Merit

• Non-Tenured Faculty
• Newly-Tenured Faculty

• Tenured Faculty

Why does my faculty member have a zero for their annualized salary? Why am I not able to enter a merit increase for them?
Faculty that have a projected separation date within Ignite, (including those who are participating in our retirement plan), are not included in the merit process. There is a zero for their annualized salary so that the faculty member’s salary is not included in the college’s overall budget pool.

Are the faculty that are participating in the faculty retirement program eligible for a merit increase?
Faculty who signed a retirement contract before the program was discontinued will receive a 3.25% increase as part of the merit process. In the merit worksheet, those designated as retirees will have a red alert next to their name and an eligible salary of 0.00. HR will administratively enter the 3.25% increase, and it will not reduce your eligible budget pool.

I just hired this faculty member, why are they included in my merit worksheet?
All regular faculty that are in the system as of March 1st are included in the merit process. We do not have a cutoff date for employees to be considered eligible. It is up to the individual College to determine if an employee is deemed too new for a merit increase. However, please keep in mind that if a faculty member does not receive a merit increase this year, they will have to wait until next August to receive another. 

One of my faculty members is missing, help!
All regular faculty hired by March 1st, should be included in the merit process. Temporary faculty, like we have done in the past, are not included in the merit process. If you are truly missing someone that you feel should be included, please email Lindsay Heller at Lindsay_Heller@baylor.edu for assistance. 

I’m not sure how much I should put in for an employee. How much do you suggest?
There are many things to consider when allocating merit. Your designated HR Consultant can help provide guidance if you are unsure about how much to enter. 

My faculty member’s performance score is missing, why?
If you entered a performance review score after March 1st, their performance review score may not have been pulled into the merit cycle. This does not mean that you are not able to give this faculty member a merit increase. The system does not keep you from doing that. Please enter a merit increase that is appropriate for their performance and consistent with how you are allocating merit for your other faculty.

I have a question about the budgeted merit amount. Who can I reach out to?
For any questions regarding budget, please contact your Business Officer.

How is this contract impacted by the previously announced 9-month faculty contract transition?
For details on how the 2026-2027 academic year contract period is affected, please refer to the Provost Newsletter from March 2026. You can also visit the Semi-Monthly Payroll webpage for additional information and answers to common questions about the transition.

My contract has a contract period of August 2026 through May 2027 but I’m on a 12-month contract. Is this right?
Yes. If you are on a 12-month contract, there is a footnote at the bottom of your contract with language that applies to you. Footnote (1) language is below for reference:

1. (1) If you are Faculty within the School of Law or on a year-round (12-month) contract, your Term starts on the Effective Date and continues through August 15, 2027.

What’s the difference between a pay change statement and a faculty contract?
Pay change statements apply only to tenured faculty, indicating a change in their base salary effective August 1, 2026 through May 15, 2027. An electronic signature is not required. Faculty contracts, however, are issued to non-tenured faculty and those receiving tenure this year. These contracts must be reviewed and electronically signed.

I’m part of the faculty retirement program but didn’t see a new pay change statement or contract for me to accept.
If you elected to participate in the faculty retirement program before it was discontinued, you will not receive a new pay changes statement or contract. Per the retirement contract, you will receive a 3.25% merit increase which will go into effect on August 1.

When will my new pay go into effect?
All pay changes will go into effect on August 1.

How was this new base pay determined?
If you have questions regarding the new rate of pay that is listed on your pay change statement/contract, please reach out to your Chair or Dean.

I accepted my contract/pay change statement, but my new pay amount is not showing in Ignite. Is this right?
Following the same procedure as previous years, the higher amount will not be shown in the system until late July, going into effect August 1.

• Staff - Pay Change Statement

Why does my employee have a zero for their annualized salary? Why am I not able to enter a merit increase for them?
Staff that have a projected separation date within Ignite, (including those who are participating in our retirement plan), are not included in the merit process. There is a zero for their annualized salary so that the employee’s salary is not included in the college/division’s overall budget pool.

Are staff employees that are retiring eligible for a merit increase?
Staff that have elected to retire and have signed a retirement agreement are not eligible to receive merit.

I just hired an employee, why are they included in my merit worksheet?
All regular staff that are in the system as of May 1 are included in the merit process. We do not have a cutoff date for employees to be considered eligible. It is up to the individual college/division to determine if an employee is deemed too new for a merit increase. However, please keep in mind that if a new employee does not receive a merit increase this year, they will have to wait until next August to potentially receive an increase.

An employee from my team is missing, help!
All regular staff hired by May 1, should be included in the merit process. Temporary staff, as we have done in the past, are not included in the merit process. If you are missing someone that you feel should be included, please email Lindsay Heller at Lindsay_Heller@baylor.edu for assistance. 

I’m not sure how much I should put in for an employee. How much do you suggest?
There are many things to consider when allocating merit. Your designated HR Consultant can help provide guidance if you are unsure about how much to enter. 

My employee’s performance score is missing, why?
If you entered a performance review score after May 1, their performance review score may not have been pulled into the merit cycle. This does not mean that you are not able to give this employee a merit increase. The system does not keep you from doing that. Please enter a merit increase that is appropriate for their performance and consistent with how you are allocating merit for your other staff.

I have a question about the budgeted merit amount. Who can I reach out to?
For any questions regarding budget, please contact your Business Officer.

I don’t know how to navigate my merit worksheet, help!
A job aid with step-by-step guidance can be found here and on the merit section of Baylor’s compensation website.

How will an employee know how much merit was awarded?
Managers are encouraged to communicate merit outcomes to each employee after all merit amounts have been approved by respective Vice President/Dean. Managers will receive an email indicating merit amounts have been finalized and to please communicate the outcomes to staff. It is important to communicate merit outcomes before pay change statements are published within Ignite.

What is a pay change statement?
A Pay Change Statement outlines the merit increase amount awarded to the employee and the August 1st effective date for their new salary/pay rate. All staff who are eligible for merit will receive an email letting them know their pay change statement is available to view within Ignite.

Where can staff find their pay change statements?
Pay change statements can be found under the “Me” section of Ignite, selecting the “My Compensation” tile, and selecting the dropdown arrow next to Compensation Change Statements. Additionally, staff who are eligible for merit will also receive an email once Pay Change Statements are available to view within Ignite with step-by-step guidance on how to navigate to their statement.

I have an employee on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). Are they eligible to receive a merit increase?
All regular employees who are hired by May 1 actively on a PIP are included in the merit process. Merit is performance based, therefore any merit awarded should be based on an employee’s performance for the prior year. Your designated HR Consultant can help provide guidance if you are unsure about how to proceed.

Are grant funded positions eligible for a merit increase?
Yes. All regular staff hired by May 1 are eligible for merit regardless of the funding source. Please contact your Business Officer if you have any questions related to the budget.

Are part-time employees on my team eligible for merit?
Yes. All regular staff, whether full-time or part-time, are eligible for merit. Staff in temporary positions are not eligible for merit.

How is the annual merit pool determined each year?
Baylor’s Board of Regents, in collaboration with the University’s leadership, consider various components including but not limited to affordability, enrollments, and competitiveness to determine the merit pool each year.

An employee on my team is leaving before merit increases go into effect on August 1st. Do I have to award them merit?
If the employee has submitted an official resignation and a Personnel Action Form (PAF) has been processed to indicate a date of separation, you do not have to award a merit increase.

I would like to promote an employee on my team. Can I use the merit process to award my employee a higher merit increase for this promotion?
No. Merit should not be used as a substitution for promotions, market adjustments, or any other type of pay adjustment. The awarded merit increase should only be based on an employee’s performance for the prior year. Please connect with your designated HR Consultant and Business Officer to discuss any promotion considerations.

I see Target Percentage Minimum and Target Percentage Maximum on my merit worksheet. Do I have to stay within this range when allocating merit for my employees?
No. The minimum and maximum percentages indicated are only recommendations. The range is formulated based on the employee’s current salary and their assigned pay band.