Grants and sponsored projects can fund faculty compensation in two ways: reassigned time and additional employment. Both are legitimate, commonly used mechanisms — and both require advance planning, confirmed funding, and formal approval before any work begins or any payment is made.
ORSP's role in this process is specific: we confirm that grant funds are in place and available before a compensation request moves forward. We are one step in a multi-office process that also involves the department chair and Academic Affairs. All three steps must be completed — in order — before a payment can be processed.
This matters because the state payroll system has hard deadlines and no mechanism for retroactive correction. A request that arrives late does not result in a delayed payment. It may result in no payment until the following pay cycle — or longer.
- If you are a PI: You are responsible for initiating compensation requests for your grants. Award notice is not the same as spending authority. Do not make commitments to faculty until ORSP has confirmed that funds are available.
- If you are a department chair: Your approval is a required step. A request cannot proceed to Academic Affairs without it.
- If you are a grant administrator or staff: You may initiate or assist with requests on behalf of a PI. The PI remains the responsible party.
The Two Mechanisms at a Glance
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What it is
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Reduced teaching load funded by the grant
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Additional pay on top of regular assignment
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Who it applies to
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Faculty with teaching assignments
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Full-time Unit 3 faculty
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When it's used
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Fall or Spring semester
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Academic year, summer, or intersession
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Unit of measure
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WTUs
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WTUs (instructional) or FTE (non-instructional)
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Salary impact
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None — grant reimburses the department
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Faculty receives additional payment
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Key deadline
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Before the semester begins
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15th of the month prior to appointment start
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Retroactive requests
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Not accepted
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Not accepted
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Before Any Request: Fund Availability
Three pillars guide the review and approval of grant-funded faculty compensation:
- ORSP: Fund Availability and Allowability
ORSP must confirm that the grant account is fully executed, open in CFS, covers the appointment period, and has sufficient uncommitted balance.
An award notice, congratulatory email, or verbal commitment from a sponsor does not constitute spending authority. Compensation requests cannot be approved until the account is open in CFS.
If your award is delayed, imminent, or pending execution, contact ORSP before making any commitments to faculty.
This step ensures the proposed compensation is allowable and that funds are available. Requests will not proceed without this confirmation.
- Department Chair: Academic and Operational Approval
The department chair reviews and approves the request in the context of departmental operations.
For Reassigned Time, this includes approval of the teaching reduction and its impact on course coverage.
For Additional Employment, this confirms that the work is appropriate, necessary, and compliant.
- Academic Affairs: Appointment and Institutional Approval
Academic Affairs creates the appropriate appointment (e.g., 2403 for additional employment) in PeopleSoft and routes it through the institutional approval chain, ending with the Provost or designee. Only after this step is complete can Payroll process payment.
These pillars function as a sequence, not a menu of options. Each must be completed before the next begins. From initial confirmation through final payroll processing, the full process takes several weeks. Advance planning is essential to ensure timely payment.
How to Request Grant-Funded Faculty Compensation