I am delighted to announce a 2 percent, merit-based salary program for the 2018-19 academic year.

The program is another investment in our most valuable resource – you, our employees – and I am grateful for the recent approval of a full-year state budget that helps provide the funding and stability to recognize your hard work and commitment.

A competitive compensation program is essential to reward and retain the faculty and staff who are the very core of our excellence, and are lifting us toward our ambitious vision of an even brighter future. This new program reaffirms a commitment to annual, predictable pay raises that remained a priority even during a recent two-year state budget impasse that significantly reduced funding for operations.

The program will take effect Aug. 16, providing performance-based increases that will vary by individual but will average 2 percent across units. The merit-based program will be applicable to most academic and civil service employees, except for employees whose wages are set through the collective bargaining process. Those employees may be eligible for an increase based upon the negotiation process and the terms of the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

My deepest thanks for all you do to make the University of Illinois System a global leader in education and innovation, and a key engine of progress for our state.

Sincerely,

Tim