Developing a merit compensation plan in an academic setting

UACCMF believes it has created an effective tool to quantify departmental goals and objectives and the faculty's performance in attaining those attributes. Formulating the plan and marketing it to the faculty was time consuming. On several occasions, UACCMF contemplated scrapping the plan but persevered because staff believed it was supported by sound theory. By changing certain details, it won faculty acceptance. Any large change makes people resistant because it involves uncertainties, especially when compensation is affected. Naturally, people view the plan first from their own perspective (How will this affect my pay?) and only later from the department's perspective. Now that a blueprint of department values is established, faculty members have concrete goals on which to focus and some direct control over their salaries.