This document outlines the SMPH Basic Science Faculty Incentive Program including eligibility, review criteria and process, and policies for incentive salary adjustments.
Fiscal Year 2026
The kick off of this program comes at a very challenging time including uncertainty around our financial future. This is a highly valued program at SMPH and although we face financial uncertainty, we will be proceeding with the program for fiscal year 2026. We are however, asking that departments proceed with caution. For FY26 there will be additional school-wide parameters:
While we are making a good faith commitment with this recognition, we will conduct a 6 month review to ensure individuals are properly funded. This means an individual incentive, or the program, may discontinue after 6 months.
We reserve the right in a financial crisis to stop the program immediately.
The Qualtrics survey will require the department identify the specific funding sources to be used for the incentive.
As always, a department in financial distress is not eligible to participate in this program.
Basic Science Faculty Salary Incentive Program Background
Beginning in FY 2019, the School of Medicine and Public Health implemented a school-wide salary incentive program compensation model for research faculty who do not engage in clinical activities. The program applies to faculty in both basic science as well as clinical departments. This model recognizes faculty who excel in research, in addition to other academic activities, with a base salary adjustment for the duration of one year, or the provision of departmental discretionary research funds, based on objective measures of overall performance.
Program Eligibility
Incentive program is available to tenure-track basic science faculty in SMPH basic science or clinical departments who have a minimum 50% appointment with SMPH
For Faculty with joint appointments in other UW schools/colleges, incentive only applies to their SMPH salary component
For Faculty with joint appointments in multiple SMPH departments, all departments should confirm support of the nomination for an award
Typically, faculty members who are dual-employed with UWMF and/or whose compensation is established via the departmental compensation plan are not eligible
Emeritus and visiting faculty are not eligible for this program
Faculty with partial leaves for VA activities are eligible as long as their SMPH appointment is 50% or greater
Successful candidates must also meet basic eligibility requirements:
No recent or ongoing issues concerning professionalism
Responsible stewardship of research funds
Review Criteria
To qualify for the faculty incentive program, basic science faculty must demonstrate outstanding achievement in at least three of five critical activities.
Maintain a high degree of effort on peer-reviewed extramural grants (required)
Research mentoring and teaching
Publication of high impact publications in journals appropriate to the discipline
Leadership in relevant national organizations, e.g., NIH review groups, foundations
Exceptional service in SMPH, e.g., graduate program leadership, EPCC, WPP, medical student admissions
Review Process for Awarding Incentive Salary Increases
Fiscal Year 2026:
Annual calls for nominations will be issued from the SMPH Compensation Team on April 4, 2025
Candidate’s department chair submits a nomination by May 5, 2025 for implementation on June 29, 2025; the nomination must provide evidence that the candidate meets the review criteria
Nominations are reviewed and decisions are made by the Dean or the Dean’s designee(s)
Incentive increases are temporary and will be renewed annually as long as the review criteria are met. Nominations must be submitted for award participants annually.
Nominations will be submitted via a Qualtrics Survey response.
Incentive Salary Increases
If 60% of salary (up to NIH cap) is paid on extramural grants and high achievement is documented in other areas, candidate’s salary will be increased by 8% of salary up to the NIH cap (currently $221,900)
Alternatively, if 75% of salary (up to NIH cap) is paid on extramural grants and high achievement is documented in other areas, candidate’s salary will be increased by 16% of salary up to the NIH cap
Policies for Incentive Salary Adjustments
Incentive increases are in addition to annual or “high demand” increases in salary
Incentive increases are applied to salary up to the NIH cap ($221,900)
Adjustments are implemented only once annually, for the subsequent fiscal year (26 bi-weekly pay periods)
The proposed increase levels will be prorated for faculty who do not have a 100%appointment with SMPH
Faculty with partial leaves for VA activities are eligible as long as their SMPH appointment is 50% or greater
Incentive increases may be taken as discretionary research funds rather than salary
Compensation received as part of a K-award or foundation-sponsored career development awards do not count toward total salary on extramural grants and cannot be used to qualify for an incentive increase in salary
Nominations for the 2025-2026 Basic Science Faculty Salary Incentive Program
Program Highlights
Supplemental compensation will be determined as part of an annual evaluation and planning process for the following fiscal year.
The program is effective for tenure-track faculty who do not engage in patient care activities nor have employment with the UW Medical Foundation. Emeritus and visiting faculty are not eligible. In special cases, CHS-track faculty without patient care activities may be eligible. Faculty who also have appointments at the Veteran’s Administration may be eligible if they do not engage in patient care activities and have a UW FTE of at least 0.5.
Determination of the compensation or support amounts will be based on a holistic review of faculty merit. The amounts will not solely be based on a formulaic calculation.
This program is available to faculty with a minimum 0.5 FTE appointment in the School of Medicine & Public Health, including leaves. If an individual has appointments both in SMPH and in another school or college, this program will only impact the SMPH portion of their appointment. For faculty with total appointments less than 1.0 FTE, any annual salary increments will be pro-rated for the individual’s appointment level.
The nomination process must be completed every year, even if a faculty member is receiving added compensation in the current year.
Submitting Nominations:
Nominations must be submitted via Qualtics by May 5, 2025
