SECTION 6

BENEFITS, COMPENSATION AND PAYROLL

In this section:

• Awards for Faculty Teaching and Service
• Benefits for Faculty Leaving SSU
• Compensation
• Credit Union
• Dental, Health, Life, Vision Insurances, and Flex Cash
• Direct Deposit of Paycheck
• Disability Services for Faculty
• Employee Assistance Program
• Fee Waiver/Tuition Payments
• Payroll Schedule/Deductions
• Retirement
• Salary Schedule for Faculty

Several awards programs have been available to SSU faculty. Below are descriptions of a few of the more popular programs.

Teaching Excellence Awards which recognize and honor superior teaching, are granted to two faculty each year. See program guidelines at the site below.

http://www.sonoma.edu/Senate/EXCELTEACH.HTML

The Faculty Travel Awards (FTA) program provides awards to faculty for travel to and participation in professional meetings; travel to present a scholarly paper in your field; or other travel that is integral to carrying out research, scholarship or creative activity in your field. FTA funds come from unallocated funds from the earnings of three university-wide permanently endowed funds for faculty development, discretionary allocations by the Provost, and Research, Scholarship or Creative Activity Program (RSCAP) funds not used for Mini-Grants or Summer Fellowships. The FTA link is below.

http://www.sonoma.edu/aa/orsp/travelAwards.shtml

The Faculty Subcommittee on Sponsored Programs (FSSP) is the final faculty review body for all campus grant programs requiring faculty evaluation. The committee reports to the Faculty Standards and Affairs Committee. The 2004/05 Call for RSCAP proposals which includes the program overview, application procedures, guidelines and criteria for review of proposals are detailed in the link below.

http://www.sonoma.edu/aa/orsp/miniGrant.shtml

Federal legislation enacted in 1986 and 1989 requires employers to continue medical, dental, and vision coverage for all eligible employees and dependents for up to 18, 29 or 36 months following certain events for the purpose of ensuring continued access to health coverage. In addition, the CSU and SSU have several policies in place which provide benefits to faculty who leave employment through the Faculty Early Retirement Program, Pre-Retirement Reduction in Time Base, Leaves of Absence, or through Service Retirement. An Emeritus Policy is also in place and provides additional benefits to retired faculty. Details may be found at links below. Questions may be directed to the University Payroll and Benefits Office.

http://www.calstate.edu/Benefits/healthcare/cobra.page.shtml

http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/emeritus.htm

http://www.calstate.edu/LaborRel/Contracts_HTML/CFA_CONTRACT/CFAtoc.shtml Articles 12, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 32

http://www.calstate.edu/Benefits/overview.shtml

Compensation to faculty comes in a number of forms, including a comprehensive benefits package for eligible faculty which provides health, dental, vision and life insurances, tuition waiver, 403(b) Programs and optional retirement plans, a Dependent Care Reimbursement Program, payment toward Social Security, travel reimbursement, use of campus recreational facilities, and the salary rates negotiated between the CSU and CFA. Faculty may request addition information through the campus Payroll and Benefits Office.

http://www.calstate.edu/LaborRel/Contracts_HTML/CFA_CONTRACT/CFAtoc.shtml Article 31, 32, and 33

http://www.calstate.edu/Benefits/overview.shtml

http://www.calstate.edu/HRAdm/SalarySchedule/Salary.aspx

Faculty members eligible for payroll deduction to an authorized credit union may make arrangement through the campus Payroll and Benefits Office. These deduction may be deposited directly from your paycheck into an established account at the credit union.

Dental, Health, Life,Vision Insurances, and Flex Cash

Faculty eligible for the benefits of health, dental, life, vision and flex cash and other programs identified in the CBA should review the links below and contact the campus Payroll and Benefits Office for further information.

http://www.calstate.edu/LaborRel/Contracts_HTML/CFA_CONTRACT/CFAtoc.shtml Article 32 and 30

http://libweb.sonoma.edu/search/web/health.html

http://www.sonoma.edu/SHC/healthlinks.html

http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/drugpolicy.htm

http://www.calstate.edu/Benefits/overview.shtml

Faculty may request to arrange an electronic deposit of paychecks to a bank or credit union account. Contact the Payroll Office for guidelines and to make arrangements.

Disability Services for Faculty

Sonoma State University is committed to providing an inclusive environment which is responsive to the needs of all students, faculty, staff, managers, and the public when they are using university services. To ensure this inclusion, appropriate accommodations as guaranteed by law are provided to individuals who have verified disabilities and who require these accommodations in order to enjoy access to university programs, services, or activities for which the individuals are otherwise qualified.

Faculty who have a disabling condition are entitled to reasonable accommodation in their work assignments. Faculty should work with their department chair and school dean to coordinate disability support services through the Human Resource Office. In addition to coordinating accommodation for faculty and staff, the Human Resource Office provides training for faculty, staff and students regarding the campus non-discrimination policy and the complaint process. This office also administers the university policy on affirmative action and non-discrimination, including receiving, investigating, and recommending resolution of complaints of discrimination on the basis of disability.

Examples of accommodations are: architectural access changes, close-in or adapted parking or seating, library assistance, interpreters, readers, note takers, as well as academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, or other accommodations necessary for a particular individual's needs. Accommodations may not fundamentally alter the nature of the program or essential functions of the faculty position, inappropriately impede access for others or cause a direct threat to the safety of anyone.

The Disabled Student Services Office coordinates accommodations to students and consults with faculty, department chairs and school deans regarding requests for accommodation for disabled students. See Disability Accommodation in Section 5 for additional links.

http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/parkingpolicy.html

http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/disabilitypolicy.htm

http://www.calstate.edu/LaborRel/Contracts_HTML/CFA_CONTRACT/CFAtoc.shtml Articles 16, 22, 23, 24, and 32

The University makes available to employees information about counseling for personal needs such as family problems, depression, alcohol or drug abuse, and rehabilitation programs through the employee assistance program administered by Human Services. Search the information in the links below and contact the Human Services Office for further information.

http://www.sonoma.edu/hs/erc/eaprog.shtml

http://libweb.sonoma.edu/search/web/health.html

http://www.sonoma.edu/SHC/healthlinks.html

http://www.sonoma.edu/uaffairs/policies/drugpolicy.htm

Faculty who meet eligibility requirements, and their dependents, may apply for the waiver of tuition for enrollment at any of the CSU campuses. Faculty may take courses that are directly related to their assignments or that may be part of a career development plan. Program eligibility requirements are defined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The SSU Fee Waiver Policy and Procedures are administered through the Human Resource Office.

http://www.calstate.edu/LaborRel/Contracts_HTML/CFA_CONTRACT/CFAtoc.shtml Articles 25 and 26

Paychecks are distributed after 3 p.m. each pay date and are normally picked up by a staff member for all faculty in the department. See your academic department Attendance Clerk or support staff for information specific to your department.

http://www.sonoma.edu/afd/customer/checkpickuppayrollinfo.html#state%20employees

Faculty eligible for payroll deductions may contact the Payroll and Benefits Office to receive information on initiating deductions, such as to a credit union, to pay for parking, or to contribute to a non-profit agency.

http://www.calstate.edu/LaborRel/Contracts_HTML/CFA_CONTRACT/CFAtoc.shtml Article 32

The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) provides retirement and health benefit services to more than 1.2 million members and more than 2,400 employers. CalPERS membership consists of active, inactive and retired members from the State, school districts and local public agencies. In addition to participation in the CalPERS retirement system, faculty may also select additional plans.

http://www.calpers.ca.gov

http://www.calstate.edu/LaborRel/Contracts_HTML/CFA_CONTRACT/CFAtoc.shtml Articles 29, 30 and 32

http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/emeritus.htm

http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/retired.htm

http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/facultyearly.htm

The CSU Salary Schedule and Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) articles pertaining to faculty salaries, including increases, such as merit, range, or step increases, are negotiated between the Chancellor's Office and the California Faculty Association. University policy provides procedures and guidelines that conform to the CBA. The CBA, policy statements and the Salary Schedule may be found at the links below. Questions regarding this information should be directed to the Faculty Affairs Office.

http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/facultymerit.htm

http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/range.htm

http://www.calstate.edu/LaborRel/Contracts_HTML/CFA_CONTRACT/CFAtoc.shtml Article 31

http://www.calstate.edu/HRAdm/SalarySchedule/Salary.aspx

http://www.sonoma.edu/aa/fa/

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