Compensation Project Phase II

Earlier this year, we announced the kickoff of a multi-phase compensation project designed to ensure that Kennesaw State University can continue to attract, retain, and grow the staff and faculty required to fulfill our mission of unleashing the potential in every student we serve—and to realize our vision of becoming a top-tier R2 institution.

We’ve taken significant steps toward our goal of reviewing and refreshing elements of our staff compensation program (Phase I) and faculty compensation program (Phase II). We want to keep you informed of our efforts pertaining to staff. In January 2023, we will provide a similar update related to faculty.

Phase I: Our Process, Our Progress for Staff
Our primary objective is to create compensation programs that align with the current and future needs of the University and support the ongoing growth and sustained success of all staff.

In partnership with the HR Advisory Council (HRAC) and a third-party Human Resources consulting firm, we built the foundational elements of our refreshed staff compensation program by:

comp process

Our Compensation Philosophy
Our compensation philosophy is an approved policy statement that guides the design, management, and communication of our compensation program.

Our Career Framework for Staff
Our new career framework for staff will be consistent across KSU, allowing staff to clearly understand the possibilities for compensation and career growth at the University. With the new career framework, all staff will be able to see how our jobs are organized campus-wide, the skills required for each role, and the meaningful ways to progress at KSU based on job performance, tenure, and responsibilities.

A Look Ahead
In early 2023, we will begin implementation of the new staff compensation plan, which will include conducting manager training and providing tools that will help staff learn about—and navigate—our career framework.

While the compensation project will not result in a pay increase for every KSU employee, it will provide baseline data to develop a multi-year plan to address market competitiveness, equity, and compression of pay. It will also create a uniform, market-based means of determining pay and managing career progression at all levels across campus, making KSU an even better place to work.

Previous updates

  • At Kennesaw State University, it is our faculty and staff who create the innovative teaching and learning environment that makes our institution great. Our faculty and staff serve at the epicenter of our mission and are the key to realizing our vision of becoming one of the top R2 institutions in the nation.  To support this effort and ensure that we are hiring, retaining, and advancing the talented employees needed to achieve our mission, we are conducting a review of core elements of our compensation programs. 

    Our goal is to build compensation programs that are competitive and offer meaningful career development opportunities for staff and faculty at all levels. Together, with cross-campus committees and the utilization  of a third-party HR consulting firm, we are working to benchmark faculty and staff pay and make KSU an even better place to work.

    Prior to this phase of the project, several initiatives have occurred to improve KSU’s compensation program:

    • Updated job descriptions for all staff positions
    • Created a compensation structure and moved all staff to their grade minimum
    • Invested over $3M in faculty and staff market adjustments in FY 21 and FY 22
    • Allotted almost $800K to increase part-time faculty pay
    • Implemented State of Georgia $5,000 cost of living adjustments for full time faculty and staff

    Our primary objective is to create compensation programs that align with the current and future needs of the University and supports the ongoing growth and sustained success of all faculty and staff. The project will:

    • Establish consistent levels of work and job groupings
    • Enable KSU to develop an ongoing, market-based strategy for addressing competitiveness of pay
    • Equip managers to have more focused discussions about compensation, internal equity, and career progression
    • Create competitive, streamlined compensation programs where managers, faculty and staff clearly understand what is needed to contribute, grow, and advance at KSU

    This project is not about eliminating jobs or reducing pay for KSU employees. In fact, no KSU employee will receive a reduction in pay based on the findings and outcomes of the project. While this project will not result in a pay increase for every KSU employee, it will provide baseline data to develop a multi-year plan to address market competitiveness, equity, and compression of pay.


    Next steps in this important project will include: 

    • The HR Advisory Council (HRAC) will serve as staff representatives on the Compensation Advisory Committee. This committee consists of members across the University who will help shape the direction of our work. The HRAC has already begun work on identifying job groupings and peer institutions
    • Faculty representatives will be named closer to the start of the next phase which will focus on a competitive analysis of faculty pay. Our goal is to have the work for both faculty and staff completed by the end of the calendar year. 
    • Periodic updates will be provided as the project progresses.


    Thank you for all of your efforts on behalf of Kennesaw State. 

Questions? 

Please submit any questions you may have below. Questions regarding the staff project phase will be responded to by KSU Human Resources.

 
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