Procedure for Research Incentive Program

1. Purpose and Standard

1.1 

This procedure establishes guidelines for the Research Incentive Program (the “Program”) and defines the conditions under which research incentive pay increments may be awarded to faculty at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (“WVSOM”). 

1.2

WVSOM Institutional Policy PE-01: Employees, Section 7.2.3, allows for the use of incentive compensation, which is defined as one-time payments based on the achievement of previously defined, objective, quantifiable metrics over a defined period of time and/or as an  incentive to motivate an employee to remain in the employee’s position until a certain date. 

1.3

The purpose of the Program is to encourage active participation of faculty in competing for extramural support for research projects and to produce income revenue that can be used to support faculty salaries and fringe benefits. The Program serves to reward faculty investigators who, in addition to generating income covering facilities and administrative (F&A) costs (also known as overhead or indirect costs), are successful in securing extramural funding for their research. This can be achieved, in part, by requesting, on all grant proposals, an allotment for salary and fringe benefits consistent with the percentage of professional effort to be devoted to the project. This allows for the Program to provide pay incentives as set forth in this procedure to faculty for obtaining external research funding.  Incentives are paid as a salary supplement and are subject to sponsor allowability, applicable law, and WVSOM policy.

1.4

All incentive arrangements must be reviewed and approved through the standard institutional grant review and approval process prior to submission. 

2. Applicability

2.1

This procedure applies only to faculty serving as a principal investigator (PI) or co-investigator (Co-I) who have secured extramural funds while maintaining their other academic, scholarly and service responsibilities.

2.2

The Program is not a contract and is subject to change, with or without notice, at WVSOM’s sole discretion.

2.3

WVSOM reserves the right to amend this procedure at any time, as necessary or appropriate.

3. General Provisions

3.1

The decision to participate in the Program is voluntary and at the faculty member’s discretion.

3.2

If permitted by the grant and applicable law, faculty will receive up to 33% of the salary plus fringe benefit savings amount produced by effort charged to externally funded grants.

3.2.1

At least 5% of the faculty member’s WVSOM funded base salary and fringe benefits must be charged to an eligible grant. 

3.2.2

The actual annual incentive payment to a faculty member may not exceed 25% of their institutional base salary, from all funding sources, which includes all grants. 

3.2.3

The percent incentive pay is based on actual salary unless salary exceeds the National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) salary cap amount in force at the time, in which case the percent incentive pay is based on the NIH salary cap amount in force at the time.

3.2.4

The faculty portion of the incentive cannot exceed the amount generated and collected from the grant.

3.3

Faculty receiving an extramural research grant (excluding equipment grants, construction grants, etc.) as a PI after the effective date of this procedure in an amount of $25,000 or greater will receive a one-time payment of $3,000 (subject to the terms and conditions of this procedure) for the first grant awarded as an employee of WVSOM.

3.4

The faculty member must fulfill all expectations for annual performance goals for teaching, professional development, and service as set and agreed upon by the faculty member and the faculty member’s department chair. Any appeal related to the determination of performance expectations or incentive eligibility shall be submitted to the Dean for review.

3.5

The faculty member must exhibit satisfactory performance in all assigned duties as determined by the faculty member’s department chair and associate dean, including good fiscal and administrative management of all intramural and extramural funds for which the faculty member is PI or Co-I, and must complete necessary reports in a timely manner.

3.6

The amount and structure of any incentive payment must be consistent with institutional policy; and approved through the established institutional process. The PI or Co-I must submit the proposed incentive arrangement through the department chair for review and routing. All incentive payments are subject to sponsor allowability, completion of required time and effort reporting, applicable law, and WVSOM policy, and must be reviewed by the Office of Research and the Office of Business Affairs. 

The incentive pay agreement must be signed by the faculty PI and receive final approval by the President. Incentive payments are not guaranteed and may only be approved in accordance with WVSOM’s Research Incentive Program and Institutional Policy PE-01. 

Incentive payments are calculated based on actual, allowable salary savings and documented effort charged to the grant. Time and effort must be reported by the PI or Co-I, certified by the grant PI, and reconciled by the Office of Research and the Office of Business Affairs. All amounts must be verified and reconciled to actual activity and funds received before any payment is issued. 

Incentive payments may not exceed applicable program limits or the amount generated and collected from the sponsor award.

3.7

Incentive payment(s) shall not modify the faculty member’s institutional base salary and shall not be paid from sponsored project funds. 

3.8

Availability of any payments under the Program is subject to the availability of state appropriations and to any applicable state or federal laws, regulations or policies. 

3.9

If a faculty member retires, leaves, or separates from WVSOM, any remaining incentive compensation not paid to the faculty member will not be paid and the funds will revert to WVSOM’s general operating budget.  Similarly, if the investigator retires, leaves, or separates from WVSOM, any funds remaining in a designated, discretionary research expense account will revert to WVSOM’s general operating budget.

3.10

If a faculty member retires, leaves, or separates from WVSOM, any remaining incentive compensation not paid out to the faculty member will not be paid and the funds will revert to WVSOM’s general operating budget. Similarly, if the investigator retires, leaves, or separates from WVSOM, any funds remaining in a designated, discretionary research expense account will revert to WVSOM’s general operating budget.

3.11

Faculty who take an approved leave of absence (e.g., extended leave in the form of catastrophic leave, unpaid or paid leave, medical leave, sick leave, or personal leave) will not receive incentive payments under this Program.  Faculty wishing to take sabbatical leave while participating in the Program must submit the sabbatical plan for review and approval prior to execution of the incentive pay agreement or any amendments thereto.

3.12

WVSOM reserves the right to suspend or terminate this Program or the participation of any faculty member at any time. No verbal commitment to participation or incentive pay under the Program is binding and only the final signatures of all required parties shall constitute a commitment under the Program.