[Major revision–posted 12/5/25 (replaces 4/21/25 edition)]
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Texas Tech University Double T

Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 70.14: Staff Compensation Policy

DATE: December 5, 2025

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to establish policy and procedures regulating the administration of salaries for university staff employees.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed every two years after publication by the Senior Associate Vice President for Human Resources with substantive revisions forwarded through administrative channels to the Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer, and the President.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1. Texas Tech University’s Staff Compensation Philosophy

Texas Tech University’s (TTU) staff compensation philosophy strives to attract, retain, and motivate exceptional talent in alignment with our mission to advance knowledge through innovative and creative teaching, research, and scholarship. We are committed to fostering a workplace where employees thrive and are empowered to make meaningful contributions to student success, impactful research, and the development of our communities.

Balancing market competitiveness and financial stewardship, we are committed to consistency and fairness in determining pay, recognizing job differentiation based on clearly defined work dimensions and market benchmarks to align with TTU’s staff compensation plan. TTU is committed to maintaining a work environment free of discrimination and encourages all employees to strive to reach their full potential.

a. Staff Compensation Objectives

(1) In alignment with the mission, values, culture, and university objectives, the staff compensation program is intended to provide competitive pay and comprehensive benefits to employees.

(2) The staff compensation program focus is on the following items:

(a) Define jobs based on their responsibilities and alignment to work dimensions following a job family and subfamily job categorization model;

(b) Align base pay to the most relevant market data in support of a defined pay strategy;

(d) Balance the needs of the organization and staff with good stewardship of resources.

2. Total Staff Compensation Program Elements

The elements of the total staff compensation program include:

a. Competitive and Fair Pay

(1) Maintain salary ranges aligned with market benchmarks and internal equity to attract, retain, and reward top talent.

b. Comprehensive Benefits

(1) Health insurance, as well as optional insurance coverages, including dental and vision, flexible spending accounts, and wellness benefits, to support the well-being of employees and their families;

(2) Competitive retirement plans, including university contributions, and voluntary savings options; and

(3) Paid leave benefits include vacation leave, sick leave, holidays, and other leaves included in System Regulation 07.12, Employee Leave.

c. Professional Development

(1) Career advancement support through educational assistance, certifications, and ongoing training opportunities;

(2) Leadership development and skill-building programs to cultivate talent across all levels of the university;

(3) Awards and recognition programs; and

(4) Formal and informal programs that recognize employee contributions, years of service, and outstanding performance.

d. Additional administrative components of the program include:

(1) Job Descriptions – Colleges and departments are responsible for accurate and up-to-date descriptions of the accountabilities for each job;

(2) Staff Compensation Guidelines – Written administrative policies and procedures;

(3) Administrative Partnership – Active administration of programs, partnering with leadership and colleges and departments, to achieve consistent and transparent results; and

(4) Training and Support – Available training and ongoing support to educate the campus community.

3. Target Market Strategy

a. Market Definition

TTU generally defines its labor market for the scope of this philosophy as institutions in the Texas Emerging Research Universities (ERU) and the Big XII Conference. Additional market references to the local, general, and higher education industry markets are leveraged as appropriate, and other markets may also be considered for specific needs.

b. Market Target

TTU aspires to provide fair staff compensation that enables TTU to compete for top talent.

c. TTU will take the following approach to ensure that compensation for each job is aligned with the appropriate benchmarks:

(1) Staff Positions – TTU defines the labor markets for staff based on the type of job. Salary benchmark sources may include similarly situated peer universities or broader industry data, depending on the nature and focus of the role.

(2) Highly Specialized or Unique Positions – TTU recognizes there may be circumstances that require further refinement. In these cases, the TTU Human Resources team will work with leadership to review additional information necessary to align a job with the market and then determine an appropriate range of compensation that balances internal equity and external competitiveness. Exceptions will be reviewed by the Vice President for Administration and Chief of Staff in collaboration with the TTU Human Resources team and the hiring department’s leadership.

4. Program Administration, Governance, and Monitoring

a. Shared Administration of Compensation

A compensation program that meets the objectives articulated in this document will require ongoing development and shared responsibility for its administration. TTU is committed to working as a community to maintain a staff compensation program that promotes equity and consistency in how compensation is set across the university, balanced with flexibility for colleges and departments to make the best decisions to meet their needs and goals within the guidelines of the program.

b. TTU Human Resources seeks to maintain the following practices with respect to compensation:

(1) An accurate and updated job catalog that lists each job and includes a description of its general responsibilities;

(2) Biennial review of benchmark matches and other corresponding market data;

(3) Written policies and procedures that will assist departments in setting compensation within the established compensation guidelines;

(4) Available training for hiring managers on these policies and procedures; and

(5) Periodic updates to this staff compensation philosophy to ensure it stays aligned with TTU’s strategic priorities and goals.

5. Authority to Set Compensation

The authority to set the compensation paid to employees resides with the Board of Regents as outlined in Chapter 07, Fiscal Management, of the Regents’ Rules. This authority is exercised through policies that regulate salaries and wages through review and adoption of the annual operating budget. In conjunction with approval of the itemized budget during the normal budget cycle, the Board of Regents has delegated authority to approve all faculty and staff salary increases to the President. All increases requested outside the normal budget approval process will require approval of the President or their designee in areas as specified in this operating policy.

a. Presidential Approval

The President delegates the authority to approve adjustments to salary and compensation in accordance with OP 10.02, Delegation of Authority by the President. Approval by the President is required for any base salary adjustment of 10 percent or more, cumulative for the fiscal year. Such approval should be requested prior to notifying the relevant employee and prior to the effective date of the adjustment to an employee’s base salary rate. This does not apply to:

(1) Bona fide promotions – An employee moving from one position to another, in a higher pay grade, through the competitive hiring or direct appointment process.

(2) Supplemental compensation payments as provided by law (i.e., FLSA ruling, EEO settlements, etc.).

(3) Adjustments to an employee’s salary rate or wage rate that result in a per annum increase of an amount less than or equal to $2,000.

(4) Overload positions – An employee who receives additional compensation for teaching one or more courses in addition to their primary position/job responsibilities. Overload positions are considered supplemental appointments and are not guaranteed.

(5) Interim duties – Administrative salary supplements that temporarily augment the base appointment salary as a result of a special assignment.

(6) Base salary increases resulting from a change in the full-time equivalency (FTE) percentage to meet the business needs of the college/department.

For the purposes of this policy, base salary shall mean the monthly salary x 12 x FTE for monthly paid employees. For hourly paid employees, base salary shall mean the hourly wage x 2080 x FTE.

b. Beginning Salary Rate of Pay for Classified Employees

(1) An individual shall normally be appointed to a position in the job catalog with a salary at or between the minimum and the midpoint of the salary range for the assigned position.

(2) An employee who is promoted to a position in a higher pay grade will receive a salary at or between the minimum and the midpoint of the salary range for the assigned position.

(3) The Vice President for Administration and Chief of Staff approval is required when hiring or promoting an employee above the midpoint and must be justified by the exceptional qualifications of the applicant, or by the demonstrated lack of qualified applicants, and does not create an inequity between the individual and employees already employed by the university in that job family.

(4) An employee whose position has been reclassified upward will receive a salary at or between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for the assigned position.

(5) Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the President, upon being forwarded through administrative channels to the appropriate vice president who will review the exception along with a written explanation from the requesting department in addition to relevant information provided by Human Resources.

6. Types of Pay Increases

Staff pay increases are administered in accordance with the Texas Government Code Sections 659.251, 659.253, 659.2531, 659.256–259, 2101.3035, and 2101.037.

a. Merit

A merit increase may be awarded to employees whose job performance and productivity meet expectations with what is normally expected and required. A merit increase may be awarded to an employee in relation to his or her performance if:

(1) The employee has been continuously employed in the same position for six months prior to the effective date of the increase;

(2) The effective date of the increase is at least six months after the effective date of the employee’s last promotion, reclassification, equity, or merit increase; and

(3) The employee has a current evaluation on file with an overall score of 4 (meeting expectations) or above, and they are compliant with mandatory TTU compliance trainings.

(a) In situations where the President or Chancellor’s executive leadership issues a performance memo in lieu of a performance evaluation, the memo must identify that the employee is at least meeting expectations.

b. Equity

An equity increase may be awarded to employees as needed to maintain desirable salary relationships between and among employees of the university or between employees of the university and employees who hold similar positions in relevant labor markets. An employee may receive an equity increase if:

(1) The employee has worked in his or her current position for at least six months and maintained a satisfactory level of job performance;

(2) The employee has not received any type of pay increase in the six months prior to the effective date of the equity increase;

(3) The increased salary is still within the pay range of the current pay grade; and

(4) The employee has not received an equity increase within the current fiscal year.

When considering an equity increase for an employee, the education, skills, job duties, related work experience, length of service, and job performance of current university employees in similar positions and similar positions in the relevant labor market should be taken into consideration. Contact Human Resources to assist in this type of review.

c. Reclassification

A reclassification is the reassignment of a position to a different class or pay grade category. An analysis of job duties, level of responsibilities, minimum required qualifications, and reporting relationship of the position should be reviewed by Human Resources in collaboration with the department. A position can be reviewed for a reclassification if the position’s duties have significantly changed to support the business need of the department. Reclassifications are administered in accordance with OP 70.11, Appointment of Staff Employees.

7. Special Title Restrictions

The majority of the pay plan position description templates identify appropriate and acceptable uses for that particular position. This is done to maintain equity, job consistency, and compliance with federal and state laws.

There are certain titles restricted for use in specific offices or specific hierarchical levels only.

a. Restricted use for the Office of Audit Services

E0136 Chief Audit Executive
S2777 Assistant Chief Audit Executive
S1486 Senior IT Audit Manager
S1232 IT Audit Manager
S1487 Senior Audit Manager
S1222 Audit Manager
S1226 Audit Director
S1224 Senior Staff Auditor
S1225 Staff Auditor
S1223 Auditor

b. Restricted use for the Offices of the Chancellor and the President

E0131 Chief of Staff
E0105 Assistant to the President
E0132 Special Assistant to the President
E0149 Executive Assistant to the TTU President
E0112 Assistant to the Chancellor
E0108 Special Assistant to the Chancellor
E0106 Executive Assistant to the Chancellor

c. Restricted use for the Office of General Counsel

E0155 Senior Managing Attorney
E0141 Managing Attorney
E0125 Associate General Counsel
E0160 Senior Assistant General Counsel
E0129 Assistant General Counsel
E0127 Attorney

d. Restricted for the use of the Administration & Finance Division areas reporting to the Senior Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer

E1230 Certified Public Accountant

e. Extended titles with a Human Resources designation are restricted for use in Texas Tech University’s Office of Human Resources only.

f. Extended titles with a Payroll Services designation are restricted for use in Texas Tech University’s Office of Payroll & Tax Services only.

Exceptions to this policy will require strong justification and approval by the President. Positions that are currently assigned to the reserved classifications, but that do not meet the criteria set forth in this policy, may not immediately be reclassified; however, such positions will be reclassified when they become vacant.

8. Other Pay Normally Associated with Salary

There are other types of compensation an employee may receive that are not considered part of their base salary.

a. Supplemental pay – Supplemental pay may be used to provide additional salary to employees in certain circumstances for performing special assignments in addition to their normal job duties. Supplemental pay should be reviewed and renewed on an annual basis at the beginning of each fiscal year by the appropriate vice president or the Provost.

b. Overload positions – An employee who receives additional compensation for teaching one or more courses in addition to their primary position/job responsibilities. Overload positions are considered supplemental appointments and are not guaranteed. Overload positions should be reviewed on an annual basis at the beginning of each fiscal year by the appropriate vice president or the Provost.

c. Interim duties – Administrative salary supplements that temporarily augment the base appointment salary as a result of a special assignment. Interim duty positions should be reviewed and renewed on an annual basis at the beginning of each fiscal year by the appropriate vice president or the Provost.

d. One-Time Merit Payment – A one-time merit payment is a single payment to an employee that does not change the employee’s base salary. A one-time merit payment may be awarded if:

(1) The employee has been continuously employed in the same position for six months prior to the effective date of the one-time merit;

(2) The effective date of the merit is at least six months after the effective date of the employee’s last promotion, reclassification, equity, one-time merit payment, or merit increase; and

(3) The employee has a current evaluation on file with an overall score of 4 (meets expectations) or above.

(a) In situations where the Chancellor’s executive leadership issues a performance memo in lieu of a performance evaluation, the memo must identify that the employee is at least meeting expectations.

e. Recordkeeping and Overtime Exemptions

Recordkeeping and overtime exemptions in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act are administered in accordance with OP 70.06, Employee Working Hours, and OP 70.17, Overtime.

9. Roles and Responsibilities

a. Texas Tech University leadership commits to upholding and promoting this staff compensation philosophy. Leadership recognizes that the staff compensation philosophy and guidelines will require periodic adjustments to evolve alongside our dynamic community.

b. Texas Tech University leadership, alongside the Human Resources team, is responsible for administering the compensation plan.

10. Staff Compensation Definitions

a. Definition of Base Salary Rate

Base salary rate shall represent base pay for a specified position of employment or activity excluding any other payments or allowances.

b. Pay for Part-Time Employment

Compensation for part-time work shall be proportionate to the time worked, based on 40 hours per week.

c. Salary Adjustment Ineligibility

Employees who received an increase to their base salary rate are ineligible for any other merit-based increases for the next six months following the effective date of a merit-based salary adjustment.

11. Other Policies Relating to Staff Appointments and Staff Compensation

a. OP 70.11, Appointment of Staff Employees

b. OP 70.16, Compensation in Excess of Base Salary

c. OP 70.25, Longevity and Hazardous Duty Pay

12. Authoritative References

Texas Government Code, Chapter 659, Sections 251, 253, 256, 257, 258, and 259

13. Right to Change Policy

Texas Tech University reserves the right to interpret, change, modify, amend, or rescind this policy, in whole or in part, at any time without the consent of employees.

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