Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 72.47
Liaison Daryl Pierson
Submission Date March 30, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Portland State University
PA-11: Employee Compensation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.42 / 3.00 Amanda Wolf
Program + Assessment Coordinator
Campus Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

The local living wage (based on a family of four and expressed as an hourly wage):
17.72 US/Canadian $

Percentage of all employees (regular full-time, regular part-time, and temporary workers) that receive a living wage (benefits excluded):
89

Does the institution have employees of contractors that work on-site as part of regular and ongoing campus operations?:
Yes

Percentage of employees of contractors that work on-site as part of regular and ongoing campus operations that the institution has verified as receiving a living wage (benefits excluded) (0-100; enter ‘0’ if unknown):
9.85

The total compensation provided to the institution’s lowest paid regular (i.e., permanent) employee or pay grade meets or exceeds what percentage of the living wage?:
None of the above (i.e. the lowest paid regular employee or pay grade earns less than the living wage)

A brief description of the minimum total compensation provided to the institution’s lowest paid employee or pay grade, including any in-kind benefits included as part of the total compensation figure :

in-kind benefits include: health benefits, employer-paid retirement contributions, FICA taxes, the Portland city transit tax, disability, unemployment, and workers comp.

Lowest Paid Employee:
0.475 FTE Employee (@12.39/hr): 12237.72 ASR + 3335.86 OPE = 15573.58 TComp; 15573.58/173.33 hours per pay/12 months/0.475 FTE = $15.76/hr (88.94% of living wage)


Has the institution made a formal commitment to pay a living wage?:
Yes

A copy or brief description of the institution’s written policy stating its commitment to a living wage:

PSU Compensation Philosophy:
MISSION STATEMENT (ROLE OF PAY)
 Portland State University views compensation as a core element of a highly competitive overall employee package that also includes generous health and retirement benefits, tuition benefits, and a supportive work environment. To this end, the University will:
o Provide salary opportunities that are based on job responsibilities, experience, expertise, and performance. Strive to be competitive within the markets in which the University competes for talent, and promote internal equity, with consideration for the financial resources of the University
o Ensure understanding of the total compensation program through open, clear, and accessible communication on key components and opportunities of the program
o Permit the appropriate level of flexibility to accommodate all PSU staff segments and their requirements.
 The compensation structure will reflect the University’s Strategic Initiatives, cost to students including access and affordability, culture of the institution, reflect our commitment to positive relationships with our employees and employee unions, and support PSU’s ability to recruit and retain professional talent in a competitive market as fiscally feasible

COMMITMENT AND MAINTENANCE
 Total compensation is defined as the sum of all cash and benefits provided to PSU employees. PSU will strive to be market competitive in overall total compensation.
 The compensation program may also provide flexibility to adjust market positioning of strategic roles to meet key institutional needs and/or market pressures.
 A commitment to maintaining the total compensation program, through:
o Clear and consistent titling practices. Regular updating of position descriptions
o Periodic review of job structure, families, and levels (2-4 years)
o The identification of key benchmark jobs used to monitor the market
o Periodic review of the salary structure with adjustments made as necessary and as financially feasible to maintain market competitiveness HR / Sibson AP Advisory Committee Un/Un Advisory Committee

University Compensation Philosophy
o Periodic reviews of incumbent salaries relative to one another to ensure internal equity
o Ongoing communication with appropriate bargaining units and staff

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SENIOR ADMINISTRATION MANAGERS / SUPERVISORS
HUMAN RESOURCES
 Communicate campus wide
 Endorse program design
 Set strategic compensation goals
 Set performance standards
 Endorse salary structures
 Provide resources to maintain program
 Collaborate with HR
 Work within established compensation guidelines
 Update job descriptions
 Understand needed skills, knowledge, experience, etc.
 Set performance expectations
 Conduct annual evaluations
 Communicate openly with staff
 Subject matter experts
 Design, develop, and maintain compensation program
 Provide strategic and operational advice to leadership
 Provide tools and resources to managers
 Maintain market data
 Monitor effectiveness of program
 Communicate salary program


Has the institution made a formal commitment to provide a living wage to its student employees and/or graduate teaching/research assistants (e.g. by adopting a student bill-of-rights)?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s commitment to a student living wage:

PSU-GEU Economic Tentative Agreements Summary March 6, 2018

Information within this document is confidential. Tentative Agreement (TA) on these economic articles as well as all TAs about conditions of employment are subject to ratification by both parties before they are effective. Some provisions of some articles become effective at later times.
1. Term of Agreement and Complete Agreement
a. Effective upon ratification by both parties until June 30, 2021.
b. No reopeners.
2. Leaves of Absence
a. Sick leave per State law.
b. FMLA/OFLA per Federal and State law.
c. Jury duty leave with pay.
d. Personal leave of absence with pay not to exceed five days 5 days and with supervisor approval.
e. Personal leave of absence without pay if greater than 5 days and with supervisor approval.
f. University Closure Policy applies to all GAs.
3. Health and Well-Being
a. Working Group on health care to meet during AY 2019-20.
b. Report to be issued by the end of AY 2019-20.
c. Working Group report to inform successor contract negotiations in 2021.
4. Tuition and Fee Remission
a. PSU will remit resident graduate base tuition for up to 9 credits.
b. PSU remits 45% of fees during AY 2018-19, 60% during AY 2019-20, and 80% during AY 2020- 2021.
c. Tuition and fee remissions language effective fall term 2018.
5. Salary
a. Contract Ratification Bonus effective the pay period after ratification by both parties.
i. Effective date depends on ratification dates. Ratification dates TBD. April paycheck the
earliest this could be paid out to GAs.
b. Minimum and maximum FTE for GA appointments: 0.30-0.49 FTE. Effective upon ratification by both parties.
c. Minimum Salary and Hourly Rate Increases
i. Minimum hourly, monthly, and annual salary rates increase by 5.64% effective summer term 2018 for those employed in summer, fall term 2018 for all other GAs.
ii. Minimum hourly, monthly, and annual salary rates increase by 3.33% effective
September 16, 2018 through September 15, 2019.
iii. Minimum hourly, monthly, and annual salary rates increase by 3.23% effective
September 16, 2019 through September 15, 2020
iv. Minimum hourly, monthly, and annual salary rates increase by 3.13% effective
September 16, 2020 through June 30, 2021.

PSU-GEU Economic Tentative Agreements Summary March 6, 2018

d. Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA)
i. COLA 1.5% to 3.5% effective each September 16 of each year of the CBA (2018, 2019,
2020).
ii. First COLA salary increase effective September 16, 2018.
iii. COLA based on CPI-U Portland-Hillsboro-Vancouver data published in February of each year.
iv. GAs will receive the COLA increase or increase that results from the increasing salary
rates and hourly pay rates, whichever amount is greater.
e. Allows employing units to set salary rates above the salary minimums.
6. Work-Life Balance Task Force
a. A small group made up of six individuals tasked with discussing work-life balance issues,
including child care.
7. Streetcar
a. PSU sets the rates for Streetcar passes.
b. PSU to notify GEU when the rates change.
8. Professional Development
a. GEU withdrew their proposal for a $200,000 professional development fund
b. GEU withdrew their proposal for paid leaves of absence for professional development activities.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Data from Justin Moore, HR Analyst


Data from Justin Moore, HR Analyst

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.