APSU Hiring Process

Hiring Process

Because APSU hires faculty and staff from a broad geographic area, salary data is obtained from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR) that includes jobs unique to higher education and the appropriate labor markets by employee level and/or function. The labor/talent markets for compensation comparisons typically consider the factors of industry, geography, and organization size, depending on the job level and functional nature of the role. These include the following broad job groupings:

• Jobs Unique to Higher Education
• Jobs in Higher Education and General Industry
• Jobs in Higher Education and Non-Profit Organizations
• Jobs in Athletics

For roles that are recruited nationally, APSU uses a national peer group of institutions with similar Carnegie classification (degree offerings) and size to APSU. This peer group contains 82 institutions. If salary data is not available for a position using the peer institutions, data may be obtained from a larger sample of institutions.

Higher level roles are typically recruited nationally, entry to mid-level roles are recruited regionally, and support roles are recruited locally. Further detail is provided below:

• Leadership roles and faculty: Benchmarked to the relevant industry (Education, Non-Profit, and/or All Industries), a national geography, and organizations similarly sized to APSU. Note Faculty are matched to the higher education national peer group, similar to senior leaders.
• Exempt salaried roles (below the director level): Benchmarked to all industries, a regional geography, and all employer sizes.
• Non-exempt (hourly) roles: Benchmarked to the relevant industry (Education, Non-Profit, and/or All Industries), a local geography, and all employer sizes.

Due to limited data availability on a local level, we utilize national data and apply a 5% discount to the market data to account for the cost of labor in the Clarksville/Nashville area.

Coach roles: Benchmarked to the ASUN and NCAA Division 1A conference peer groups. Other athletic roles are matched on a regional basis to the relevant industry (All Industries and/or Education).

• Peer Institutions

Managers are responsible for negotiating a fair and market-based salary for new employees, in consultation with their unit head and Human Resources. Human Resources will provide a hiring range for new employees based on the position description and assigned grade. Salary offers must consider market data, years of experience, unique and highly qualified skill sets, budgetary constraints and inversion and compression issues.  When negotiating a salary offer, if a manager determines that conditions warrant a salary offer above the market median he or she may request an exception from the area vice president.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications are submitted through the appropriate management chain with the advice and consultative guidance of the Office of Human Resources. Salary changes that result from a reclassification will go into effect at the beginning of the next pay period following approval. Reclassifications of non-faculty positions can occur if justified by the scope of work being performed and if permanent funding is identified for any associated compensation increase. The steps required for reclassification of a non-faculty position are:

1. All proposals for reclassification on non-faculty positions will be forwarded by the manager of the position for review and approval through the appropriate management chain up to the Senior Administrator. The Office of Human Resources will provide information and consultative guidance as needed to assist the manager and affected employee in completing the new position description and identifying the appropriate comparator and median salary. The position description will be attached to a written proposal providing as much detail as possible regarding the significant changes, the reasons for the change, and how the change supports the University’s Strategic Plan.

2. The proposal must identify the availability of baseline/ongoing funds for the recommended salary. When funding has been identified, the account number or funding strategy will be documented on the request.

3. In consultation with the Office of Human Resources, each member of the management chain will review the completed position description and may discuss it with the employee and his/her supervisor. Upon approval by the Senior Administrator the proposal, will be resubmitted to the Office of Human Resources for implementation.

4. Final funding for reclassification will be coordinated with the Budget Office.

5. Notice of final action will be sent to the immediate supervisor and Senior Administrator. It is the immediate supervisor’s responsibility to notify the employee of changes to their position title and/or salary.

More information can be found in  APSU Policy 5:036 Staff Promotions, Reclassifications, Transfers and Demotions .

 

Position Changes

Promotions

Promotions are an increase in position brought about by means of assuming the duties of a vacant position at a higher level. The recommended employee may not be promoted prior to the employee’s successful completion of 6 months in the position.

Requests for promotion are initiated by the Department Head/Director or above. Upon approval by the Senior Administrator, requests should be submitted by the manager/supervisor, via a written memo to the Office of Human Resources (HR) and the Office of Equity, Access and Inclusion (OEAI). This may be submitted electronically or via paper with appropriate signature lines. Upon receipt, HR will ensure that the employee meets the minimum position requirements. OEAI will review the request to ensure that it is in compliance with the University’s affirmative action goals. If concerns are noted, requests will be returned to the department. If the request is approved by HR and OEAI, the initiating Department Head/Director will be notified, and HR will prepare a new employment contract and obtain appropriate signatures to execute.

More information can be found in APSU Policy 5:036 Staff Promotions, Reclassifications, Transfers and Demotions.

Transfers

A transfer is a move to a position in the same skill level or same CUPA comparator salary median. Transfers do not equate to a salary increase. 

More information can be found in APSU Policy 5:036 Staff Promotions, Reclassifications, Transfers and Demotions.

Academic programs are listed by the national Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) fields using CIP assigned codes. CIP Codes are used to define academic program activity, as required by the TN Higher Education Commission Academic Program Inventory. CIP Codes are generally assigned based on academic program(s). When a department offers one program, one CIP Code is assigned and used by that program. When multiple programs and/or majors are housed within a department, CIP Codes may be assigned according to each distinct program and/or major upon permission of the Provost.

During the position proposal process for a new hire, full-time regular faculty are classified into the department’s program CIP Code.  If the department has multiple CIP code designations due to multiple academic programs/majors, the faculty member will be classified based on the primary teaching responsibility, as determined during the hiring process.  Highly specialized areas of instruction that requires a unique CIP Code due to accreditation or other reason, must be approved as an exception by the Provost.

When an individual moves within the university, either voluntarily or involuntarily based on program changes, the faculty member is classified into the department’s CIP Code, following the procedure detailed above.

Educational Increases

Staff Salary Increases for Degree Attainment

To be considered for a salary increase for degree attainment, the staff member must submit a written request to his/her supervisor indicating that he/she has completed the educational degree.  The request must provide justification of how the accomplishment relates to his/her current job duties, the length of study required, and any special requirements associated with the accomplishment.  A copy of the transcript that provides verification of the completion of the degree must also be submitted with the request.  If the request is approved, the increase in salary will be made effective at the beginning of the next pay period following approval.

The amount of the increase for completion of a degree will be dependent on whether there is a direct job relationship to current duties.  This relationship must be documented in the staff member's request and concurred with by the supervisor and division head.  The following chart indicates the percentage increase that is to be awarded: 

Degree	Directly Related	Unrelated
Associates	4.00%	2.00%
Bachelors	5.00%	3.00%
Masters	5.50%	3.50%
EDS	5.50%	3.50%
Doctorate	6.00%	4.00%

 

This policy applies only to a degree program started prior to January 1, 2021, and completed by December 31, 2028, in which APSU has a record of attendance and continuous enrollment since January 1, 2021, while serving as a regular non-faculty employee at Austin Peay State University.

More information can be found in APSU Policy 5:027 (Staff Salary Increases for Degree Attainment).

Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) Exam

Employees who work in a non-exempt administrative position who pass all parts of the Certified Administrative Professional Examination sponsored by the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) shall be granted a nine percent (9%) increase in salary upon successful completion of the Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) Examination.  Exempt employees are not eligible for the increase.

The salary increase shall take effect with the next pay period beginning after Human Resources receives documentation of the certification. Employees are encouraged to contact Human Resources prior to registering for the examination to determine eligibility.

Individuals who previously received the 9% increase are not eligible for a subsequent 9% increase for passing the Certified Administrative Professional exam.

Out of State Employment Processes

I. Background

Recognizing that remote work arrangements for faculty and staff appointments are becoming necessary to address critical needs, special business processes have been established to ensure compliance with state and local employment laws (e.g., taxes, unemployment benefits, workplace safety, minimum wage, etc.) based on the state where the employee is working.

II. Process Steps

1. Determine if the desired employee will work from a state APSU has registered (Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Virginia).

1. 1. If Yes, go to Step 2.

   2. *If No, an offer of employment cannot be extended without consultation with Human Resources.

Note - if you have questions, please consult with Human Resources about the principal work location for the employee (Example - The employee lives in Kentucky but commutes to campus 5 days a week, or is working fully remotely from Kentucky).

2. Complete the normal employment and onboarding process through PeopleAdmin. HR and Payroll will determine if out-of-state compliance steps are necessary. All remote work arrangements, whether in-state or out-of-state, require an Alternate Work Arrangement Agreement.

3. If anything changes about the employee's work loccation or remote work arrangement, consult with HR to determine if any compliance-related actions must be initiated based on the change.

(*) If deemed necessary, based on unique and compelling needs, additional employment relationships with other states may be considered but must first be reviewed with Human Resoures BEFORE an offer of employment is extended. (APSU must comply with a variety of laws and regulations at the federal, state, and local level. Before we register new states, we must consider the complexity of legal and compliance issues when hiring out-of-state employees.