorious performance during the employees’s tenure at the University, subject to the availability of funds. An employee loses his/her eligibility to receive a merit increase upon termination or discharge from full-time employment with the University. It is the policy of the Board of Trustees that the University shall not be obligated to pay a merit increase to an individual who is not a current full-time employee at the time funds become available to pay a merit increase.
(f) If funds are not sufficiently available to award and pay in full a merit increase as set forth in subsection (c) above, for all or any portion of a prior year or years of meritorious performance, then available funds shall be distributed for meritorious performance on the following basis:
i. Past meritorious performance ratings for the preceding year or years for which no merit increase was awarded shall be taken into account in determining who shall receive a merit increase.
ii The available funds shall be distributed on a pro rata basis among all current, deserving full-time employees. “Deserving employees” means employees who are eligible to receive a merit increase for meritorious performance. “Pro rata” means that the distribution shall be apportioned on a percentage basis so that each current full-time deserving employee for each year of meritorious performance for which the employee has not received payment in full of a merit increase. A merit increase shall be considered paid in full when funds are available to pay to a current full-time deserving employee the percentage increases set forth in subsection (c) above for each year of meritorious performance during the employee’s tenure at the University .
2. The University is pursuing a policy of fiscal responsibility by making merit increases to employees subject to the availability of funds and, in this context, the foregoing policy and the percentage awards specified in the policy are adopted, not as a guarantee for the payment of future increases, but as a good faith statement of intent on the part of the institution to pursue the policy as a goal.
3. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption. The President and Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs are hereby authorized to take such action as may be necessary to implement this policy.
CERTIFICATION
The undersigned does hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees of the University of the Virgin Islands adopted at its meeting on Saturday, October 17, 1998, as recorded in the minutes of said meeting.
(Signed: Orville Kean)
Secretary of the Board