Human Resources

Compensation Study Information

New as of April 1, 2008

An Overview of the Staff Classification Structure….by Job Series

Butler’s classification structure for staff jobs has been established based on information provided by staff in the Position Description Questionnaires and from interviews conducted by the compensation consultants, Fox Lawson & Associates. Jobs were evaluated using the Decision Band Method, a highly effective method of job evaluation that was originated by Professor Emeritus Thomas T. Paterson and further developed and refined by Fox Lawson & Associates.

The basic premise of the Decision Band Method is that the value of a job in an organization depends on its decision-making requirements. This methodology is used for comparisons across the entire spectrum of jobs in any organization. There are six Decision Bands: Policy, Programming, Interpretive, Process, Operational and Defined. Further sub-grading and a step-by-step refining process enables an organization to distinguish differences between various jobs, taking into consideration the factors of skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions. The varying levels of jobs differentiated by these factors create the classification structure.

The classification structure has 21 job series and 12 stand-alone classifications. Each job series lists jobs in order from the lowest to the highest skill level. Each job series identified at Butler denotes a body or nature of work that has two or more distinct responsibility and skill levels. Stand-alone classifications are jobs that do not have two or more levels of skill at Butler at the time of this study. The classification structure will change as jobs are restructured and new jobs are created.

Click Staff Classification Structure by Job Seriesfor an overview of the Staff Classification Structure .... by Job Series and Stand-Alone Classifications.

Final Classification Structure and Salary Ranges - The key elements are:

  • Job Series
  • Classification Title (New Job Title)
  • Current Job Title
  • Series Level
  • Minimum Qualifications
  • Key Distinguishing Characteristics
  • DBM Rating (alphanumeric) – The letter denotes the Decision Band; the numbers denote the sub-grade. Job titles in some of the Job Series, e.g. Director, Head Coach, have more than one DBM Rating. The sub-grade is applicable to specific positions within the job title.
  • Salary Range – Shows the minimum, midpoint and maximum of the salary range. Salary ranges are subject to change each year based on market movement.

Click Final Classification Structure Salary Ranges to see the Final Classification Structure and Salary Ranges.

New as of February 25, 2008

Staff Compensation - Questions & Answers as discussed by Dr. Bobby Fong at the Staff Assembly on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.

Job Classification Appeal Form

Position Description Questionnaire

Initiation of Compensation Study

Meetings to explain the scope of the faculty and staff compensation studies have been held during the week of October 3-5th. A copy of the power point presentation is available at the link: Fox Lawson & Associates Presention, October 2005 (POWERPOINT document). We thank all those who were able to participate.

As a reminder, a Position Description Questionnaire ( PDQ) is to be completed by every full-time and part-time staff person who works regularly in a nine, ten, eleven and twelve month position. Instructions are included within the PDQ through this link: Position Description Questionnaire (WORD document). Remember before opening this document that you will want to save the PDQ on your computer desktop.

First deadline for full-time and part-time staff: The completed PDQ must be submitted to your supervisor by October 21st, 2005.

Final Deadline for Supervisors/Department Heads: The completed and signed PDQs must be submit to Elaine Johnson, Compensation Project Director in Human Resources (HRM&D), JH-108 by November 4, 2005.

If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Elaine Johnson, 940-9356, or at eljohnso@butler.edu.

As a reminder of the commitment from our President Fong, we have reproduced the memorandum sent through an All-Campus e-mail with his support and direction.

MEMORANDUM

Date: 28 September 2005
To: Faculty and staff of Butler University
From: Bobby Fong
Re: Compensation Study

To meet its strategic goals, Butler University must succeed in attracting, retaining and rewarding talented faculty and staff who can build and maintain a quality academic institution. Toward that end, the university has engaged the services of Fox, Lawson & Associates to perform an across-the-board compensation study that will commence in October.

The primary goal of the study is to develop salary administration programs for faculty and staff that establish and maintain market competitiveness and internal equity yet provide some flexibility to meet the particular needs of colleges and operational areas.

Studies of faculty and staff compensation will be conducted separately and concurrently. Due to significant differences in foci between the two groups, the staff study will take more time. The primary difference is the fact that the number of staff job titles runs into the hundreds, each requiring review, while faculty ranks are already fixed.

With regard to faculty salaries, the study will focus on these key elements:

  • Competitiveness of Butler faculty salaries in comparison with the academic market using AAUP and CUPA data.
  • Identification of any bias or equity issues related to race or ethnicity.
  • Identification of any bias or equity issues related to gender.
  • The extent of salary compression (the discrepancy within faculty rank between newly hired and longer-service faculty).

With regard to staff salaries, the study will focus on the following elements:

  • Standardization and consolidation of job titles.
  • Creation of job descriptions that establish the basis for performance standards and that are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • Compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act that mandates overtime pay for certain kinds of jobs.
  • Development of pay ranges with a minimum, midpoint and maximum for each job or group of jobs.
  • Identification of career paths.
  • Identification of any bias or equity issues related to race or ethnicity.
  • Identification of any bias or equity issues related to gender.

The faculty study is scheduled for completion in February 2006. The staff study is targeted for completion in June 2006. Guidelines will be established to create and maintain the salary administration programs for both faculty and staff.

The compensation study addresses objective #25 set out in the University’s strategic plan. The project has the endorsement of the Presidential Commission on Gender Equity.

The financial impact of study recommendations selected for adoption will be assessed, and plans will be put into place to implement those recommendations within fiscal restraints. Reports will be provided to the university community at the conclusion of the studies. Regular updates and invitations for participation will be communicated throughout the process.

Meetings for department heads, faculty and staff to explain the scope of the project will be held the first week in October. Look for details soon on the dates and times.