Purpose

The purpose of the University's Academic Staff Rewards Program is to recognise and demonstrate appreciation of academic staff who make an outstanding contribution to the operational and/or strategic endeavours of the University, through the granting of monetary or non-monetary rewards that are over and above normal remuneration for work performed. Outstanding performance that clearly aligns with the Strategic Plan 2005-2010 will be recognised and rewarded.

The number of rewards offered will be limited to five per year.

Outstanding Performance

Outstanding performance is performance that is considered to be well above and beyond the normal job requirements. It is performance that can be readily and fairly differentiated from the normal appropriate level of performance expected in an academic role. Such outstanding performance will be identified and documented through the annual Performance Development and Review processes.

Outstanding performance may involve, but is not limited to, one or more of the following elements to an extent beyond normal job requirements:

• Exceptional productivity and/or innovation in teaching and/or research;
• Initiative demonstrated through community and/or broader university service relevant to the University's Strategic Plan;
• Exceptional effort in engaging with the region for its intellectual, environmental, social and/or cultural development;
• Demonstrated exceptional student satisfaction; and
• Leadership in teaching, research and/or service to the community.

Reward Types

Reward types determined by a Rewards Panel may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• A one-off non-superable monetary bonus of up to 5% of salary;
• Allocation of funds for approved professional development, direct research activity, research assistance or purchase of research equipment;
• Personal salary allowance of between $500 and $1500 per annum for a maximum period of up to 3 years;
• Additional annual leave of up to 5 days to be taken within 12 months;
• A one-off payment of an extra amount to the employee's superannuation account;
• A gift certificate (subject to FBT, currently $103 for every $100 benefit).

Eligibility

Academic staff with appointments of two years or more duration are eligible to be nominated for a reward.

No employee will be eligible to be granted more than one reward in any calendar year.

Reward Nomination

A closing date for nominations will be advertised each year.

Following the completion of annual performance reviews, Supervisors may nominate employees for a reward in recognition of their outstanding performance in the preceding twelve months.

Nominations for a reward are to be submitted on the appropriate form to the relevant Cost Centre Head. Nominations must include:

• written support of the Head of the work unit where the Supervisor is not the Head of the work unit;
• a copy of the completed annual PDR report;
• detail of pertinent operational and/or strategic plan objectives;
• a written justification for the nomination detailing the nature of the performance considered to be outstanding;
• a suggested appropriate reward; and
• any other supporting documentation.

Where a Cost Centre Head supports the granting of a reward, the documentation will be noted accordingly and forwarded to the Director, Human Resources by close of business on the advertised closing date for nominations.

It will not be normal practice to nominate individual employees for rewards serially from year to year.

Reward Decisions

A Rewards Panel will meet annually, on a date to be determined by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic), to consider nominations put before it for rewarding outstanding performance in the pursuit of operational and strategic planning objectives.

The Rewards Panel will normally comprise the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) as Chairperson, one other Cost Centre Head, the Director Human Resources and one other staff member at Professorial level. Panel members will be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor. Panel members will not participate in the consideration of rewards for employees from within their own work unit. At the discretion of the Vice-Chancellor the Panel may include an external member.

The Rewards Panel may request to meet with nominees and/or supervisors as it sees fit.

Recommendations of the Rewards Panel will be forwarded to the Vice-Chancellor for a final decision.

Rewards will not be effective retrospectively.

Reporting

The Director, Human Resources will report annually to the Vice-Chancellor on rewards granted in a calendar year.

Reward Funding

Rewards will be funded by the relevant work unit and the granting of rewards will not be inhibited by budget constraints.

Updated: 29 August 2007